This publishing adventure began as an effort to master the intricacies of camera equipment I purchased in June 2018.
Since it was too hot to leave home and practice in public, it was time for a self-assignment. Open the doors to Martha’s Back-Yard Photography School, because class is now in session!
I figured that my trees, rocks, flowers, and cacti would have much more patience with my photographic trial and error than, say, people. (“C’mon, Martha, would you stop fumbling around with that camera and hurry up?”)
I also thought that, after a few weeks of shooting stationary objects, I’d get bored and move on to some other topic.
But the opposite happened. I started having way too much fun in the yard – three years later, I still am. I’ve discovered there’s nothing like capturing the veins on a leaf, or eavesdropping on a bee gathering nectar from the lemon tree flowers shown above.
After shooting thousands of photos, I’m compiling the best into a coffee table book.
Why this book?
If you’re a city dweller, you may feel like you’re “in here” and nature is somewhere “out there.” It’s in vast, distant forests, prairies, mountains, deserts, or other far-off places.
Well, I’m here to tell you that, even in the heart of the city, we are surrounded by nature that insists on itself. Urban nature is powerful – it can push grass right through asphalt roads and force trees up through sidewalks.
At my place, I experience nature through ornery landscape plants, opinionated birds, and gardening triumphs and tragedies – and I’m looking forward to sharing them with you.
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