Sunlit

October 7, 2011 by 5 Comments
Sunlit

Sunlit © 2011 Bo Mackison

Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress. ~ Bruce Barton

Change is in the air, and it’s not only the changing of autumn trees.Though the change in the trees has been spectacular this year.

In a few hours, I’ll be getting on a plane and traveling to Long Island to celebrate the wedding of my older daughter. There will be a wine tasting, dinner under the stars, a clam bake and picnic on the beach, oh yes, and a wonderful marriage ceremony. Another spectacular event for this autumn.

If I’m not around for the next few days, I’m either traveling, taking photographs on Long Island, drying my eyes, or eating wedding cake!

Congratulations to the happy couple, Jeanne and Judy!

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is taking a few days off to celebrate a special family occasion.

 

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Study in White

September 29, 2011 by 5 Comments
In White

Study in White © 2012 Bo Mackison

Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out-values all the utilities of the world. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hard to believe it is almost time to say goodbye to the month of September.  Soon the flowers will disappear from the gardens, but there will still be photographs to remind us of their beauty. It is easy to walk past a garden bursting with colors and textures, and never see an individual flower. But when the eye studies a single bloom, there is much to see. I love how all the simple parts join to give this flower a stunning visual presence.

I photographed this white flower, identity unknown, in early September at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison Wisconsin.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She has a backlog of floral photographs, so she will be sharing botanicals for many days to come.

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A Photograph with a Story

September 27, 2011 by 8 Comments
Two Benches

Two Benches © 2011 Bo Mackison

Many of my photographs have a story.

This photograph of two benches — one near and in focus, one far away and blurry — it has a story.

I had a long conversation with an elderly gentleman just before I took this photograph.

Often I am so focused on the plants in the gardens, I don’t spend much time interacting with other visitors. We exchange smiles and hellos, and we go on our separate ways. But this man stopped me as I was setting up a photo, and asked if he could ask me some questions. Expecting questions about my camera or lenses, I nodded and continued to adjust my tripod.

“I saw you back there, sitting on the bricks in that garden. You were staring at the plants,” he stated.

This wasn’t the conversation I was expecting, but he was polite and he was wearing a tweed jacket in the 85˚ heat. I’m not sure why I think tweed jackets vouch for a gentleman’s conversation, but I do. I stopped and listened more carefully.

“So what were you doing? You weren’t resting. There was a bench right there. Not pulling weeds.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Most people your age, um, I mean no disrespect, but your generation, they don’t sit on the ground looking at eggplants.” He raised his eyebrows quizzically, and I laughed out loud as he “pulled a face” – the description my grandfather once used when describing the faces I made.

I agreed again. “No, not too many people study eggplants, sitting on the sidewalk. Grocery store’s more likely.”

“So were you praying or just looking mighty hard at that eggplant?” He thought a second, and said in a whisper, “Guess might be ’bout same thing.”

I smiled again. Seemed everything he said made me smile. I told him I was studying the way the leaves wound around some of the stems. I was looking at the way the sunlight cast leafy shadows on the plants and comparing the different shades of green with the rusty spots left by bugs of some sort.

“Thought you might be a real one.” He grinned at me as I frowned. “You know, a photographer. You ever take pictures of benches?”

I told him I enjoyed photographing benches, doors, paths, that sort of thing. Especially in gardens.

He nodded. Turned serious.

“I was sitting on that bench over there awhile, the one half under that tree.” I looked where he pointed. “I sit there some days, just sit and look. Talk to an old friend. Not out loud.” He cast his eyes toward the pavement. “That wouldn’t look right.”

 When his gaze returned to me, he saw the question in my eyes.

“He was a good friend of mine. We were in the Marines together, fought in the “Big One”. Enlisted together, got discharged together, came home to Madison together. Married, had kids, grandkids, huh, great-grandkids. All that.

“After we retired, we’d walk this garden, talk. It was quiet. We liked quiet. You go look. That bench, it’s a memorial to my friend. You might take a picture sometime.”

I asked if he wanted his photo taken on the bench. He shook his head.

I picked up my camera gear and walked over to the bench. I looked back, he nodded at me, did a quick salute, and walked away.

I sat down awhile, studied the bench, looked around, then I took a picture of his bench.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.

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Thai Pavilion – Ten Years Ago

September 11, 2011 by 4 Comments
Thai Pavillion and Gardens

Thai Pavilion and Gardens

Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.  ~James Thurber

A pavilion, or sala, is a common structure in Thailand. Simply constructed pavilions are found throughout the country, often at roadsides, and are used as shelters from rain and heat.

Olbrich’s Pavilion is more ornate than traditional salas; it is more representative of those found at a temple or on a palace grounds. However, Olbrich’s Thai Pavilion is not a religious structure.

The Thai Pavilion was a gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the Thai Government and the Thai Chapter of the Wisconsin Alumni Association. The University of Wisconsin at Madison has one of the largest Thai student populations of any United States college or university, and many Thai people have a strong relationship with the people of Wisconsin.

Thai Pavillion with Tropical Plantings

Thai Pavillion with Tropical Plantings

Thai artisans built the pavilion in Thailand by hand. It was constructed without the use of any nails or screws, using  traditional building methods. It was then disassembled and packed in shipping crates. The crated pavilion traveled by sea, rail and truck, arriving in Madison after 11 weeks of global travel.

Nine Thai artisans who built the Pavilion in Thailand flew from their home country to Chicago on 9-11-01, exactly 10 years ago today. The artisans were on the very last plane to fly into O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on that fateful day, on 9-11-01, the day of the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

The Thai Pavilion was carefully assembled in three weeks by these artisans, as most Americans attempted to understand and cope with the 9-11 tragedy. Building the pavilion without hammer or saw was quiet, solemn work. The raising of this meaningful structure, a treasured gift from Thailand, was in strong contrast to the tragedy that occurred on 9-11.

Thai Water Feature and Bridge over Starkweather

Thai Fountain and Bridge over Starkweather

The Thai Garden looks much like a lush, tropical garden, but it has been scrupulously planted with look-alike, Wisconsin-hardy plants. Ornamental grasses and a variety of hardy bamboos help create the tropical look. Large-leafed shrubs and trees are also pruned to simulate the  look of typical Thai plants found in gardens there.

The Thai Garden is connected to the other gardens in Olbrich by a 155-foot arched, ornamental bridge that crosses Starkweather Creek. A winding path passes through a forested area and features several stone statues that are symbolic Thai figures. The path eventually leads to a grassy clearing and then the side entrance to the Pavilion.

The fountain stretches from the Pavilion towards the bridge. The large water basin is only a few inches deep, but has a layer of smooth gray pebbles on the bottom which adds constantly changing visual details.

The Thai Pavilion is only one of four located outside of Thailand. The others are in Germany, Norway, and Hawaii. Olbrich’s Thai Pavilion is the only one in the world that is surrounded by tropical plantings, so it is truly representative of the pavilions or salas that are found in Thailand.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She spent the morning at the Thai Pavilion, sitting quietly on a bench near the pavilion and the tropical-looking plants, amidst much beauty and calm. And she thought about many things.

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Pink Zinnia

September 8, 2011 by 4 Comments
Zinnia

Zinnia © 2011 Bo Mackison

Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.  ~ Buddha

I have had some wonderful successes photographing the late summer gardens at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Every garden I visited seemed to hold me hostage until I could get a some photographs that made me smile. I sure don’t mind being a hostage in a garden. Imagine having a tiny home surrounded by acres and acres of gardens (and lots of gardeners to help, too!)

I’ve been to Olbrich almost everyday for the last week. First, the hosta and elephant ear plants seemed to mesmerize me, as the early morning sunlight made the leaves almost translucent. I t was as if they were holding the sun. I almost felt like I truly was in a trance.

Three days in a row I shot nothing but these green plants, and they were only about 15 feet from the entrance to the garden complex. I just could not past this entrance area until I had nearly exhausted the plants and flowers (and myself) with all that photographic attention.

But the last two visits, I strolled right past the entrance — I waited to sneak in several more greenery photos as I was leaving — and I got as far as the gardens filled to overflowing with cosmos and zinnias. Since the cosmos are one of my favorites, I spent a fair amount of time lying on the sidewalk next to these beauties, having long conversations about important world events — like the advances autumn is making in its bid to overtake summer!

Finally, when the sun began to rise high enough in the sky to lose that soft lighting, I spent the last half hour with the zinnias. Lucky, I had the diffuser with me, so I could both reduce the shadows, and protect the flowers against the winds that started blowing off the lake.  This pink zinnia had with her head down, and so I happily got a few photographs from a different angle. I love the little pockets of shadings caused by the gentle curling of each petal.

Tomorrow the forecast is for a rainy Friday. Might have to stay home and tackle some house cleaning and computer work. That would be a good thing — plus the gardens would appreciate the rain, too.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is having a most excellent start to the month of September. So many amazing projects are popping up, but no complaints. Creating and making meaning with photography is one of the highlights of her life!

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