It is all about the light

Last October, after visiting my mother in Brazil, I posted my last new botanical image for that year, the flower of an African Iris. Back to the states, I got busy with older projects and their images, visits to wildlife refuges, working on selling prints, and trying to get by on an increasingly shrinking salary.

Over the weekend of February 19, an irresistible urge drew me to the local arboretum despite the dismal weather. Preceding a looming storm, the morning was bleak, with fierce winds and sporadic rainfall. As I navigated a winding path known for its abundance of Common Yellow Day Lilies, Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, I was met with a surprising sight: no flowers in bloom yet. After all, spring around here starts in February. However, the seedpods adorned with vibrant red seeds captured my attention. I seized the opportunity to photograph one particularly expressive pod.

As I took the photograph, I couldn’t help but reflect on the cycle of life and renewal. Nature’s intricate design reveals that for something new to emerge, something else must wither and fade. Despite the transient nature of all things, the underlying life force remains constant—a universal truth echoed in every living organism. “Lily Seedpod, 2024” captures the essence of this cycle. While the plant graces the UC Davis Arboretum with its vibrant blooms in spring and summer, the winter unveils a different beauty: the seedpods, harboring the bright red seeds that promise the continuation of life’s eternal dance.

The FEATURED PHOTOGRAPH (f/16, 1/200 s, ISO 200 @ 105 mm), repeated below for convenience, was taken with the help of a tripod and a moonlight. A reflector helped to bounce some of the light from the moonlight, positioned at eight o clock with respect to the subject, but oriented not toward, but parallel to it. I like to apply this technique on subjects that tend to glow: only the “edge of the light”, which is somewhat diffused, illuminates the subject. At this narrow aperture on an overcast day there was hardly enough natural light for the frame.

I like how this pod opens up to the earth in order to release its seeds. Other two photographs of the same subject can be found in my GeoGalleries portfolio “Seed and pod“.

______________________________

Wall Art Botanical Images

Wall Art Photography projects

Wall Art landscapes and miscellaneous

________________________________