Big Little Things: Nature Photography

21 September, 2018

close-up photo of purple coneflower bud opening

Nature Photography

"My inspiration, very simply put, is nature. I’m fascinated by how the universe works – by the visible and invisible connections between all things.” - from my Artist Statement

Ever since I learned to use a 35 millimeter SLR camera, back in the late '70's, I've been hooked. The camera was a completely manual Asahi Pentax Spotmatic II that my 1st husband had bought in Japan. We did a lot of camping and hiking, so my subject matter consisted mainly of the beautiful landscapes that surrounded me - particularly those of the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, and our other favorite place, the Great Smokey Mountains of North Carolina and Georgia.

Macro

When I really stop to think about it, it's the smallest details in nature that actually provide me with the most inspiration. I have always been drawn to closely examine the tiniest things in the world around me. So, when I began learning about nature photography, macro photography was one of the first things I wanted to learn. In fact, it's probably fair to say I was somewhat obsessed with it.

Appreciate the little things.

Big Little Things

photo of mountains with orange and yellow trees in foreground

Usually, when we think of landscape or nature photography, the pictures that automatically pop into our minds are similar to the one at left. Mountains, seascapes, and other spectacular panoramas are what we notice because, well - you can't miss them, right? They're just so... big.

But the last time I was out at our place in the country, I decided to focus instead on the small things that are so often overlooked. There is a whole other kind of beauty at this scale. The details are really just as important as the whole. Because of the influence they have on my art, I've come to think of them as big little things.

Little Things, Big Inspiration

That I find beauty in the small things in nature is, I think, very evident in my work. Below is a gallery I put together that reveals a bit about how my photography and artwork inform one another. I hope you enjoy it!