That’s a tough one (which I made a bit easier by not including family photos).
I managed to pare it down to 15(!). It was an especially exciting year as I dove into the world of macro photography. An additional photographic challenge.
I am curious…which one is your favorite?
1: January…ice crackling on the river…
January
2: February…a welcome color display…
February
3: Early Spring…signs of nature coming to life…
Early Spring
4: May showers…
May showers
5: Summer sunsets…
Summer sunsets
6: Butterfly on zinnias…
Butterfly on zinnias
7: The magical pond…
The magical pond
8: Sunflower parade…
Sunflower parade
9: Amber waves…
Amber waves
10: Crunchy path…
Crunchy path
11: Fall arrives…
Fall arrives
12: Watch your step…
Watch your step
13: The cactus blooms!
The cactus blooms
14: Late Fall fantasy edits…
Late Fall fantasy edits
15: Last, but not least, back to where the year began…with the crunch of ice.
…we invite you to explore Layers. You can include images of buildings, landscapes, seascapes, clouds, etc.
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I am always fascinated to get a glimpse of what goes on in the hidden places. The mysteries of plant life navigating from seed to stem to flower. Or whatever its destiny may be.
The intricate dance of soil, water and nutrients essential for success…seems miraculous. Tender shoots of life making their way to the sun. Surviving despite obstacles…both nature and human caused.
A cross section of one hidden place was on display recently…when a recent rainstorm dislodged a support wall alongside a brook near the town park.
My first thought was to crop the image to highlight the layers of exposed roots and stones in the center. Then I realized…no, it is all part of a larger and equally complex layered landscape. In a scene that literally stopped me in my tracks during a late afternoon walk.
This brook also travels south and eventually empties into a tidal river that flows behind old brick buildings in the downtown area.
A site for more layers.
There I discovered plant life…layered in glorious fall colors…crawling up, down and across a brick and stone canvas.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) THAT DEPICT SEASONS.
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I live in the Northeast USA and signs of Autumn are everywhere.
My favorite indicator of the approaching fall season is what I like to call the “natural look.” The trees changing color on a daily basis.
It reminds me of the huge leaf piles I loved to jump in when I was a kid. I don’t recall having to rake them, but I probably did help. The sound of the crunch, the distinctive smell of…fall…drew me in one way or the other.
I clearly recall – one late fall afternoon in the backyard – lying face up on the damp grass amongst the fallen leaves. Watching the few clouds in an otherwise blue sky. The sun’s rays shifting. Leaves continuing to float down. I must have been 9 or 10. I will always remember this moment…I thought…staring hard…listening…trying to make sure the memory stuck.
There was also a dubious activity I took part in: hiding inside leaf piles at curbside. Dutifully raked by all the neighbors. Huge mountains of leaves…ready for the loud lumbering city trucks which came by to suck them all up every week. My game (along with my friend Kathleen): jumping out seconds before the trucks reached us. We shocked the heck out of those drivers.
Not smart, I know.
Remember, children were very unsupervised in the 60s. We played outside all day. One adventure after another.
We also got lucky. At least I did.
It was an exciting time.
Other signs of summer changing into fall?
Walking downtown yesterday, I noticed the local shops had updated their decor.
Orange is the new color-of-the-hour. As in pumpkins…and mums.
On the other hand…
During my afternoon trip to the local wholesale club, I was greeted by another type of decor marking the change of seasons.
Still orange, but not nearly as tasteful.
Definitely not the “natural look” I know and love.
[To my horror, this was also a few aisles away from a display of artificial 7 foot high Christmas Trees!! Yes, Christmas Trees on September 28th – WTH]
…I challenge you to pay attention to and share some smiles this week.
[also submitted for September photo a day challenge: Autumn colors]
~~~
A multi-dimensional word…smile. I try to coax a smile from my elderly neighbor who is not happy to be living here in the Northeast. She misses the warm dry weather of her former home in Las Vegas. Sometimes I succeed. Often I don’t.
At the grocery store I often catch the eye of a curious toddler or infant propped up in a nearby cart. Looking around while her or his parent inspects tomatoes or apples in the produce department. I’ll hold the little one’s gaze and smile…or wink. Nine times out of ten I’ll get a smile back. A real smile when the eyes join in. Later in the cereal aisle, I’ll sense someone looking at me. It’s that same smiling kiddo…often peeking around mom or dad. Who often don’t even notice. And if they do, they’ll smile too.
A smile just brightens the day.
Lately it’s not only the spontaneous grins from children that make me smile. Since I’ve dug more into photography, I’ve started smiling more at nature. Or more specifically, what I discover during the picture taking process.
When I got my first 35mm camera at the age of 24, it was all about people. Friends and family. I whipped out the Canon for my children’s milestones, school events, birthdays, first days of school. Or just fun everyday life stuff.
I was first in line at family reunions to record stills and video. Vacations were for photographs of scenery. My everyday life was full of work and focus on family. My husband was the one who would be crouched down taking pictures of a spider web or peeling paint on old rocking chairs. I didn’t understand why.
It’s interesting how things change.
Since retirement, emptying of the nest and downsizing, all of a sudden (it seems all of a sudden, but it really isn’t) another dimension in life has opened up.
Perhaps it started with this blog. Or just coincided with it; nudged forward by all the WP support. Digital photography and instant results played a part…as it encourages practice without the worry of buying film and paying for processing.
For instance….a few days ago I was finishing the last loop of my late afternoon walk when I noticed these trees up ahead.
The light. The colors. Oh my.
No cars in sight.
I crossed the road. Stood under the tree and looked up, focusing with my iPhone (wishing I had brought my “real” camera…). Turned around in a circle. My head back. Ignoring the cars going by. Hoping I wouldn’t lose my balance (I didn’t).
And then a flash of sunlight caught my attention.
The longer I looked, the more I smiled.
And captured it minutes before the light shifted.
I was smiling even more when I discovered this sunflower extravaganza in a nearby town.
I will admit I went (more than) a bit crazy there.
A sunflower convention…a sunflower Woodstock…!
The crowd goes wild!
I was a grinning fool by the time I hiked out of there.
Perhaps the moral of this story should be…
“We become more easily amused the older we get”
Yesterday I went on a walk around a nearby neighborhood. Late afternoon when the light softens and begins filtering in from an angle. Some call it the “golden hour.” My favorite time of day to catch nature at its finest.
Trees lined the quiet streets, interrupted by flower gardens in varyious stages of late summer wilt. Very little breeze to interrupt my focusing attempts.
I took along my (relatively) new camera (thanks Frank, for the tips on venturing into the digital full frame mirrorless mode!) to have more fun with its macro lens. Good thing I don’t have to worry about wasting film.
My contributions for this challenge:
The first few leaves shifting to fall colors, even though it is still technically Summer.
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