In my youth, I entertained myself in a variety of ways.  Watching and manipulating my shadow was one of them.  When my shadow was long and thin, I imagined that I was really that tall.  I liked the play of shapes, guessing what a shadow might be when it wasn’t obvious.  Shadows added variety and dimensionality to an otherwise flat landscape.

Poppies in Shadow

When I researched a few shadow quotes, it surprised me to learn that most of them were “gloom and doom,”  or about moving out of the shadows and into the light.  Shadow is synonymous with shade, which certainly explains my bias.  Growing up red-headed meant I had a lower concentration of photo protective melanin, a fancy way of saying I freckle.  I spent my youth seeking the cool shadows by day or my ineffective skin faced the painful consequences.

Flowering Maple

Earlier this week, when the rain gave way to the sun, I looked at the shadows through the camera lens. Instead of avoiding them, I focused on them. It’s challenging getting the camera to record what the eye sees. In the end, only the shadow knows for sure.

Light with Minimal Shadow

Here Comes the Sun