Purple Rain

Flowers are another reason that I enjoy making photographs during the summertime. I can still remember all of those snow banks we had to deal with all winter long. It is truly a miracle to me that we have any flowers here at all. And all summer long I can photograph single blooms like this ones, or entire gardens.

One very important photography lesson that I have learned is that I don't need bright summer light to take photos. Fortunately, I realized (after much trial and error), that diffused light was better when using a digital camera in order to make the floral photos come alive with rich colors. I photographed this purple mum after it stopped raining one summer afternoon. It was one of my first photographs and I still enjoy viewing it.

Wildflower

I have heard some songs lately that have cheered me up during these snowy and blustery days. One of these songs is "Wildflower" by Skylark. (I really like some of the songs from the 1970's!) I can related to the lyrics. Here are some of the lyrics as well as a link to the Midi song version:

"Wildflower"~ by Skylark (1972)

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/wildflower.htm

She's faced the hardest times you could imagine
And many times her eyes fought back the tears
And when her youthful world was about to fall in
Each time her slender shoulders bore the weight of all her fears
And a sorrow no one hears still rings in midnight silence in her ears

Let her cry, for she's a lady

Let her dream, for she's a child

Let the rain fall down upon her

She's a free and gentle flower growing wild

Sometimes I want to be just like a free and gentle wildflower. (I took the wildflower photo last spring at my favorite nature park.) I would like to use the creative side of my personality more instead of worrying about little things in life so much. I want to stop and experience the beauty of nature during every season. And I want to learn about my life by thinking about the symbol of the wildflower growing in the spring.

Winter Rose

I was able to spend some time experimenting with my camera today. My goal was to work with the camera's setting in order to create an image that showed creativity and effort.

Here is the photo from today's photo shoot that I liked the best. I used a dried rose against a black foam core board background. I used my tripod and natural window light. I shot in RAW and the ISO was set at 100. My 60mm lens was used for this shot. I experimented with the aperture today and was able to make an image using f 32 with a shutter speed of 30 sec.

I was pleased with the results. I think that setting the camera at f32 (with a slower shutter speed) made a big difference. The image of the rose really seems to "pop".

Now I am definitely going to make other photos with the aperture around f32. I hope that similar photos will also stand out. Photography truly enables us to pay close attention to details while creating memories. So now I have a memory of making this rose image on a cold day in February, even if I cannot go outdoors and enjoy walking in a rose garden. The author J.M. Barrie wrote, "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December. " (We can also have roses in February thanks to the photographic process!)

Let the Music Play, Let the Inspiration Begin

I often listen to music in order to find inspiration for my photography work. One of my favorite classical pieces is Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. This piece is so soothing and reminds me of a lullaby.

I created "Glorious Trio after listening to this masterpiece. The simplicity of the calla lilies reminded me of this classical piece. The flowers are regal in nature and their soft pastel colors reflect nature's amazing hues. Canon in D is the perfect piece to listen to while viewing "Glorious Trio".

Here is a link to hear Canon in D. http://www.jasononline.com/music/canon.mid

I photographed these calla lilies inside using natural light. I used black foam core board for the background. I really enjoyed arranging the flowers and working with the natural light.

Now, I would like to make more photographs using music as my inspirational starting point. There are so many possibilities! "Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself. " (Henry Ward Beecher)

Do you listen to music to gain inspiration for your photography work? It would be wonderful to know what kind of music other photographers find inspirational.

Better Days To Come

I thought that I would post a floral photo that I took at a local nature center last spring. Flowers always seem to make me feel better, especially when I am feeling down.
I have the heating contractor coming on Thursday to install a new furnace. I am glad that I am switching from oil to natural gas. However, I am worried that I won't have any heat tomorrow night. And that is a big worry here.
It seems that it has been one thing after another lately. I guess that is life. Photography does help to lift my spirits and brighten my days.

Purple Passion

I often find myself spending winter afternoons photographing flowers inside using natural light. Fortunately, I can usually find pretty flowers to photograph at my local grocery store or florist.

Usually, I use simple backgrounds for the floral shots. I like to use foam core board or fabric as the backgrounds.

The good thing about this kind of photography is that I can go back and experiment with the same kind of shot. I would like to go back and redo this photo of the iris. I will try to use reflectors in order to work with the natural light. I would also like to get a better depth of field. What do you think about this image?

"Practice, Perseverance, and Patience - Win always. " ~Charles Atlas

A Thing Of Beauty

It has been a very cold and blustery day here in Central New York State. I have spend some time indoors this evening just looking at some of my favorite photographs.

"Gerber Daisy I" is one of my favorites because I remember the success I felt after I took this photo with my Canon digital point-and-shoot camera in 2005. It was the first time that I tried using two halogen shop lamps for lighting. I had to do a lot of experimenting to get the lighting right. I had my camera on a tripod, of course.

I felt that I was learning how to use the camera in an artistic way. In addition, I was learning to use the camera's controls.

Now, I can see some improvements that I could make. I would be sure that the flower petals toward the front were a bit sharper while shining some light toward the outer petals.

I enjoy making floral photos using natural indoor light or halogen lighting. I realize that some photographers do not care for this type of photography. However, I believe that each flower is a tiny miracle. The British poet John Keats wrote, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness. "

As photographers, we can use our tools to showcase these small treasures. I know that I will continue to make floral photos, whether I shoot them inside using window light, through the use of halogen lighting or in nature.

Color My World

It has been a grey and gloomy day here. The snow that we received during the middle of the week has turned to mud and slush. There is very little color during these mid-January days, so I thought that I would look back into my digital photo album for an image brimming with color.

One of the first things that I discovered when I purchased my Canon Powershot A80 digital point-and-shoot camera in June 2004 is that I could use the controls to capture nature's vibrant colors: lively peacock feathers, purple-pink mums, autumn's splendid leaves, or baby blue eyes. Nature's paint box became available to me through the use of the camera. I began to really see the nuances in color that only nature could create. "I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music. " (Joan Miro).

"Laughter In The Rain" (above photo) was one of the first photographs I made with the Canon A80. I shot this photo just after the rain had stopped one July afternoon. These lovely day lilies were growing outside of a charming specialty food shop in York, Maine. (I love to visit Stonewell Kitchen store because of the gourmet food items they sell. There are also beautiful gardens there.) Although these ordinary flowers can be found anywhere, they remind me of finding beauty in the mist of a rainy Maine vacation.

This favorite photo also reminds me of another lesson that I learned about photography. I only needed diffused light from the overcast sky to bring out the gorgeous shades of yellow as well as the fine rain drops; too much summer sunlight would have cause the photo to be overexposed.

And now, when the color palette seems to be hidden, I can look back appreciate the fact that photograph has enabled me to use nature's paint brush to surround myself with deep, rich, vibrant colors.