PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE

Yellow Roses, Some Birds, and Happiness in the Gloomy Days

Week fifteen of the photographic documentary of my daily life

I am so excited about the news I just got. Last week’s photo essay has been curated. I don’t get a lot of articles curated. In general. Probably because I don’t use any stock photographs. I have never opened the page of Unsplash or Pixabay. And I refuse to.

I use my photographs. My work means the entire product of an article is created by myself. Including the photographs in it. Even if that means my article won’t get selected for distribution.

I write a lot of travel stories. And a travel story from Namibia with a picture from the Atacama desert is everything else but authentic. It’s my experience I’m talking about. And that is why it will include my pictures as well.

The photo challenge

When Dennett started the photo challenge in July this year and I read her first article on documenting her weekly life in photographs I was blown away. That’s what I want to do. This challenge was made for me.

I joined the publication Snapshots and have published ever since at least one article per week with them. I love photography. It’s a passion of mine. And I love writing. Combining these two is topping it all. It creates a perfect product for me.

Since then I have joined this photo challenge and haven’t missed a single week. I love to work on these photo essays. I’ve learned so much through the process of creating them. Finding every day one photograph describing my day. Writing down a few words for every day in my week.

Three months down the line I feel like I’ve grown. I’ve grown in making better pictures. I’ve grown in finding the right words to describe those photographs. And I’ve grown as a person in finding happiness in the small things in my everyday life.

But it seems like I’ve also gotten better at creating and designing these photo essays. The result of the latest one being selected for distribution made me jump for joy. It shows how much this project means to me.

This challenge wouldn’t be the same without all the other writers who’ve been joining it too. They make it fun. Reading from others about their daily lives, seeing pictures from Iceland, Australia’s beaches and birds from the states is what I love about this challenge.

Erika Burkhalter and Dennett are the ones who have been the most consistent in this photographic documentary but lots of others have joined it too. Anyone is welcome to jump in. Just choose a picture every day for one week and please tag me in it.

“Being creative is not a hobby. It is a way of life.” — Aditya Advik

My week

This week means back to reality. The reality for me is right now lockdown in Germany while spending the last weeks in the country. Soon we will be leaving the continent again. To escape winter.

Or to go get the paperwork done. Deal with visa issues and everything that involves being in a relationship with someone who is not as fortunate as I am by having a German passport. But this is a whole different story.

Let’s focus on the present. It’s autumn in Germany. The last leaves are falling from the trees and the temperatures keep on dropping. We moved into my parents' flat which means we have to find a place to store our belongings until next year’s spring.

Doing a bicycle tour through Munich we got to explore the Olympia Park. This is where the Olympic games took place in 1972. Most of the buildings are kept busy with concerts and other events. But not this year.

Considering these buildings are almost 50 years old it is not just impressive how well they are kept. Looking at the architecture I must admit that they have been very modern back then. The design they chose is still fitting the surroundings and the time.

We cycle across the park where kids are having fun on the playground, adults are doing their daily run and the older generation is going for a walk in nature. It’s amazing to see so many people keeping themselves busy and active.

We do drive past the Olympic village where the athletes used to stay during the games and stop in front of the house where the terrorists kept their hostages for a few weeks. A terrible event is connected with these games. Unfortunately.

Today inhabitants are living in these buildings. The Olympic village is kept alive. Lots of plants are covering their balconies. Bakeries and supermarkets supplying the people from around the corner.

It’s day one of the cleaning process. I start with all our clothes. My partner’s and my clothes all have to go into my childhoods’ cupboard. A challenge by itself which finishes with a few bags of clothes going to get donated.

More and more sorting out and moving things from one room to another continue during the day.

Later in the day, I think about what picture I will be using for today’s essay and decide to go have a look in the garden out front of the house. And look at this. Here is more than just one flower worth capturing.

Late bloomers are keeping the garden alive and in full bloom. Despite the biting cold I spend a few minutes capturing several plants with my camera. Nonetheless, it is one of my hobbies. Photography.

We went to the garden plot this Saturday. My dad had some work to do and my partner helped him. Meanwhile, I walked to the sheep below the garden and fed them some old bread.

My parents are part of a group of people who are looking after this herd of sheep. It’s only nine of them but lovely to see them here. It always reminds me of living in the countryside.

While waiting for my mom to arrive I started the fire and made sure everything is prepared for lunch in the garden. It’s not always a man’s work to make the barbeque. Being one of two daughters I got taught by my dad how to prepare meat on the fire. It’s not that difficult I assure you.

Some would call it lazy Sunday. Yes, I was lying in bed ‘til late but I started quite early. I worked on articles. I shared my work and produced content for Instagram and my YouTube channel.

Later on, I was editing my book and created the weekly newsletter. Just when I decided what else to do for the rest of my day my dad came home and said we were invited for coffee and his friend’s garden plot.

Guess my plans were worthless. But it’s probably good to get me out of the house. Otherwise, I would not have moved.

Here we are. Sitting in the garden, chatting to friends of my dad, and watching the birds come by for food. Since my mom is one of these bird watchers she always has her binoculars with her.

But these birds come so close that you don’t need them. Binoculars. I want to capture some of them for her. One of the reasons I took my camera with me. Sitting opposite the tree I got the perfect view of the bird feeder and only have to wait for the moment they come to pick some seeds.

With a bit of patience and the luck of being at the right spot, I do get to capture four different types of birds. Maybe not the rarest ones but they aren’t ugly either.

The only nature I got in contact with today is indoor plants. A palm tree in my room, some cacti, and few succulents in the living room. I didn’t leave the flat today.

Until my dad came back from the garden. Then things changed. He brought some bright yellow colored roses back. To give them to my mom. Knowingly that she won’t appreciate it.

My mom is not a flower person. Not at all. No matter how many times my dad brings her flowers. No matter what type of flowers he brings home. It won’t bring a single smile onto her face.

She loves green. There are lots of plants in the house. But none of them with flowers. The only flowers that bloom once in the blue moon are the cacti. That’s just how she is.

My dad knows her long enough to know her reaction. But he still brings roses now and then. Maybe also for his pleasure. Or just as a sign not to give up. Maybe one day she will appreciate them.

Today’s flowers were not allowed to go on the table. My mom put them in a vase and placed them in the bottom corner of the shelf. Making sure nobody can tip them over. Or see them.

But I did. And I smiled seeing them. Because yellow always makes a smile. And because these are the only roses I like. I’m not a red roses type of person. I love the yellow ones. Especially if they have some orange and red touches on the blossoms.

So, thank you dad!

And guess what? 24 hours later these roses were thriving. Flourishing from the water my mom gave them they started to bloom in its brightest colors.

Left in the garden they would have most probably been hit by the morning frost. Worst case they would freeze and never have gotten the chance to show the brilliance of its blossoms.

But here, on our dining table, they got the chance to live on. Yes, I dared to take them out of the corner and placed in the middle of our living room. And now they make me smile.

Having breakfast in front of our kitchen window I observe the movements in our garden. Glancing to the right I do see something running from the hazelnut bush. It must have been a squirrel. But by the time I turned my head, it was gone.

Two bird feeders are mounted in the back of the garden. I wonder if birds still come to visit. Or do they only come early in the morning? When I still sleep.

I take a picture of the empty bird feeder when I see a songbird flying across the garden. And seconds later it sits down right there. In the focus of my camera. Just for long enough to press the release button.

It’s a colorful blue tit.

Just like back in my childhood days. When I would be watching these lovely tiny songbirds playing in the garden. Memories come back. And my smile too.

This has been my week in photographs. If you would like to join this photography challenge just start taking pictures. Every day one picture for seven days. And share them with us.

“We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us.” — Ralph Hattersley