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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Thirteen: Bringing Fresh Visions to Tired Clichés > Plant on plant, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, 2004
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16-APR-2004

Plant on plant, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, 2004

Close up photography of natural subjects can reveal things we do not ordinarily see, but after awhile, my close-up images sometimes begin to all look alike. One way to move beyond the cliché macro photo is to juxtapose one form upon another to create a contrast that results in meaning. While visiting Balboa Park’s spectacular Botanical Garden I noticed a leaf of one plant overlapping a much larger leaf of another. Leaves are living things – the light and water gatherers of plant life. How different this pair of leaves appears in structure, texture, color, and form. This image makes me ponder the wonder of nature. I welcome all of those tiny flaws and scars as much as I savor the contrasts in these lush, tropical patterns.

Leica Digilux 2
1/320s f/4.8 at 22.5mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 01:34
I am glad you pointed out the flaws on the leaves, Mia. Taking them out in post processing would kill this image as I know it. Flaws are realty. I feel the same way about using fill flash to remove shadows. Shadows are reality, too - if it is there, it belongs there. Just like these flaws.
Mia 19-Jan-2006 19:43
I like Ruth’s interpretation, but it does not work for me. I see it as a very sensual picture, as it happens occasionally in “artistic” works. The texture, the shape and the shininess do it for me. I do not know if to you sensuality is a human value, but it is certainly a human experience. These plants (neither male nor female to my eyes) look healthy, luscious/wet and green and their flaws/scars give them a more realistic look; some photographers remove them in post-processing, removing part of the magic.
The overlapping emphasizes the characteristics of each of the two leaves. It works well.
Phil Douglis23-Apr-2005 19:26
It has been a year since I posted this image, and you are the first to comment on it's worth, Ruth. Thanks for noticing the nurturing aspect of it, and extending your thought to how humans often conflict with each other because of their differences, while nature seems to not only tolerate differences, but often embraces them. A nice thought, which brings new meaning to this image for me.
ruthemily23-Apr-2005 15:40
the larger one seems nurturing and supportive of the smaller, more fragile looking one. the larger ones has veins that radiate from the centre whereas the smaller one is more linear. they are so different, but that doesn't bother leaves! humanity should take a "leaf" out of nature's book! we are so obsessed with difference - fat/thin, short/tall, blonde/brunette...most prominently, of course, 'white'/'black'....ultimately, we are all humans who share mostly the same genes, thoughts, feelings, emotions. we should nurture and support each other regardless of what we look like.
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