These photographs were all taken in the vicinity of Caledon and Kogelberg, South Western Cape, South Africa. All of the subjects are in natural surroundings, and there are no engineered or cultivated subjects, with the obvious exception of scenics. I seldom use flash, and unless the lighting is very difficult or long exposures are the aim, I shoot handheld. Spring is the time of year when most plants flower here, but even in high summer, the driest and windiest time of year, there are many flowers to be seen. The wind makes it very difficult to photograph them, however, and the success rate is not particularly high. The problem is not so much motion blur as it is difficulty in hitting accurate focus in the macro range when things are moving backwards and forwards. Therefore, boosting the shutter speed offers very little help unless the subject is rigid or the wind is still. The scenics are intended to break the monotony, and show the general appearance of the environment. In a sense, Fynbos is as beautiful a subject as a whole as are its constituent parts. The colour ranges in foliage and flowers in amongst the restios are incredible.

To identify all the plants accurately takes patience and detective work. There remains a margin of uncertainty, especially with the less well known herbs and the numerous geophytes that form part of complexes. If you feel you can help, I'd be grateful.

Note that all rights are asserted. Please do not consider commercial use or reproduction of these images without asking permission first.