macro

A newborn fern reaches, twists to bask in the single beam of sun that penetrates the rainforest canopy, a spotlight.

Dew on leaf and nectar supped by butterfly. Sweat on the glass brim of a summer martini. With the macro lens on my 1970s-era Pentax I was dwarfed by worlds within worlds, transported hands-first into shimmering giantness, enveloped. Wrapped in more life and light and vividness than I’d ever known existed—that which could only be discerned by getting really. close. up.

Happily engulfed by the otherworld inside a macro lens, the big outside mattered less.

++++++

I don’t have so much diversity to offer these days. Not what's botanical and artistic and profound aside from what lives and dances and giggles inside these four walls, this small house on the edge of a seasalty coast, these two boys, this mama’s life.

So week after week it’s the first kid, then the second. Then the first, then the second. And I’m sorry for that and feel entirely humbled by all of you and the gorgeousness in the pool but 1) there is an ice-storm outside, oppressive and bone-chilling and not so welcoming for baby-laden photo excursions; and 2) in the effort of capturing my boys I find the same vividness, the same meditation as before.

These days, I’m macro-less. But camera pointed at these faces, the wonder returns.

Wishing I could crawl in between those eyelashes, turn around and see from his vantage point how the world looks, as he studies it.

You don’t mind, do you?

++++++

This week, I’d love to see your favourite macro shots. Tide me over until light and weather and childcare and disposable income and a good deal on a lens conspire to set me loose among the dewy ferns again.

Gimme a dose, willya?

Comments

[Menchuvian Candidate]

Absolutely lovely, Kate-both image and words.

[mamatutwo]

Awesome photo (I know that's not an original thought, but wow!).

[Emily]

Here are a few:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/134882927_6702e74569.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1382/599288161_995e72bff5.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/150626621_f0982761c6.jpg

[anna]

Beautiful picture Kate - I just love those eyelashes.

Here is mine....

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1099/1439669548_11d9fd7861.jpg?v=0

[Flash Forward]

http://outloud.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/macro-slug-baby/

[O]

I really like your expressive words. Beautiful photo~

[Jeanine]

I know how you feel about the weather - I live in close proximity to you. But I must admit that a world covered in ice was enchanting in a Narnia kind of way. Still, this is the time of year when I start dreaming of my garden and flowerbeds. I don't have the best camera so I can't get super up close but here are a couple dreamy shots to help escape February for a little while.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15607464@N03/1809255802/in/set-72157602811204100/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15607464@N03/1808407591/in/set-72157602811204100/

[Heather]

Girl, I am FEELIN' you on the weather. Ag. And I never, ever tire of seeing photos of your children. Photos of anything you aim your camera toward, actually.

In short. You are the reason I am here at ShutterSisters.

OK! Enough mushiness. A macro photo for you. I took this a few nights ago for in preparation for the CleanWell challenge...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/2241942902/

[Mrs. Eaves]

Your photo and words have put some perspective on what could be a dreary, gray Monday morning. I'm going to search out the details today and forget about the big picture for a while.

I don't have a dedicated macro lens, but love close-ups and hope to get one in the next year or so.

http://camerashy.atomictumor.com/first-crocus/

[Melizzard]

I took this the weekend before she started kindergarten because I wanted to remember all the details of that beautiful innocense of the last days when she was completely carefree.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melizard/2241199031/

[camerashymomma]

it's exactly as you describe it.. the outside world goes away and you are lost in the macro. i'm addicted for that reason alone. someone's 6 year old kid asked me "how do you make it look so clean?" it'a all optical illusion! it's me wearing blinders to my life outside the camera lens. my camera ssves me from reality on most days!

have you see the macro of the water drops on the spiders web in the shutter sisters pool? they looked like cat's eyes strung on a necklace, i can't remember who posted it, but it's amazing.

here's a little guy from my flickr, when i first tried to get small:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/1739376147/

do you remember steve martin's SNL skit about "i like to get small.." i always think of that when i'm laying with my belly on the floor or in the dirt or in the flowers.

[ginny]

Wonderful, Kate, and I never get tired of seeing your beautiful boys!

Here's my favorite macro, taken after a day of exploring at Red Rock Canyon here in Nevada!

http://monkeymemories.blogspot.com/2008/02/macro.html

[danielle]

great post and pic. here are mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23196640@N03/2241222413/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23196640@N03/2242016208/

[Kris]

Macro shots are my favorites! Here you go:
http://lkpage.blogspot.com/2008/02/thinking-warm-thoughts.html

[kristin]

here is a picture of early summer, perhaps will warm you a bit up north...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2242048594/

[corey]

I love macro shots. Here are a few:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2213801365/ (praying mantis)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2213894272/ (my son's eyelashes)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2213930368/ (gerber daisies)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2241275487/ (amarilis)

[kristin]

did summer, here's one from a recent trip to our salty beach in winter...all the beach booty to ourselves
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2241297475/

[Anita]

Macro is my favorite way to shoot. And in honor of your icy surroundings here's one I took in the mountains the other day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/2226334510/

[FireMom]

Heh. This was taken last month in macro. Turned out rather amusing. It summed up my day.

http://flickr.com/photos/mrsjennahatfield/2193509191/in/set-72157603616351185/

[Lucy]

Macro is so fun!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucindasummerville/1257826849/

[lora]

I do not have a macro lens myself, either. But I do have the gorgeous, up close and personal shot of my son that I took this summer. Sorry I'm using photos I've already taken, but I can't keep up with these challenges right now. And I'm sitting on my D50 days away from getting my next camera. I'm thinking D80??? any suggestion on camera or lenses? =)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28987938@N00/2242267512/

[Linda Lo]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindalo/2241477299/

my cat tommy - this picture doesn't do them justice but he has extra "toes" and his paws are gigantic mits. he loves reaching out and placing his paw close to wherever you are as he did in this shot as i knelt down to catch a close up of him.

[O]

Big fan of macro too :) Here's a few recent ones of mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64193962@N00/2241525960/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64193962@N00/2242217688/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64193962@N00/2237031011/

[leslie]

lovely post.

a hot sunny beach day to counterbalance that ice storm...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesophiephoto/771598808/
:)

[simply]

http://simplytaken.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/day-1.jpg

simply taken in the eirly morning...

~simply~

[RookieMom Whitney]

I'm not a skilled photographer, but I'm glad someone told me about the macro setting on the digital camera. I use it all the time to capture the details of my babies
http://whitneyandryan.com/gallery/ScarlettMonthOne/aaj
and of craft projects
http://whitneyandryan.blogspot.com/2007/06/these-booties-are-not-made-for-walking.html

[bella]

I can't even tell you how great this site is. Here's one from me. It's not a sunny, summery one... but I feel it fits your description.

http://flickr.com/photos/cirovic/2241681111/

[stacelet]

I love the macro shots - to narrow your vision to only focus on that tiny piece is a meditation...
Here are a few botanicals:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacelet/2227323594/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacelet/2219265521/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacelet/2211107866/

[Chris]

I'm lovin' this! Here's mine: http://flickr.com/photos/83153291@N00/2241739805/

[essaydoctor]

My son's first "rain bath" at the age of 3.

http://flickr.com/photos/23335429@N08/2241763683/in/photostream/

[yolanda]

Here is mine
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2242674542_53149612ea_o.jpg

I just wanted to say I love this site and the prompts and thank each of you for doing this.
I also have a question can someone tell me how to get my button to link back to your site. I know I have to upload it but what code to I have to use?
Thanks for all your help.
yolanda

[Liz]

Weatherman says the ice is coming my way as well. Hopefully this will help us think warm thoughts:

http://liz-grandmaison.smugmug.com/gallery/2494619#133997121-L-LB

Thanks so much for this site; wonderfully inspirational!

[Melody A.]

I just love those lashes, and fingers, and cheek...

Here's mine. Bring some milk.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hipmommatexas/2242143701/

[To Think is to Create]

I don't have a nice camera either, so getting close is quite a challenge. Here's mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/percivale25/2242345185/

[Toni]

I have a flickr set featuring my favorite photos using my new macro lens, given to me by my sweet husband for my 40th birthday last fall.

My favorites:

My youngest son's lovely mossy green eye:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1328/1453050553_93661758d1_b.jpg

A self portrait reflected in my bathroom sink faucet handle:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/1678722958_2866f96d80_b.jpg

The Elder Statesman:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/1813690841_1126bb4165_b.jpg

Detail, parakeet:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2285/1813688653_c7d08a5f46_b.jpg

Wild & Wooly:

http://www.bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=1953935121

Shades of Illinois in December:

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=2110550617

[Elise]

My 3 year-old nephew composed this shot while I held the camera, then he pressed the button to take the photo. The first few we tried were out of focus, or in his words "foggy", which I thought was rather apt. It was so much fun to see what he sees.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eliseg/1313031790/in/set-72157601842533163/

[heidi]

I love this site and seeing everyone's variation on the themes.

Here's a reminder of warmer times:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hstender/2155696745

[lindsey]

Love this! I love shooting in the "macro" - that sounds so official, but I'm really not- just shooting up close and looking for those little precious shots. This is from this past Friday when I played hookie and went out photo hunting.

[Melissa Anne Moreli]

Gotta love the details in life...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23520407@N06/2243849538/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23520407@N06/2243056687/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23520407@N06/2243075835/

I live for the small joys present in each moment.

[Thea]

Emily that bunny nose is so adorable. Wow! And O that paw. Awwww. I am fond of animal macros even though I never seem to take them.

Here is one of mine. Can you guess what it is?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/1617896951_906f748b5e_b.jpg

[deb]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentbeagle/2039135866/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentbeagle/757178090/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentbeagle/1351788620/

I love macro shots, love looking at the world close up.

[Jen]

Incredible image, Kate! And, of course, your words never fail to move me.

[Meryl]

A dragonfly on my fence a few summers ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackbird13/2243915681/

[Teresa]

Lovely description of the way life changes and how the soul finds satisfaction in new ways all the time! And the strength to admit there's a small bit missing, but also to recognize that others can help fill in for the moment. :)

Here are a few shots:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beatlequee/2244388139 (spring)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beatlequee/2244397605 (summer)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beatlequee/2245199946 (in dreams)

[yellowpooky]

My scarf today.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowpooky/2244685329/

[jay.em.bee.]

I just recently got my macro lens and I love it, here is one of the first photos I took.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayembee/2244977565/

[Gloria]

Here's one in honor of the weather....

http://gloriaruggero.blogspot.com/2008/02/cold.html

[Aimee]

A little slow getting back to you but here you go:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/putyourflareon/2250564518/

From my 30 Days photos project.

[Mich]

I am still learning..... but here is one...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20902475@N03/2253591589/

[Calissa]

Are these macro?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marycalissa/526553281
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marycalissa/2232189458