Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Inspiration

My daughter and I picked up photography around the same time in 2008. While we are a lot alike she is much smarter and prettier. She also made much better life decisions than I did, except when she moved far, far away. I certainly didn't approve of that. :/

She doesn't get out as often with her camera as she'd like, but lately she's been doing a little more since her good friend moved to Portland recently.  Look at these wonderful flowers from Schreiner's Iris Gardens in Salem, OR. When I came across this in her Flickr stream I was instantly smitten. I love the graphic look of the vertical green stems and the gorgeous purples, greens, and yellows. I am seriously thinking of changing the color scheme in my home office just so that I can hang this as a very large canvas right over my desk. 

This is the time of year that I burn out with photography (and everything else) because the heat is so unbearable. But when I saw my daughter's photo it inspired me to go out and shoot a field of wildflowers after work today. I had been eyeing this field for weeks. After fighting what felt like intense flames and annoying wind for 30 minutes I still didn't get anything great, but hey, at least I went out. Thank you for the inspiration, Autumn! You have single-handedly helped me out of my slump.





38 comments:

Rosemary Aubut said...

What a talented family! I love the color in your daughter's photo. I am a color freak and so enjoy when someone is so bold with it! Wow and your photos are just magical! So light and airy! Love, love love them!

TexWisGirl said...

LOVE 'EM!!! Looks like home to me! Beebalm and Indian blankets and bees!!! :)

Barbara said...

I agree with you on your daughter's photo - love the lines of the stems and the colors. Gorgeous! I disagree with you on yours, though - they are beautiful! I'm glad you got inspired to pick it up again! (I'm feeling about the same way!)

Tricia said...

My, you two are talented! I love your daughter's photos...the colors are so beautiful.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Beautiful photos. I just LOVE the wide shot of the field. We don't see anything like that where I live.

Evelyn S. said...

Well, Gail....I'm really glad that you were re-inspired by your daughter's fabulous image!

Anonymous said...

Great shots! Yes, I'd decorate a room around your daughter's photo too. Beautiful.

Starla said...

Your daughter definitely got your eye for photography!! I love the bold colors in her photo!

Your first two photos are my favorites. I am totally amazed that you were able to capture the bees like that!!

I am always so inspired to grab my camera after I visit here. The crazy life is just getting in the way, right now!!

hootnonny said...

The apple sure fell close to the tree! Your daughter's picture is wonderful...but so are yours, every last one! The heat zaps my energy and with it my joy of outside photography, so I know how you feel! Maybe my new 50 mm 1.4 lens will help. It should be here tomorrow! Stay cool, your fff.

beth said...

i can't imagine being so hot and not wanting to go out....i love the heat, but have never lived further south than north carolina and those summers were very tolerable.

i think the flowers from your daughter are allium

Anonymous said...

I like the shots your guys took. I like to look at a spot and then move all around and see what the same place or flower, whatever, looks like from different points of view. Sometimes it is a powerful difference you will not see until you move.

It also makes a world of difference if you use a wide open lens so that it throws the background out of focus.

Or; I think it does on some things that I photograph.

I really like it when one or more family members can be taking pictures at the same time. Later, then looking over the results will show what we were thinking of when we took our own pictures.

Courtney said...

Beautiful photos! I do love the purple flowers Autumn captured....just gorgeous. I love the detail in the tiny blossoms and the over all look to the entire picture. I agree - looks like it should be canvassed and framed!! Awesome! Your pics of the bees frighten me - but I know you have a super lens that gets all that detail without you having to get too close. LOL Love you!

Hilary said...

I disagree with you about not getting anything great. Your photos are lovely and I'm glad you're out of your slump. You daughter's image is indeed a beauty and I hope you do frame it. Her name is Autumn? I love that. :)

Hula Girl at Heart said...

I think these are great. Love them all. If this is you without inspiration, I can't wait to see "fired up".

the wild magnolia said...

Like mother, like daughter! Inspirational photos!

Thank you so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Every single shot is beautiful & 'frame-worthy', for sure! You could have the large canvas, like you said, & make the others smaller... that's an idea! =)

Charlotte Wilson said...

Gail,
How wonderful that Autumn shares this hobby with you. Her photo is so luscious with silky bokeh.
And your photos today are gorgeous. Shot with your 400mm, I expect?
I love wild flowers. The heat is leaving me uninspired too.:o(

Anonymous said...

I agree about your daughter's composition...stunning! Yours are equally beautiful as well! Glad you got your mojo back!

Anonymous said...

Your daughter is very talented. You're no slouch either! :)
These are all lovely photographs!

Anonymous said...

Your daughter is very talented. You're no slouch either! :)
These are all lovely photographs!

Lisa Gordon said...

Like mother, like daughter! Her photograph is beautiful Gail, just as yours always are. I am off to check out her Flick as soon as I leave here!

I sure hope the heat subsides for you soon. We could use a bit of it here. We had to turn the heat back on for a bit yesterday :-(

rayfamily said...

The vivid colors in your daughter's shot are beautiful, but I'd say that braving the blast furnace served you well! The field shots are fantastic!! :)

Shug said...

Goodness, goodness....Beautiful photography! And, the deep purple is gorgeous! Are these pictures shot with a professionl lens? would love to know what type of camera you use..
I love the field of flowers..Great job to both of you....
shug

Reena said...

I love your shots of the wildflowers. Gorgeous! And I am missing the early spring shots but now summer is opening its arms for different surprises!

Michelle said...

What fun to get to see your talented daughter's handiwork, too (it's beautiful), and I love the flowers you've captured. I absolutely love the second one from the top and the third one from the bottom. Such beauty in the simple things!!!

Tina said...

What a blessing that you and your daughter share this love of photography. Her image is beautiful and would look wonderful enlarged, framed and hanging on a wall. Glad you were able to get out and shoot despite the heat...I can't stand extreme heat either...makes me grumpy because I don't have as much energy to do stuff...guess it's an area where I can grow :-) Lovely images with their soft tones.

With the images on my blog most of the closeups were taken with my 105mm micro lens.

Enjoy your day. I've got a cold and fever so I'm laying around today. It's funny all through my project 365 occasionally I would think what if I got sick and couldn't take my shot...the amazing thing was I never got sick through the whole project, that was a blessing. Sorry for rambling...take care and stay cool :-)

Autumn said...

"Smarter and prettier" - pshaw!

Your photos are wonderful here (as always; it's obvious how much thought and care goes into your composition and processing!). I love the wide shot of the field with all the colors!

Thanks to all your lovely commenters for the compliments. I'm blushing!

Joey said...

I'm so happy that you ventured out into the heat, because you inspired me.

The photographs are just beautiful. I love flowers, although I'm allergic to most of the kind that grow in the fields.

Thank you for giving me something beautiful to gaze at before I go to sleep.

Joey

Unknown said...

OMG you have took so beautiful pictures. Your daughter is so talented and I love your flower field shots. I wish we had fields like that and those gorgeous flowers. When I was a child we did have flower fields but not anymore, maybe in a countryside but everything has been build.

Kittie Howard said...

Gail, I so agree with Rosemary. Your apple didn't fall far from the tree - along with your daughter's photo, I could imagine your field of flowers as wall art. All are magical, tho...they speak the grace of life.

I'd hoped you'd post "Amazing Grace" this past Christmas - so was delighted to see Eileen's e-mail...maybe you can repost this holiday season. I found several other like clips on YouTube...one is background singing and churches, nice but lacks that whoomp...of course, there's Elvis...but no Louisiana pics like yours.

Georgianna said...

Oh, I've been to Schreiner's and it is a magical place. Love Autumn's allium image – it is stunning!

But I disagree that you didn't get anything great on your photo outing – I love the dreamy quality of your wildflower images. Sometimes it's good to force yourself to go out. You got some lovely photos to show for it.

Have a great weekend, Gail! xo – g

Anonymous said...

Very nice photography.

LindyLouMac said...

What more can I say but Wow, what a talented mother and daughter.

janjan0000 said...

Talent runs in the family!
Glad you woke from your slump - these are absolutely gorgeous.

lissa said...

beautiful photos, makes me want to smile.

Laura Delegal - Leroy Photography said...

ALL are stunning, Gail. Just beautiful.

Katie said...

All of these florals are simply stunning!!!

septembermom said...

Coming here fills my soul with beauty when I see these gorgeous flower pictures. Thanks for this gift, Gail :) Hugs!