Woody's World: Asticou Azalea Garden in Acadia NP

Sometimes someone wants to show you something and as you are approaching it, you are underwhelmed. OK, you tell yourself, I'll be polite and make the best of it. And sometimes, just some times, it turns out to be time well-spent.

That's what happened to me at the Asticou Azalea Garden in Acadia National Park in Maine.

Annette was taking a photography workshop up there and the instructors invited me along on the garden photo shoot.

When we were pulling in to the parking lot there was only a little, 2' by 2' sign that indicated that anything was there. If it weren't for the instructors, Annette and I would have never stopped in here.

The parking lot could hold less than a dozen cars.

Even the sign at the foot entrance to the garden was understated.

So I listen to the instructor.

"Look for the fiddle head ferns."
"Try to shoot from the shadow side of the flowers. It will make them glow like they were lit with a light from within."
"If a large overall scene doe not work for you, look for the details."
"Simplify and isolate."

OK. I'll give it try.

I was very pleasantly surprised! So surprised that after the workshop, Annette and I came back to the garden to get more images!