After a bit of warmer weather a few days ago, I noticed some of the tiny seed heads from last year had managed to make their way up through the snow for some air. I think it will be a while before any more of them show their ragged little heads; we are back to winter and that snow is still thick over the earth. I like seeing how they change over the seasons so I took a few photographs this morning as we shivered together in the wind. Happily, they are still filled with little seeds of hope.
© Karen McRae, 2014
draw and shoot 
Great images
Thank you!
And spring will come, supplying new flowers and seed heads. I’m so happy about it on so many levels, but assurance of more beautiful interpretations by you heads the list.
It’s seems so far away, doesn’t it? I think this is one spring everyone will have extra appreciation for. Thanks very much, Elena! : )
These are Lovely. A wide-open fast lens? Love the super-soft look. Excellent, creamy bokeh. Just exactly what draws me to Lensbabies.
Yes, a wide-open macro lens. They are rather small seed heads.
Thanks for your comment, John. I love the look of Lensbaby work, too, but I don’t have one. Yet! : )
They’re really great fun, a great company, and very reasonable compared to regular glass. I’ve been shooting with them since 2007 and can’t say enough good things about them. Actually been accused of being a Lensbaby Evangelist, by the company no less…rather proud of that. They’ve used some of my images for ads and whatnot as well.
Tons of creative potential with all the optic options. Well worth looking into.
Peace–
Great photographs. Interesting technique.
Thank you, Victor! I like the ethereal look they take on when only a tiny bit is in focus.
me too! These images are beautiful and ethereal as always!
Just remember
In the winter
Far beneath
The bitter snow
Lies the seed
That with the sun’s love
In the spring
Becomes the rose
Ha, yes! Not roses exactly, but it doesn’t really matter. : )
Your pictures and your comments reminded me of some lyrics from The Rose, an old song and Bette Midler movie. 🙂 Very nice captures.
Thanks Karen for this beautiful remainder.
Hope is able to germinate even on the most barren grounds.
A good thing to remember in February – the shortest month that seems to be the longest …
Thanks for your comment, Marcelo.
Exquisitely beautiful Karen. It was a lovely warm sunny day here today. The birds were very excitable flitting about in the trees and hedges. Spring is definitely stirring here as it will for you soon of course.. 🙂
It is sunny here too, Adrian, just not warm! I’m glad to hear you are getting a bit of spring after such a difficult winter. I imagine the birds here would like to see the ground too. : )
Thank you!
splendid shot!
Thank you, Pavlos.
These are so beautiful!
I’m happy you like them, thank you!
Seeds of promise. Like fish arriving. So beautifully captured and presented.
Like fish arriving … that’s an interesting observation. All those illusory little extremities. Thank you, Steven.
Pure silk….Absoltuely wonderful shots!!!
I agree! 🙂
Thank you, I like that you find them silky, that’s a lovely description.
So delicate and ethereal. Beautiful.
They are very delicate after the winter. Thanks very much, Kari.
These are so poetically beautiful. I’m so glad you posted them all together like this in a lyrical sequence – lile a visual poem. Thanks!
Thank you for your comment, that’s nice to hear. It’s sometimes difficult to choose how many images to post and in what order – I can spend a lot time curating a blog post!
Sooooo very beautiful. Well captured!
Thank you, Emily! : )
I wonder how they manage to survive, they look so fragile. So beautiful.
I guess the snow protects them a little bit, like a winter blanket, if it’s not too heavy. These ones were tucked under a bush so they were covered with less snow. Thank you, Ashley.
BEAUTIFULLY RAGGED… so delicate, a wisper
I’m hoping they are whispering ‘spring’ things. Thanks very much, Anthony!
Such depth, elegance, tranquility… captive moments of serene beauty…
Hi Jo, thank you. : )
xxx
Beautiful. I join the chorus.
Magnifique!
Unique, interesting and beautiful photos! All are excellent
Karen, that’s so beautiful, fragile and ephemeral… thank you for these photographs…
How beautiful your little seeds of hope are, my dear Karen… a shy promise. 🙂
Beautiful!
Only u can take the head of a dried up weed, photograph it and make it into a peice of great art. Go figure!
I like dry “flower” or their dead remain. 🙂
= they are beautiful.
So, your collection is my taste. 😀
very amazing
I love the way you handle these, the control of blur and focus – beautiful 🙂
love this pictures… especially the first one
Lovely theme and photos.
life in pure state!
…Happily, they are still filled with little seeds of hope…
The perfect wording for your wonderful shots, Karen. I really admire your skill to produce this very special “draw and shoot ethereal look”. It’s not only a matter of getting a tiny bit in focus … Excellent work.
Love, Dina
They are lovely, and the third is my favorite.
Very beautiful and quite creative!
I always love this seed portrait Karen! ❤ 🙂
These are so delicate and beautiful – like tiny dancers warming up.
Beautiful flowers described very creatively. I hadn’t realized it is winter in other parts of the world. You gave me a grasp of what is happening in another part of this vast universe.
Even in their ragged dried up winter state – these are so beautiful. Filled with hope and grace.
I can feel them. Very nice.
Lovely images, charming words. It’s easy to float into these.
Magical images. 🙂
Beautiful! 🙂
Thank you!
Sweet work with the minimal dof and fragile colour palette 🙂
Thanks very much, Martin!
Evanescence… So much grace.
Days have passed … I do hope the elusiveness of Spring is within reach ….
Future hopes in these little insubstantial seed heads you captured so beautifully Karen .
Thanks very much, Poppy. We are a little above zero today so the snow is slowly melting away, there is sure a lot of it, though!
Beautiful, wonderful, stunning, exquisite ! I loved these photos so much Karen 🙂
stunning series
so soft and elegant..
Special merci 🙂
Merci. Conny!
Bitteschön 🙂