Comments on: Getting to know you

By: Photo Buffet

Photo Buffet — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:34:20 +0000

Can you enjoy yourself, no matter what the weather?
Absolutely! In fact, the more challenging the weather, the harder I work to capture something unique. We think we need ideal light, but that’s not always true. To me, a good picture is one that makes me stare. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Some days I half fill a memory card with photos that leap out at me. Other times, I wonder why I bothered. But it’s a rare occasion when I find nothing worth saving.

Your photoblog has grown with you, Paul. It’s an eye-opening visit each time. Thank you.

By: casiopea

casiopea — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 16:50:10 +0000

so pretty Paul, the text and the pics

By: Laurie

Laurie — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 14:25:41 +0000

I have to read the previous posts. I was away a few days and I have to catch up but I want to do it when I really have time to digest your words of wisdom.

I did read this one and I too am learning to enjoy the company of the person closest to me…me. It’s not so easy to be comfortable in my own company. I think I’ve allowed myself to be defined as just a mom for so long that I’ve lost sight of what else I am or at least was. The rediscovery is an interesting trip and not always a easy one. The terrain has become a little more challenging over the years.

The photos are lovely. Simple and appealing. The second one is really wonderful!

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:37:45 +0000

Argh… I forgot: The first 2 pictures in your post really capture the spirit of a botanical garden (are there non-botanical gardens?). Beautiful, fresh colors – and the play with the “reverse” depth of field in the first shot is certainly appealing…

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:35:32 +0000

Oh yes, I certainly do re-visit places – or at least try to. From a photographic perspective, I tend to group “my” places simply into Do’s and Don’ts: Places I visit 2 times (the first and the last time) and places I like to re-visit. How often I do that, depends a bit on the inherent dynamics of the place. Usually, I feel more attracted to “natural” places, in which nature fools around. As Julie put it, watching the seasons come and go in such a place is always fascinating…

By: Julie O'Donnell

Julie O'Donnell — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:34:37 +0000

Being into ‘pictures of wee things’ as my friends like to label it, I could spend a whole day shooting an area smaller than most people’s back garden. So It’s no surprise that I go back to the botanic gardens here in Dublin, over and over again, maybe once every few weeks. And I have, as you say, developed a ‘relationship’ with the place. It’s quite a positive, self perpetuating thing though: the first time I visited, I hadn’t done much in the way of macro with my new 350D. We had only moved to Dublin a couple of months beforehand, and every weekend I still felt like I was on holiday! I was blown away with the range of colours and textures and patterns, and I found a real sense of peace as I wandered round looking at the flowers and plants and trees. Then, when I got home I was really happy with the shots I’d taken. Every time I visited the gardens after that, I remembered the results I got and was happy and confident of making more. This puts me in a comfortable mood, and receptive to what I might pick up – which in turn helps me to come home with plenty keepers, that spur me on to coming back the next time… Not only this, but the place is amazing because every few weeks, the plants and flowers change completely – I’ve watched all four seasons there now and it’s been fantastic. Now I look forward to those things I saw last summer and autumn coming round again, to see if I can do better with it that I did last year!

Sorry I rambled a bit there, I suppose that’s what happens when you talk about something you enjoy so much