I love using my macro lens on my iPhone…but it’s not easy.  I have to take my case off and attach the lens to the magnetic ring…so I don’t take macro shots spontaneously, I have to think about using this lens and make the necessary preparations.

I definitely have days when I feel at a loss for what to photograph.  Things feel ordinary…or I feel like I have already taken those same shots some other day.  Today I headed out to my backyard with plans to sit in the shade and read for a while.  But when I headed out there, I noticed the aloe plant that has gone crazy!  It started as a small house plant…and now is obviously loving the growing conditions in the back yard!  This week on #sdawpphotovoices our photo-a-day focus is #scratchy…and what could be scratchier than aloe spines?  I took a photo with my regular lens…and then headed inside to attach my macro lens.

I love the way the sun behind the plant makes the spine tips glow!

In the same big pot with the aloe there is also a cactus that outgrew its tiny indoor pot and ended up in the backyard.  The long, thin, needle-like spines create interesting flower-like patterns.  I love that the top spines are a brilliant yellow, creating a beautiful sunburst!

These ordinary cactus almost look like exotic sea creatures when you get close!  My attention turned to the lavender plant–the one I wrote about here–that was almost killed due to neglect! The plant continues to improve, although it is not in full bloom right now. There are a couple of beautiful blossoms…and some buds developing.

And I wasn’t quite done…I noticed a “volunteer” plant–one that planted itself in a pot of dirt on the edge of the patio.  It was green, but in the last week it has turned to a rusty red-orange color.  I’m not sure if it is dying…or if it is a natural cycle of growth for this plant.

All of these photos are unedited…and I love the colors and the way the sun creates glow.

I decided to take one last photo…of a spiderweb down in a hole where my husband is fixing the sprinkler.  As I moved my lens in close, the web began to glow, catching the sun.

Playing with my macro lens today helped me see the ordinary things in my backyard in a new way.  The colors popped, the patterns emerged, and the light created beauty that’s hard to see without looking closely.  And, as I always notice, opportunities to play and make help me find my creativity and the fun that is so often right in front of me.  And best of all, all this noticing piques my curiosity and wonder at the world around me.

Have you taken time to play today?