We all do it. There are objects, locations and animals we see almost daily that we never consider as a subject for a photograph. For coastal dwellers seagulls are a prime example. They’re everywhere… thought of more as a pest than a creature of beauty or interest. Yet bring a tourist to the coast from the heartland and they’ll be fascinated by these common birds. Similarly, when I walk the pine savanna searching for exotic wild orchids and carnivorous plants I tend to ignore all the logs and stumps that are burnt by fire that is all so important for that environment and, of course, all the multitudes of pine cones littering the forest floor. But if you take the time to look at one they’re an amazing thing… a miniturized world of textures and patterns. So yesterday I actually noticed. I stopped and photographed a pine cone hanging from a low branch on a dead, charred tree. Perhaps it’s just me but I think there is an appeal to the resulting image.