Photos from my archives (Carole)

To get us started, I thought I would post some photos from my archives. These photos were all taken with a Fujifilm FinePix s700 (7.1 megapixels). It's a camera Ron and I have had for about four years. I have really enjoyed taking photos with it. It has been super abused. I throw it in my purse, sans case; I carry it with me nearly eveywhere I go because I never know when I will see something that catches my eye. We recently bought a new camera I am excited about, but I know I will never quite give up this one...

My interest in taking photos of flowers really began to develop a couple of years ago, mainly due to the fact that I finally realized I had a camera capable of taking super-macro images. I have always been drawn to the amazing universe that exists at the micro scale - the things walked past everyday and rarely taken into consideration. I am amazed at a God whose attention to detail is so absolute! Photographing flowers in this way has opened up a whole new world - it has been infinitely satisfying to me.

Artisitcally, I see the influence of my graphic design sensibilities in what I see through the lens of my camera. I am drawn to simple 'messages', strong graphic shapes, movement and intense color.

A few photos...

Photog 1:  SOC (straight out of the camera) Taken around noon, on a bright day with unfiltered sun. A little under-exposed for my taste,  I still find myself drawn to the light shining through the petals, the repetition of the
petals and the flow they set up. To me, this photo has some water-colorish attributes to it.

Photog 2: (SOC) Taken within seconds of the photo above, I love the strong black-and-white feel of this color photog. I also like the positive/negative reflection (the flower is being reflected in the hood of a black car.)

Photog 3: (SOC) Taken in the same few minutes as the photos above, I love how the background (black car) looks so black on the right, but gray on the left. I like the the strong directional break the flower creates across the frame. This photo is a great example of the the amazingly intricate and complex world of the flower, if only we chould see it with our naked eye. Who knew clover needed a shave?

Photog 4: (SOC) If I had to give this photo a name, it would be "A Cast of Thousands." This is a grouping of tiny flowers on a shrub at our house. The flowers are not much bigger than the head of a very small nail. The stamens are amazing. They rise above the flowers in a crowd that looks like a mob at a concert. I also like the contrast between the bright pink flowers and the lime green leaves. Very short depth of field on this one!

Photog 5: (SOC) dandelions are pretty incredble. The have lots going on, front and back (I have lots of both sides). I love photographing them against blue sky. They just make me happy.

Photog 6: (SOC) I love the radial direction the petals have here. The way the background is divided into three disting bands is also nice (that was an accident); not quite the Rule of thirds, but I think it works. Did you know the stamens
of dandelions curl out amid the leaves? Neither did I until I was trying to photograph them.

Photog 7: I love the way the petals of this poppy look like waves on the ocean, with the center being a raft. The capture of the sheen of the petals is also amazing. Again, to me, it has some very painterly qualities to it. 

Photog 8: (SOC) While I can't say the color of this flower exactly reflects the color I thought I saw in nature, I loved it when I saw how this photo turned out. I think it has to do with the strong light I was photographing in that day. Again, I like the strong diagonal the petals and stamen set up. The design (God's) is great. I also think these particular stamen look like they have been sprinkled with sugar. So fun!

Photog 9: (SOC) Taken on a cold crisp January afternoon, even dead flowers look good! These are fairly small roses, whose color was pink when they bloomed last summer. The cold temps and winter wear have turned them an amazing shade of apricot. The petals and the sepals, were very brittle and very much "fixed" in the position they were in.  I like the complimentary color scheme  of the photog. The wind-blown state of the petals doesn't hurt either. Looks like a lotta action in what is actually a very static scene.

Photog 10: (SOC) A companion to the one above, I find many things about this photo to love- the strong graphic
shape, the incredible detail on the sepals, the crisp focus against the bright sky. The beauty in the "remains" of
a flower that otherwise is known for its incredble blossom is also rewarding for me. The spiritual lesson in it for me
is there is beauty even in the parts we don't see - God creates the detail of the hidden with the same precision
and attention as the detail of the visible.

Looking forward to hearing your comments and seeing your photos! - Carole