Things As They Are...

are beautiful.  People talk about portraits as 'warts and all', as if warts were not fascinating little things in themselves.  Scars are not blemishes, but rather signs of healing and change.

I found this piece along with the others.  It was the trigger for all the macro photography I've done over the last few years, the very first image I took and stitched into.

I didn't go out meaning to take pictures of flowers.  I went to a graveyard in Dereham, to take pictures of lichen (some of them were used in the depression photographs I showed you last time, manipulated).  There are always flowers in this particular graveyard, which is right in the centre of the town; they are usually in a little area beside the church door.  This tulip, and some of its companions, had obviously been kicked around a bit, before being abandoned where they fell, one or two in a nearby tree.  They were slightly bruised, and turning slightly limp.  This one was on the ground underneath the tree, covered in dirt.  I thought it was important to record it as it was, because despite all these things, it remained beautiful.

So, that's why there are little black speckles over the piece, and some interesting colours.  I do, however, still believe that it is beautiful as it is.  I could have removed the blemishes and the specks of dirt, but I really don't think that would add anything to the image... if anything, it would compromise its meaning.

A detail shot shows the specks of dirt...war wounds, or  medals.  Beauty spots.