Earlier this week I took a road trip to Longwood Gardens with my new photography mentor, Emily Carter Mitchell. Like any good teacher, Emily has been helping me lean into new ways of honing my craft, new techniques, new ways of seeing. She’s helped me let go of stories that were holding me back and guided me in forward-looking upgrades of my photography equipment and mindset.
After an hour or two of our lenses focused on tulips and trees, it started to rain. What we thought would be a quick detour through the conservatory stopped us in our tracks. We gasped in unison at the sight of the Anemone coronaria (Mona Lisa ‘Deep Blue’) bordering the walkway. As the rain poured outside our glassy sanctuary, we sank into deep communication with what most passersby saw as flowers at the end of their bloom time.
I’ll step back and let the images speak to you themselves. I invite you to play with these as mini meditation opportunities. Spend a few breath cycles with each one. What details stand out to you? What emotions do they evoke? What stories do they tell? Do any captions come to mind? I’d love to hear your reflections! Use the letter label above each image as your reference point.
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Emily and I found so much beauty and power in these waning blossoms, even when others might have viewed them to be past their prime. Similarly matured, we felt a personal connection with our subjects. Emily summed it up perfectly in a caption of one of her own shots: “Withered but not worn.”
Sharing this post with special Mothers Day wishes. Whether you are a mother or have a mother, you are beautiful, empowered, and inspiring at every stage of the bloom process!
