Photograph the essence not the incidental.

KaBloom

See things not as they are, but as you see them. Robert Henri

We waited and waited for Spring to come to Boston and overnight, KaBloom! Bursts of color and light. And just as suddenly, they will all be gone.

Leading a class on photographing blossoms the other day I encouraged students to reveal the spirit of the thing, not just the physical reality. As Robert Henri says, “Low art is just telling things; as, There is the night. High art gives the feeling of the night. …. be interested not in the incident but in the essence of your subject.

I used intention camera motion to capture the feeling of blooming. To create this image I used a technique I call click and zoom. Settings slow shutter speed 1/5 and f/22 and ISO 100. As you click the shutter give your telephoto a quick twist. Keep the camera steady so the only motion is what is caused by the zoom.

Be prepared to fail many times until you get it just right. I like this one because the center is in focus. Why not give it a try if you want to capture the living spirit of blossoms. You may just feel something bloom within you too.

Suzanne