Arizona, Photography

Phil and his Shadow

by Ingrid

On the morning of February 2, 2019 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a groundhog named Phil emerged from his hole and did not see his shadow. Not seeing his shadow means we can expect an early spring. Phil has predicted the arrival of spring since 1887, but his accuracy leaves something to be desired. According to statistics, the groundhog is only right about 39 percent of the time. Let’s hope he’s right this time because I’m about done with this winter!

historical sites in Tucson

Shadow – a photo prompt

So with groundhog Phil in mind, let’s share images of shadows. Shadows are fun to play around with and can enrich a photograph. Shadows can be subtle and accentuate details or they can be the focal point. Shadows can strengthen a photo by adding a sense of balance, contrast, or dimensionality to a composition.

One of my favorite images of a shadow was caused from a saguaro cactus. I happened to be hiking at the perfect time for the sun to cast the saguaro’s shadow on the trail making it look like a fork. How about that … a fork in the road trail.

shadow of a saguaro cactus casting a fork on a trail
A fork on the trail!

How to improve your photography skills

Travel and photography seem to go hand in hand. After all, don’t we want to preserve memories of all those beautiful places we visit? I know I do, and I’ve been working diligently at improving my photography skills over the past few years. Ah, my photos are still hit and miss, in my opinion, and I occasionally succumb to the “point and pray” method of shooting, but I continue to practice.

One of the best ways to improve your photography skills is to engage in photo challenges or sometimes referred to as photo prompts. These prompts, challenges,  themes (whatever we want to call them) give me a purpose to get out and shoot or, at the very least, go through my photo archives to analyze what worked and what didn’t.

By picking up my camera regularly, I continue to practice, and by practicing photography consistently, I’ve become better acquainted with my gear and vision. I’m still best friends with that delete button, but continue to enjoy my photographic hobby.

Missions in Tucson, Arizona. Mission San Xavier.

Wandering Wednesday – Ingrid’s Inspirations

Wednesday is the day I like to share a photograph(s) centered around a theme. Photo challenges/themes are a great way for us to share our love of photography and engage with other like-minded people. Whether you shoot with your phone, a DSLR, or something in-between, I hope you’ll join in on the challenge. Share and connect!

tips on how to improve your photography skills

24 thoughts on “Phil and his Shadow”

    1. We’ve been having crazy wet and cold weather 😥 So next Wednesday’s prompt will be “weather”. I swear this has been the worst winter weather we’ve experienced in Phoenix.

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  2. Amazing shots, Ingrid. I love the shadows, especially the fork in the road. I remember taking a photo of the shadow of a particular Saguaro last year as well, with a certain “appendix”, but I don’t think the photo for public display. 🙂

    Like you, I can’t wait for this winter to be over. The only places to be warm, it seems like, are hot springs. A few more days…

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    1. Oh I bet that shadow image is funny, huh! Today is particularly nasty weather wise. We even had a severe hail storm making it look like it had snowed. Not fun! It’s looking better this weekend.

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    1. Yeah Jim, it takes a while to navigate the camera settings with ease, and as much as I’m considering a new camera (my FZ-200 is wearing out), I’m not looking forward to the learning curve, but Panny isn’t focusing like she used to 😥

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  7. Nice post, Ingrid! I really like the 2nd picture of the church with the cross and shadow. I love the contrast between the building and sky. Your composition is spot on as well! That image really resonates with me!

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  8. Pingback: Photo Prompt: Shadow | Images by T.Dashfield

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