No, it isn’t possible to successfully photograph a redwood tree, nor to convey its impact; you have to experience it for yourself. Walking among these groves is unlike any other forest walk. More than by any other trees, we are dwarfed by them, and awed by a palpable sense of their great age. That age, that immense size, their sheer presence; only by being there can we feel those qualities.
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Orange is an attention-grabbing colour, shouting ‘look at me’! You can’t easily ignore an orange. It suggests optimism, vitality, happiness, warmth. For many it is a spiritual colour, worn for instance by the Buddhist monks of Southeast Asia. But it can be aggressive and harsh at times, and overpowering if used in large amounts.
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As a child I loved to see butterflies in our garden of course. But I was also fascinated by caterpillars, daddy-long-legs, even worms! Today I see insects and other bugs mainly as potential subjects for photography. I love to stalk bees as they move from flower to flower.
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Have you ever thought what fun it would be to be able to fly! Not boxed up in an aeroplane, but free, like a bird? Many would opt for that as their ‘super power’ if given the choice, I reckon. But maybe we all have wings, of a sort?
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For many of us the combination of red, white and blue symbolises freedom, unity, and patriotism because of its use in our flags. But individually they have their own meanings. Red is the colour of passion and energy, although it is also a warning sign. Blue is a much calmer colour, indicating peace and stability. And white brings a sense of calm, hope and simplicity.
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We can photograph our subject simply as it is, a faithful record. We can get creative, perhaps using black and white or playing with tone and structure, to produce an image close to the original but not purely representational of it. Or we can interpret the subject with such freedom that it becomes something other than it once was, an abstraction.
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I don’t know about you, but logic tells me that there is no more reason to make a resolution to do something better / more / less on the first of January than on any other day of the year. And also that there is no more reason to believe we will succeed in sticking to that resolution then rather than on a different date.
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What is it that attracts photographers to capture so many doors and windows? Is it because they stand out from the rest of the building? Is it something less conscious, being drawn to exits and entrances as offering adventure (or a way out)?
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Nothing says Christmas quite like an abundance of colourful lights. Whether on your tree at home, adorning the exterior of houses or an official display, they lift the spirits and set the mood for a joyful festival. For those of many religions, or none, such displays symbolise the triumph of light over darkness, bringing warmth and hope during the winter season.
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Such are the natural wonders of Madagascar that in a couple of hours’ walking you can see an array of endemic species from tiny (and I mean tiny!) chameleons to lively lemurs and towering baobab trees.
