Rocky Mountain Mall

Although this scene may look as if it's taken from the background video for a karoke version of Rocky Mountain High, the actual location is what amounts to a large strip mall just west of Annapolis.

This ties in nicely with yesterday's backyard photography post. The point is that you don't have to travel to exotic locations to make compelling images.

This photo came about as I stopped by my bank to make a deposit early last Saturday morning before heading to City Dock to play around with my new Tamron 18-270mm superzoom lens. As I pulled into a parking space, I noticed how the low morning sun lit up the red-tipped grass planted in the divider between the bank's parking lot and that of Fudrucker's next door.

Shooting from slightly above the grass and at the long end of the zoom's range, the shallow depth of field makes it look as if the grass goes on forever.

In fact, here is what the scene looks like to the casual observer

Lovely, isn't it?

Well yeah, it is, if you look beyond the superficial.

Great photos are everywhere, and as Dorothy said, there's no place like home.

Backlit Backyard Leaves

Last Thursday after work, I went out of my way to go shooting in a fancy-schmantzy neighborhood of Baltimore. When I came home and got out of my car, I happened to notice some beautiful backlighting on some on these hostas at the side of our house.

After all was said and done, this was the only good photo of the day. I wouldn't say at all that the special trip to that fancy neighborhood was a waste, but it's funny how I found the best image right in my backyard.

Catkin

Who knew?

Our neighbors have a tree adjoining our property that I always though of as a pussy willow. By early March, often earlier, we see little furry, gray cyclinders emerging from the buds. A very nice herald of Spring.

On my way to my car the other day, for the first time, I noticed that the furriness had evolved into something else, and as I had my Canon SD400 in my pants pocket, I decided to take some photos.

Setting the camera in Macro mode and closing in on one of the once-fuzzy tubule, I half-pressed the shutter button. What came into focus on the LCD was unexpectedly beautiful.

So since I decided to post this image, I had to find out what to call it. Turns out the correct term is catkin.

So now I know, and you do too, and we can impress our friends and relatives with this new knowledge. Be sure to find some way to work catkin into the conversation this weekend.