JPG Magazine: Stories: Photo Essay: "We'll Take All The Beauty We Can Get!"

"We'll Take All The Beauty We Can Get!"

By Natalie S

27 September 2008

Those were the words spoken by my mother's secretary as she looked out the window at work to flowers across the street. She has just been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer.

These are the words I saw upon first opening my Email yesterday: "Congratulations! Your photo has been selected to be displayed at Clarian Arnett Hospital." I was so happy as I'd forgotten I'd submitted my "Snow Tree" image for "Photos For Health". It is incredibly gratifying to know an image I took has been selected, framed and hung on a wall where cancer patients and their families can look at it and perhaps get some calm, peace or hope in the simple beauty of the blooms.

That got me thinking about how often I've seen some JPGers complain about the amount of "flower" images they see and how they don't consider flower / vegetation images to be conducive of "real" talent and they're tired of seeing them. I think that perhaps what they are trying to convey is that flowers and deciduous trees and blossoms are generally naturally pretty or beautiful or spectacular, so much so that an image taken amounts to a "sure thing". You can safely point and click and get a beautiful image without working very hard. On the contrary, I find that some of the flower images on this site that jump out at me have a definite creative edge to them - whether it's the perfect closeup, or fade out, or natural light, or perhaps just the right angle. In most, it's as if the natural beauty of the flower or leaf, or blossom has been "turned up". And that takes talent or, at the very least, a good eye. Regardless, such natural vegetation images are amazing in their ability to evoke peacefulness, calm, and wonder. And, as such, I can never get tired of looking at flowers, or fall leaves, or tree blossoms.

So, I think of my mother's secretary as she undergoes her rounds of chemo and schedules a mastectomy, and I think of those at Clarian Arnett Hospital, and I understand that, for some, flower filled images provide hope. Yes, we will take all the beauty we can get.

Many thanks to Miss Joli B. http://www.jpgmag.com/people/adniloj for being such an inspiration herself and bringing so much good to our attention with Photos For Health and Eco-friendly advice.

I leave you with some of my favorite JPG flower and leaf shots:

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1017569 (Noah)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/900044 (Mayette Ignacio)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/919751 (J. Harris Blacklist)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1048388 (Ralph Komives)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1051794 (Lynn Hathaway)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/910368 (Catherine Kurvink)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1033579 (Julie Norris)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1051327 (Bob H)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1044570 (Jeff H)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/867131 (Patrick Zip)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/886330 (Hector Ortiz)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/711274 (Warren Mangione)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1067565 (Laura Boston-thek)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/750282 (David Eastham)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/832596 (Mark Gilliland)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/795573 (Vidyavati Chandan)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/942879 (Nelson Campbell)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/748027 (Bradley Nichol)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1037170 (Yasmina Baggili)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1056770 (G Anderson)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1032981 (montanagirl)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/995105 (Kate Hamlin)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/777403 (Steve Hogle)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/919660 (Jason Platt)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/1072779 (Pilar Coll i Gatells)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/850673 (Katherine Massier)

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/972193 (Jose Rico)

If Beauty can transcend Death, then . . .

Lavender

Peony At Dusk

Cherries in the Sky . . .

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16 Responses

On 27 September 2008 adniloj gave props:
woo-hooo for you! Congrats sweetie
On 27 September 2008 !El Go gave props:
love your photo essay, Nat.Congratulations, too for having selected your wonderful photo.
On 27 September 2008 J Mac gave props:
Congratulations!!! what an awesome essay too!!! I am sending postive energy your way...for your Mother's secretary....Great good love to her!
On 27 September 2008 J Mac gave props:
one more point....I think to tose who take the time to slow down and see the simple beauty in a flower,are strongly connected to the whole
On 27 September 2008 G Anderson said:
Important message for all women and men, here at the beginning of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in October. Congratulations on your photo being selected to bring peace and hope to those at Clarian Arnett Hospital.
and i'm humbled to be included here.
On 27 September 2008 Camille Susak gave props:
Congratulations-wonderful essay-wonderful message-i lost my mom to breast cancer & learned that when you go through such an ordeal you realize that the simplest things are taken advantage of-why not take shots of natural beauty-what a uplifting, God given gift!
On 27 September 2008 hr chick said:
Thank you for a beautiful, wonderfully stated story. You give gifts by sharing your warm, inspiring thoughts and feelings.
On 27 September 2008 Jennifer D. gave props:
Beautifully said. Much love to your mom's secretary.
On 28 September 2008 Oregon Curly gave props:
An absolutely wonderful, thoughtful essay with exceptional photos. We know the power of beauty in such circumstances, my wife/partner in eveything is one of the lucky survivors. A dozen dozen of beautiful roses to you for the essay.
On 28 September 2008 Catherine Kurvink gave props:
Natalie, congratulations on your selection; and thank you so much for including me in your choices.
On 29 September 2008 Vidyavati Chandan said:
The Rose pic was lying in my photostream without any purpose. Thanks for giving it a direction.
I pray for immense strength for all those are suffering!
On 30 September 2008 Lynn Hathaway gave props:
super essay, natalie! as one of those survivors, who is about to go for her 6 month ultrasound and is scared silly...i thank u for this reminder that indeed...we'll take all the beauty we can get.
On 4 October 2008 Julie Norris added a link:
This is a beautiful essay! Thank you for including one of my (many) flower shots. I've always been drawn to flowers and their endless variety as a way God shows us his love.
My mom is a survivor of breast cancer and it has made myself & my friends just that much more aware of how precious our lives are and what a gift we are each given. In this month of awareness, EVERYONE needs to get their mamograms!!! You'll be glad you did! (www.jpgmag.com)
On 8 October 2008 elfriede fulda gave props:
Just read this, how true, flowers are wonderful, each person sees something different in their pictures, that's what makes each photo to unique whether they be flowers or other subjects. Congratulations, your photo will give people who view this a smile, hope, and a glimpse into the Creator's Mind.....wonderful essay...
On 16 October 2008 Patricia Shanahan gave props:
Fantastic story & BEAUTIFUL pictures ! I share your sentiments 100% ! I recieved the same email of Congratulations ! I am so honored,if just for a moment, one shot gives ,one person,a "mind break" from their situation ! Love & prayers to your Mom's secretary ! Wonderful story & beautiful shots !
On 22 October 2008 Jason Platt gave props:
great photos and am flattered you include me in your hall of fame..if i just take the time to slow down beauty is everywhere...