Spring Flowers

Before the spring equinox, as the earth starts to warm with lengthening days, they appear quietly gently nuzzling their way from the protection of leaves and soil. We look for them as spring approaches – to let ourselves know that the dark dismal days of winter are receding behind us and adventure and hope are before us.

Small spring flowers, in the wilds and our gardens. We begin to see Indian Plum, tassels of white shivering in the breeze like pom-poms of an excited cheerleader, willing her team to win. Indian Plum lets us know that our hopes will be answered, quickly as other flowers begin to bloom.

In the garden, Snow Drops and Crocus emerge to add brightness to the day. Short-lived Camellias splash color across waxy green shrubs. Not long afterwards spring begins to fill your senses.

The air smells cleaner after a spring shower. Bird song fills the air. The sun begins to warm your face. There’s a lightness in your being, a bounce in your step, a smile on your lips.

Revel in spring. 

The Distraction of the Camera

SPOILER ALERT!!! If you have not seen The Secret Life of Walker Mitty stop reading right now, head immediately to Netflix to watch one of the most endearing films in recent years. Then you can come back and finish reading this blog post.

In the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Walter played by Ben Stiller heads out on a quest to find renowned photojournalist Sean O'Connell played by Sean Penn. When Walter finally finds Sean, he is sitting watching the den of a snow leopard, lens pointed towards a mass of rock. During the ensuing conversation, the snow leopard appears. They watch as the leopard emerges and looks around. Finally Walter asks Sean if he going to take the picture. Sean replies "Sometimes I don't. If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don't like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it."

That line resonated with me and is one of several reasons I fell in love with the movie. (Not the least of those is Ben Stiller's performance - there's nothing like a grizzled man in a parka to make me smile.)

It's a statement about being in the moment. Enjoying what is there - the sights, sounds, emotions.

How often have you set aside your camera to watch the sun set below the horizon? Or stopped washing dishes to watch the kids play tag? Sat in silence watching how the sun sparkles off the leaves around and above you.

Be in the moment. Don't worry about camera settings or your to-do list. Believe me, most every destination you're heading toward will be there when you get there. And certainly if you want to catch the emotion of a scene in your photography, put the camera down and feel. Immerse yourself in the moment. Then and only then do you lift your camera back up to create your image.

I was reminded of this on a recent trip to the Skagit Valley to see the Snow Geese. Every winter 10's of thousands of Snow Geese descend on the farmlands of the Skagit Valley to feed before heading back to their nesting grounds near Russia. Their numbers turn the fields white. With so many the noise is almost deafening. Their high notes are the honking of the geese communicating to each other. The base is a humming as they graze - a sort of yum-yum-yum-yum as they eat. An eagle flies near and as one they honking becomes higher as they lift off away from danger, circle around, land and graze some more.

I stopped photographing them after a while to just listen to their song and watch as they moved past me. Leaning against the fence protecting the birds from us, I watched as a story of life played out before me. And every now and then one goose would stop to watch me too.