HOW I GOT THE SHOT: The power of suggestion runs deep. With our local weatherman predicting a real winter storm this week, I had visions of white fields and ice-encrusted spring blooms. So as I hiked into an almond grove in the Ela Valley late one afternoon, my mind turned from the gloriously flowering branches to drifts of fallen blossoms that had accumulated on the ground in soft, pink and snow-white piles.
My students will confirm that I drum into their heads the idea of photographic opportunity, of picking up your camera and shooting when the best moments present themselves. Often, you may have another plan in mind, but the key is to remain open to something new which may unexpectedly reveal itself.
This week's image is a case in point. I had no idea what lay in waiting as I approached the grove. As the sunlight slowly slipped away, I lay down on the ground and snapped a few quick shots of blossoms blown against pruned branches and gathered amid clumps of grass. Unlike fall foliage, which decays on the tree before dropping, these blossoms fell to the ground while still in peak form. I used a close up lens (macro) to capture the color variations and textural detail in the petals. To paraphrase the saying, if you don't like the weather, go out and make some of your own.
Technical Data: Nikon D700, 28-105mm macro lens at 80mm, f8@ 1/60th sec., ISO 800.
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