Horticulture is most definitely not my expertise. Plant taxonomy is a foreign language. I like to think I can identify a few species of trees, but only in very generic terms. If I have anything resembling a green thumb, please rush me to the hospital to have it treated. None of this prevents me from turning the iris of my lens towards the beautiful irises in my yard.
These beautiful, purple flowers bloom for us about this time each year. They continue to grow larger and greater in number. Soon, it will be time to move some of them to a new home.
On this morning, the wind blows lighter than it has the past few days. I find a favorite lens and step out into the yard to try and capture the beauty and color of these perennials. Walking around the small plot, I find one that is not quite as bruised as the others. The petals are slightly wilted. They look dry and coarse. Yet, despite the hardships of the past week, the colors are still brilliant.
I turn my lens to this iris and adjust my camera settings. Obtaining sharp focus is a trick with this fifty-year old lens and an unsteady breeze. I bump up the ISO to buy room for a smaller aperture and a faster shutter speed. I try to stand so that my body blocks the wind as much as possible. Taking a breath, I half-press the shutter and wait as the iris shudders in the wind. It pauses. Just for a moment.
*CLICK*
A memory captured.
Anybody out there care to take a stab at identifying the specific variety of iris? After about three years, the tallest plants are about 28″ tall with multiple blossoms. My amateur identification skills suggest Tall Bearded Iris?
