Photo Essay: Rainbows and Rainy Days

by Mike Unser

It was a long, cold, wet spring in the Pacific Northwest. Thankfully, I love photographing irises when they are sparkling in the wet. 

Here are some of my favorite photos taken this year of the historic irises in my collection.

'Airy Grace'

'Aztec Copper'

'French Maid'

'Hermit Thrush'

'Juliet'

'Magnolia' 

'Mountain Sunset'

'Patent Leather'

'Rebellion'

'Sunset Blaze'

 Would you you like to see more historic irises? Check out Historic Iris Preservation Society photo gallery, or the Virtual Historic Display Garden I prepared for the 2022 AIS National Convention. 

Photo Essay: Ready for a Close-up

By Mike Unser

I am fortunate to be friends with a local iris enthusiast, Rod Mendenhall, who grows over 1200 varieties of bearded irises. It is such a treat each spring to visit his garden and see the plethora of varieties that he maintains. There are always some new additions to enjoy and plenty of old friends too. Rod likes irises of all eras so there are plenty of historics as well as the latest and greatest to ooh and aah over. Today I'm sharing a closer look at some of the varieties from his collection taken in 2017. Much of the magic of irises, for me, is in the details of their patterns or architecture. I love getting in close for a look. I hope you will enjoy these.

Favorite Macro Photos of 2016, Part 2

By Mike Unser

I love photographing irises and capturing their beauty to enjoy all year long. I also love to do close up shots of them to highlight the incredible beauty of their architecture. Here is a selection of my favorites from the 2016 season. Click on the photos to see the full size version.

noid

'Black And Gold'

noid

'Oural'

'Pinata'

'Barely There'

'Goldkist'

'Little Dream'

Favorite Macro Photos from 2016, Part 1

By Mike Unser

I love photographing irises and capturing their beauty to enjoy all year long. I also love to do close up shots of them to highlight the incredible beauty of their architecture. Here is a selection of my favorites from the 2016 season. Click on the photos to see the full size version.

'Anne Leslie'

'El Paso'

'Finest Hour'

'Millionaire'

'Mme. Louesse'

'Pink Plume'

'That's All Folks'

'Golden Flare