You’ve lived nestled along
our side fence—undiscovered
until now. Touching your
water-soaked trumpet flowers
I marvel at how
perfect you are. Why
didn’t I see your
blushing bright cardinal-red
berries as more than
background noise? How could
I miss your intoxicating
honey-rich smell? Ancient
Rome called you good
luck charms, could you
be what I’ve searched
for—an answer disguised
as hidden treats plopped
into my aching hungry
mouth? Gritty, muted treasures—
arbutus gems. Help me
truly
see.
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” -Anne of Green Gables
I happen to agree with Anne, there’s something magical about Octobers. While our family is experiencing a bit of a rough patch, we still made time this week to put up our fall decorations and notice the changes in our yard. All the trees are dropping their leaves, my pineapple guava plant is almost ready to harvest, there’s a large mushroom bloom growing along one of the garden boxes and everything feels just a bit more relaxed in the golden light.
For my photos this week, I’ve tried to capture a bit of the feel around our house. I hope you enjoy this selection of images and have a wonderful week.
within this wild cacophony of silence
sit the words we don’t say anymore
scattered wispy threads of dead conversations
tucked into seat cushions and under rugs
watching with its tranquil virescent leaves
serenely placed on a lacy white doily
the tenacious fuzzy buds burst forth
to dance and sway as vermillion dolphins
“look at that,” I half-whisper
glowing screen still cradled in my palm
your tired eyes sweep the room
smiling when you see the fresh blooms
are you remembering roaring ocean waves?
swigging rum under the starry night sky?
black stone beaches, curvy thin roads?
slippery volcano hikes amongst the misty clouds?
I’m too afraid to ask anymore
with the ghosts of words dancing about
so instead I silently smile back
staring at the plant by the window
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” -Stephen King
This week I had the privilege of taking my nephew’s senior portraits. The night before I sat up late researching poses, looking at photos, and reading about photographing in sunlight. It felt like a huge responsibility and I wanted to do well. I choose a tourist area downtown with lots of varied backdrops; railroad tracks, colorful doorways, brick walls, and old pillars with lots of character.
He’s a musician, so he brought an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, and drumsticks. He’s also shy and not comfortable in front of the camera, so I felt the responsibility of capturing his natural smile and personality while making him feel safe. I brought my teenage daughter for support, and she also took photos. It was an awkward start but after several minutes we found our rhythm. The entire thing took just over an hour, and I came away with hundreds of shots.
When I opened them to start editing and choosing the best ones, I was surprised and elated at how good they are! I’m really proud of how they came out and I was able to send over 50 edited images for his mother to choose for his announcements. I don’t have permission to share them here, yet, but it’s part of my journey so I wanted to share the experience with you.
I’ve gotten some feedback and I’m ready to play around more with F-Stop and movement in my photographs next week. I might try some low-light images or landscapes. Thank you to those following my journey and rooting me on. It means so much to me.
If you’re unfamiliar with the 100 Day Project, the concept is simple. You choose any creative project you like and do it every day for 100 days, sharing your process on social media using the hashtag #The100DayProject. This year the dates are Feb. 13-May 24.
Here’s a bonus photo of my adorable nephew taken with my iPhone 13 in my backyard:
Bridgette Tales 