“Time marches forward. Sometime we see it effects and at other times, it’s barely noticable” – Ed Lehming

I spent some time with this photo, as I often do, looking for something. Sometimes subtle details reveal themselves, things I had not noticed when I shot the photo. Other times, there are whispers of wisdom; the image evokes thoughts for me and helps me think deeper about the world around me. It has been a practice for me for some time now. Maybe as I age, I have a larger repository to draw from: fond memories, regrets, and experiences that I revisit. I find myself more contemplative in my experiences.

When I first framed this image, I was focused on the bright, unusually colored sunflower blossom. As I considered different potential compositions, I struggled with how to eliminate the lower, somewhat tired-looking flower. Nothing worked, so I took the shot as you see it, figuring maybe I would do a tighter crop in my post-editing. During this process, while considering a title for the print, some pretty obvious symbolism emerged.

The upper flower is bright and pristine, at the peak of its beauty, while the lower blossom is wilting and fading. Then, I looked at my calendar and realized that August is almost gone, along with the joyful warmth and sunshine that defined this summer for me. The lower flower represents an ending of something that just a few days ago was bright and glorious, like the past few days of this summer. Time’s inevitable change is portrayed through an image where fresh and faded coexist.

It saddenes me a bit to say farewell to another summer, but I also realize that the faded flower’s role is not yet complete. It is heavy with seeds that will further mature, provide food for birds, and sow the next generation.

iPhone 17 Pro Max
Main Camera — 79 mm
1/1377 sec, ƒ/1.78 ISO 100