The Awakening

as Lovely as a Rose

as Lovely as a Rose

The sun finally peeked out from the clouds yesterday evening, and I insisted on postponing dinner until I could get a few photographs of a tulip bed I had my eye on. Once I was there, the sun played peek-a boo with me, and so it took me nearly an hour of waiting, and on and off shooting, to get the photos I wanted. All 98 of them! But with rain forecast for the next 3 days, it was now or not this year.

I finally took the leap and have started shooting totally in manual (instead of aperture priority which always sounded easier) and in RAW. Why I waited so long is beyond me. In many ways, it’s easier. I found myself always over-riding the aperture pre-sets anyway, so I’m not doing much, if anything, different, but it feels a lot better. And if I can get used to a single photo file being between 10 and 20 MB, then all will be fine. (I can remember when my first computer had 64K–the entire computer–so the size tends to boggle my mind. And fill up my memory cards quickly!)

This tulip reminds me of a rose, unfolding slowly, filled with promise. But I like that the tulip has less complexity and needs hardly any tending. And that it shows up early in the season when the need for flowers and color is heightened and really appreciated.

I’ll be switching between the local color and the photos from the trip to the Southwest. It makes me a bit dizzy, but I have so much I still want to share from the trip, mostly from Arizona. It will take me a few months, but I love re-living my trip through my photography.

About Bo Mackison

I'm a photographer, book-artist, traveler, naturalist, and creator of the Contemplative Creatives Journey, An Online Workshop and Community and Desert Wisdom Cards and Workshops. Though often not well known, I find the desert a welcoming place - a healing space. Its mysteries and gifts transformed me several years ago. Since that first encounter, I return again and again to fill my well in what most people think of as a desolate region. I'd love to share my desert discoveries and wisdom with you. Please subscribe to receive my five part mini email course The Gifts of the Desert. It's my gift to you.

Comments

  1. That is a gorgeous photo. How you choose between 98 photos is beyond me. I love the softness, the colors, that hint of pale green in the corner, the intimacy of it. All in all – perfection!

  2. Gandalf says

    I love the sharp focus in the middle and gradually softer lines and edges as your eye moves outward.

  3. Beautiful image!

  4. This is gorgeous, Bo, and worth postponing dinner!

  5. This is gorgeous, Bo, and worth postponing dinner!

  6. gorgeous colors and comp. Good for you for going Raw and Manual! 🙂

  7. Shooting in RAW will change your life! I remember when I took my first terrified leap into it. Once there..you never go back. Beautiful image!!!

  8. Very pretty shot:)

  9. The color, the focus, the frame filled with gorgeousness! Worth holding up dinner for, absolutely.

  10. suehenryphotography says

    I agree this tulip is as lovely as a rose — and, as a matter of fact, I first thought it was a rose!

    I do use RAW, but need to work more on manual exposures. I have a tendency to rely on aperture priority! We’re always learning something….(or should be! Right?!?) 🙂

  11. Bo, this is an outstanding capture and well worth the effort you put in. Way to go stepping into using RAW and manual exposures. 🙂

  12. edvatza says

    I love orange flowers and this one is no exception. Very nicely done. You might consider either cropping or cloning the green out of the corners and leaving an all orange image and see if you like it. Just an early morning (its 5am here) thought.

  13. edvatza says

    I love orange flowers and this one is no exception. Very nicely done. You might consider either cropping or cloning the green out of the corners and leaving an all orange image and see if you like it. Just an early morning (its 5am here) thought.

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