Cat Tails

If you grew up anywhere near a wetland or marsh in the northern hemisphere, you are sure to be familiar with cattails. I remember seeing these quite often around lakes and ponds where I grew up in E. Washington. I didn't marvel at them then. They were just part of the scenery... just another plant. I don't see them much anymore here in So. California. I think it's too dry. In any case, I saw these recently up in Oregon and couldn't resist. It's not a great photo. You have to look close to see the 'cat tail' seed heads among the tall leaves, but they are there.
As with many things as I get older, I can see the cat tails with fresh eyes. I often find myself looking deeply at normal everyday things. Sometimes they spark a memory, sometimes they are just 'interesting'. I am enjoying this new fascination with the mundane and I think it is helping my photography improve as well. The shocking and the amazing are certainly fun to photograph, but for me, the photos I see of the common things are the most touching.



Taken with my Speed Graphic loaded with Tri-X 320. I didn't record the exposure information, but it was a sunny day, so probably f/11 at 1/200 or there abouts.