“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle. –A. Einstein”

“The world is your kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colors, which at every succeeding moment it presents to you are the exquisitely adjusted pictures of your ever-moving thoughts.”

James Allen

Even though this gem of a quote by James Allen from the book, As A Man Thinketh was intended as a more general statement about our thoughts, I felt that it was very appropriate expression for what I do in the field. Creating fine art nature photographs is about expressing inner attitudes of mind through a two dimensional image of the natural world.

“I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained.” Confucian scholar Zhou Duny

I have mentioned before, I am drawn to photograph water lotus and water lilies flowers and leaves. In preparing some lotus images for a client I decided to do a little research on the water lotus and discovered some interesting facts:

The plant is an aquatic perennial. Under favorable circumstances its seeds may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from that of seeds 1300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China. It is often mistaken for a water lily. The lotus is a completely different plant unrelated to the water lily.

In has many uses for food. In Asian cultures the roots, leaves, and flowers are used in many recipes as garnishes, teas, medicines and soups, just to name a few.

From ancient times the lotus flower has been a divine symbol in many Asian traditions.

“Come forth into the light of things

Let nature be your teacher”

William Wordsworth

“Butterflies are self propelled flowers” Quote by R.L. Heinlein