A SEASIDE SPRING CLOSE-UP

Emilia Gillette

St Andrews has wholeheartedly welcomed spring, with lengthening days and a sun slowly regaining its warmth. As an exchange student it has been a privilege to not only attend this university and make life-long friends, but to photograph a landscape full of plant and animal species I had never seen before. A passing glance on a spring day reveals vibrant colours blooming across the town, particularly near the sea shore where yellow flowers contrast against the blue of the sea and the green of the cliffs. A 20-minute walk into town is ever more fulfilling with the cherry blossoms, rose bushes, and other flora in full bloom.

I love how photography reveals a perspective to nature not readily visible at a passing  glance. One might see a flower on a walk and not realize the amount of detail hidden by distance. Close-up photos reveal the beauty captured in the detail and stillness of a moment. They show afternoon light illuminating petals, veins running along a leaf, and small anthers on a blooming flower. With exams, finals, and dissertation deadlines approaching, the beauty found in the simplicity of a flower, a wave crashing against the shore, or a seabird flying overhead are grounding.

So, for your next study break, take a walk and remember to not only smell the roses, but take a picture and discover a hidden lattice of structure, colour, and previously unseen details. While the presence of spring in St Andrews signifies new beginnings, my time at St Andrews is in fact coming to an end. So to the people I will shortly be leaving behind, know that I will always recall our time together when cherry blossoms and daffodils bloom again.  

This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 5.