Who knew about the Orchid Tree???

I was walking through my neighborhood here in Phoenix, AZ and I noticed something in the grass under a tree. It was a seed pod. Seed pods on the ground call out to me like $5 bills on the ground. It is almost impossible for me NOT to stop and look closer.  These seed pods were rather whimsical and I immediately started collecting a few of the more expressive ones.   I asked a lady if this was some type of mesquite tree and she said, no, that is an Orchid Tree.  Aren’t those seed pods great?!!  I was now starting to feel like a crazy person with my arms full of Orchid Tree seed pods.  Yes… yes, they are.  lol

Commercial photographer creating art

My roots in photography are on the creative side. (see what I did there) When I am not being a commercial photographer or out adventuring on the trials, I enjoy creating some fine art work. My commercial work benefits from exercising my creativity so I am all for it. In doing so I have discovered a fascination with seed pods.  This fascination first came to light with my Devil’s Claw series.   What I like about seed pods is they feel like beings yet they are ageless and genderless which makes them very relatable.  My favorite part is how expressive seed pods can be. They are somewhere between a statue and a petrified imagination.  Often times they turn into a sort of Rorschach test. It is always fun to hear what people see in the expression of a seed pod.  I try not to read into it too much but, it is a bit telling.

Creating art work out of things that might seem ordinary, like Orchid Tree seed pods has taught me how to find beauty in everyday life.  I find myself looking more closely at the plants and weeds along the side of the road or in gardens and trees. These images are just iPhone images but, I enjoyed the collection.  My home is decorated with all types of seed pods and found desert treasures.  I love it!