Forest fern

 

I love ferns - they are plants that reproduce via spores and don't have seeds or flowers. This was taken in the forest behind our house during the fall, when the vegetation was yellowing and the early afternoon sun shining through a thinning canopy. The sun seemed to spotlight this specific fern, with most of the surrounding forest darker, and a fallen tree framed it nicely.

Ginkgo bilboa

 This ginkgo tree is potted on our balcony and turned a brilliant yellow during the fall. Going from fossil records, these trees used to be widespread around the world (two plus million years ago) but their range shrank to a small area in China. But they are quite commonly planted all over the world and have a strong significance in a few eastern cultures - among other things, a ginkgo leaf is the simbol of Tokyo, and the tree is the city's official tree.

Red leaf

Taken on film about four years ago - I don't remember where but I love the color of the leaf.

Garden rain

I just bought a new camera (a Canon EOS 60D) and had to test out the video. Since it was raining out this is what I quickly whipped up :) All of the shots are from around my house.

Orchid

Not much to say other than I love orchids. Not enough to actually have them around (the only plants I do keep are cacti and a single Venus flytrap), but they certainly are photogenic.

Upside down

Taken just a few days ago, though I fear autumn is on its way.

Flowers in the window

I took this just a few hours ago, during a walk around Ljubljana's center. It was already dark, but I got a couple of nice shots. These plants (I've no clue what kind they are) were in the window sill of a flower shop, very nicely illuminated.

Which is fairer, flower or leaf.

This beautiful flower is from a tree right outside my window. I do not know what kind of tree it is, though I'm not sure I even care, its blossoms are wonderful enough. I realise that photographs of flowers are like photographs of sunsets - too common for their own good, especially with the advent of cheap digital cameras. I know I've certainly taken my fair share.

But there are damn good reasons for this - the main being that we're human (for better or for worse, I guess). We see in the flower the passing of time, the fleeting moment. It is delicate, usually intricate, sometimes simple.

The best way to take a photograph of a flower, you ask? Keep it as simple as possible. In a world that's obsessed with the big picture, with seeing the forest (instead of the lone, forsaken trees), often, simple is best (try thinking less, it helps).

Bird of paradise

Yes, I realise this isn't a bird, but this flower, the Strelitzia Reginae, is commonly called the Bird of Paradise flower (also the crane lily). Taken in the gardens around the Villa Borghese in Rome last spring, these flowers were growing at one of the fountains in the park. They are originally from South Africa, where they can be found in the wild.

Roman springtime

Since it's springtime, I figure I can get away with posting another photo of flowers. This was taken last year in Rome, specifically on the path up to the Calle Palatino. I had to climb up on some fence to take this, I was lucky that the weather was perfect for such a shot - cloudy. This meant that the light was very diffused, very gentle and soft.

Springtime

Taken last year during the spring. Notice the little caterpillar inside the flower :-)