Sally Ds Mobile Photography Challenge: Macro (and the Unnoticed)

13 June 2016

Lens:

I. Taken in Camera+

1. Spring Oriental Red-Orange Poppy; Copyright © 2016 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved

II. Taken in Camera+ and Edited in Snapped

2. Raindrops on Spring Oriental Red-Orange Poppy; Copyright © 2016 Sally W. Donatello All Rights Reserved

Let me know which you prefer. Click on image to enlarge, which takes you to another page. If you decide to leave a comment, please return to this page.

Pens:

The unnoticed pervades our days. It’s human nature to breeze across time with the familiar as comfort and mediator. The usual helps us navigate the more testy moments.

Still, I am one of those who courts change. Maybe that’s why I enjoy spying on the what is hidden from plain view. We must train our inner cadence to slow and take notice: to stop and see the parts that create the whole.

A field of wildflowers is a glorious sighting, but move into each individual bloom and another world emerges. And so it was with a patch of Oriental red-orange poppies that easily could be appreciated at a casual glance or two. But stepping directly into their universe changes everything.

In the Lens section is precisely that experience. As I was ambling through my daily walk a few weeks ago, there appeared a spray of showy poppies–poppies being a symbol of springtime, at least for many. The small group was sunning and being brazen as the afternoon light gave them the glow they sought. But it was the bold center of one poppy that kept me starring. It was almost frilly and ready to go dancing. Two days later the rain had ceased, and the light was low, and yet that same grouping was effervescent. I was captivated by the design of the droplets and their ability to redefine the beauty of this seasonal floral wonder.

The passing of two days and the changing available light made a significant difference in the hue of these spring beauties. As I pushed myself closer and closer to create a macro image, the lines of the petals became even more lively, and emphasized the shape and eloquence of these jewels of spring.

While the poppies are a flower that woos, they still have characteristics that require an effort to see unnoticed elements. That center is more than a black sphere, it challenges us to look more intently, even as it lures insects and other small creatures to its performance. Their petals are sweetly delicate, but not as evident from a distance; they need an up-close and personal investigation to see paper-like fragility and an almost transparent vibrancy with the direct light.

So while we think that we are “seeing,” it takes much more effort than a casual gaze to view what’s really there. The unnoticed can bring clever intensity to a subject, a reality that is often an unseen reality.

Tip of the Week: As we journey through our daily lives, we are bombarded with the natural world that has much more to offer than our visual acumen can produce. Our naked eye lacks the precision that the macro lens can offer, even lacks the precision that the native camera’s lens can manage. Since macro is a way to examine those unnoticed aspects of every day, I wanted to introduce Abdul Mutuma, who is a photographer from Nairobi. Mutuma uses his talents to show those usual and unusual creatures that we see from a distance. His images are surprising, given that he has made his own close-up lens. You can view (click here) his work on 500px.** He says that he shoots only with a “mobile device and his DIY lens.”

** from their website: “500px is a photo community and marketplace for discovering, sharing, buying, and selling inspiring photography powered by creative people around the world…[and] is committed to building a safe, inclusive, and helpful community for everyone to share their love for photography.”

“Hanging On, Leaf Cutter Bee,” by Abdul Mutuma, Photo 195204357-500px

View other entries for this week’s challenge:

https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-macro-this-one-will-make-you-cry/

https://angelinem.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-macro-in-red/

https://piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/expressive-nature-for-sally-ds-macro-photo-challenge/

https://decocraftsdigicrafts.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/sally-ds-mobile-photography-hot-house-macros/

https://artifactsandfictions.com/

https://patchworkponderings.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-macro-2/

https://chasinglifeandfindingdreams.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/macro-with-a-lizard/

https://livingwithmyancestors.wordpress.com/2016/06/17/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-macro-4/

Note:

As always I welcome comments about this post or any part of my blog. My photographs for the mobile photography challenge are taken with an iPhone 6.

****If you would like to buy a print of any of my photographs or have any questions, please view the Contact Information found on the masthead. Thank you.

If you’d like to join this Mobile Photography Challenge, please click here for details and history of the challenge. If you have any questions, please contact me. Below is a reminder of the monthly schedule with themes for upcoming challenges:

1st Monday: Nature.

2nd Monday: Macro.

3rd Monday: Black and White.

4th Monday Challenger’s Choice (Pick One: Abstraction, Animals, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Objects, Panorama, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel).

5th Monday: Editing and Processing with Various Apps Using Themes from the Fourth Week.

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