(no subject)

[auntiemeesh]

I was taking pictures today and my camera reminded me that there is more than one way to see the world.

There is a rose bush in my front yard, and despite the lateness of the year and the coldness of the day, there are a few hardy blooms and one bud left. I wanted to get a picture or two, so I got up close and used the micro function. Funny thing is, though, when I got in close to take a picture of the sole unopened bud, the micro function just wouldn't work, and this is what I got instead.



Instead of focusing in on the beautiful bud and blurring out the background, it chose repeatedly to blur out the bud and focus cleanly on the junk around it. Dead leaves on the ground, the alley between two houses, the garbage can on the next porch.

Oddly enough, this one simple little picture made me think about how I normally experience the world. Sadly, I tend to see the junky background far more often than I see the beautiful, stubborn little bud. I'm trying to change that, though. Less whining and complaining about all the minor aggravations of the day, and more rejoicing over the small moments that make the day worthwhile.

Incidentally, I did manage to get some pictures of the flowers (although the bud continued to elude me until my battery gave out). The first picture was in mid-afternoon. It was snowing and I really wanted to catch a moment when a flake landed on the rose and showed white and clear against the pink petal. What I was able to get looked almost dewy, or like a summer's day after a rain shower.



About an hour later, I went back out and the snow had unexpectedly stuck to the grass and cars in the meantime. So I was able to get another picture. Still not exactly what I was aiming for, but I like the effect of the half-melted snow on the flower.

Comments

[beanpot.livejournal.com]

I love that last one - it is rather surreal.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I think that's my favorite, too. :)

[lyda-pearl.livejournal.com]

beautiful.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I am still having so much fun with the camera! :)

[shirebound]

Those pictures are *all* lovely.

more rejoicing over the small moments that make the day worthwhile.

I need more of that, too!

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I think it's something we could all use.

[dreamflower]

An interesting analogy--it *is* what many of us do, isn't it? We don't focus on the good, but on the distracting bad!

That last picture is absolutely beautiful--a rose in the snow!

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I really just loved the imagery of the rose with the snow on it. Not what you would expect, I suppose. :)

[slightlytookish]

Beautiful photos! The colors are so vivid :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The day was really grey so I wasn't sure how they would come out. :)

[kay-brooke.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I especially love the last picture.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I think that one is my favorite, too. :)

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

Very cool, especially the thoughts on POV.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Every now and then my brain gets thinky. I usually start typing it up here, and then delete, but I managed to resist the delete urge today. :)

[whtmtnwmn.livejournal.com]

Great pix!

That macro feature takes some getting used to. It really frustrates me at times too. Don't give up!
=D

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I love the macro feature. I'm not sure why it wouldn't focus on the bud, but it made for an interesting picture, anyway. :)

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that last one is gorgeous! :D I love frost/snow covered flowers.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

There's just something about that juxtaposition of winter/summer, that makes it look so cool. :)

[antbee362.livejournal.com]

I love the pics and your deep thinking. Keep it up.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I will try to keep up with both - the deep thoughts are harder to maintain, though, honestly.

[ctegan.livejournal.com]

I love the last two photos. How did you capture them? (Unless you mentioned that already in the comments - I haven't read through them all yet *g*)

It's odd how your mind will block out something & see things selectively, and then the camera captures what you don't want it to.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

My camera has a macro (I mistakenly called it a micro in the post) function that lets the user get to within a couple of inches of really small objects for that perfect close-up. I love playing around with it, but as seen by the first picture, I don't always get it just right, lol.

[ani-no-mouse.livejournal.com]

Very nice ... and how philosophical! Thanks for the reminder to look for the roses and spend less time focusing on the garbage!

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It's easier some days than others, that's for sure.

[arthurfrdent.livejournal.com]

I love the way the colors really POP!... So I'll hazard a guess that in the first image, the camera didn't find enough contrast in the bud to focus on it. To fix that for macro you can try either focussing on the leaf right below the bud, or if you are close enough put your hand flat [parallel] to the back of the camera in frame right next to the bud, you can focus on that. Push the shutter release button half way down to focus and lock the focus [most cameras are that way] then recompose the picture as you like it.

On the other hand what you have learned by having the experience is so valuable, it's worth having to learn every once in a while...

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to try them out the next time I've got something like that to capture. But yeah, I wasn't actually too disappointed, since the picture gave me so much to think about. :)

[obeliamedusa.livejournal.com]

Those pictures are beautiful.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)