It Took A While to Get There

Nothing Is Easy

My Final Photo for last Saturday took quite some time to happen. Before it came together, I made several more photos of the magnolia tree that were good, perhaps, but not what I wanted.

The tree was in perfect shape and color. Full of blossoms with the petals moving in a slight breeze. The sun was in the right position. All I needed were people.

I got that wish but the results were less than stellar. It wasn’t their fault. They were enjoying themselves and the dog and I wasn’t part of their plan for fun.

Too far off to one side.

Not very good composition and the sign at right is a distraction.

Now I have two trees, but they are incidental to the photo when they should be the major supporting object.

I abandoned that angle and waited for passersby but again the composition isn’t good. The couple does fill the empty space on the left but there isn’t something to balance them on the right.

Several people passed by similarly, but I didn’t make any photos of them because it never looked good. Bad composition or placement in the frame was the major objection.

Tried isolating on the limb dangling closest to the ground. It’s nice but I prefer people in the photo.

I spent about an hour making photos of and around the tree beginning with the first people I saw walking near the tree. It was awful but I knew if I waited long enough the photo I wanted would appear.

When it did I held the Nikon Z50 at the end of my outstretched arms and slightly on my tiptoes to get a higher angle to use the tree to eliminate distracting background elements. I wondered if anyone saw me on tiptoes wandering in what must have appeared to be an unbalanced pattern with a camera held high over my head.

I don’t care if they saw my antics and interpreted them as a scene from “Titicut Follies.” I made the photo I wanted.

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