Life cycle study - 2010 photo project

Lots of photographers do a 365-day or 52-week project to keep them in the game. I, however, lack discipline and have an ornery nature. This kind of thing would quickly become a burden. The idea of a project though appeals to me, I just need looser rules.

So I chose to do a life cycle study of the lily of the valley growing outside my door. From first sprouts -

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Nature...03_xF3bk-L.jpg

to first buds -

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Nature...36_iVJCf-L.jpg

and leaves unfurling -

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Nature...93_brFdu-L.jpg

to full lush flowering -

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Nature...11_rcrAF-L.jpg

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Nature...63_KcJnW-L.jpg

and the die back -

http://wickeddark.smugmug.com/Nature...25_sVeNy-L.jpg

I photographed it all. Discovered some secrets (did you know they make berries?) and made some powerful images if I do say so myself. Not only did I learn about the plants and enjoy their presence (oh that smell...that haunting smell), but I got better with my equipment and macro technique. Primarily I used a legacy OM 90mm f2 macro lens on the E-30, but I also worked in the Zuiko Digital 12-60mm and the OM 35mm f2...once even the OM 180mm f2.8. For support I used a couple of tripods and a bag of barley. The E-30s flip and swivel LCD saved my life with this project. All processing done in Lightroom 3.X.

You can check out the gallery here and the blog collection here.

Great idea! I hope to do something similar this Spring. Love the water drop image.

thanks. the gallery goes from 1st day (March) to last day (November). It was a leisurely project in the grand sense, but I did have to be regular about shooting because nothing lasts with those flowers.

Great idea, great images...I did something similar last spring with a lilac bush outside our back door - photographed a portion of a "stem", from first budding to full flower, just never put it anywhere (except on the computer) - maybe this will be incentive for me to find it and edit up for posting here. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

WesternGuy