Overgrown - 50with50 No. 12

It’s a Wilderness

The latest entry in the 50with50 series is a look at the overgrown back field of our property, as seen during our recent walk through the woods.

I call this a field, but it is starting to be less and less of one. Back when we first moved out here, I used to keep the grass in those back fields cut regularly. But as the years have gone on, there has not always been the time to do it. Also, about the only times we were going back there were to cut the grass. It got to be where not only was there not time to keep it cut, there also was not that much of a reason.

So now, those back areas have become rather overgrown. The deer run through there regularly, and if you walk back there you can follow their trails pretty easily. They would probably like me better if I kept it cut, because they could run through even more easily and also have more grass to eat. I am sure there are other critters who go through there regularly as well, as we have lots of wildlife around here. I would prefer that they stay back there and away from our house, especially if they are the kinds of critters who don’t have legs or who have a white stripe down their backs. We have our space, and they can have their space.

We did not walk very far in these overgrown areas. I mainly just walked far enough to get a good photo, and then we went back into the woods where the ground growth was not so thick. Always interesting to see those areas when we can, even if they are rather overgrown.

Together, Apart

During this time of separation due to COVID-19, it often feels like we are all separated apart from each other, each in our own overgrown wilderness. We are told to only be around the family members that we live with. We are supposed to remain as far away as possible from everyone else, for their safety and for ours.

That can be difficult when you can’t be around your extended family members, friends, church family, and others. We can still contact each other in other ways than face-to-face contact, but it is just not quite the same.

Still, some contact of some sort is better than nothing. Video chats are better than nothing at all. Phone calls, cards, letters, emails - all of these can help to lift someone’s spirits as we wait for the days when the all-clear is given and we go back to our normal ways of life. Social distancing is neither ideal nor preferred by most people. But the experts say that it helps to stop the spread of this virus. And as we watch the numbers of those infected and the death tolls rise, we realize just how important social distancing really is.

Please do your part. It is often tempting to go visit your parents or adult children if you or they are not showing any symptoms of infection. But imagine your dismay if, later on, you find out that one if you were in fact infected and potentially spread it to your loved ones. That is the reason for social distancing, even if you don’t think you have anything to worry about. It isn’t pleasant, but it is necessary.

We are all in this together. We just have to do it apart from each other for a while.

Bible Verse

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:3-6

About the Photo

Once again, this photo uses the same processing style as the past few photos that I have shared here. That style might look a little different in this setting, but it is still the same.

I do especially like how the processing brings out the illumination on the evergreen trees in the background. They look much better here than they did in the original version straight out of the camera. Sometimes just a little processing makes a big difference in a photo.

For this 50with50 photo, I did not have the aperture open nearly as wide as I sometimes do. For this one, I wanted a more general area of focus instead of a tight focus on one aspect of the photo. I often shoot in aperture priority mode for just this reason, being able to have control over the depth of field.

Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Aurora HDR. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: SonyFE 50mm f/1.8
Date: February 29, 2020
Location: Home, Williston, Tennessee