Valter Binotto's Image

Using a long exposure to capture the drifts of pollen and a reflector to highlight the catkins, Valter took many shots of this hazel tree before the wind finally delivered his desired composition. ‘The hardest part was capturing the female flowers motionless while the catkins were moving,’ explains Valter.

Hazel trees have both male and female flowers. Each green male catkin produces millions of microscopic pollen grains. To be successful at least one must be carried on the wind to reach the tiny red female flowers of another tree. The hazel’s protein-rich pollen is a valuable resource for bees in early spring.