Last week I entered several photographs into the photography competition for the North Texas Fair and Rodeo. I’ve never entered a competition like this before, but I know people who do. In fact, they do it every year, and it sounded like a lot of fun, so thought I would try it.

With this competition, everyone gets a ribbon, so third place is kind of a participation ribbon, which is actually kind of nice. The objective is to encourage amateur photographers, and the 3rd place ribbons do that. As you can tell from my photo, I received several participation ribbons. LOL

I think that surprised some people. I think a few folks expected me to do better, which is a compliment, and I appreciate that, but the fact is I know my photography isn’t for everyone. I was entering a competition for a fair and rodeo in Texas, and none of mine had to do with Texas, rodeo, longhorns, or huge vistas. With one exception, mine are flowers. Even more, they are close-ups of flowers. Not your typical Texas fair and rodeo stuff, and like it or not, judges are partial to certain things. I don’t have a problem with that to be honest. I knew the audience when I walked in, and I did it anyway.

Because the truth is, my goal was not to win an award.

My goal was to be interesting.

I knew my photos were not the norm, which is kind of why I entered them.

I wanted people see flowers like they don’t normally see them.

I wanted them to be fascinated by thistles’ “pokey things” that are actually tubes that become the anthers, pistils, and stamen that then become seeds and sunflowers that open and are pollinated in waves and the amazing contrast of spikes and soft petals in prairie verbena. I wanted them to see things they’ve never seen and be amazed and curious and utterly fascinated.

Like I am.

That may not get a blue ribbon or a rosette, but maybe it gets my photos remembered and the unique wonder of flowers noticed. For me, that is the real win.