Closed Up or Closed Minded ?

Being in the light. The photographer - the artist - senses every subtle change to the light of each season. How it turns. How it changes the landscape. How everything reacts to it. I captured these images and video last week, after an evening run at nearby Sugarcreek MetroPark. I was setting-up my camera and tripod to photograph the closed Queen Anne's Lace (resulting image in the video) when an older couple passed me along the trail. As usual the wife was a few steps ahead. The husband trailing slightly behind with his head toward the ground. The woman looked at me with that usual critical expression I see amongst older, suburbanite midwesterners around here and shot off a "what are you taking pictures of ?" 

"The Queen Anne's Lace."

"Well why do you want take a picture of that - it's all closed-up." 

Well excuse the (insert appropriate obscenity) out of me. I'm so sorry what I'm doing and what I'm photographing doesn't meet with your approval.

That's what I wanted to say.

"Well I really like the pattern and shape, and everything looks really nice in this light right now."

"Oh, well, I guess it does."

I then moved down further into the tall grass prairie while they continued the other way along the walking trail. 

There's so much beauty all around us, every minute of every day. It's in the letting go of the limits and rules we place within our own mind when we can finally, truly open our eyes to all of the possibilities - all the visual treasures - all the signs in the light that guides us to follow the creative spirit that connects what is most important in life.

It wasn't the Queen Anne's Lace that was "closed-up."