Move closer

One photography tip that I have learned to follow early in my photography adventure is - "move closer." Moving closer always brings a new perspective, a new dimension to an otherwise common view. If I hadn't moved closer when I took this photo for example, I would have missed this new view of the Oriental lily. Until I took this close up picture, I never knew that this lily has small barb-like structures on the surface of its petals. Imagine that! What are those barb-like structures for anyway? They look like they provide some form of traction. Do they prevent insects from skidding? Or do they serve to catch pollen?

This reminds me of what Georgis O'Keefe once said about her flower paintings. - "Nobody sees a flower really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time."