Rockledge Gardens – Rockledge, FL

In her book, Extraordinary Everyday Photography,  Brenda Tharp challenges photographers to develop a “fresh approach and vision” by going someplace where you have been before but try to see it differently. Her point is that you can find interesting things to photograph anywhere if you develop a new approach to seeing with new vision. Even in those places we have been many times before.   

There are probably many places where we can take Brenda’s challenge. We can take our favorite nature hike or walk the streets of a little town along the same path we have been many times before. I decided to take Brenda’s challenge at two local nurseries this past week.

With camera in hand, I walked the same garden paths I walked many times before. But this time I made a conscientious effort to look through the viewfinder with a “fresh approach”, I discovered many remarkable pictures I had not seen before. Here are a few things I found:

• Colors – So many contrasting and interesting colors
• Light value contrast of highlights and shadows
• Textures, shapes, patterns, and lines
• Reflections

Remarkable pictures are all around us if we just take the time to really see with fresh eyes. The next time you go to your local nursery, take your camera along. And may the remarkable pictures be yours.

Chuck