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Enter at Your Own Bliss

a wooden arbor hung with prayer flags leading into a garden
A portrait photo captures a wooden arbor framing the left, top, and right of the image as a white stone path begins at the bottom and veers left. Throughout, green bushes and lush gardens are sprinkled with flowers. A red tulip, some yellow dandelions, purple clusters. A person is noticeable behind one of the arbor pillars in the distance of the garden. Colorful triangular flags are hung at an angle between the arbor’s sides; the arbor is captured at a slight angle as well contributing to a sense of shifting shapes. A small Buddha statue rests in the bottom right corner.

This photo is one that I keep seeing in a new way. I have said in other places that I frequently see through the perspective of other people. This is particularly relevant with some details. No matter how much magnification or staring, many details escape my view. It was several years after I took this photo and shared it with others that I noticed a person in the gardens. And just last week, someone assisting me with web site preparation pointed out the Buddha in the bottom right corner. I honestly had not known the Buddha was there. What a fun detail. Thank you, Katie!

The tilted angle of this also invites me to appreciate the way depth perception in my eyes translates into photos. The image looked level when I took the photo. Not until later, did I noticed the slant. Logically, I noticed that there is more white sky at the top left than the top right. Initially that part of me that wanted it to be straight got slightly frazzled. Then I caught myself and laughed. Oh well.

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