The Crocus Shoot, Risks & Rewards

New blog rules:
More pictures, less words. No one has time to read anyway.

Set the scene..... early morning...  shoot begins....

When capturing crocus, fresh out of the frozen ground, beware of the following risks:

1) No matter how much gear you pack and carry, no matter how much forethought and planning you invest before departure.... you WILL forget something. Here is what I brought on that chilly morning at sunrise:



And here is what I forgot: a spare battery!! (no picture available.)

First event of photo shoot - battery died. While I walked all the way home for another battery, the sun rose and the light grew harsh.. (very annoying!)

2) While lying flat on the ground with camera at ground level, keep in mind that the only position possible for the neck is something very close to a 90 degree angle. If you maintain this position for slightly more than 2 hours, your neck muscles will remain in that position for approximately 2 - 3 days, while your head will try to return to it's normal location, without much success. Also keep in mind that the older those neck muscles are, the longer it will take for them to return to a more normal, less painful condition.

3) Too much coffee, first thing in the morning, in the middle of an open field, a quarter mile from home, is always high risk. Especially for women. If you don't understand that, well.... never mind.

'Nuff said about the risks. I managed to survive them all, although not without some pain that lingers on ...

Here's a sample of the 'rewards'.... although I was not too happy with the shots I got that morning (missed the best light....!!), I did get a couple that prove the hardiness and determination of the little crocus ... these little babies are covered with frost...




This is another baby, taken the week before, less than 24 hours after it was fully out of the frozen ground...




These were taken during the past week:







Hope you are finding some lovely shots of spring as it unfolds in your part of the world.... just remember to be careful around those Crafty Crocus, they can be dangerous!