When our uphill neighbor grew these amazing towering sunflowers, how did we manage to get photographs like this with a macro lens?
The answer is sometimes you have to put the Photographer on a tripod!
Photographing at Dusk with a flash and close-up focus prevented the sunflower centers from appearing as a flat black disk, especially for photographs later converted to black and white.
That combination of lighting also tuned out the cars, mailboxes and houses nearby.
The seed packet promised beautiful-bountiful-bunching-blooms (try saying that 10 times fast!), which have been a delightful subject to photograph.
They also provided the challenge of learning how to aim around and Photoshop out extra blooms for the parts of the Yellow, Red, Orange Tale that focused on a single character/flower.
We’re sure that sunflower seeds must be brain-food, since the flowers have exercised our brains so much!
“Photoshop vs. Nature: Smack-down in the Garden!” . . . catchy right? This was our Tale’s first title.
B. Brush, color replace
C. Adjust hue/saturation
D. Paintbucket
Yellow Sunflower had grown with the loving care of its Gardener who protected it from every danger as seed and seedling, marveled at its hourly growth . . .
Yellow Sunflower was so occupied with BASKING IN THE SUNLIGHT, DELIGHTING THE BEES, AND GROWING SEEDS FOR THE BIRDS, that it was oblivious to the special care it received from the Gardener.
What did catch Yellow’s attention was one day overhearing the Gardener’s excitement that there was a Red Sunflower about to open!
The gloominess grew in the garden. 
“You might even say, ‘I’m hueless about how to change color!”
Dawning of realization can occur after sunset for Sunflowers. For the benefit of those Dear Readers confined to a tiny screen:
And then, Yellow Sunflower realized the beauty in the garden was that ALL the sunflowers equally GLORIED IN THE SUN, NOURISHED THE BEES and GREW SEEDS TO SHARE IN THE FUTURE! Sharing one’s gifts is wonderful of course, but recognizing them in one another is what makes them feel like a gift! When Yellow appreciated Red’s gifts, Yellow felt special too!
Red Sunflower was so occupied doing its own thing that it was completely oblivious to all this drama!
“White Hydrangea Sepals – Light Study”
(Filter, Texture, Stained Glass)
“Star-Spangled Abstract” (Enlarged, Cropped, Rotated part of Chrome filtered version above)
“First Camera, a gift from ‘Santa'”
“Eraser Still-Life” various erasers from our studios, “Dodge” feature example
While learning about unfamiliar Photoshop options for our digital photographs the “undo” button has become our most used option. For those unfamiliar with this feature, it erases experiments so it is risk-free to try out all sorts of new looks for a photograph. Click on “Edit” at the top of the screen, click on “Undo” when it shows up and Voila! the photograph is ready to try something else wild.
rewedging. With knitting, “tink”* is the new word for unknitting. With crochet, one tug on the strand and it ravels as if watching animation. Drawing not making the mark? Turn the paper over and start afresh. Is the typewriter spewing drivel? Zip out that paper, tear it up, toss it in the blender with water and make a cast-pulp sculpture tribute to your Muse.
Creativity is a PROCESS. Sometimes it seems one step forward and 90 steps backwards. Well, isn’t that choreography? – ah ha! more creativity!