Favorites from my Garden

[BrokenolMarine]

Tina never could understand my fascination with squatting in the garden and waiting for just the right moment for a picture to appear. Staring like I had lost my mind at a single bud on a rose bush filled with buds, the camera with a huge zoom focused on that single flower waiting... for a bee, a butterfly, or a drop of water to form after a morning rain.



I printed and framed this picture and gave it to a friend for Christmas who loved our Brigadoon Roses. She loved the picture. I have always liked the picture. I tried to catch the drop JUST as it fell, but missed it. Can't always get just the shot you want. LOL.

Then there was this picture of the Mushrooms. My male friends LIKE The picture and my female friends all (mostly all) say Eww, nasty.



I like the combinations of the subdued colors. The various shades of browns and grays. I also like the various textures as they blend and contrast. The hardness of the wooden textures and the soft ground, and the suggestion of the rubbery texture of the mushroom and the delicate underbelly. You know it will feel nasty if you grab it. Yeah, I'm a bit weird, but you know it's gonna be almost slimey if you give it a squeeze.

[BrokenolMarine]

Another day out in the back yard near the well house, provided these very cool pics. A worker bee collecting pollen.

He was walking all thru the flower, coating himself in the pollen and I shot twenty or so shots of that, he literally rolled thru the middle of the flower.

Then, I saw he was laden with Gold and ready to leave, and held my breath and shot, catching him airborne, still close enough to the flower to show where he had gotten his goodies.



A day off with the camera was always a great way to decompress after five or six straight days working midnight patrol. Nothing to do but watch the insect world unwind thru the lens. I enjoyed seeing their world, or just enjoying the flowers.

[Deadwood Dutch]

You do take amazing photos, very enjoyable to view.

[BrokenolMarine]

Sorry to say I haven't been able to try for some time due to health, although, I did get some good shots from the kayak last year. Kayaks don't care if you are gimpy, they are pretty equal opportunity.

[Les]

They are beautiful pics.

If I had half your talent, I'd be a happy man.

[BrokenolMarine]

Thanks guys... my wife always jokes it's my repressed female side trying to bust out that shows up as creativity.

I just stomp my foot and tell her to stop.

[PT7]

Marine,

I totally agree with Dutch and Les: "amazing photos; enjoyable to view; you have a wonderful talent."

But what drives that talent, why you can do this all so well and with so much patience, is driven by that fascination you have with these smaller worlds of insects and flowers. From my perspective, you have it all together. I don't have the photographic equipment nor the skills to take photos like you (and others) do on our Forum. But they are all most worthwhile to look at, contemplate, and enjoy.

You introduced your passion with Tina's wonderment as to why you do this: "Staring like I had lost my mind at a single bud on a rose bush filled with buds, the camera with a huge zoom focused on that single flower waiting... for a bee, a butterfly, or a drop of water to form after a morning rain."
I have one of those odd things I do with my favorite flower, lilacs. No matter what city I've lived in, every spring as I drive to wherever and see lilacs growing in someone's yard, or in a row by a church...wherever.....I pull over and park the car. I usually spend about 10-15 minutes walking among the lilacs and just smelling them. I take that wonderful fragrance with me down the road for quite a few miles. At the same time, I hope the memory will last until next spring. BTW, my favorite time of day to do that fun walk is early in the morning (often on the way to work in those by-gone years), when the air was cool and there was dew caressing the lilac petals.

Nothing better. These are those times in life that make it most enjoyable. So thanks for posting your garden favorites, Marine. Hope you keep it up --- for you and for us.
Have a great day!

P.S. You might enjoy a post I did about 4 months ago about a hummingbird documentary. The videography is very nice, and the photographer had your passion for beauty. http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... rds#p23706

[BrokenolMarine]

Love the hummingbird Video. We have a number of Hummers around here, with all the flowers. I have tried several times to get some good shots of the little jets, but they are quick. I have gotten some good shots, but nothing in the GREAT category. LOL.

[daytime dave]

That bee reminded me of a shot I took on vacation a number of years ago. I liked how it came out.

IMG_2135.JPG

[BrokenolMarine]

Very nice... someone else likes to take close ups in the garden...