“The bright beeches that I encounter along the way serve as reminders of bright warm autumns and offer the promise of better days.” – Ed Lehming

I have chosen to re-interpret yet another of the images I made this past week. In this scene, the trail is bordered on both sides by bright orange-leaved beech trees, bathed in morning sunlight.

The beeches have always fascinated me in how they retain their leaves for much of the winter. There is an unexplainable variation in just how vibrant the leaves can be; some are paper-thin and wispy, while others are neep copper tones and quite thick. Nonetheless, they are always a welcome splash of colour in the winter woods, more so when the low morning sunlight lights them up to the point they seem to glow.

They are tenacious reminders of the lush growth that existed here only a few months ago and offer me the promise that that growth will return once more. This particular grove, at the base of a fairly steep incline, has retained most of the leaves and the foliage continues deep into the surrounding pines. The darker rusty bark of the pine trees also contrasts nicely with the brighter orange beech leaves.

As I edit these images, I’m always surprised by the subtle and unexpected colour tones of the shadows in the snow. In this case, as in my prior post, I pushed the already present soft purples a bit because they work well for the overall serene mood I’m after. I hope I achieved that, it seems to work for me.

iPhone 12 Pro @ 14 mm
1/170 sec, f/2.4, ISO 25