I have a deep love and appreciation of our natural world; there is hope that our species will awaken to nature’s teachings if we learn how to listen, how to make mindful decisions and how to connect with what it is to be truly human. We can live gracefully. Photography has awakened my own awareness, becoming a source of meditation in practice, a connection to the magic and mystery. It’s become my way of expressing my feelings about nature and the lessons I’ve learned on my path.
A lot of photographers are posting their top 10 images of the year 2010 this week, so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon too. Besides, it’s another chance to practice editing skills! Of course I still have some 2010 images to process; and I’m sure others do too, but here are the top 10 I have ready to date. Enjoy!
January 8, 2011 at 11:44 pm
Nice images, Rhoda! I see you’ve been playing with the macro some– that’s one of my goals for 2011– to try to get better at controlling the focus of it– it looks so easy when others do it! And so true about the editing– it is nice to have so much control, but it means that the image capture seems to only be about half of what I have to work on!
January 9, 2011 at 9:38 am
Yes, editing is a crucial part of the process as is post processing. I’ve come to understand this after 3 years of intense photography and workshops.
January 9, 2011 at 9:30 am
They are all beautiful. If I had to choose a favorite it would be the twisting conifer. The movement within the trunk set against the vivid blue sky is magic.
January 9, 2011 at 9:38 am
Thanks, Josh. I appreciate the feedback!
January 9, 2011 at 11:44 am
Very nice collection. I like the first and second images the most, they also seem to complement each other- where they taken in the same spot? I love how the delicate pastel blues and greens give background to the yellow flower, and how you need to look closer at the top of the image to realize that there are straws there.
January 9, 2011 at 11:51 am
Iza – Thank you. The two images you refer to were not taken in the same exact location, but close by in the same garden bed and not on the same day. The yellow Echinacea is framed by a lovely soft grass known as Mexican feather grass.
January 9, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Rhoda, very sharp and spot on collection of images that represent not only your best work but your personal technique and compositional eye. They are so different than what I usually shoot that I’m inspired to keep trying to push the way and what I shoot.
January 9, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Thanks Bob! Isn’t it amazing how even two horticulturists with a similar palette of plants can make such different images? That’s the beauty of being artists and bringing ourselves to the process of art making. You should always try to push yourself… I do too. But always be true to yourself as well since those will be the best images you make.
January 10, 2011 at 12:07 pm
WoW! Great Selection!
Some of these I missed previously.
It is hard for me to choose, which one I like the best! I tried! Still need to choose.
January 10, 2011 at 12:11 pm
I think the most appealing one for me is the last photo of the tree bark. What kind of tree is it?
I love the unusual color combinations, and the repetition of similar shapes in vertical lines.
January 10, 2011 at 4:06 pm
It’s a zelcova tree… not something you’ll probably find in Ohio.
January 11, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Rhoda, You are really mastering the art of mixing
simplicity and complexity. You have a real understanding of design
in your photography. I like all of your images but several
favorites are #1 (I like the out-of-focus arc of grains above the
daisy) and the last image of the Bristlecone Pine.
January 11, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Thanks for continuing to follow and comment! I appreciate everyone’s feedback!
January 12, 2011 at 11:37 am
Hi, Rhoda! Just saw this on Jim Goldsteins’s blog–beautiful work, and I especially love the shot of the Bristlecone pine.
All the best,
Edie
January 12, 2011 at 11:39 am
Thanks for looking and commenting, Edie! And I’m glad to know Jim was finally able to link to it.
January 12, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Love your spider crawling over a flower shot, that is cool!
Also love the perspective on the twisted tree! Is that a bristlecone tree?
Nice collection
January 12, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Thanks Chris… there’s a long story about getting that spider shot. And yes, the twisted tree is one of the ancient Bristlecones in the Schulman Grove.
January 26, 2011 at 12:12 am
Beautiful images all… and in a style all of your own. It is always funny to see how different people like different images… I find the tree with the blossoms shot from below absolutely gorgeous!
January 26, 2011 at 11:32 am
Thanks David. It is interesting how people bring different experiences and biases towards images… and thus like different ones. The particular image you mentioned has been a favorite of late for many people. Perhaps we are all longing for spring?! Thanks again for taking a look and commenting.