Beauty on a Branch

The crabapple tree in my courtyard has lost all its leaves, which makes it easier to see the birds that hang out there.

I’ve been trying to capture them with the camera, but the minute I open the front door they fly off. (Selfish birds!) Yesterday I got the zoom lens out and shot from the kitchen.

This photogenic fellow posed quite nicely while I hung over the sink with the camera. I wanted to try a few different looks for his portrait and came up with these, from the most realistic to the least.

I love the orange on his head and chest. Anyone know what kind of bird he is?

I reduced the color in this shot to get a washed-out ’60s feel, almost like I made it with an Instamatic.

Here I took all the color out, which leaves it with this wonderful flat, almost hand-drawn, feel.

Like I said yesterday, I’ve committed to making art every single day, and it’s not only increasing the fun factor in my life, it’s forcing me to slow down to appreciate the beauty that’s everywhere, all the time. You just have to open your eyes (or ears, or whatever other way you notice something gorgeous) and let it in. I hope you take a moment today to witness some beauty.

Which bird do you like best? Weigh in on your favorite in the comments.

P.S. I had no way of knowing if this bird was a he or a she, but I went with he because I liked the sound of “photogenic fellow.” So Bird, if you’re reading this, please understand I meant no disrespect if you’re female. I’ll try to be less influenced by word sounds going forward. 🙂

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