Wood Lily, Day Brook Pond, Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area, ME

The area near Day Brook Pond on the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area has not been burned for several years now so the Wood Lilies are much taller, and more of them produce a full head of 3 flowers. This plant was growing right at the edge of the forest at the west end of the pond, in partial shade much of the day. While I did find several heads of three flowers in bloom out in the full sun of the plain, these were blooming out of sequence. I suspect that today all three are open. Still, as a study of shape and texture and how the light molds the world we see, these lilies are just right. I reached out with the zoom on the camera to frame them from a distance, and isolate them against the out of focus foliage of the trees behind, which only emphasizes the basic forms more, and allows them to balance within the frame.

This is an “artistic shot”…carefully conceived, composed, and photographed for itself, as an image, rather than just as a capture of a slice of reality to share. It draws attention to itself, as an artifact, while most of my photos act simply as a window frame, through which I show you a bit of the world I see. In that sense it is more creative than most…which are more simply records of creation. There is more of me in it…my vision…my little portion of the one creative spirit. Mostly I show you bits of the world that might make you clap…in this shot you can hear me clapping. 🙂 It is a celebration of creating as much as creation.

Or that is what I am thinking as I look at it this morning, and, to be honest, what struck me first when I saw it on my monitor yesterday. I said to my wife when I showed her the photo soon after processing it, “Now that is a beautiful photograph…not just a beautiful flower.” And I guess it is okay, once in a while, to call attention to what is creative in me…since I am under no illusions as to where that creativity comes from, or who it belongs to. There is only one creator…if I am privileged to occasionally be the instrument of creation, that can make me thankful…but never proud.

And my prayer for you today is that the good and loving God will make you, in some way large or small, the instrument of creation. Happy Sunday!