Cool Colors in the Garden

August 31, 2011 by 6 Comments
Cool Blues and Greens

Cool Blues and Greens © 2011 Bo Mackison

Every gardener knows that it is the very impermanence of the garden that makes it precious.
The beauty of the garden lies in its constantly changing nature,
in the waves of colors and shapes that constantly pass through it.

~ Philip Martin

I have been to Olbrich Botanical Gardens on four different occasions to photograph these same Elephant Ear Plants. Twice I have photographed the gardens at 8 to 9 a.m. The other two times I visited the gardens later in the morning – about 10 a.m. til almost noon. Each time I have come away with markedly different photographs even though I am 1) using the same camera, lenses, and equipment including a tripod, 2)  shooting mostly in shaded areas or shot using light filtered through the plants — there has been an August bright sun with few clouds each time, and 3) I am shooting the same four or five plants.

Lighting is key in photography, and it is one of the joys and wonders I constantly work with. Light that is perfect one moment, disappears the next. As a photographer, one must seize the moment, there is no going back.

When I downloaded the photos to the computer from my last photoshoot, I was surprised to see such pronounced blue tones in the background plant. And even a few purple hues on a small part of the plant in the left lower area. The light green stem against the other deeper colors added the contrast needed to keep this from being a photograph of a bunch of foliage. And the added features of the patterns of lines and the plants’ textures are hard to beat.

A Zen sort of photograph, I can get lost in all those colors and textures.

Sure am having fun visiting these plants just about every day. Too bad they live on the other side of town!

Visit Through a Photographer’s Eye and see some remarkable photos in the photo of the week collection.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is spending as many mornings as possible in the gardens. Prime garden time in Wisconsin and the gardens are full of treasures.

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A Bit of Enchantment

August 23, 2011 by 4 Comments
Behind the Green Curtain?

A Bit of Enchantment © 2011 Bo Mackison

I do not understand how anyone can live without one small piece of enchantment to turn to.
~ Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Another visit to the botanical gardens, another morning with time enough to notice textures, patterns, colors. The sunlight’s reflection on the large leaf of the elephant ear plant, the sun still strong, still a summer’s sun although its strength wanes each day as we add a few night minutes onto out 24 hour allotment, subtract a few light minutes.

I sat on one of the many benches in the gardens, closed my eyes, and noticed the many ways I am aware of the sun without opening my eyes. Warm on my arms, warm enough to cause me to break into a sweat under my hat band, a glowing feeling, a feeling of well-being. All is right my my tiny garden world when the sun shines.

I found a small piece of enchantment today in the garden.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Loving the gardens these days, prime garden time in Wisconsin,  and the gardens bring out so many beauties.

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Double Decked Out – and Celebratin’

October 4, 2008 by 6 Comments
Double Decked Plant

Double Decked Plant ©2008 Bo Mackison

Like this plant, I’m double decked out and just ready to set bloom on a new adventure. I have all my gear packed and the camping stuff assembled, and I’ve turned over the care of my house and cat to two of my kids. In a few short hours my husband and I will be on the open road in search of adventure. Sixteen days away from the daily routines (and not so routines) and off to explore.

We’re leaving the Midwest and making a 4000 mile trek from Wisconsin to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico – and visiting some great National Parks along the way – Arches, Canyonlands, Great Sand Dunes, plus quite a few others. (We’ve had this trip planned a long time, and decided to go even with the price of gas. Thank goodness it has dropped by 60 cents a gallon in the last few months).

We have plans to visit a cousin of mine I haven’t seen in ages, meet my writing coach – a woman I have worked with for over a year by phone, but this will be our first face to face encounter – and have lunch with a blogging buddy, too.

I will be light on visiting blogs, though I’ll have my computer with me to download my photographs so I’ll probably check out how pervasive Wifi really is. Especially if we run into any rain. I’m sure there are coffee shops most anywhere with internet – even near the red rock canyons or on the outskirts of the Sonoran desert. But then again, maybe not.

I’ve used the magic of WordPress and my daily photo and rambling words will keep popping up. I mark a special anniversary tomorrow, and I have that post ready to go, as I wanted to think about what I was going to write. Not write it on the run.

So, while I’ll be hanging around, I won’t be hanging around as usual. I’m hoping for good driving, decent weather, (I’ve packed everything from long underwear and winter outerwear to swimming suit and tank tops), my maps are marked. And so we are off.

Yippee! Vacation is finally here. Bye.

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