Introduction
Earlier this week, Carol and I took our usual Sunday noontime walk. We enjoy these walks even in rain and snow. This recent Sunday was, however, a brilliant spring day. At high altitude and thirteen percent humidity, the blue sky was intense. After the walk, I set out with my camera to take pictures of scenes that had grabbed my attention. These seven images were captured within 15 minutes.
From My Backyard and Looking West-22 May 2022
My camera was eager to work before I left the yard. With climate change, signature Utah blue skies are becoming less common as wildland fires increase. No fires today.
Twin Spruces-22 May 2022
Several years ago the power company cleared out the middle of these twin Colorado blue spruces to protect the utility lines. Each tree received a mirror image mullet.
Trees, Clouds, and Sky-22 May 2022
I enjoy finding beauty in my own neighborhood.
Delosperma Ice Spinner (Fireplant)
A neighbor has planted several of these in his parking strip on Elgin Avenue. Fortunately, he happened to be out in his front yard as I walked by. He graciously gave me permission to take some photos. I don’t think this variety existed in the nineteenth century, but Vincent van Gogh would have loved these complementary colors.
Claytonia virginica (Eastern Spring Beauty)-22 May 2022
This plant is growing at the base of a utility pole in a bricked over parking strip. I had no idea that the camera would highlight the beauty of this neglected stray plant. This specimen must have escaped cultivation because its natural range is the eastern USA and Canada. A compact version, C. lanceolata, is native to Utah and the west.
Five-petal Clematis-22 May 2022
This specimen was just a few steps away from the C. virginica in the previous photo near the sidewalk of a neglected yard.
Ornamental Grass-22 May 2022
This ornamental grass is left over from last season.
Endnote
These seven photos share the light of the noon Sun. The Sun is almost as high in the sky as it gets here in the north temperate zone; it will only be a few degrees higher at noon on the June solstice. I will be out with my camera at noon that day to search for more beauty.
Thank you,
Michael DeCaria
Hosting often overlooked beauty with photography and writing
Beautiful images as always. My favorites: The five petal clematis and the ornamental grass. Nice contrast.
Hi Susie, Your comments always teach me. This time the subject was contrast. Frankly, I was not even thinking about contrast explicitly, although I wanted the foregrounds to stand out from the backgrounds. From now on I will be conscious of compositional contrast and not only dynamic range. Thank you! Michael
I like the clouds in the first picture. It reminds me of a running horse or a poodle.
Hi Alex, I thought of the poodle, too. What convinced me to push the shutter, however, was the framing supplied by the utility wire that divided the sky. Thank you very much for commenting!