Recently I was searching my photo archives for a particular dahlia shot, a daunting task when you have as many images as I do–rather like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack. I eventually found the shot I was looking for but along the way, I got sidetracked into an album of morning glory photos from 2008, finding one that had originally escaped my notice.
I’m always delighted to find an undiscovered element in a photo, in this case, a bee on the edge of a morning glory, on its way to gather pollen, its wings a blur of motion. I have other shots where the insects are crisp and clear but there’s a charm in the suggested, as well.
Color doesn’t always shoot true, and that’s certainly the case here–these morning glories are a deep, rich blue. I used an application I call “color wash,” darkening them to a dusky purple. Brilliant color doesn’t always print well, either.
I’ll conclude with an example of crisp detailing, an Oriental Poppy with Japanese Beetles in the center.
This week, I challenge you to look at your surroundings with new eyes, to see beyond what is immediately visible. Small treasures are all around us, waiting to be discovered (although I wouldn’t call a Japanese Beetle a treasure). Be present in your life, every day. Learn to focus on the details, rather than the canvas as a whole. What you discover may surprise you.