Winter is a weird time.  It is cold and white outside, warm and colorful inside.  At least, that's what it's like in Minnesota.  So, what's a photographer to do?

Play!

Try to do something you've never tried.  Something absurd.  Something you would normally hate.  Anything new, just to see the result.

If you like the result, do it again.  If you hate it, delete them pixels.

There's an orchid show opening down at the Arboretum this week.  Admission is free through January.  These are a great subject to go crazy with.

Here's what I mean:

This is a stitched panorama (that I wish hadn't been cropped off the top).  Shoot the whole flower, or bunches.  Or try stitching ones together for a different perspective.

orchid

Try macro or close-up shots.  The colors and shapes are fantastic.  You could try convering them to black and white if you really want to experiment.

orchid fantasyThis is a photo of orchids made by zooming, rotating the lens and maybe a little movement at the same time.

What happens if you move the lens in some way while making your exposure?  Zoom in or out?  Rotate from landscape to portrait?  Kick the tripod? The easy answer is that you get lots of artifacts, like in this shot.  But I love the play of colors and the way you can almost see some of the flowers.

Stop reading.  Go play!