Tag: flowers

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 25, 20218:20 pm

The Monarch and I agree: What an Aroma

San Diego is a three-season climate: Early Summer, Mid Summer, and Late Summer. The first fully flourishes: Little birds tweet; crows caw; citrus grows in residents’ yards; squirrels scamper; and non-perennials burst with fresh flowers; among many other delights. In some other locale, these things would be signs of Spring, but Summer never really ends here and merely transitions from states of vitality—which booms this fine February. Despite the drier-than-typical third season, lusciousness abounds. Sights and sounds of vibrant life are everywhere.

Smells, too. While walking along Meade Ave. between Alabama and Mississippi, in the University Heights community, on Feb. 23, 2021, a wondrously friendly fragrance greeted my nostrils, and I stopped to regard the source—the purple flowers you see in the Featured Image. The Monarch presented photographic opportunity, and I pulled out Leica Q2 for two deliberate but hasty shots. Luckily, the first is wings down; the unpublished other, they’re up. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/500 sec, 28mm; 10:39 a.m. PST.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 10, 20219:37 pm

Imperfect Bouquet

Highly recommended: Avoid making Macro-shots of hanging-flowers when windy. Pixel-peeping the Featured Image reveals what happens when the breeze blows the vine after the shooter focuses but before he (or she) clicks the shutter. I […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 24, 20209:35 pm

Sunflower Skies

Sunflower season returns to San Diego, and splashes of yellow reach upward everywhere. The Featured Image is unremarkably composed—and that’s being polite—but the moment means something to me nevertheless. I tried to contrast one thing […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 1, 20207:40 am

Flickr a Week 9a: ‘Essaimage’

I came to the Photostream of Alexandre Gallier by way of “Simple Portrait“, which charms for its texture and natural effervescence. But the Sunday spot instead goes to self-titled “Essaimage“, not because the other isn’t worthy but to keep a varied flow of the series‘ selections.

The closeup, from Nikon D610 with 90mm Tamron Macro lens, is a keeper for beautiful bokeh, contrasty colors, and delicious detail. Vitals: f/11, ISO 400, 1/40 sec, 90mm; April 16, 2019.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 28, 20156:38 am

Flickr a Day 118: ‘Partly Cloudy’

The Skagit Tulip Festival ends in two days. If you live in Washington State, there is still time—and perhaps today’s selection will move you along. Howard Ignatius shot self-titled “Partly Cloudy” on April 4, 2015, using Nikon D800 […]

Living by Joe WilcoxApr 20, 20067:07 pm

Lilacs and Mulberries

My neighbor, who is a helluva nice guy, has it in for the trees on his property. He’s got a problem with roots burrowing holes into his basement. So for the last eight months, he has picked away at the branches, and some whole trees, pruning the lush shade over his property.

Hanging over our backyard is a beautiful mulberry tree, which branches he hacked off on his side of the fence. Today, he would have finished the job, chopping the remaining green on the trunk. Luckily, I work out of a home office and in the basement, where the mulberry tree spreads out in view. We chatted, and he agreed to delay the tree’s execution, at least until the mulberries ripen and litter the lawn with food for birds and squirrels. Like I said, he’s a helluva nice guy—and I know it wasn’t easy for him to stay the execution. He’s thinking about roots and flooded basements.