the lilac shoot and the rain

by Sharon Santoni

irises in the garden with a table laid in the background

 

We had a photo shoot here this morning, the sort of stuff I love, playing around with flowers and cushions and light and props.  Nothing ground-breaking, just making some pretty for future use.

table laid for tea with flowers arrangement and pile of plates

Once the official shoot was over, and I had cleared up the aftermath, I decided to have my own private little shoot with the left over flowers.

irises in the garden with a table laid in the background

By this time of course it was raining.  Yes, that’s right, those white lines on the photo are raindrops falling to the ground.  But I didn’t mind a bit.  Shooting in the rain means you have to think more carefully about where to stage the stuff you want to shoot, and of course protect the camera, but for an un-expert photographer like myself, rain provides a kinder light than bright sunshine and shadows.

irises in the garden with a table laid in the background

So here for you, for no special reason other than a bit of pretty does us all a lot of good, is an imaginary tea table, where amaretti biscuits line up beside lilac and honeysuckle , and where none of them mind a bit  if I shoot them out of focus from behind the irises.

table laid for tea with flowers arrangement and pile of plates

I hope you manage to ‘do some pretty’ today, and take a little creative time out.

table laid for tea with flowers arrangement and pile of plates

26 comments

Parsimonious Décor Darling May 6, 2015 - 8:11 pm

Absolutely beautiful, thank you for sharing!

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Dee May 7, 2015 - 5:34 pm

Thank you for sharing such beautiful photos, made my day.
Dee x

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Marika Ujvari May 6, 2015 - 8:32 pm

Are those Siberian Iris?? They are very pretty. I have Ceasar’s Brother Siberian Iris, which turned into lots of brothers. I need to dig and seperate!!!

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Nicole May 6, 2015 - 8:46 pm

Beautiful! The flowers are gorgeous and those cookies look delicious! Thank you for sharing!

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Karena May 6, 2015 - 9:02 pm

Sharon, Lovely lilacs and irises, how beautiful in those glorious colors! The rain just seems to freshen and green the garden right up!

xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Bunnies by Hunt Slonem!

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Christine May 6, 2015 - 10:14 pm

Thank you. Your “pretty” made me smile!

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Jackie May 6, 2015 - 10:21 pm

Gorgeous! I love the softness the rain adds to the lighting. The flowers and cookies look beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

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Sandra May 6, 2015 - 10:48 pm

It looks like spring. Beautiful photos. In Australia it is autumn and the colours are very different. In my yard the white camellias are about to bloom. I love the seasons.

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Amanda Rush May 6, 2015 - 11:07 pm

Thank you Sharon, you have shared an important secret – to enjoy everyday, regardless of the weather. Your photos have captured the fun you had styling. A lovely post, from Amanda

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Colleen Taylor May 6, 2015 - 11:28 pm

Gorgeous shots even the rain adds to the charm. Those cookies Sharon? Do you have a recipe for these? What a lovely post & thank you!

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Our French Oasis May 6, 2015 - 11:43 pm

Rain or no rain, just beautiful. I adore honeysuckle, it was one of the first flowers I can ever remember smelling (and appreciating) as a child!

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Pat May 6, 2015 - 11:58 pm

Those lilacs are gorgeous,and the light was perfect for beautiful photos.
Pat

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Esther George May 7, 2015 - 12:53 am

Good morning Sharon, I can just imagine the perfume in the air and the colours just lovely. Our weather is cooling down and my roses especially Paris 2000 and Queen Elizabeth are just beautiful at this time of the year. Thank you for sharing beauty. Till next time regards Esther from Sydney.

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Rié|Portobello Design Blog May 7, 2015 - 1:25 am

Those irises are gorgeous! Mine are so tiny this year, probably from lack of rain in California. Your eye is unerring, and your arrangements are divine! Have a lovely day; play some more in the rain and take photos for us… they are the bright spot in a busy day! xx Rié

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Lauren Haines May 7, 2015 - 2:23 am

Your climate is very similar to ours here in Victoria, B.C. Canada. Our irises and lilacs are blooming now, too, but I noticed you have honeysuckle in your collection. Is it really blooming already?
Fabulous photos, Sharon. I smile every time I open your blog.
Thank you!
Lauren

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Marian from UK May 7, 2015 - 10:14 am

What beautiful photos. Lilac is one of those magical flowers that bring to mind English spring gardens and for me, my Grandmother’s garden – the first time I saw a lilac tree as a child. They enhance any arrangement and their perfume is redolent of times gone by. The greens with the lilac and irises are so fresh and lifted my spirits this morning! Thank you for sharing.

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Sue May 7, 2015 - 2:01 pm

Absolutely beautiful!

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Chrysanthemum May 7, 2015 - 3:10 pm

Thanks for sharing your spring colours! I am enjoying my third spring: one in March in Langley, Canada where I enjoyed cherry and apple blossoms, forsythia, azaleas and rodedendrums as I walked to visit my daughter each day; then the second one in April, in Barcelona, where the trees were bursting into leaf and the bulbs were out in full bloom; and now, number three, back home in May, in London, Ontario where the trees are showing more spring green every day and my garden is showing, daffodils, jonquils, tulips, hyacinths in profusion… Today I go out and buy a few annuals that are just beginning to appear in the shops…. Ah, spring colours…..

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Pat Crowder May 7, 2015 - 4:03 pm

So romantic Sharon. You are positively the best.

Pat Crowder

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Julie Bresette May 7, 2015 - 4:30 pm

This post made me tear-up a bit. After an awful morning, a bit of beauty goes a long way. I will definitely try to “do some pretty” today. Thank you.

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Jeanne McKay Hartmann May 7, 2015 - 4:56 pm

Sharon, your photos are just gorgeous. Even if this is my only moment to take some time out for pretty today, it will be enough. Thanks for always inspiring! XOXO

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Kerry May 7, 2015 - 4:58 pm

pretty is always a good idea! Lovely shots…I too like the rain for taking photos.

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Marlene Stephenson May 7, 2015 - 5:58 pm

Wonderfully shot,even in the rain,beautiful flowers. Thanks

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Iris May 7, 2015 - 7:19 pm

Your posts are like a ray of sunshine. The photos are beautiful and encourages me to get outside and enjoy the arrival of spring. The forsythia branches are in full bloom and who knew they were so fragrant. My magnolia also has some beautiful blossoms.

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Agnes Irene May 7, 2015 - 11:53 pm

I think everything looks better, more intense, in the rain – so I absolutely love these photos. I gasped on seeing those irises! I feel like I’ve been celebrating spring more since I’ve started following your posts. I love the way you celebrate “pretty” – in flowers and blossoms and the charm of nature. A beautiful photo shoot.

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The Enchanted Home May 10, 2015 - 2:25 pm

One word- perfection!

Happy Mothers Day!

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