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John David Fawcett

@headbaby.com

3.9K followers 3.6K following 510 posts

Graphic designer and passionate photographer based in Northeast Ohio. Life is a unique journey — make it count. I enjoy capturing the intriguing and the unseen. Explore my work: treetoes.com

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John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 18h

Born to propagate,
they do not taste the nectar —
only time’s hunger.

Two crane flies mate on a leaf, their slender bodies arched in symmetry. Translucent wings and threadlike legs highlight the fragility and quiet beauty of this intimate moment in nature.

#macro #photography

Two crane flies are captured in the midst of mating atop a cluster of vibrant green leaves. Their elongated, slender bodies are joined at the abdomen, forming a symmetrical arc that emphasizes the delicate nature of their reproductive behavior. Each fly displays translucent wings with fine venation, held slightly apart from the body, catching ambient light in subtle reflections. Their legs are long and threadlike, splayed outward in various directions, some resting lightly on the leaf surface while others hover midair. The leaf texture is smooth and slightly glossy, with visible veins and gentle curvature that cradles the insects. The background is softly blurred, drawing attention to the intricate details of the crane flies’ anatomy and the intimacy of the moment. The image evokes a quiet reverence for natural cycles and the fragility of insect life, offering both biological insight and aesthetic resonance.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 1d

Insects know patience,
a lesson the world forgets,
even storms pass by.

A Parent Bug stands alert on delicate white wildflowers, its mottled body and fine textures captured in vivid detail against a dark background that highlights the quiet beauty of this small guardian.

#macro #photography

A detailed macro photograph of a Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) standing on a cluster of small white wildflowers. The insect’s shield-shaped body shows mottled tones of brown, tan, and cream, with a subtle gloss along its textured back. Its reddish-brown eyes and long, jointed antennae add sharp contrast against the soft, pale petals beneath it. The Parent Bug’s spined legs grip the delicate flower heads, which are covered in fine white filaments tipped with hints of purple. The surrounding buds are dusted with tiny hairs, giving the scene a soft, silvery glow. The dark, blurred background isolates the insect and flowers in crisp, luminous focus, creating an intimate look at this protective, attentive species known for guarding its eggs and young.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 2d

For today’s #macromonday a pollen-dusted bee clings to a pale bloom, wings glinting like forged glass. The blur behind fades into mystery as this tiny voyager pauses mid-quest, caught in a moment of quiet urgency and luminous detail.

#eastcoastkin #photography #macromonday

A close-up macro photograph shows a single bee resting on the soft petals of a pale flower. The bee’s thorax is densely covered in fine golden hairs with darker bristles that suggest its species. Its abdomen features alternating bands of black and amber that catch the light with subtle iridescence. The wings are slightly raised and translucent, revealing a delicate lattice of veins that shimmer with hints of violet and copper. Each leg is jointed and textured, gripping the petal with tiny claws. The antennae curve forward in a symmetrical arc. The compound eyes dominate the bee’s face, deep black and glossy, reflecting ambient light like polished stone. Pollen grains cling to the bee’s limbs and body, suggesting recent foraging activity. The flower’s petals are smooth and faintly veined, their pale tone offering contrast to the bee’s vivid anatomy. The background is softly blurred with hints of green and beige, isolating the subject in a shallow depth of field. The image evokes intimacy and stillness, blending biological precision with emotional quiet. It captures a moment of pollination suspended in time where texture, light, and purpose converge.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 3d

Sharing for #imageandverse Sunday. A yellow balloon glows against a deepening blue sky, its ribbons trailing below. The image captures the quiet beauty of release and the fragile freedom of drifting alone.

#photography #eastcoastkin

A bright yellow balloon floats against a vast, cloudless sky that deepens from pale blue at the bottom to rich cobalt at the top. The balloon glows slightly, haloed by sunlight, creating a surreal sense of both weightlessness and intensity. Thin blue and white ribbons dangle beneath it, twisting and curling as if caught in a faint breeze. The minimalist composition leaves the balloon isolated in the open sky, evoking a feeling of release, longing, or transcendence. The image balances simplicity with emotional gravity, suggesting freedom, solitude, and the fragile beauty of letting go.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 4d

For today’s #BlueskyArtShow theme of #relax - A slender stem rises through warm light as drifting specks shimmer like fireflies. Glow emerges in motion and breath, a quiet pulse of life held between fading sun and the hush of evening.

#eastcoastkin #photography

A slender plant stem rises through the frame, its delicate buds spaced like quiet pauses in a whispered sentence. The background glows with a cascade of warm colors, blending deep red, soft orange, and golden light that suggests late afternoon sun filtering through foliage. Tiny airborne particles drift across the scene, catching the light and creating a sense of motion and suspended time. The foreground is sharply rendered while the background dissolves into a soft blur, blooming with halation and gentle flare. The image evokes glow not as intensity but as presence, a moment of quiet radiance held between stillness and change.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 4d

It certainly it an odd looking creature.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 4d

I’m glad you like it!

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 4d

Yep. That place certainly has a distinctive visual identity.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 4d

You got it! Such a fun place when the fog comes in.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 5d

Sharing for Friday #scape Day. Granite ledges glow pink beneath mist and cloud, overlooking dark pines and drifting fog. A still, timeless quiet settles where stone, forest, and air seem to breathe as one.

#photography #landscape #eastcoastkin

A panoramic view from a rocky summit in Acadia National Park, where smooth, weathered granite glows faintly pink under an overcast sky. The stone is cracked and rounded, patterned with lichen and framed by tufts of low shrubs tinged with autumn’s bronze and green. Evergreen trees rise beyond the rock’s edge, their dark needles contrasting against rolling mist that drifts low through the distant valley. A long band of fog slides over the forested hills, hiding the horizon and softening the world into layers of gray and green. The air feels still, damp, and contemplative, as though the mountain itself is breathing through the clouds. The scene holds a quiet gravity, the timeless patience of stone meeting the transience of passing mist.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 6d

Black fur, rusted flame,
it surrenders to becoming,
change will not be tamed.

A woolly bear caterpillar clings to a green stem, its black and rust hairs glowing against the dark. Caught mid-bite, it feels like a secret moment of quiet strength in the shadows of the garden.

#macro #photography

A close-up photograph of a woolly bear caterpillar gripping a green plant stem, half-hidden among slender leaves. Its body is divided into two vivid sections: a deep rust-orange middle and a glossy black head and tail, each covered in dense, bristly hairs that catch the light like fine wire. The caterpillar’s small, pale mandibles press against a leaf edge as if caught mid-bite. The background fades into rich shadow, isolating the creature and emphasizing the texture of its fur and the smooth curve of the leaves. The scene feels intimate and still, a secret moment of quiet persistence in the undergrowth.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 7d

Eyes made of starlight.
wings painted with secret codes,
truth cannot be caged.

A picture-winged fly rests on a green leaf, its patterned wings spread like living art. The fine details of its eyes, legs, and shimmering body reveal the quiet beauty of nature.

#macro #photography

A Delphinia picta, or picture-winged fly, stands alert on a broad green leaf. Its transparent wings display striking dark patterns that resemble inked calligraphy. The fly’s reddish-brown body gleams with metallic hues, and its large, rose-tinted compound eyes dominate its small head. Slender yellow legs brace lightly against the textured leaf surface, whose fine veins and subtle shadows create a soft, natural stage. The shallow depth of field isolates the insect in crisp focus, making its ornate wings and poised stance appear almost theatrical against the smooth green blur of the background.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 8d

Wings like shattered glass
catch the breath of unseen things
fragile, yet unbowed

A northern paper wasp rests on a veined green leaf, its translucent wings and banded body captured in a quiet moment of balance and precision.

#macro #photography

A northern paper wasp rests on a richly textured green leaf, captured in crisp macro detail. The wasp’s elongated body displays alternating bands of black and muted yellow, with subtle reddish tones near the thorax that hint at regional variation. Its narrow waist and tapered abdomen emphasize the insect’s aerodynamic form. The wings are translucent and finely veined, held slightly apart from the body in a relaxed posture that suggests momentary stillness. The antennae curve gently forward, segmented and alert, framing a head dominated by large, dark compound eyes that glisten with ambient light. The leaf beneath the wasp is vivid and veined, with a waxy surface that catches soft highlights and reveals minute imperfections. Tiny ridges and specks of dust add tactile realism. The background fades into a gentle blur, isolating the subject and evoking a quiet, observational mood. The composition invites close study of the wasp’s anatomy while also conveying a sense of natural poise and architectural elegance.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 9d

For today’s #macromonday a Long Necked Seed Bug rests on soft green seed pods, its patterned wings and slender form sharply defined against the blurred background, revealing the quiet precision of nature’s design.

#eastcoastkin #photography

A close-up macro photograph of a Long Necked Seed Bug resting on a cluster of pale green seed pods covered with soft, fuzzy hairs. The insect’s elongated body is rich brown with delicate golden vein-like patterns on its folded wings. Its narrow head extends into a long, slender neck that leads to jointed antennae, which curve gracefully forward. The bug’s legs are thin, angular, and tawny, poised delicately on the uneven surface of the seed pods. The background is softly blurred in earthy greens and browns, enhancing the sharp textures and fine details of the insect’s exoskeleton and the plant’s velvety surface. The image captures a moment of stillness and balance, showcasing the intricate elegance of a small creature often overlooked.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 10d

Sharing for #imageandverse Sunday. A yellow dahlia glows with rain, each droplet sparkling on layered petals that shift from gold to red, surrounded by dark green leaves in soft post-storm light.

#photography #eastcoastkin

A close-up photograph of a radiant yellow dahlia flower still wet from recent rain. Every petal gleams with droplets that cling like tiny glass beads, catching soft daylight and magnifying the petal’s texture. The outer petals are a vivid golden yellow, while the center deepens into shades of orange and crimson, creating a fiery gradient that feels almost alive. The intricate layers of petals spiral inward toward a tight, reddish core, giving a sense of both symmetry and motion. Moist green leaves fill the background, their darker tones contrasting the luminous flower and emphasizing its bold presence. The atmosphere feels fresh and intimate, as though the viewer has stumbled upon a moment of quiet renewal after a storm. The image conveys warmth, resilience, and natural beauty rising through moisture and light.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 11d

For today’s #BlueskyArtShow theme of #relax - A child lounges in a wooden chair beside a pitched tent, lost in a quiet moment of backyard bliss. Nature hums softly around them — pure, unhurried relaxation from a simpler time.

#eastcoastkin #photography

A black-and-white photograph captures a tranquil outdoor moment from the mid-20th century. Centered in the frame, a young child sits quietly in a sturdy wooden chair on a grassy lawn, legs relaxed and hands resting gently. The child wears a plaid button-up shirt, shorts, long socks, and classic lace-up shoes — clothing that hints at a bygone era of simple comforts and timeless play. To the left, a small canvas tent is pitched with care, its rope taut and staked into the earth, suggesting a day of gentle adventure or imaginative retreat. The tent’s presence adds a sense of quiet possibility, as if the child might crawl inside later to nap, read, or dream. Behind them, dense foliage and tall trees form a soft, leafy backdrop, enclosing the scene in natural calm. The light is diffuse, with no harsh shadows — just the soft glow of a peaceful afternoon. The overall composition radiates stillness and ease, evoking the kind of slow, unhurried day where time stretches gently and the world feels safe, grounded, and full of quiet wonder.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 12d

Sharing for Friday #scape Day. Sunlight bursts through clouds over a meadow of wildflowers, casting golden beams and lens flares across tall grasses, yellow blossoms, and distant silhouetted trees at sunset.

#photography #landscape #eastcoastkin

A golden sunset glows across a wide meadow filled with tall grasses and wildflowers. The sun sits just above the horizon, partly veiled by dark clouds tinged with orange and red. Long beams of light stream outward, casting radiant streaks across the sky and down into the field, where they create glowing patterns among the flowers and plants. Yellow petals of black-eyed Susans and clusters of small white blossoms are visible in the foreground, illuminated by the fading light. The meadow stretches into the distance, where a line of silhouetted trees marks the horizon. Lens flares from the camera add bright, circular highlights to the lower part of the image, emphasizing the intensity of the sunlight. The scene captures a moment of serene beauty, where the drama of the sky and the tranquility of the flowering field meet.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 13d

Truth is not a blade
but a bloom that will not close
when the frost arrives

A Macaria pustularia moth clings to milkweed blossoms, its pale wings and scalloped edges blending into the soft textures of the bloom. A fleeting, quiet moment of native beauty and ecological grace.

#macro #photography

A close-up photograph features a Macaria pustularia moth, also known as the lesser maple spanworm, perched on a cluster of blooming milkweed flowers. The moth’s wings are delicate and pale, with a soft white base color marked by subtle brownish lines and scalloped edges that help it blend into its surroundings. Its furry body is compact and slightly raised, and its long, feathery antennae curve forward, suggesting a moment of rest or feeding. The moth’s posture is relaxed, with wings held flat against the flower cluster. The milkweed blossoms beneath it are in various stages of bloom — some fully open with star-shaped petals in muted pink and cream tones, others still curled and developing. The flowers are densely packed, forming a rounded structure that supports the moth’s weight. The background is dark and softly blurred, creating a dramatic contrast that highlights the fine textures of the moth’s wings and the velvety surface of the petals. The lighting is gentle and directional, emphasizing the intricate morphology of the insect and the botanical structure of the milkweed. This image captures a quiet ecological moment, showcasing the subtle beauty of a native moth species interacting with a pollinator-friendly plant.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 14d

Golden fire crawls fast,
no time left for hesitation,
rise or all is lost.

A yellow woolly bear moth caterpillar clings to a stem, its golden hairs glowing like a halo against a black background, every bristle sharply lit to reveal fragile beauty in striking detail.

#macro #photography

A close-up photograph of a yellow woolly bear moth caterpillar resting on a slender green stem against a pitch-black background. The caterpillar’s body is covered in dense, soft-looking golden yellow hairs, with longer, fine bristles jutting outward in every direction, catching the light and giving it a halo-like appearance. Its small, rounded head is tan and slightly glossy, positioned downward as if clinging to the stem. A faint detail of a dried leaf or plant piece hangs beneath its body, adding a touch of texture to the composition. The darkness of the backdrop isolates the subject completely, making the illuminated hairs stand out dramatically, emphasizing both the delicate and bristly qualities of the caterpillar.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 15d

Every sting a word,
piercing lies with clarity,
truth cannot be killed.

A bald-faced hornet clings beneath a leaf, its black body marked with bold white crescents and a pale mask. Sharp detail reveals its fierce beauty against the stark black background.

#macro #photography

Close-up macro photograph of a bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) clinging upside down to the underside of a green leaf against a dark background. The insect’s body is captured in sharp detail, showing the glossy black exoskeleton with bold white markings that cover its head, thorax, and abdomen. Fine hairs ring the thorax, catching the light, while the pale facial mask gives the hornet its distinctive “bald-faced” name. Its curved antennae extend outward, one reddish-brown and segmented, the other darker and smoother. The jointed legs grip tightly to the fuzzy underside of the leaf, their tips highlighted by a reddish tint. The abdomen displays striking pale crescent-shaped patterns that contrast dramatically with the black surface. Folded wings, translucent and delicate, lie pressed against the body. The leaf edge above shows a fringe of tiny hairs catching the light, while the background remains deep black, isolating the hornet and emphasizing its sharp lines, vivid markings, and imposing presence.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 16d

For today’s #macromonday a Cross Spider displays its distinctive white cross markings on a mottled brown abdomen while suspended in its intricate orb web against a brilliant blue sky, showing banded legs and delicate silk strands.

#eastcoastkin #photography #macromonday

This is a detailed close-up photograph of a Cross Spider (Araneus diadematus), also known as a European Garden Spider, captured in its web against a clear blue sky background. The spider is positioned centrally in the frame, displaying its characteristic body orientation with legs extended outward.
The spider’s most striking feature is its bulbous abdomen, which exhibits the species’ distinctive cross-shaped pattern of white or cream-colored markings against a rich brown and orange mottled background. The cross pattern consists of a series of white spots arranged in a symmetrical formation - a larger central spot with smaller spots radiating outward to form the cross shape that gives this spider its common name. The abdomen’s surface shows intricate patterns of brown, rust-red, and orange coloration with subtle variations in tone and texture.
The spider’s cephalothorax (front body segment) appears darker and more compact, with visible chelicerae (mouthparts) and the characteristic arrangement of eyes, though individual eyes are not clearly distinguishable in this view. Eight legs extend from the cephalothorax, each displaying alternating bands of brown, orange, and lighter coloration. The legs show fine hairs or setae along their length, and each terminates in what would be tiny claws adapted for gripping web silk.
The spider is suspended in its orb web, which is clearly visible as an intricate network of radial and spiral silk strands surrounding the arachnid. The web’s geometry shows the classic orb-weaver pattern with anchor lines radiating outward and capture spirals creating concentric circles. Some sections of the web appear more densely woven, while others show individual strands catching and reflecting light against the blue background.
The photography captures fine details of the spider’s anatomy and the delicate structure of its web, with the bright blue sky providing excellent contrast that makes both the spider and web strands clearly visible.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 17d

Sharing for #imageandverse Sunday. Barbed wire cuts the sky, a chain-link barrier rising from shadows. Fear and hatred forge cages, yet the stark image calls us to resist walls that never should exist.

#photography #eastcoastkin

The photograph is a stark black and white image of a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, reaching diagonally across the frame under a turbulent, cloud-filled sky. The perspective tilts upward, making the fence and razor-like barbed wire loom menacingly, as if biting into the horizon. The wire twists and knots form jagged silhouettes against the pale backdrop of the sky, evoking a sense of imprisonment and hostility. The weathered steel pole that supports the fence leans slightly, suggesting both endurance and strain. Overlaying the image in bold, white typewriter-style font is a three-line poem: “Steel teeth bite the sky / Fear builds walls where none belong / Hearts caged by hatred.” The gritty textures, darkened edges, and high contrast between the bleak sky and the black wire create an atmosphere of oppression and resistance, making the visual and written elements merge into a visceral commentary on authoritarianism, fear, and the ways hatred builds barriers both physical and emotional. The photo feels both documentary and symbolic, heavy with foreboding, yet alive with the possibility of defiance.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 18d

For today’s #BlueskyArtShow theme of #TheRoad - A snowy road at dusk glows with blurred headlights and streetlamps. A lone truck drives ahead, leaving dark tracks in slush as parked cars and bare trees fade into the cold quiet of winter night.

#eastcoastkin #photography

A dimly lit winter road stretches ahead, its asphalt coated with slush and thin layers of snow. Tire tracks carve dark, uneven paths down the center, guiding the eye toward the distant glow of headlights and taillights that blur softly through the haze of falling snow. A pickup truck drives steadily in the lane ahead, its red taillights glowing like embers against the cold, muted palette. Parked cars on the roadside sit under a light dusting of snow, their outlines softened, almost blending into the stillness of the darkened houses and bare-limbed trees. Power lines crisscross the sky, cutting through the blue-black evening, while streetlamps cast small circles of yellow light, dim and diffused by the storm. The scene feels both ordinary and cinematic, a snapshot of quiet endurance on the winter road, forward motion through cold, through dusk, through uncertainty.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 19d

Sharing for Friday #scape Day. A wetland sunset glows with pink and violet skies, silhouetted trees mirrored in still water, lilypads floating in shadow. A scene of reflection balanced between peace and tension.

#photography #landscape #eastcoastkin

A dramatic landscape photograph of a wetland at sunset, where vivid colors and stark silhouettes create a hauntingly beautiful scene. In the foreground, still water reflects the tangled outlines of leafless and partially leafed trees, their dark, spindly branches etched sharply against the sky. Lilypad clusters float quietly on the water’s surface, adding texture to the mirrored expanse. Along the edges of the pond, dense thickets of shrubs and trees form a deep, shadowed mass that fades into the distance. Rising above, the sky burns with surreal hues—bands of magenta, pink, violet, and soft orange streak across the horizon, painting the scene with a dreamlike glow. The central tree, tall and skeletal, splits into jagged arms, anchoring the composition and echoing its form in the water below. The atmosphere suggests stillness and intensity at once, a liminal moment between day and night where reflection, both literal and metaphorical, feels inevitable. The photograph balances serenity with unease, as if the landscape holds both peace and secret tension in its glowing silence.

John David Fawcett @headbaby.com · 20d

The bug clings in stance,
defiant against the storm,
small yet unbroken.

A black stink bug nymph clings to green buds, its spiny body speckled with orange against a vivid pink blur. The close-up reveals delicate textures and contrasts of armor and bloom.

#macro #photography

A close-up macro photograph of a dark, spiny insect perched on a plant structure, sharply detailed against a blurred pink background. The insect, likely a nymph stage of a stink bug, has a shield-shaped body covered in textured, armor-like patterns. Its exoskeleton is primarily black with small orange speckles and faint white markings, and its legs are long, jointed, and banded with alternating black and pale sections. The antennae extend outward, segmented and slender, tipped with lighter bands. The plant it clings to has smooth, green, bulbous buds with pointed tips, their surfaces slightly glossy, contrasting with the vivid, soft-focus magenta hues behind them. The image highlights both the intricate detail of the insect’s form, with spikes, ridges, and symmetry, and the vibrant, almost surreal color palette of its environment. The composition captures a moment of stillness where the strange, armored insect appears almost sculptural against the dreamlike floral backdrop.