Sunday Sampler

This morning after church, Emma and I went for a refreshing, brisk walk. This determined clump of yellow flowers was growing in the crevice of a wall along Commercial Street.

 

When we returned home, I grabbed my camera to attempt to capture some of the violets and grape hyacinths which cover parts of my backyard. 

Since there was a gentle, steady breeze, I set up my splatter guard. I had picked up that tip many years ago in a photography magazine; not only does it block the wind, but it also acts as a reflector.

 

Next, I stretched out on the ground to get a better angle. Soon, my assistant joined me.

 

I fooled with different depths of field and lens, but it wasn't the best time of day to shoot so my results were mixed. Perhaps I'll give it another try with tomorrow's early morning light.

Why photograph a dandelion? Well, many, many years ago I was lucky enough to attend an all-day photography workshop at the Boston Camera Club with Freeman Patterson, the master Canadian nature photographer, and one of the things he talked about was perspective. I remember that he told the story of a woman in a remote African village who grew dandelions in her garden because they were such a beautiful flower. I never forgot that story, and when you study them up close they truly are lovely in form and color. Perhaps that is why as children we always picked bouquets of them for our mothers.