The camera lens is an invention that attempts to duplicate the operation of the human eye. Just like the eye, the lens sees an image, focuses it, and transmits its colors, sharpness, and brightness through the camera to the photographic film, which, like our memory, records the image for processing and future use. After a lifetime of viewing the beautiful world around me, I began recording it through the lens of my camera. I use Photoshop as sparingly as possible, adjusting levels, brightness, color balance, and contrast only to bring out the actual image I saw at the time of the shoot.
Walking slowly, I scan the path to the left, then right, and up, and down. Sometimes I use my lens to “see” details I would otherwise miss. All my senses are on high alert. I listen carefully – the buzz of bees, hum of beating dragonfly wings, sweet sound of a song bird, splash of water as a fish jumps in the pond – with my camera always ready. I quickly alternate between my two cameras – a Nikon D200 with a 105mm macro lens and Nikon D300 with a 300mm zoom lens – depending on the detail I want to capture. Arriving home from work, I was excited to tell Doughboy about all the wonderful sights I photographed today. He responded with an unenthusiastic, "Oh let me guess. More butterflies, dragonflies, and flowers". Well, yes. But they are different. Everytime I see a miracle of nature, whether I've seen it once or 100 times, I get excited. So my response was, "If you don't want to see more butterflies, dragonflies, and flowers, then don't open the Flickr link". So there.
Whether or not you are a photographer, view the world around you as if you were looking through a camera lens. You’ll be amazed by all the detail!
Click on the photo below to view a slide show of today's treasures. Enjoy!
P.S. Welcome to all the new visitors to our blog and for your kind comments. I hope you enjoy the time you spend here and choose to return often. I especially want to thank my new friends, Kate and Janette for their encouragement and inspiration. Both are accomplished photographers with an eye for the unique. If you haven't already done so, please visit their blogs to see their talent for yourself. Happy Canada Day, Janette!
7 comments:
Mom, you are so right. When it's just you and me taking pictures I always see things differently. Now, when I'm with the boys I'm usually trying to take their picture so quickly before they move that I don't notice all of the details. It's not until I edit my photos of them that I realize I caught an amazing moment. I love to see the little things that I capture with my camera. Thanks for getting me hooked!
Deb, you pics are beautiful as usual. Nature is wonderous! I just realized that while butterflies are beautiful from the top with their wings spread open, they are really grody-looking from the side and underneathe. Their little bodies are kinda creepy. I wonder why.
Ha! That's funny, Roxanne. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I thought all snakes were creepy until I moved to Georgia and discovered King Snakes. They are a beautiful shiny black, harmless, and keep rodents abated. They like you even less than you like them. I don't want them in my yard, but I know they are around and in the woods. That's okay. Hmmm...butterflies? Creepy? Now, I can't STAND centipedes. THEY are creepy!
Debra, Great minds must think alike. I to talk about the world around me and God's hand in that world. He is the master of color mixes. God's colors never clash. When something catches my eye in nature it is most likely due to the striking colors.
After viewing you photos, I must comment again. Tell Pete that you did have a few birds, a bunny and a moth. The bug with the eyes on it's wings is a moth. Your little bunny is so cute. Did you wave your magic wand to get it to sit still. You are so lucky to have this wonderful park to take pictures. Makes me want to drive to Newnan.
National Geographic...here you come! Great job...again! I love the detail in the photos...
I'd love to write more but we are baby sitting and Jack is crying!
You are too sweet. I missed this post as well as a bunch of others. Thanks for your kind words! Love that bunny! You are one talented woman with your camera too!!!
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