Finding Beauty Next Door: Slow down and look closer

Last Sunday, I made pictures in my garden around our cottage. If you have a garden or live near a natural area, you don’t need to travel far to take beautiful photos in nature. In fact, you can make pictures in your own garden that are just as inspiring as those from distant places. If you love macro photography, you’ll find plenty of options right outside your doorstep.

This afternoon, I wandered slowly through my garden, which is mostly a nature garden. In autumn, like now, there aren’t many flowers left. So what do I photograph then? What will I discover as I try to make beautiful pictures in my own backyard? Our cottage is by a lake, so maybe I can find something exciting there, too. Let’s follow along, and you’ll see what I found.

The Hidden Wonders of the Garden

A nature garden can hide so much beauty; don’t just look at the big landscape, but also look closely at the small landscapes. What is hiding in the heather? Maybe a blueberry? What’s hiding in the rhododendron bush? Perhaps an ant? Perhaps there are still some flowers also? It’s exciting to see what you can find in small inner landscapes.

I went slowly around, looking for something to photograph. It took me a little time to get into a mindful mood. I think it is necessary, because then things come to you and you gaze at the details.

How do I get into a mindful mood?

To come into a mindful mood, I usually slow down, take time, stop to breathe deeply, and look slowly around me. As I did this, a blueberry caught my attention. This showed me that slowing down helps me find something worth photographing.

The blueberry

I started to photograph this blueberry. My attention went to the berry’s colors against the deep red heather. I thought about the composition: should the blueberry be in the middle of the picture, fall into the frame on one side, or sit at the top? Well, I chose the solution you see in the picture. I think that less is more. Too many details can be overwhelming; I like it clean.

My slow-down time and the blueberry put me in the mindful mood I was longing for, and suddenly I saw more possibilities for macro photography. The main takeaway is that slowing down opens my eyes to more beauty.

The ant

After the blueberry, I moved to the Rhododendron bush. I sat on a stair, looking into the bush for a long time, then suddenly I saw an ant. It was in a hurry, climbing up and down on the leaves. Here I had to consentrate to get a good enough image of the ant. But it was also funny to see how fast it moved. It’s not easy to think about composition when you take pictures of an insect in a hurry. It’s more about getting it into the frame and sharp enough to make a good picture. Then, in editing, you can crop the image further to improve the composition.

The pond plant

I moved down to the water after I had made pictures of the blueberry and the ant. I stood on the dock and looked down into the water. What triggered my attention here? I saw the pond plants and chose one for my frame. I thought the colors were nice, and I liked how the reeds framed the leaf. It’s about less is more here, too. And with so many pond plants packed in, it’s not easy to frame out the one you want. The only one that gives the right feeling. When I look at this picture now, it touches something inside me. And then I think I have made a picture telling a story somehow.

The Squirrel

When I stood on the dock, I heard something in the old tree above me. And I gazed straight at a Squirrel. It sat looking at me, as if it wondered which strange creature was standing on the dock gazing at her.

Well, I had my 240mm from Reeflex screwd on my phone, so I tried to capture the Squirrel. And Yes! I did! It was amazing! Just then, I felt so happy; it was the top moment and the most surprising moment of this photoshoot.

I think the mindful mood I was in also helped me to both hear and gaze at the Squirrel. It’s something about having the attention there, being in the here and now, and feeling the surroundings’ atmosphere.

Edit the pictures

I edited all the pictures in Lightroom afterward. For me, editing is an important part of making pictures—whether they’re made with a phone or a camera. Adjusting light and contrast, enhancing colors, and fine-tuning details help bring out the mood and story I want to share. Shooting in RAW with the Reflex Pro app gives me the flexibility to shape the final image and truly make the picture my own.

The Surprising Beauty Next to Home

These small adventures in my own garden remind me there’s no need to travel far to make meaningful, beautiful pictures. With an open, mindful gaze, nature’s wonders reveal themselves right outside your door. I encourage you to explore your own nearby spaces and discover what stories you can make with your camera—sometimes, the most surprising moments are waiting just next to home.