Multi-talented Wendy Reynolds!
My life is filled with love and laughter thanks to the amazing people I get to hang out with. As well as being awesome, they’re creative, talented, generous, and fun! I thought you might like to meet them so I’ve asked them to come and give us a behind-the-scenes look at what they’re passionate about. I have to warn you though – creativity is contagious!
Today’s guest is multi-talented Wendy Reynolds! I met Wendy when we struck up a conversation at a writing workshop – and I’m so happy to have met her. She has the most amazing photos of flowers on her Facebook page, shares yummy recipes, writes short stories, and has a very cute pooch, named Boone!
Wendy, how did you get interested in photographing flowers? W: Although I can’t specifically remember (Old Timer’s Affliction, you know!), I have been interested in photography since I was a little kid. The interest in flowers, I think, coincided with two things: getting a new camera that was capable of capturing great macro photos, which is what I really like best; and joining Facebook. I started sharing the photos on my Facebook wall and my friends seemed to really like them. Nothing like a little positive reinforcement to fan a little flame of interest into a full-blown obsession!
Sounds like me and writing 😀 Are the flowers all from your own garden? W:You bet! I love heading out to my garden early in the morning with a cup of coffee and snipping off a few flowers here and there while the dew is still clinging to their colourful petals. Then, I set myself up in the kitchen and decide which flowers will go where and in which vase. (This is a very important part of the process! We have a fantastic collection of vintage vases, jugs, and jars that we’ve amassed over the years from auctions, flea markets, yard sales, and my mother’s cupboards. I love deciding upon the perfect vessel for each little posey.) Then I take the photographs in various places around the house. It’s a wonderfully creative way for me to start my day.
And a lovely way to share the collection. What equipment do you use? W: Well, my cameras are pretty basic. I have a pretty old Fuji point-and-shoot that takes the great macro shots, and a newish Canon DSLR that has a nice zoom lens on it. I never use flash because it makes the flowers look phony and overexposed. The lighting depends on the location in my house that I’ve selected for each posey. For example, my kitchen has a south exposure so it gets really nice light in the morning. Time of day and the angle of the sun are really important. Long, low sunbeams always make for better photos. So I tend to take photos either early in the morning or in the early evening. I sometimes play around with artificial light in the evening, which is kind of fun, but not always successful!
And since it’s everchanging, adds to the art of it. You post them on FB, but have you ever put them in a book or had a showing? W: Just Facebook. I really don’t think the photos are good enough, technically, for broader public display, although I know that, creatively, they are often expressive and reflective of my love of flowers. (At least I hope so!)
Yes they are, and I think would make a lovely album! Do you have any advice for someone interested in starting out with photography? W: It’s become an overused concept, but it’s like anything else – find your passion! And get to know your camera. For many years before I bought the bigger and better DSLR, I used that little, very unfancy point-and-shoot, and I learned what it could do well and what it wasn’t so great at doing. It took great pictures for me once I figured that out. I took a few courses, too, and read things – it’s good to have a basic understanding of technique, although I have to say I think a sense of creativity wins out every time in that contest!
If you had to pick a song to be your theme song what would it be? W: Definitely, my theme song is a silly Gershwin song that got its start in the late Vaudeville era. My mother used to sing it to me all the time. It’s called “A Sunny Disposish” (for disposition) and the first couple of lines are “A sunny disposish will always see you through, When up above the skies are black instead of being blue” and goes on from there. It reminds me of my wonderful 86-year-old mother, and her cheerful attitude towards life, which is the only attitude to have, right?
Yes, definitely! I think it pays off to focus on the positive. What would you pick as a superpower? W: Hmmmm … it’s not exactly a superpower, but I’d like to have a clone! There are always so many interesting things I’d like to do and never enough time to do them all. Even though I’m now semi-retired and don’t have as much of that pesky paid employment to worry about, there seem to be even fewer hours in the day. Now, how on earth did THAT happen?!
Haha – sounds like the perfect place to be. What’s your favourite dessert? W: Hands down my friend, Donna’s, Lazy Daisy Cake! It’s a simple white cake that has a brown sugar and coconut broiled topping. I always ask her to make it for me, either for special occasions like my birthday or for times when I need comfort. And she is such a great friend that she makes it for me whenever I ask. Which I try not to do every single day!
Dessert and a friend to share with it – the perfect combo 😀 Thank you very much, Wendy for sharing your love of photography! Can’t wait to have you back to share your love of writing, or cooking, or gardening, or Boone! Stay busy everyone!