Dandelion (Taraxacum): Snap it and eat it!

I like Dandelions.  And they seem to grow just about everywhere.  This beautiful example was taken in Cologne, Germany on a bright April morning.  Why they are considered a weed I don't know.  This particular stand was growing next to a sidewalk near a small neighborhood park.

My photo tip on this one is to get as low to the ground as you can get.  With digital auto focus this is a lot simpler than laying on your stomach.  And you can keep snapping away until you get what you want.  Hold the camera down to bloom level (just 2-3 inches off the ground).  Composition will improve after a few practice shots.  This technique is also hand with taller blooms like tulips especially if there is an excellent blue sky with puffy white clouds.  Tilt the camera slightly higher to get bloom and sky.

Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteracae. They are native to Eurasia and North America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum and are found as weeds worldwide.  Both species are edible in their entirety.  The common name dandelion is given to members of the genus, and like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Many Taraxacum species produce seeds asexually by apomixis, where the seeds are produced without pollination, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.^[3]

Its in the details.

Photo tip: The Transamerica Pyramid stands tall in the skyline of San Francisco.  At its base is a beautiful 19th century building with detail that starkly contrasts the tallest building in the city.  So why not show a little of the uniqueness of each.  Remember you won't be seeing the shorter building in any skyline photos to remind you of the fine old structures that contribute so much to California's color and history.

Step up, look up!

Photo tip: Don't just step away from a building, try stepping up for a different perspective.  The Savannah, Georgia Independent Presbyterian Church is a beautiful structure. Savannah historian, Walter Hartridge speaks of the Independent Presbyterian Church as "Savannah's most notable building."  You can step across the street and get a "SSS" (sidewalk to steeple shot) and have a picture of a magnificent historic structure.  AND you can walk up the front step, point the camera straight up and get a very dramatic scene emphasizing the architectural excellence.

Water it, they'll come!

Photo tip: Bring the birds to you.  There is nothing like going for a swim on a hot summer day.  And birds like water too.  So set up an oscillating sprinkler near some brush, thick trees or shrubs and watch them come in for a shower.  They'll keep hanging around as long as you'll keep paying the water bill.

It helps if the bride is a bit of a ham!

Photo tip: If you are using a digital camera you should set the shutter speed to multiple shots per second.  This is usually a sport or action setting.  These photos were taken with natural light in Montgomery, Texas.  Normally I don't do wedding photography but cave in occasionally to arm twisting by friends and family.  Here I wasn't given much of a choice since the bride is my daughter.  It helps that she wanted her bridal portrait done outside and in several different types of poses and settings.  Mainly I just kept set the shutter on 3 frames per second and worked several angles.  And she has a bit of showmanship in her that lends itself to some great spontaneity.  I used a 70/300 mm zoom lens set on automatic.  Remember that quality and QUANTITY count here.  I took over 500 exposures to get what she wanted and called calf rope.

Ahten'hut!

Photo tip:  Impromptu portraits.  Family expectations can put you in less than optimal position to take a picture.  My nephew was back home for Christmas a few years ago from a tour in Iraq.  He brought his Marine dress uniform with him and it made a great opportunity for a photo.  I really wanted a neutral background so I stood him in a garage about 10 feet from the side wall to minimize shadows.  I used the natural light coming in from the garage opening.  The photo on the right is the original.  The one on the left was edited with a free photo editing program using an artist element.  Can't even tell the soldier was barefooted.

Juxtaposition!

Photo tip:  Add interest to your photo with juxtaposition.  Random juxtaposition refers to the stimulation of creativity in problem solving, design or other creative pursuit by confronting two unrelated concepts or objects, usually the goal or problem to be solved on the one hand and a randomly selected object or concept on the other. Similar to an oxymoron.  This photo holds London's iconic St. Paul's Cathedral in the background and a modern iconic logo of a Starbuck's Coffee located just down the street.  The coffee is good but the scones don't come close to the originals.

Bloomin' Artichoke with a sting!

Photo tip:  More than one element to a shot can exponentially add to its asthetics.  This photo was taken Napa Valley Museum in California.  The brilliant purple/blue tenicles of the artichoke bloom could make the photo interesting but catching a bee gathering pollen added zip.  The gardens at the museum was a supurb location for catching flora at its best.  COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts was a cultural museum and education center dedicated to the discovery, understanding, and celebration of wine, food and the arts in American culture. COPIA was located in the Napa Valley in the town of Napa, California. The center celebrated its grand opening on November 18, 2001 and closed its doors on November 21, 2008.

Look up, look down, look all around!

Photo tip: Don't always shoot the object of attention.  This photo was taken of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in Savannah, Georgia.  It tells a story of an old city of streets paved with bricks lined by architecture of times past.  It was a lot easier to point the camera down to get this combination than point it almost straight up.  The results are more interesting than a non-descript sky behind a towering steeple.  And this way you won't be stepping into something you don't want to.

If you like it, snap it!

Photo composition.  Photo taken in Napa Valley, California.  It isn't hard to figure out here that the V Wine Cellar is having a wine tasting.  What makes this more interesting is working the angle of the sign to point toward the V Wind Cellar logo sign.  I could have shot the sign straight on but then what would I have had but a picture of a sign.  The trick is to look around and see what makes the most interesting angle and take a picture of it.  And walk around and try if from another angle.  You'll eventually find one you like.  And if you tried the wine there you'll probably remember it each time you view this photo.

Early or late, naturally.

Photo tip using natural light.  Early morning or late evening are the best times to get naturally diffused lighting on a clear day.  This portrait was taken on a Utah ranch with about 30 minutes of sunlight left.  It was an automatic exposure with a a f/9, 1/80 second, ISO 100 and 18mm focal length.  Try not to take portraits during the brightest peak of sunlight during the day.  But to improve portrait shots during a bright or bright/cloudy day use a flash to fill in the dark shadows.