Landscape photographers might be presumed to have more than a rudimentary knowledge of nature.  Alas, that is not true in my case.  Such knowledge as I might have tends to be acquired after I have already taken the picture and want to learn more about my subject matter.  A case in point is the image above, taken at sunset along a country lane in the little New England town where I live.  The photograph, entitled "Reeds," is on display in the 103rd annual exhibition of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts at the Mystic Arts Center in Mystic, CT (June 13, 2014 - July 26, 2014).  When I took the picture to a local frame shop to prepare it for the exhibit, the proprietor recognized the subject immediately.  "That's Phragmites," she informed me.  "It's an invasive plant."  I later looked it up.  Sure enough, Phragmites australis is an invasive species of wetlands grass found in many parts of North America.  In other words, it's not a reed so much as a weed.  And yet, when photographed in a certain light, with the setting sun shining through translucent tassels, it can be beautiful.