Backyard Photography

Just a quick post as a reminder how easy and fun it can be to find images around your own yard. You don’t have to travel long distances or endure pelting rainstorms to get great shots. If you are open and your vision is tuned, you can find some great shots everywhere.

I was out raking leaves today, something I have to do 2-3 times a week during the Fall season just to keep up with the monumental amount of leaves falling. Our property is filled with oak and maple trees, themselves pretty but nothing to write home about. I moved to our side yard that we share with a neighbor and they have some different varieties of trees on their property. As I raked, I happened to look down at the leaves, really looked, and saw the rain drops had beaded up on the backside of some leaves. I stopped raking and got down on my knees to take a closer look. Figuring now was a good time for a break, I ran inside and got my camera and tripod.

I set up and shot perhaps 10 frames, which took me maybe 15 minutes. But during those 15 minutes, I was completely focused on my photography, immersed in nature and in the moment and had completely forgotten about the raking left to do. It was a fantastic little break, both physically and mentally.