This week’s guest host Ann Gee has challenged us to walk around our yard or home and take close-up or macro shots or choose close-up shots from our archives.
Ann explained the difference between a macro and close-up. A macro is taken with a dedicated macro lens. A close-up is zooming in on a subject. All of my photos are close-ups since I don’t have a dedicated macro lens.
I often take close-ups in my garden. The image at the top of the page and the next two are interesting critters from last year’s garden.
Grasshopper on ZinniaGreen Lynx Spider
I experimented with some new subjects as I walked around my yard this week.
Here’s a look back at 2020 with a few of my favorite photos from the year.
Before Covid-19 shut down world, the first two and a half months of 2020 were pretty normal for me. Henry and I explored the beach close to home, enjoyed a fun getaway to nearby Savannah to attend a Willie Nelson concert and be tourists for two days, I puttered in the garden and planted Camellias, and I had fun going on outings with friends.
After the shutdown began in mid March my photography options were limited to things and places close to home. The weather was perfect for working in the garden, watching the birds and butterflies, and walking in the neighborhood or at the beach.
In July we ventured away from home to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Our original plan was to go on our first ever cruise. When all the cruises were cancelled, our plan B was to spend a few nights at the Jekyll Island Club. It turned out to be a perfect place for us to celebrate.
Birds and butterflies continued to keep me entertained during the hot, dry August. We were safe as tropical storm Isaias passed us by.
Fall arrived with cooler weather, clear blue skies, a walk in the park and more birds.
Our holidays were quiet with no family visiting from out of town and no neighborhood parties. Phone calls and Facetime kept us in touch with all of our loved ones. The Christmas lights in our neighborhood made me smile and there were some beautiful days for being outside.
Many thanks to Tina, Patti, Amy, Ann-Christine and the guest hosts for these wonderful Lens-Artists challenges. Thank you for giving me an incentive to keep taking photos and keep this blog going.
For this photo challenge Patti has asked us to explore symmetry in our images.
The image above is an example of vertical symmetry. The road divides the image vertically so the branches appear to meet above the middle of the road and the trees appear to be exactly the same on both sides.
St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland
St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland
These images show how vertical symmetry can be used in architecture. The designers of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland used symmetry both inside (left photo) and outside (right photo.
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
The butterfly is an example of vertical symmetry found in nature. The left and right wings seem to be mirror images of each other.
Horizontal symmetry is illustrated in this image of a tree and it’s reflection in a foggy lake.
Cabbage PalmSeashell symmetry
I often see radial symmetry in nature. Palm fronds on a palm tree and seashells are both good examples
I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful – an endless prospect of magic and wonder.
Ansel Adams
Whether it’s a butterfly in my garden, a tiny spider on a colorful flower, a walk on the beach, visiting a National Park, or seeing a sunset, I find inspiration in the natural world.
Green Lynx Spider on pink zinniaTybee Island North Beach at low tideYosemite Valley in Yellowstone National ParkSunset over the Georgia Salt Marsh
This week’s photo challenge comes from guest host Rusha Sams of Oh, The Places we See… We are asked to show images that represent a Labor of Love.
Planting my butterfly garden and maintaining it is a labor of love for me. By planting seeds and plants that attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees I am providing a place for them to feast on the nectar. At the same time I have a space in my backyard to relax and enjoy nature.
Here’s a few of the late summer critters that visited the garden recently. You can click on a picture to enlarge it.
Monarchs, Gulf Fritillaries, and Skipper butterflies have been all over the zinnias and Mexican Sunflower drinking up the nectar. Wasps, bees, and even a tiny grasshopper enjoyed the flowers, too.
It’s been a long, hot, dry summer and hopefully the flowers will continue to attract the butterflies and other critters for a little while longer.
I smile whenever I see these beautiful visitors to the garden. What made you smile this week?
