safety first

i first imagined i would take this photo of just the main stem and the penitent curve of the head of rye. it would be a visual statement, a pleasant shape, and a prettily graphic composition. but then i came across this version of the photo, and decided that the second stem made the whole thing look like a safety pin, and suddenly there was a little story, or a little playfulness to the image that hadn’t been there in the other shots. i am also insisting on talking about playfulness, and art, and aesthetics because i can’t do a single thing about what a horrible day this was in so many other ways, so i can either feel helpless and sick to my stomach, or i can try to do one thing well that i know how to do. or, maybe more accurately, i can try to do one of those things, despite the other.

wild canada rye

rice creek trail, shoreview, minnesota