Thankful for Beauty

 Driving home from errands,

My daughter and I happened upon this incredible sunset,

a kaleidoscope of color spread before our eyes.

Stopped short by its beauty, we snapped shots as we drove.

Well, she snapped as we drove and I took a few after I found a place to stop.

It was all over almost before we knew it.

Among many blessings

I'm thankful today for the beauty of our world,

a gift from God 

free for all who will pause to see.  

Wishing You

a

Blessed Thanksgiving!  

 

Macro Light

Try as I might, I can't resist 

Gardening Gone Wild's photo contest.  This month's theme is

‘Lighting: A Closer Look’.

Although close-up photography is a lot of fun,

I don't do a lot of it.

I usually focus on pictures that

depict plants as they function in the landscape.

This was the perfect opportunity to bring out some of my

favorite spring close-ups.

Beautiful Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is pictured at the top.

Cherry blossoms

Azalea blooms

Spring Japanese Maple foliage

And then, those photogenic Iris.

Is there a more graceful...

 endlessly interesting flower than Iris?

My daughter chose this Iris shot as my entry in the contest.

I think she's got a good eye.

Check out all the wonderful entries at Gardening Gone Wild.

The Magic of Light

Gardening Gone Wild's Picture This Photo Contest theme for April is light. 

Light is such a critical element in photography,

and one that we usually can't control. 

We can only be in the right place at the right time and

use what we are given to its best advantage. 

I love how the interplay of light on the maple buds above enhances the detail.

But I struggle with lighting and am usually trying to make do with a less than ideal situation.

   

I was having issues with lighting that was too strong on my daffodils. 

I thought my problem was solved when a cloudy day provided even light. 

But the resulting photo seemed flat.

In the end, I chose the too bright version

which seems more dynamic than the flat values of this cloudy day version.

Every once in a while, magic happens.

Autumn light transformed this Cutleaf maple into a shimmering ball of fire.

Backlighting showcases this intricate branching, 

set off by the surrounding feathery glow.  

And so, I've chosen this Cutleaf Maple for my submission to the GGW photo contest.