I hear and I forget, I do and I understand, I see and I remember
Tag Archives: Images
The sun lit the morning
Making art, for me, begins with awareness—the ability to notice what moves us in an ordinary moment. Sometimes that awareness appears in the smallest places, like standing at the kitchen sink preparing coffee. That’s what happened a few mornings ago. I slowed down long enough to feel the energy of sunlight as it gently started the day. I thought, that’s beautiful. Creating images is part of my daily life, so I paused, embraced that quiet, and made a simple photograph—a moment of morning arriving, carried on the light of sunrise.
The series “Floral Essence” comes to a finale. A post about the Amaryllis feels like the perfect subject at the right time with which to conclude this series.
As holidays near, wax-dipped Amaryllis bulbs show up in the shops, ready to brighten the gray winter days with color.
Amaryliss buds
Named from the Greek word for “to sparkle,” it is fitting that the Amaryllis blooms in winter, around Christmas.
Given their sturdy stems and vertical profile, Amaryllis symbolize strength, pride, and determination. When the flowering phase ends, you can cut the stem and preserve the bulb; it will flower again next year. With proper care, it can live for up to 75 years.
Amaryllis buds
Thank you for following Floral Essence. It has been an inspiring journey through the language of flowers.
An exceptional monograph is on the way, stay tuned!
Back to work on a new series about a different subject.
Feather grasses growing on the Steppes of Kazakhstan
Feather Grasses, like these near Sergeyevka, Kazakhstan, have grown for millennia in the thin topsoil of the Steppes; some varieties are now scarce or endangered species. The Steppes were covered in this ideal pasturage prior to the Soviets’ misguided Virgin Land Reclamation policy of the 1950s, under which nearly 25 million hectares (approximately 62 million acres) of the northern Steppes were plowed to plant wheat.
The feather grasses provide nutrition for horses, cattle, sheep and goats, ensuring a sustainable food source for nomads.
The sea of grasses move in waves with the wind, nurturing a soul that’s living in relationship with nature.
Practicing photography can be much like practicing meditation. Both invite us to slow down and truly see. They heighten our awareness, sharpen our attention, and help us become more attuned to the quiet details that often pass unnoticed. This image is an expression of that mindful practice.
While driving near Sarasota, a field of snapdragons caught my eye—just a glimpse of color in my peripheral vision. I pulled over, spoke with the property owner, and was welcomed to wander the field with my camera.
As I began photographing, a gentle wind set the flowers in motion. In that moment, I saw not simply a field of snapdragons but blossoms dancing in the wind. I worked to capture the movement of the wind through the petals—more than a still image, a sense of motion and energy.
This photograph is the outcome of years of patient observation and practice. It also reflects what happens when we allow the mind’s eye to see beyond what is in front of us—when imagination meets perception, and feeling becomes form.
This series of images is part of a larger collection called Floral Essence. I’ll share more about that in the near future.
To see this image and more flower pictures, visit the gallery Flowers at: www.wayneeastep.com
As we were driving along the border of Kazakhstan toward Mongolia, we crested a hill. The field in front of us, all the way to the horizon, was filled with sunflowers as far as the eye could see. I had our fixer pull over. I got out of the jeep, went into the field, and made a series of images of the golden carpet of sunflowers in full bloom. It knocked me out!
Over the next couple of years, the magnificence of those sunflowers remained alive in my memory.
I wanted to learn more about sunflowers. My curiosity was not just about the beauty of their bright blossoms, but what they were all about. I ordered mammoth sunflower seeds, planted the seeds in a circle in my yard, waited, and watched. Over three months, I photographed the stages of growth from seedlings to decline. What I observed increased my appreciation for their beauty but raised even more questions.
Why did every flower develop a similar spiral pattern? Why were the seeds packed in so tightly and at an angle? My research revealed many connections between nature, mathematics, philosophy, and the rich history of intellectual inquiry — more on that in a later post.
The short-form answer to my questions is that the spiral pattern and the angle of the seeds in the sunflower represent the most efficient way to pack seeds in space and ensure reproductive success. The spirals are called “golden spirals,” reflecting Fibonacci numbers. The elegant angle of the seeds to each other aligns with the “golden angle’’. The pattern of the seeds in the sunflower represents what, in mathematics and aesthetics, can be called beauty — more on that in a future post. Leonardo Da Vinci described this phenomenon, which can also be seen in hurricanes, galaxies, pinecones, and pineapples, as the “Divine Proportions”.
One day, when the flowers were reaching maturity, I watched a pair of wild Brazilian Green Parrots as they fed on the seeds. The two parrots took up positions next to each other on two sunflowers. While one ate, the other stood guard, watching for any threat. After a while, they switched roles. The one guarding then ate, and the other provided protection.
Painted Eucalyptus Tree,
Sarasota, Florida
Image made with iPhone Camera
January 20, 22, 27, 29 10 am to Noon.
1338 Central Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34236
Learn how you can make creative images with your iPhone Camera And Expand Your Way of Seeing
The course is designed to be fun, entertaining, and informative. The class is taught in plain english rather than techno-speak to make the technical functions understandable. You will leave the class feeling confident about being creative with your iPhone. You will learn how to control camera features like shutter release, focus, exposure settings, and a range of composition techniques. You’ll learn how to edit, organize, and store your images. You will also expand your creative way of observing.
As a Master Photographer (www.WayneEastep.com) I have been celebrated for my fine art, commercial and documentary photography. I have traveled the globe photographing commissions and assignments for National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and Fortune 500 companies including Nikon, Canon, Olympus, and Polaroid. I have produced and published six books featuring my photography and lectured at museums, universities, and professional organizations. I’ve taught this course to students who are beginners and professionals. Whatever your level of experience, this course will increase your ability with the iPhone camera and expand your way of seeing.
The fee for the course is $175. The class is limited to eight. Contact me to save your place.
The area of Sagano Japan has a remarkably beautiful calm and peaceful bamboo grove. There is wonderful sound when the wind blows through the bamboo causing it to knock together. Put that together with the sound of rain and your ready for a peaceful nights rest.
Bamboo grove, Sagano, JapanBring some calm into your lifeGiant bamboo in a grove, Sagano JapanDaydream your afternoon away. Perhaps one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Art at the Princess Cruise Headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida Coral Polyps of Orange Tube Coral (Tubastrea coccinea). These polyps are only visible in the dark, usually at night. Bonaire The print is eight feet wide museum box mounted. Printer is Ken Lieberman Labs in New York, NY
Palm Beach Casino Line boardroom, Palm Beach, Florida
Industry is built using engineering design. I’ve always appreciated the elegance of design be it in fine art drawings, fashion, or industrial design. Often the clearer the concept the cleaner the design. Long ago the Shakers and Danish designers illustrated that truth.
This image is a sonar mapping image of the floor of the Gulf of Mexico identifying were there are voids in the earth, where there is crude oil and where there is natural gas.
Once again when we turn our attention to nature we often see elegant design and beauty.
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