Light Through Willow

An Indescribable "Something"

One can no more impose a technique in the dojo than impose a shot on a subject. They say in Zen that if you have to ask the question then you've missed the point, and that trying too hard is worse than not trying at all.  I've found this statement to be true is practically every situation.

So if you're asking what I mean by imposing technique then you're probably already trying the imposition.  Think of the difference between counting the steps as you dance and moving with the music...

Direct Light & Snoresville

The subject plant is the same in these two photos but one was forced and one wasn't.  And I have no idea what the plant called beyond something provided to me by the owner of Babylon Floral out of his yard :-)

With photography I've often found that if you go into a session or a shot with the intention of capturing a specific image you've already missed it. Granted you may capture a technically correct photo, but the essence, the soul, the je ne sais quoi will be markedly absent.  You might call it a downside to working with natural light.  Because you can't adjust the sun.  And because the light is the difference between a boring shot and one that steals your breath.

 This morning's photo session was an especially good example.

Peony Before Squeaking Kitties

I picked up some great peonies from the grocery store yesterday on my way home from work and was attempting to capture the light on the petals.  Imposing an idea, a shot, and then starting to get frustrated because what I was seeing and attempting to capture didn't match what the camera was recording.  The lighting wasn't right.  Frustrated when dealing with camera equipment and top-heavy containers full of water and flowers is never a good thing.

"Mmmm.  Salad..."

Enter Maggie, who decided to get friendly with one of the Gerbera Daisy plants sitting off to the side of where I was working...  Evidently they smelled like salad.

And since Max had tried to snack on them the night before I wasn't about to take any chances that her intentions were benign.

Peony After Squeaking Kitties

And then I got distracted by the light on the daisies...  And forgot about what I was trying to do with the peonies.  

And by the time I went back to the peonies after dealing with squeaking, unapologetic kitties and daisies, the light through the willow tree branches had adjusted to a better angle.

Impatience with a situation tends to come from trying to impose my own desires on that situation instead of stepping back and letting it be.

Flowers lit by light through the willow tree.

visit Samantha Byrnes' online gallery