When I look around, I often see people with their heads bent over their cell phones, laptops, or other technological devices. While I am by no means excused from this group, I think it is important to take notice of and appreciate your surroundings. There are so many wondrous and interesting things Read more...

When I look around, I often see people with their heads bent over their cell phones, laptops, or other technological devices. While I am by no means excused from this group, I think it is important to take notice of and appreciate your surroundings. There are so many wondrous and interesting things to see if you simply make an effort to look.
 
I like to take pictures of scenery; I love the different colours that the sky can take on, and the transience and shape-shifting ability of the clouds. I also love to take close-up pictures, especially of flowers and things that I find have beautiful patterns, textures, or colours.
 
I recently read an article discussing environmental and wildlife conservation, posted on the BBC Earth website. In it, the author wrote that things that have the words “big” or “great” attached to them, great apes and giant cedars, for example, tend to be higher up on the conservation list than other things. However, in South America, bryophytes (a group including mosses) and lichens form “miniature forests” that contribute significantly to the production of clean water in the area. These organisms may appear dull and boring, but their intricacy can be revealed through macro-photography, as shown by the scientific photographer interviewed in the article, Dr. Adam Wilson. He says, “In our day-to-day lives, we become accustomed to where we ‘should’ find beauty and tend to overlook what seems ordinary on first glance. There is no ordinary.” I think this is one way of saying that we shouldn’t judge anything based on first impressions or take anything for granted.

I am not a photographer. At the moment, I am only equipped with the camera on my iPhone 5 and a digital camera which I received as a gift in the summer of 2010. The pictures I post may not be of good quality. Sometimes they may not be able to show what I want them to. I may not find the best angle or setting to take the photographs, but I hope that anyone who looks at the pictures I post will be able to understand what I am trying to convey about the subject, whether it is appreciation of  beauty, the delight of encountering something interesting, or discovering that an object deserves a second thought. Ultimately, I hope that people can see for themselves that a lot of things in the world we live in deserve greater appreciation.

PS: I study biology, and I can't help but want to share knowledge that I find fascinating :) Please don't take it as being arrogant or conceited. I will preface any science with "Warning: Science Ahead". If you're not interested, feel free to stop reading.