Well, I'm going to skip right over the past few months until later, because, well, I can. And it's peony season. I think if peonies and lily-of-the-valley bloomed year 'round, we would all be better people...or, at least our houses would smell like heaven.

Most of the time, my photos serve as a tool to illustrate a story, or promote something, and that's okay. But, there are times when I remember that I can photograph for pleasure too. Sometimes that's hard for me, to not necessarily have an "assignment"...creative freedom can be a tricky thing for a perfectionist. And really, how can one possibly capture the essence of such a flower in a flat image? Well, that's the challenge, I suppose. And yet, the essence of an object is a bit subjective; it means something different to everyone. I can only try to create an image that allows the viewer to see an object the way I saw it, felt it, smelled it, lived it.