Tag: Virginia Bluebells

Hard Look in the Mirror

Published on by tbeckerphotosLeave a comment

Looking back at the images I have made the last several years has been quite the wake up call. Very little time has been spent with me behind my camera, which I knew. What I didn’t realize until going through my Lightroom catalog, was how few images had been made. You know the saying “take a hard look in the mirror”? I did. And I didn’t like the reflection.

What happened to my photography? Stress. The level of stress in my life the last several years has been high and negatively affected my photography and well, life in general. It made me a person I didn’t like. Recently, that stress has been taken out of my life and my goal is to get back on track with the person I once was. Happy.

My images have been forced the last 4 or 5 years. Looking at the images, yes they are technically correct, but artistically, I find them trite. My vision behind the camera is not what it once was. How many years has my photography regressed? How long will it take to get that vision back? And can I get it back?

Over and over in photography workshops you will be told to photograph every day. Every day? There have been several months at a time that my camera bag just sat and collected dust! Do I need to start all over practicing basic photography skills? Or will it all come flooding back once I get out in the field again?

Here is a gallery of images that I selected to share while still waiting for that pink card to arrive from the Iowa State Fair. And thinking about my reflection after taking a hard look in the mirror.

Leaf in Snow
Bleeding Hearts
Virginia Bluebells
Yellow Nasturtium
Yellow Nasturtium
Shasta Daisies
Purple Coneflowers
Fall Harvest
Family Farming
Fall in Rural Iowa
Fall in Rural Iowa
Pep Ventosa Style Paperwhites

The Blues

Published on by tbeckerphotos7 Comments

The blues are blooming in my garden right now.  The first flowers to bloom this spring.  Bluebells that came from the property my grandfather farmed back in the 1960’s.

Virginia Bluebells

Before they open they have a pinkish purple hue to them.

Virginia Bluebells waiting to open

Last year when adding flora and fauna to my shade gardens, I came across a plant with the tiniest of blue flowers, only a quarter-inch in diameter.  They have a similar look to Forget-Me-Nots, but do not have any yellow in the center.  Unfortunately, I have misplaced the tag and do not recall the name of this plant.

The leaves are just as eye-catching as the tiny blue flowers.  I had planted two, one did not survive and I plan on replacing it in a few weeks.  The blues are blooming and after a day at the office it’s nice to come home and spending some time in my garden.  Macro photography and flowers to clear the mind at the end of the day.