Field of maize, Wycomb

Field of maize, Wycomb

Description

Title:
Field of maize, Wycomb
Caption / Description:

Looking west across a field of maize from Wycomb Lane, near Wycomb, Leicestershire, UK.

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize):

Maize (Zea mays L. ssp. mays, which is known in many English-speaking countries as corn) is a grass domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The Aztecs and Mayans cultivated it in numerous varieties throughout central and southern Mexico, to cook or grind in a process called nixtamalization. Later the crop spread through much of the Americas. Between 1250 A.D. and 1700 A.D. nearly the whole continent had gained access to the crop. Any significant or dense populations in the region developed a great trade network based on surplus and varieties of maize crops. After European contact with the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, explorers and traders carried maize back to Europe and introduced it to other countries through trade. Its ability to grow in distinct climates, and its use were highly valued, thus spreading to the rest of the world.

The apex of the stem ends in the tassel, an inflorescence of male flowers. When the tassel is mature and conditions are suitably warm and dry, anthers on the tassel dehisce and release pollen. Maize pollen is anemophilous (dispersed by wind) and because of its large settling velocity most pollen falls within a few meters of the tassel. Each silk may become pollinated to produce one kernel of maize. Young ears can be consumed raw, with the cob and silk, but as the plant matures (usually during the summer months) the cob becomes tougher and the silk dries to inedibility. By the end of the growing season, the kernels dry out and become difficult to chew without cooking them tender first in boiling water. Modern farming techniques in developed countries usually rely on dense planting, which produces one large ear per stalk.

Tags / Keywords:
  • Europe
  • UK
  • Britain
  • England
  • East Midlands
  • Leicestershire
  • Countryside
  • Biota
  • Life
  • Vitae
  • Eukaryota
  • Rural
  • Blue sky
  • Plantae
  • Plants
  • Magnoliophyta
  • Flowering Plants
  • Angiosperms
  • Liliopsida
  • Monocotyledons
  • Poales
  • Poaceae
  • True grasses
  • Zea
  • Zea mays
  • Maize
  • Corn
  • Wycomb

Admin

Date Original Photo Taken:
Original File Name:
_DSC1127a.nef
Event:
Rating:
Date this image added/last updated on website:
Original File Dimensions:
3872px x 2344px
File Type:
JPEG
Color Mode:
RGB
Original Image Color Profile:
Nikon Adobe RGB 4.0.0.3000

Location

Location Shown:
Sublocation:
City:
Wycomb
Province/State:
Leicestershire
Country:
United Kingdom
World Region:
Europe
Location Created:
Sublocation:
Wycomb Lane
City:
Wycomb
Province/State:
Leicestershire
Country:
United Kingdom
World Region:
Europe
Geo-location:
52.819178416683, -0.84963362497222 View on map

Rights

Copyright Status:
Copyrighted
Licensing Status:
Rights Managed
Available for Editorial Use:
Yes
Available for Commercial Use:
No
Copyright Notice:
© 2010 Dave Kennard

Camera Data

Date Digital Resource was created:
Shutter speed:
1800 s
Aperture:
f/3.5
Camera Model:
Nikon D200
ISO:
100
Exposure Compensation:
0
Focal Length:
18mm
Focal Length (35mm equiv.):
27mm
Metering Mode:
Multi-segment
Flash:
No Flash
Exposure Mode:
Auto
White Balance:
Manual
Light Source:
Cloudy
Exposure Program:
Aperture-priority AE

Additional shooting metadata

Lens:
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor ED 18-70mm F3.5-4.5G(IF)
Filters used:
  • B+W UV 010 MRC
Additional Optics used:
Setup:
Handheld

Post Processing

Image Modified:
Software used:
  • Nikon Capture NX 2
Post Processing:

-0.37 exposure compensation in CNX2
+157% on vignette slider in CNX2
Curves adjustment in overlay blend mode used in CNX2 to enhance contrast and saturation
Black & White adjustment in overlay blend mode used in CNX2 to enhance contrast and mute colours slightly
Top of image cropped off in CNX2