I am by profession a teacher; but as a person, I consider myself a learner and appreciate the understandings I continue to gain from others. I know my self-learning projects are reflections of others’ shared visions. I felt challenged today by “Practice! Practice! Practice!”,a post on John Etheridge’s “The Book of Bokeh” blog this week. https://bookofbokeh.wordpress.com/  He posted a series of images of a drink in a glass, commenting on his desire to use this technique to hone his skillful photography. Thank you Mr. Etheridge for sharing your artistic practices.

Below zero wind-chills and constant snow flurries are my excuse to stay house bound and nurse a persistent cold in my upper body. With my Nikon on its macro setting I focused on the beautiful, ever delicate, orchid that is kindly blooming in my living room while fresh layers of snow blanket my perennials. Close focus with the lens today lends for close reflection on my photographic perspectives.

Several challenges were quickly realized during this practice session. First, I noticed while creating these images was the constant background creeping into these very closely focused images. To me it is amazing, and frustrating, that the background would continue to invade an image whose composition was so small an area. The background must complement and not distract. Knowing that the brightest, lightest area of an image draws the most attention, my second challenge was to photograph a white orchid and attend to the variations of whites during my composition in a way that allowed the lightest area(s) to lie where focus is creatively appealing.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is credited to Margaret Wolfe Hungerford. Final analysis of today’s orchid images lies to myself as well as each reader of this blog. And I’m certain that my opinion will change with repeated viewings just as your opinions will vary. Such is the art of critique and assessment as I attempt to implement my learning as photographer. The joy in accepting such challenges can be rewardingly exhausting. Perfect entertainment for a winter afternoon.

Note: All images captured using natural light and are un-adjusted to control contrast or brightness.