I Believe In Art By Victoria Lynn Hall: Photographing Spring

I had planned on blogging about one of the many projects on my to do list today but none of them have made it to my “ta-da!” list yet. In fact, pretty much all of my plans have been interrupted by this glorious event called Spring. As I was typing that last sentence I glanced out my window at the lilacs in bloom and saw a butterfly fly by. I am resisting the urge to grab my camera and go chasing after it and the cardinal I just saw, but only because I just spent the last two hours outside photographing such things already.

Butterfly and Blossoms

This is what Spring does to me. It makes me delirious and anxious at the same time. All the flowering trees and bulbs in my yard right now make me want to sing, “What A Wonderful World” (The Joey Ramone version, of course) at the top of my lungs. And yet at the same time I am all too aware of how brief this season is. If I don't go outside every day, I know I will miss something. And I must photograph it all, even though pictures rarely do the real life beauty around me any justice.

A Bold Splash of Red

However, through these efforts I am constantly reminded that, for me, photography is not just about capturing a moment but also about learning how to be present in the moment. By the same token, I take photographs not just to express my point of view but also to examine things from different points of view.

Purple Haze

There are things I notice every day since I started taking pictures of my garden that I might have missed if I didn't have a camera. It has not only been a way of observing nature but also an impetus to experience it, interact with it and learn from it.

White Redbud Tree

So, although spring is brief and fleeting, because of my photographs I will be able to remember it more clearly. And because of the process of taking those photos, my memories will be that much richer.