Postcards From Tucson

THE AGAVE

The Agave plant, which was considered by the Aztec as a gift from the gods, is not a particularly exciting plant to look at but a challenge to photograph.

I never can resist photographing this plant when I find it on any of my photo walks.  The key is to move in close and look for the patterns that are created by the light and the bending and twisting of the leaves.  Depending on the time of day – the light creates patterns within the Agave leaves and the same plant’s image can vary accordingly throughout the day. Using selective focus (using f-4.5) you can isolate some of the background leaves while focusing in on a particular interesting leaf shape.  Using a little saturation in post-production can bring these plants to life.  The Agave plant is really about shapes and working with them in your final image.

All of these images were made at the Tucson Botanical Gardens

Ghostly Place

As you walk down the street you find various automobiles from the 50’s parked in front of stores where the driver’s parked and seemingly never returned – you have walked on to a street where time is suspended – you have stumbled on to a ghost town called Lowell.   On this photo walk you have to keep both eye’s open while viewing your shot in the camera view finder to make sure your fellow photographers don’t wander into your shot and ruin the effect.  The inclusion of an old parked car in front of buildings helps to establish a time – because for the most part Lowell is not your usual impression of a ghost town – but yet it is.