Not long after I got my macro lens for my first camera — macro lenses give you the ability to get very close to your subject and to decide exactly how much sharpness you have before it blurs into the distance, which may only be millimeters away — I saw some nice, full, colorful thistles in the park and took a number of photos to play with the light. Here’s one of my favorites.

July 30, 2011. Nikon D90 (DX sensor), 105mm Nikon macro lens (35mm equivalent: 155mm), f/16, 1/60, ISO 800.