Take A Closer Look

We are surrounded by so much "stuff" that I sometimes wonder how much of it do we really see? How much do we recognize in general but don't really look at closely? I think a better way to think about our lives and the things that populate is to consider things being in layers. We plant trees and flowers in dirt. We add ingredients to a mixing bowl or pot on the stove. We put food items on our plates and use various implements to serve and eat them. Even our clothes are layered. And, in fact, right now my car is even layered in road grime. The exteriors of our houses are covered in siding and often painted and decorated further sometimes with shutters and door knockers, or rust and peeling paint. I could go on and on, but I think you see what I mean. I doubt that for the most part, none of us look very closely at any of these individual layers, and I do mean closely. If we did, most of the time we would not recognize that object for what we know it to be. That's one of the beauties and fun aspects of macro photography. I have been doing this kind of photography for about six years, and still learning new ways and approaches, including, in this instance, using the my new macro add-on lens for my iPhone 12plus. When I started out I was in a workshop six years ago that was doing macro photography of flowers, and I thought that was pretty much it. But as time has gone on I have learned from and been inspired by even more creative macros done by others. During this past year when most of us were more or less housebound, I found that many photographers were making and sharing videos of creative macro shots "you can do at home." I haven't even scratched the surface of this genre, but what I really like about it is that it gives both the photographer and the viewer an opportunity to take a closer look at the everyday world and see it differently. There is so much beauty and interest that can be found in getting up close and personal with items that we generally take for granted. If you are not into photography, why not get a good magnifying glass and see what I mean. I might suggest doing this with your inquisitive grandchildren, too. And if you are wondering about this one, it is the end of one of my kitchen whisks.