Tag: Acadia

What Is A Sleeping Branch?

Published on by tbeckerphotosLeave a comment

Recently, I read a post on Another Song, Another Mile that reminded me of a photo I took in Acadia National Park.

I was there for a photography workshop through Arizona Highways Photo Workshops.  Not only were we learning technical skills, but visualization and creativity.  A new concept for me was conceptual blending.  We were given an assignment based on that concept where we were asked to draw a word from two different envelopes.  One word was an action verb and one was a noun.

My words were sleeping and branch.  What is a sleeping branch?  How would I possibly photograph that concept.  Immediately I envisioned photographing a leaf on a branch so that the leaf was curved to look like a hammock.  We had until the next day to find our words to photograph.

Later that day we were at Sand Beach and I had been having trouble with my compositions.  When this happens, I attach my 50 mm 1.8D lens so that I am forced to move my feet and also if I choose to do something abstract, I can open the lens wide up.   I was walking around the beach and I looked down and immediately saw a bed!  Yes, a bed, my sleeping branch!  Below is the photo, the largest part of the branch is the mattress and the seaweed is a very unique headboard.  Do you see it?  I guess watching a lot of HGTV helped me “see” this image.

Let me know your thoughts!

Sleeping Branch
Sleeping Branch

Good Morning Summer

Published on by tbeckerphotosLeave a comment

Good Morning Summer is actually the title of the photo you see at the top of my blog – the oxeye daisy.  This same photo is used as the cover photo on my Facebook Page, Google +, Twitter and TBecker Photos.  It has become part of my brand.  Of all my photos why this one?  While this image is one of my most popular macro images, it’s not the image that makes it special, but the story behind it.

This image was made in Acadia National Park near the Tarn.  It was the second day of a a five-day workshop through Arizona Highways Photo Workshops.  My day started at 3:20 a.m., yes that is very early!  We loaded the vans at 3:45 a.m. to make a short trip to our sunrise shoot location.  After shooting sunrise, the Tarn was our next stop.  It was full of lily pads and reeds.  At one end of the Tarn were wildflowers; lupine and oxeye daisies as well as some others.

I spotted this particular oxeye daisy covered in dewdrops reaching towards the early morning sunshine.  There was a slight breeze and I did not have a plamp to hold it.  Trying to make a sharp macro image with a breeze is impossible without help.  It was nearing time to head back to the hotel for breakfast and down time.  I so wanted a shot of this flower.  Two of the other participants came over to help block the breeze.  Can you imagine three people standing around one lone flower?  But sometimes that’s what it takes to get the shot!  And one of my best shots of the day and the whole workshop.

LIttle did I know what a statement this image would be for me.  Oh, I forgot to mention it was my birthday the day this was taken – what a gift!

As the image at the top of my blog is cropped, I thought you might like to see the image in its entirety.

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Good Morning Summer