Capture the Moment

A flower can change in minutes or stay virtually the same for days. The lighting may be your average sunny afternoon or shady corner. On the other hand the angle may be just right to cause the colors to pop, as they say. The reflection of light off the underside of clouds, the sunset, the shadows may create a magical moment. Don't get me wrong I believe in living in the moment, especially those moments when you feel you almost dare not breathe, the perfect combination of light and humidity that gives you goosebumps.

But if you have fully experienced the moment remember to pull out the camera. The pictures will bring up such wonderful memories. The camera narrows your field of view in such a way that you will see things in another way.

Experiment with framing, focus and shapes. If you have an SLR camera you can use focus and lens length to create some interesting effects. You can practice framing your subject as you take the picture, considering the thirds or ninths method in which you divide the view into parts, placing your subject in the various portions of the whole. It is usually more interesting if the subject is not in the center of the picture. If, however, you've barely managed to grab the camera to capture a rare or fleeting occurrence, don't fret. There are many apps for your phone or other device to help you edit or even enhance your image.  Photoshop sure has gotten a bad wrap but as long as you're not making your delphiniums look anorexic or airbrushing out the blemishes until your pulmonaria looks like a hosta, you're fine. It can be quite helpful in straightening out the horizon when you find you've got batman angles or cropping when your field of view was just too wide.

Animals don't get red eye. They get green eye. 

Be patient, you may not get that perfect shot ... this time. Nature doesn't always cooperate. That's ok. In the case of this fawn that was in the backyard eating apples I think the camera actually fascinated him. He continued to eat as I came closer and closer. I guess it was sort of a "deer in the headlights" sort of thing as my flash kept going off. I may go back and take the green out of his eyes, we'll see. I sure do love the heart shaped leaf in the foreground. It's not a great picture but it reminds me of how close I was and the sound of that fawn crunching away at that apple.

Pictures can be invaluable for planning purposes. If you've got a way to get an aerial view of your garden, say from an upstairs window or even from on top of a ladder or picnic table, those pictures can help you map out everything from shade patterns to color coordinating to access paths. On a rainy day or in the midst or a frigid winter you can pull up these images and make plans.

One of my favorite shots of a fallen vinca flower where it landed on the back step.

So, go capture those images!