Rose Sprays
Rose sprays – the appearance of two or more blooms on a single stem – have been exceptionally abundant in my yard this year. After doing one draft of a PowerPoint presentation about photographing them, I decided I really needed to create two or three separate but related presentations. These would be for rosarians planning to enter their photographs in rose shows. But many of my photographs of roses do not meet the new ARS Guidelines (even though I helped write them, at least at the beginning), but would be quite acceptable in other venues. Sometimes I enjoy putting quotations with my images. That is what I felt like doing today. 🙂
This is a spray of the shrub rose, ‘Distant Drums.’ Those of you who know this rose know that these blooms are long past their prime, and lack many of the defining characteristics of the variety. But, the light was so glorious, illuminating them at early dawn.
And, I thought of this quote from Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera:
“Age has no reality except in the physical world. The essence of a human being is resistant to the passage of time. Our inner lives are eternal, which is to say that our spirits remain as youthful and vigorous as when we were in full bloom. Think of love as a state of grace, not the means to anything, but the alpha and omega. An end in itself.”
Several years ago I developed a habit of photographing a rose from “the back” as well as from “the front.” Those of you who aren’t into roses know that is really a meaningless distinction. In roses, “the front” most usually refers to what you would see in a rose catalog. That is because the American Rose Society was founded by rose hybridizers to encourage the sale of roses. Photographers, in contrast, look for interesting angles.
This image is of two different views of a spray of the hybrid tea rose, ‘Gemini’ with three florets. Visually, I prefer the one that would not be seen in a rose catalog.
I have enjoyed photographing the abundant rose sprays this year! 🙂 You can expect to see more over time. 😉
Beautiful. We don’t have Gemini anymore. Gemini is very photogenic.
Hi, Tim. I think I got Gemini the first year it was available. It is planted on the south side of the house, so it is pretty protected. It has been an amazing performer for me. One year it produced a spray with 13 florets! I was so new to roses I did not know how very unusual that was, but it won Best of Show at the Albuquerque Garden Show (whatever it is called; not the rose show) that year. Hal Stone was doing Classification, and I have long since come to understand why his mouth dropped open when I walked in with that! This year I have had many sprays, but with 3 and 4 florets.
Hi Susan, your Gemini is so beautiful from both views. It has a different look on profile (like people do) and Has it’s own charm. Thank you for sharing. Juanita
I also enjoyed your quotes today.
Hi, Juanita! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. I generally think most of my rose images are “portraits,” much like I have done with people. I agree – we and they often look very different in profile. One of my favorite pics of my mom is full-length, from behind, at the Valles Grande. It is fun to try different views, even if they won’t all fit in specific niches. (I know you enjoy trying different things also! 🙂 )
Nice to see you today!
Hello, Susan. I have been reading your blogs and did not realize I could make comments. Hope you are well. I love your roses and love my distant drums that I saw via you. And thanks for the photo inspiration. I have been entering shows and sold one photo last week. 🙂 Happy 4th! Anita Storino
Anita! So nice to find your comment this afternoon! Congratulations not only on the sale (!!!!!!), but also for exhibiting your images to begin with! I am so glad you are enjoying the Distant Drums (I know you went to considerable effort to obtain it!). Happy 4th to you as well, and I hope you’ll continue to drop by here! 🙂
Beautiful images Susan! I like the views from different angles.
Lavinia, thank you so much! It is fun to photograph from all kinds of angles. But you already knew that… 😉 Hope you are having a wonderful day!