Diente de leon

Yep, if today's photo was in colour, it would definitely be no different to your ordinary cliche macro photo of a dandelion.

This is possibly one of the most commonly overlooked plants in the world, and there is such a rich history and background behind it. First of all, this is the only flower/plant that represents all 3 celestial bodies. The yellow flower represents the sun, puff ball represents the moon, and the dispersing seeds represent the stars. If you pay enough attention to detail, you'll notice dandelion (flowers) are one of the most physically active plants. In the morning, the flowers bloom eagerly waiting for the attention of the sun, and at nights they close up, almost as if to keep warm.

Imagine yourself as one of those seeds, frail and vulnerable, not knowing when that next breeze will carry you miles away from home. Your only sense of security is knowing that your physical structure will act like a parachute and break your fall. The concept that one day, you could become like the flower from whence you came makes the risk all worth it. Everyday millions of people pass you by, not noticing the delicate balance that you're living in, unappreciative even. Once in a while, one person will come up close and admire you, maybe even take a photo.

Now put yourself in the photographer's shoes. Now that you've learnt to appreciate such fragility, how do you begin to do it justice with a single photo? The answer is you can't, but we do what we can.

NB: This photo was taken with my trusty Panasonic Lumix LX-3, macro function, 1/400, f/2, ISO 400.