Monday, August 1, 2005
Fibonacci Daisy

I really like flowers that are a little irregular like this one and another of my favorite daisies. But there is an interesting contrast in this one. Although the petals are quite wild, the center is incredibly orderly. In fact it is orderly to a mathematical precision.

There is a sequence of numbers that predicts very closely these kinds of shapes in nature. It is called the Fibonacci Sequence. Anything from the number of scales on each successive row of a pine cone and the leaves on a tree to the parts of the center of a daisy. The sequence is very easy to create. Each number is the sum of the previous two numbers in the sequence. So starting with 0, 1 and adding them together you get 0, 1, 1. Next you add 1 and 1 and get 0, 1, 1, 2 and so on...

0,1,1,2
| | 1+2=3
| | | 2+3=5
| | | | 3+5=8
| | | | | 5+8=13
| | | | | | 8+13=21
| | | | | | | 13+21=34
| | | | | | | |  21+34=55
| | | | | | | |  |  34+55=89
| | | | | | | |  |  |  |  |
0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89

So if you were to start in the very center of the daisy, called the "Capitulum". You would probably find one individual flower (the Capitulum is actually a cluster of small flowers. So, a single daisy is actually a group of very small flowers botanically speaking). Moving out from that first flower in concentric circles you would find each row contains 1 then 2 then 3 flowers and so on. It may not be exact, but more times than not you will find it is very close.

Thursday, May 12, 2005
Fountain Daisies

In the Cannery District in Monterey there is a beautiful fountain. It is a sculpture of several dolphins leaping in the air. This is the pool around the fountain. You can see the silhouette of the dolphins reflected in the pool.

Monday, May 9, 2005
Carmel Architecture

There are beautiful things all around. This view was high enough above my head that I am sure I walked by it several times without even noticing it. If you're looking for something new to photograph, it may be right under your nose... hmmm... or maybe over it.

Saturday, March 19, 2005
Spring Daisy

The intense colors of this photo are partially from the fact that it was a particularly beautiful flower. But, it was made more striking by the color of the light at sunset.

Saturday, February 12, 2005
Wild Daisy

One of the things I shoot a lot are these soft close-ups of flowers. In fact that was the subject of my first Photography show. But, of all of my flowers, this is one of my favorites. I like the fact that the flower is less perfect and symmetrical. It makes the petals and other parts of the flower stand out more. It is a little unexpected.