Thistle

Here's a shot I took at Infirmary Mound Park in Granville, Ohio. The sun was near the horizon behind me, and the golden light outlined these beautiful seed pods against the shadowed field. The beautiful cloud in the foreground was lit up as well, and I liked the way it balanced the composition - soft lit clouds in the upper left, and spiky thistles on their slender stems in the lower left.

This is an example of contrast of form and texture - rather than color or tone. When you think of contrast, you are often thinking of black vs. white, or bright vs. dark. In this case, I couldn't help but notice the contrast between soft and prickly - which is highlighted by the more ordinary contrast between light and shadow.

We came out of this field covered in poky little burrs, but it was worth it. The park is absolutely beautiful - I look forward to shooting there again sometime.