Image Twenty-Nine of Fifty Two and Finding Comfort in Favorite Places

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”
― Anne Frank

Each summer, I look forward to spending time in the sunflower fields.  The fields bring me such peace and joy.

This year, I was afraid that

I would miss the bloom as I had other commitments during the time when the sunflowers typically bloom.  Luckily, I was able to spend four days with the flowers that I love so much.  Each day presented different conditions.  Every visit allowed me to take in the beauty around me and leave the worries of life behind while I was there.

One of the things I wanted to accomplish during my time in the fields was to create this week’s image for the 52 Frames project.  This week’s challenge was details.  My great friend and mentor, Les Saucier, has been raving about focus stacking for quite some time.  I decided to finally try this technique with my sunflower subjects.   While in the field, I took many images of the same scene with my focus point in different parts of the frame.  Once in the digital darkroom, I loaded all of the images into layers in Photoshop, and allowed the program to work its magic.  I was amazed at how easy it really was.  Focus stacking allowed me to bring out much more of the details in each individual flower.

My favorite times to photograph are during sunrise and early morning light.  Each morning presented different conditions.

Each day I stayed until the light began to get higher and the temperature hotter.

My last day in the fields was a true finale of beauty.  The sunrise was one of the most spectacular I have witnessed in quite some time.

After the sunrise, I explored using multiple exposures to create an image.

Tired from the morning’s work, I decided to call it a day in the fields.  As I turned around to make my way back to my car, my heart skipped a beat as I saw the hot air balloon in the sky.

My last morning in the fields could not have been any more perfect.

The time I spent in the fields this summer took me back to a time when there weren’t as many worries, fears and uncertainties.  For the hours I was there, I had complete peace.

I will forever be grateful to the family who share this beauty with me each year.

I am thankful for the beauty of nature and the healing power it provides.