**Yellow Mountain Columbine** *Aquilegia flavescens*

These flowers are to me, the pinnacle of floral art. You have probably noticed that I love wildflowers, but Columbine have always been a favorite. It could be because “aquilegia” means Eagle in Latin, or it could be because of where they grow. I first met Blue Columbine while exploring the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park. I loved seeing them blooming among the rocks at tree line. My favorite place to see them was at the outlet of Sky Pond at just shy of 11,000ft of elevation. They are much harder to find here in Montana, but I have seen a few. Red Columbine are stunning as well, with their slightly smaller flowers and forest setting. The Yellow Columbine is no slouch when it comes to beauty. They love cool moist settings along the forest floor. Their flowers grow on long, slender stems making them nod in the slightest breeze. I found this one in a spot I visit frequently. It is situated between a roaring creek and a steep talus slope where Pika’s thrive. There are towering Douglas Fir trees with a few Lodgepole Pine trees sprinkled in. It’s in a steep walled canyon that makes the sun rise later and set earlier, making for a perfect place for these beauties to thrive. It makes me thrive too.

This is a stack of 104 images. The camera takes a series of shots, using a 105mm macro lens, with the focus point starting where I choose. Then it moves the focus out incrementally for each additional shot. I use a program called Helicon Focus to merge them all into on image with all the sharp areas combined. The background is not artificial but is the result of the way the lens blurs the background foliage. 

Portrait of a Columbine