Nature is full of amazing and beautiful displays, many of which are taken for granted. Go into any grocery store or super market and apples abound; how many of us take a moment to appreciate how this apple started?
Apple’s True Beauty
About five years ago, I decided to follow the development of an apple orchard, which was close to my daily commute throughout the year. It’s one of those fun projects that keep one’s interest in photography keen, and taking a walk through an apple orchard in the morning is a great way of invigorating the senses for the day that lies ahead.
This shot is from early May, when the blooms were fully developed, just before the wither and start developing into tasty, crisp New England apples. With the beautiful light, it was just amazing to look more closely at these trees and their wondrous adornment!
Hope you enjoy this moment of wonder and think about it, when you bite into your next apple.
Technical Details
This image was captured with a Canon EOS 5D Mk II and a 24-105 f/4L lens (with circular polarizing filter). Settings were f/10 at 1/400 second with ISO 200.
A Fresh Perspective
Photography is more than just a vehicle for capturing the world around me; it provides me with a palette and a set of brushes, with which I paint not only what I see, but also look to express the emotions that are evoked by the scene in front of me in that moment.
Growing up in the Netherlands exposed me to a wide cross-section of visual arts that laid the foundation of my photographic view of all that surrounds me. Early influences were the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, to whom I was introduced by my grandfather during museum explorations; favorites among them are the scenes of quotidian life depicted by Jan Steen and Frans Hals and the vivid landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael.
My classical high school education was supplemented by the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, where I spent many a lunch hour exploring its great collection. Here I was introduced to surrealism with a particular love for the approach taken by Salvador Dali; Dali also rekindled my appreciation for the work of Hieronymus Bosch, who often showed the folly of us mortals.
Universal Connections
My approach to any photographic subject is to look for understanding first; in this I look to establish either a connection between the viewer and the subject or capture the connection of the subject with its surroundings. The captured image then aims to portray this connection from a perspective that is part of my personal interpretation.
This interpretation is often a form of externalized introspection, which may alternately display the connection of isolated beings and items with their environment or highlight the whimsy of the profound world, in which we find ourselves. The universe is full of connections, many of which are waiting to be discovered; part of my journey as a photographer is to document these connections.
Any assignment, be it an event, a product shoot or a portrait session is always approached through communication with the client; this is where the first connection is established. Ideas are exchanged and a collaborative plan of action forms, ultimately resulting in a set of images that aim to exceed the expectations of each client.
And, lest we forget, it is important to have fun while practicing the serious business of photography!
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12 thoughts on “Wednesday Wonderment – pt 7”
Your photo is crisp, clear and gorgeous, so I can almost smell the spring air and scents of other flowers on the breeze. Thank you for a lovely interlude in my day.
Thank you! In this world, it is all too easy to lose our contact with the true aspects of nature. I gathered that you are a deep thinker who is in touch with nature! Have a wonderful day!
Nice picture! I like that project! I did something similar last year: I took pictures of some plants and trees in my garden several times per month just to see how it all develops… Of course my camera is much less sophisticated 😉 and I didn’t place that on my blog – as it is no photography blog.
Your photo is crisp, clear and gorgeous, so I can almost smell the spring air and scents of other flowers on the breeze. Thank you for a lovely interlude in my day.
Thank you very much for such wonderful words! I’m eager to see Spring, so I figured this would be a good start.
Beautiful photo, I would like to see those blossoms in my orchard also, instead of the leaves falling.
I expect that you’re enjoying those recently picked apples that we will have to wait for…
Would off if the possums hadn’t of beaten me to them, what few were left after the wood pigeons had eaten more than their fair share of the blossoms.
Hope the possums and wood pigeons were tasty 🙂
very nice project, i always think on the time it takes to produce a fruit, not only apples
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Thank you! In this world, it is all too easy to lose our contact with the true aspects of nature. I gathered that you are a deep thinker who is in touch with nature! Have a wonderful day!
Nice picture! I like that project! I did something similar last year: I took pictures of some plants and trees in my garden several times per month just to see how it all develops… Of course my camera is much less sophisticated 😉 and I didn’t place that on my blog – as it is no photography blog.
Thank you very much!!
I’d love to see your project results, as it’s not about the camera, but more about the photographer’s eye!
Well, maybe I’ll include that in an article, then! But my attempts at close-ups do not give such sharp results!
Close-ups are harder, as you need enough light to get adequate depth of field. That tends to be more difficult than wide angle shots