The year is 2020 and the inconceivable has happened. Human civilization became confined, stressed, and uncertain. In the meantime, something magical happened, the natural planet received a moment to reset. On a day when cabin fever became overwhelming, I made a large cup of coffee in my pastel travel mug, hopped in my car, and just drove. I had no destination in mind, just windows down, sunroof open, and stereo loud. I don’t recall where I was exactly, but I looked over and in my solitude, noticed that the entire median was an untamed field of wildflowers, pristine and quondam. With no other vehicles around, not a single person in sight, I pulled to the side of the road, though I probably could have parked my car right in the middle of the highway. I sat in the field and finished my coffee, enjoying the white noise of nature and the sun on my shoulders. I decided that the field wouldn’t miss a few blooms, so I wiped out the inside of my mug with napkins and gathered several handfuls. I’ll never forget the serenity I felt sitting in the sun that morning, watching the bees and butterflies experience their own moments of unadulterated existence.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The blooms did suffer a little on the way home with no water, but the joy and contentment I felt in the moment was undeniable. I wanted to remember it, so I snapped a photo. I did give them water and they perked up. I eventually hung and dried the bouquet and it still has a place in my living room as a reminder that sometimes what we need is a chance to reset.
LaSandra Barnhill Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The cropped photo creates a more dynamic image. Cropping removes some of the distractions from the subject of the photograph and simplifies the background. What do you think?
Hi LaSandra,
While reading your post, the first paragraph was like a beautiful scene from a movie. I imagined in my head, and it was calm and relaxing. I can focus more on the flowers after you cropped the background distractions and see how bloomy the flowers are. If the original image is just the flowers inside the vase on the table in a room, the cropped image is like a image where the flowers become the main character so that the viewers can concentrate more on the blooms.
Hey LaSandra,
That is a great story indeed! A field with wildflowers on a sunny day must be a great sight. I think the idea to remove the excess surrounding material to place more focus on the subject of the image was a great choice. Although the impact from the original to the new image is minimal at first, I think you succeed in what you aim to do.