When I took this photo, I’d just set aside my old point-and-shoot and moved on to my very first DSLR, very much a beginner model; this was a couple of months in, and I was still learning about exposure. And my primary lens was the beginner-level model that came with the camera. But I started to take pictures like this, and felt like I was starting to get good enough to think this was a hobby I’d be able to explore. I love cardinal flowers, and the soft red blur in the background complements the thistles really nicely. Both the visuals and the nudge it gave me to continue with the hobby are pretty good reasons for me to love this photo.

August 22, 2009. Nikon D90 (DX sensor), Nikon DX 18–105mm lens at 105mm (35mm equivalent: 155mm), f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 400.