“You might as well ask an artist to explain his art, or ask a poet to explain his poem. It defeats the purpose. The meaning is only clear thorough the search.”
― Rick Riordan
And this search goes on., as I embark on another series of photographic abstracts. Yet, despite the quote, I believe I am able to explain my art. I take great satisfaction in these ‘light paintings’.
I find that by adding the slight movement it disturbs the viewer just enough that they begin to pay attention to details that are often missed. As I study my own photos of the same scene, one, a still photo and the other, a slight pan, colours that are lost or subdued on the static photo seem more vibrant, more alive. I find the movement adds a dynamic that is not there in a still image.
Perhaps it’s just how I see things and this is a way for me to ‘realize’ them. It’s also a way for me to create art, using light and movement rather than a brush. It is very satisfying because I am creating something new, something that was not there before. It the creation that drives me, that combined with the fact that the images seem to resonate with the viewer.
It’s been interesting for me, since I started creating these images, that not once, has anybody said to me, “That’s just a blurry picture”. Most viewers are intrigued with the images, and I find them drawn deeper into the scene than with crisp, clean shots, which seem to briefly satisfy.
As yet, this new series remains unnamed, but that will come to me shortly. In the meantime, enjoy.
This particular image is named “Three?” because there are three dominant trees, but there is more to it, isn’t there? There are more than just the three trees, there are others in the periphery that count too, do they not?
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD@75mm
1/4 sec, f/10.0, ISO 400
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“To those devoid of imagination a blank place on the map is a useless waste; to others, the most valuable part.”
― Aldo Leopold
This part of the world looks like nothingness on a map. While there is a town close by, it really is a wilderness area. A land of steep, nearly unnavigable hillsides, dense forest, and swampy wetlands. To me, it’s paradise, a place to unwind and just enjoy an unblemished space in this world.
It’s also a place to look around and let the imagination run. I see beauty everywhere, in the curve of the path, the marvelous variety and diversity of life, and endless patterns.
In this image I saw lines. I saw the way the trees, maple, yellow birch, and hemlock lined up. I also noticed the one darker, narrow tree that runs vertically up the photo. It is literally, a line upwards, yet I could not get the composition and lighting right without including it, so here it is, as I saw it.
This ‘place’, is one of an endless series of ‘places’, each slightly different, which make up the Boreal forest in this area. I see the entire forest before me, but my eye breaks it up into components. Each part, though an element of the whole, is a so unique. I could go back to this expanse of forest and go back to this exact spot with little effort. Even now, as I write, I can place myself along the trail, to this exact spot and the moment in which the photo was made. Except now, my fingers are warmer than on that chilly November day, enjoying the “Boreal Trails”.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD@75mm
1/4 sec, f/10.0, ISO 400
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“Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed … We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in.”
― Wallace Stegner
Here’s a familiar sight along the “Boreal Trails”, an interspersing of the dominant species of trees, namely: Birch, Beech, and Balsam. All three are seen in this image with a few maples, oak, and poplar, in the background.
Beech is easy to identify by its bark, which resembles a gray elephant hide. At this time of year, its about the only tree still hanging on to its leaves, which have turned a beautiful coppery orange. Birch, of course is known for it’s white, papery bark, though there are several species in this area: paper birch, which is seen here, and yellow birch, which has more of a silvery, tattered bark. Finally, there is the deep green balsam, an evergreen that grows as a shrub along trails but can grow into quite a large tree, over time.
The balsams tend to enjoy the ample light available along the trails and pathways and form thick clusters between the hardwoods that grow alongside them. They offer cover for larger ground birds, like ruffed grouse, which is quite common here. Often you can hear the grouse ‘cooing’ along the trails but can’t see them in the thick green balsams whose branches nearly touch the ground.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD@112mm
1/4 sec, f/16.0, ISO 400
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“Edge of the Beaver Pond”
“… there’s a silent voice in the wilderness that we hear only when no one else is around. When you go far, far beyond, out across the netherlands of the Known, the din of human static slowly fades away, over and out.”
― Rob Schultheis
I titled this ‘Crossing’ because it illustrates my point in a prior post about the lack of straight paths in the Boreal forest. A large tree has fallen across the path in front of me, ‘crossing’ my path.
It’s the way of trekking cross-country, and changing my way, slightly to get to my next destination. Here, I chose to go right and slightly up hill, to get to my destination, which is a nearly unseen beaver pond just past the crest of the hill. Though, you can see a bit of a reflection between the trees at the centre, just below the shining beech leaves. My destination is straight ahead, but my path is far for straight. A true “Boreal Path”.
You’ll notice another ‘snag’, or pile of dead brush along that path as well. Like I said, there are no straight paths through this forest. I’m also ‘crossing’ the hill to get there and two of the Hemlocks in the foreground are ‘crossing’ over each other, almost weaving together.
This is a place of peace and quiet, of circuitous paths, and a place so different from the human world I have escaped from. There are no clear paths, plans must flex situationally, with only the chatter of the ever-present Red Squirrels to replace the noise and busyness of the world outside this refuge.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD@70mm
1/4 sec, f/7.1, ISO 400
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“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
― Pablo Picasso
I simply can’t turn it off. I see photos everywhere and every day, and I would have it no other way.
As an example, I saw ‘this’ as I stepped out of my car at church this morning. A light snow had melted and leaves from a nearby silver maple, bright yellow, fell and stuck to the wet truck window next to me.
I love the layers here. Leaves, rain drops, reflected trees and sky, all the elements of the day in one shot. The shot pretty much composed itself. it was just waiting for me to notice it.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/120 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
“We need the tonic of wildness…At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”
― Henry David Thoreau
At the crest of a hill, the trail drops sharply in front of me. In this region of wilderness, near Bancroft, Ontario, there are very few flat places. The landscape is dominated by steep, folded hills. The valleys are the realm of spring fed creeks and beaver ponds.
The walking in the high ridges is a bit easier, as the dominant hemlocks are fairly well spaced, yet it only takes one which has fallen to make for a long detour. There are few straight paths between the hills and valleys of the “Boreal Trails” and the only markers along the way are the trees themselves.
When I was younger, I used to have a fear of getting lost in the forest. My father, an avid outdoorsman, never balked at heading into the densest bush. I’m not sure when things changed for me, but I have acquired that same sense of direction that he had. But, I always have a compass with me, no matter how familiar the forest may be, as I have found myself turned around a few times.
In this forest, I tend towards the high ground, following the parallel ridges north and south. Trekking in the valleys, strewn with debris of slash and boulders, and choked with balsams, is tough walking.
Besides, the view from the ridges is much more appealing than the darkness of a tangled spruce bog.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD@70mm
1/4 sec, f/11.0, ISO 400
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“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.”
― George R.R. Martin
Welcome to “Boreal Trails”. I thought I’d start the series off with this image of a clump of birches at the bend in a trail. Figuratively, a turn in the seasons.
You will notice, as this series continues, a few splashes of colour against a duller green background. Gone now are the warm days of Indian Summer its bright colours. The Boreal forest is dominated by hemlock, spruce, cedar, and, pine. Small groves of maple and oak exist as well, but it’s a green cold forest at this time of year, with traces of snow in the air, falling from leaden skies.
As you can see in this image, the birches bring light to the gloom and a few hearty beech trees, add splashes of colour to the muted canvas and will continue to do so for some time, as the final bearers of colour.
It sounds a bit somber, but there is incredible beauty here. A beauty I intend to share over the next several days.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD@75mm
1/4 sec, f/11.0, ISO 400
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“A moment of peace and silence, breathing in and out the frigid air, watching daylight seep into the forest, hearing the first chatter of distant crows, the wind sighing over the snow and through the fir and pine branches and the twittering of chickadees as they flitted in little tribes from tree to tree.”
― Mike Bond
The quote above just about sums it up. On a chilly November morning, I stood at the shores of a small beaver pond, admiring the interesting patterns on the surface of the ice. It was a moment of peace, one of many, during my day of hiking and hunting in the forests of Northeastern Ontario.
This is the same region where my upcoming “Boreal Trails” series of images was made. I wanted to set the tone and show a broader view of the forest before I start sharing the short series of photographic abstracts I made this week.
As you can see, it’s quite dull, but that’s par for the course in November. Despite this, it is very peaceful and I thoroughly enjoy my time on these trails.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/1200 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
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“Beneath the rust and grime which dulls the shine of our weathered hearts, joy patiently waits to be rediscovered”
― John Mark Green
The Grand finale to the “Shift to Shiver” series is the final image made on a hike I took a few weeks ago. The scene felt like a goodby to the golds and yellows that stayed with us so long this year. But, what a goodbye it was. It seems the images got brighter as the season progressed, ending with this fireworks of orange, gold and, yellow. All that remains is browns and rust.
The following weekend, I was tied up at a show and could not get back out to document a marvelous event. Snow had fallen overnight and pulled down most of the remaining leaves. It was quite a scene, the ground covered in snow, with a layer of leaves on top of it. It seemed to be a reversal of the usual pattern.
I’m sad that I missed it but feel so blessed for the extended autumn colours this year. it would have been a challenge to pull this series off had it not been for that. So many wonderful days outdoors and on the trails. Now it’s gray and chilly. We really have shifted to ‘shiver’ in only a matter of days.
Despite the shift, I have a new series underway that was made this past week on a day trip north where I spent time enjoying and documenting North Eastern Ontario’s boreal forest.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/22.0, ISO 100
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“And now, my poor old woman, why are you crying so bitterly? It is autumn. The leaves are falling from the trees like burning tears- the wind howls. Why must you mimic them?”
― Mervyn Peake
As the weather continues dull and cool, I’m finding a few are pockets of light and colour. Here, the mix of beech and bright yellow maple rise on the hillside like flames, flames that have no heat to warm the chilly air, like the “burning tears” of the quote above. Among this carnival of colours, leaves continued to float to the ground, in the rising winds. A rising and falling of leaves, of temperatures, of light. The marvelous variability of autumn, all in one place.
It’s moments like this where I really appreciate the beautiful landscape I am so blessed to be living in and and the ability to bring some of that beauty with me in photos. Words often fail me, yet the images speak for themselves.
As a mentioned in a previous post, the “Shift to Shiver” documented here continues and soon enough, the images will be filled with snow covered branches, but not just yet.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 400
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“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”
― Jim Bishop
I enjoyed the variability of this image. The relatively sharp maple tree in the foreground is contrasted by the almost wispy texture of the interwoven beech shrubs beyond it. It’s the beeches that I was most fascinated with, as they gradually transition to their coppery winter tones. There are still a few hints of green, but that will be short-lived.
This past autumn has afforded images like this, as the change for summer to autumn progressed slowly, allowing me to witness subtle changes that I had not witness before. Despite being able to get on the trails only on weekends, the changes have been so slow that pockets of each stage seemed to linger for weeks.
In this image, there was actually a bit of mid-morning fog that swirled in the underbrush, creating an even more dream-like image, lit from within by the orange glow of the beech beyond. The fog is, of course the result of the cooler morning temperatures as I continue this “Shift to Shiver” series
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/16.0, ISO 100
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“It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.”
― Sarah Addison Allen
As autumn progresses, the brightness fades by degrees. To capture the stunning light of the past weeks is proving more of a challenge over a few cloudy days on the trails. It all fits into the theme of this, my “Shift to Shiver” series.
By now much of the once golden canopy has fallen, the victim of time, wind, and rain, carpeting the forest floor with a rusty blanket. A few hearty maples still hold fast to their yellow leaves, while beeches gradually change from the bright green of a few weeks ago to a coppery orange. Some of the scant undergrowth still manages to show hints of green. These too will be short-lived as the days shorten and the temperatures inevitably drop.
I’ve been truly blessed by an unseasonably mild October and early November, which resulted in an extremely extended colour change. It’s been tough not be on the trails when conditions are like this. The image that I’m sharing today was made at North Walkers Woods, part of the Oak Ridges Trail system. It was to be the start of an unplanned fourteen kilometer hike and resulted in many photos to sort though, as I want to keep this series to about eight representative images.
As I write today, the temperature has dropped to -10 and overnight snow squalls have drastically changed the scenery. So, I’ll be on the trails again on Sunday, making more photos and drinking in what nature has to offer me.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/16.0, ISO 100
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“There is October in every November and there is November in every December! All seasons melted in each other’s life!”
― Mehmet Murat Ildan
As a start to a new series and cooler climes, this image is the first in my new series of images: “Shift to Shiver”, and will document the few weeks between the bright yellows and red of late October and focus on the deep orange and coppers of early November in my area. A time when months bleed into each other, yet the inevitable cycle of the seasons cannot be stopped.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/29.0, ISO 100
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“When our thoughts are unsettled and our inner world is in a muddle, we may sharpen our wits and try to recognize the invisible edges of our fractured stance. If we seek to figure out, what our life story is all about, we may be able to put the missing pieces in place and identify what is driving us, what we are actually up to and why we are running like mad dogs, sometimes.
― Erik Pevernagie
The title for this image came quickly, prompted by the ‘cracked’ look of the image, caused by a weave of bright white branches across the frame. The image is like a summary of the fall colours, from bright yellows, to reds, and splatterings of red.
The reds were the original intention of the photo. I thought they would look nice against the yellows and fiery oranges of the bushes behind. I paid no heed to the branches in the foreground, figuring they would be blurred out. But, that’s the wonder of this style of image creation. The would not be denied and made their presence known as ‘cracks’. They are actually the branches of the highbush cranberry shrub which bears the read berries of my attention. So, the entire top layer is that particular bush and sequential layers fade to eventually end in blue sky.
I must admit that I enjoy the effect and it’s caused me to spend quite a bit of time considering the image and its complexities. despite appearing broken, it’s an image filled with energy and life which will not be discounted.
It also seems a fitting conclusion to my “Golden Paths” series, which I have so enjoyed producing. The image is, for me, a summary of the journey, the blending of colours and emotions, ending in a grande finale of light and colour.
The “Golden Paths” series, while a joy to produce, also posed challenges of ‘culling’ many images that would have fit, but offered a weaker narrative than I wanted. It has been a significant step on my journey as an artist, trying to express often deeply emotional subjects effectively. I thank you all for joining me on this leg of the journey. More to come.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/36.0, ISO 100
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“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
― Terry Pratchett
Exiting the forest proper, I’m on the edge of a thin poplar stand, the path turns to one side and I’m faced with this tangle of bright sapling and fiery glow from the beeches and maples behind them.
The turning, is part of a cycle, which repeats over and over, yet each time I pass though, I see more and appreciate it even more. In this case, it’s not a turning back, it’s a re-turn, looking forward, with a slightly different set of eyes and experiences than the first time through.
The image also catches another turning, the change in the forest from yellows to golds and orange. Though subtle now, within the next few days I will be bidding a fond farewell to yellow once more and the coppery-orange of the beech trees begins to dominate. The Golden Path is shifting once more as the journey continues and I take another turn towards its conclusion, but based on the number of images I still have to go through, that may still be a while, and I’m good with that.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
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“Blue offers up a tranquility which belies its true appearance.”
― Anthony T. Hincks
This second post today is outside of my “Golden Paths” series, but part of the same timeframe. Exiting from the bright, golden forest, I found myself sitting on the bank of a pond, simply drinking in the sun’s warmth and enjoying the afternoon light. Next to me was this milkweed seed pod, burst open and dispensing its cargo of seeds into the breeze.
I made a few shots from different angles, which is often my practice when photographing singular subjects, since different angles also offer different and sometimes unexpected and beautiful light. In this case. the image with the water of the pond as a backdrop offered the best composition, the blue being so dark and rich, brightened by the expanding weave of the bright white seed filaments or “floss” as it is often named. The seed pod really shines, out of the blue, highlighted in brights golds reflected from the inner walls of the pod.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100
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Because forgiveness is like this: a room can be dank because you have closed the windows, you’ve closed the curtains. But the sun is shining outside, and the air is fresh outside. In order to get that fresh air, you have to get up and open the window and draw the curtains apart. – Desmond Tutu
After hiking through a fairly dark and dull patch of forest, I was greeted with this ‘gateway’ of light, a respite, from the dark. Though dark shadows still lurk at the periphery, they merely ‘lurk’. They are inconsequential, yet necessary, as they frame and actually ‘enhance’ the golden light streaming from ahead and above.
This is yet another one of those places I’ve passed through many times. Yes, the forest is always a bit dark and foreboding here, though I know I will emerge soon. Yet today, the light was incredible, tinted yellow by the thick poplars which line the edge of the forest, the slightest slivers of blue sky adding their voice as well. Small patches of cool, bright light, shimmer from the path just in front of me, but they pale in comparison with the warm, golden light ahead.
I’ve spent some time considering this photo and the many analogies which can be drawn from it and will be spending more time with it, though the journey along this “Golden Path” must also continue forward. I will revel in this brief respite from the darkness and move forward to see what the light has to offer me next.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
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“The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.”
― Jack Kornfield
A simple title for a wondrous scene. One of innumerable scenes like it, along the way. Yes, it’s just a few simple trees, but the light reflecting from the leaves was stunning. The slight breeze wove between the branches and the whole scene was alive. There so many time when mere words simply cannot express the feeling of simply, being. Being in the forest, being on the trails, being engulfed in beauty, and simply being. Bing in these places of light, along the way.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
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“Standing alone, my senses reel
Fatal attraction that’s holding me fast
Now, can’t escape this irresistible grasp
Can’t keep my eyes from the circling sky
Tongue-tied and twisted; just an earth-bound misfit, I”
– Pink Floyd
I really struggled with the title for this image. It’s as overwhelming to me now, when I’m editing and posting the image, as it was the day I made it. The image was made as I entered a very familiar stand of poplars. Once more, an area I have hiked through immeasurable times over the past few years. Yet today, ah today, the colour danced and wove together in a profusion that literally made my senses reel. My deepest hope was that I could capture even some small semblance of this vision. Layers upon layers of fiery colours fill my vision, leaving me breathless as I scan up and down this kaleidoscope of brilliance.
The lyrics to Pink Floyd’s “Learning to Fly” came to my mind as I considered the image, yet the words fall short of conveying this sensory overload. It’s surreal and otherworldly and I find myself somewhat disturbed by it.
In this single image, I see a glint of what I hope to achieve through these abstractions: a very slight disturbance, which forces the viewer to consider there may be more to the image. Something which causes you to dig deeper into what you are seeing and extracting some of the moment, the energy, the reality, and expanding your vision beyond what a still image can hope to achieve. The detail is there, but the movement brings forth so much more. By seeing more, we are all, learning to fly.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
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“By walking on the right path, you create a golden fate for yourself and you also become a silver lining for the others!”
― Mehmet Murat Ildan
I find myself frequently drawn to quotes from Mehmet Ildan as his words so wonderfully pair with my images and my life journey. I am thankful for those, like Mehet, who can so wonderfully express in words, that which I struggle with.
This “Golden Paths” series is all about the journey and appreciating our surroundings, in the moment. There have been mundane moments along this journey, through dark flat forest scenes and monotonous stretches of ‘sameness’, but they have all led me into jaw dropping moments, like the one above, where the sun made the golden foliage light up with an unbelieveable energy. I literally stood transfixed, hoping I would be able to effectively capture this moment, so others could enjoy it with me. The leaves looked gilded, shimmering in the light. They almost looked metallic, they were so bright. It was, magical and awe inspiring.
Hopefully, as the quote states, I’m able to provide a silver lining for you?
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
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“Let your light shine as an inspiration to humanity and BE THE REASON someone believes in the goodness of people.”
― Germany Kent
This combination of colours make my heart soar. It’s all light and movement. Despite the dark shadows behind them the bright poplar trunks are like beacons in comparison. The golden leaves against the cerulean sky is like a royal robe spread across the sky. The whole scene dazzles with light and brightness.
This image was made on part two of my “Golden Paths” journey, a new day and a slight change in colours. I’ve seen these polars hundreds of times, in different seasons. They stand at the north trailhead of the Secord Forest trail system, which I frequent often. Despite their location as trailhead markers, they have never been a subject of my photography. Partially, because hydro lines run in front of them, which distract for their beauty. Yet, this day, the light and camera angle allowed me to photograph them from a slightly different vantage point, eliminating the wires from the composition.
To those embarking on their journey into photography, I say this, “Never discount a subject, as future opportunities may surprise you. As you hone your skills, technique and circumstance will open up opportunities you had never anticipated.” Such was the case with this composition. I shot from a location that did not seem ideal, but the elements aligned for what I believe is a nice representation of this late October scene.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Living with love for all humankind and worshiping nature’s immense beauty cures heartache and restores bliss. Respecting the splendor of nature awakens us to the beauty inscribing our own humanity.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster
Every now and then, a quote just ‘fits’ the photo so well. The ‘aliveness’ experienced at moments like this, standing on a trail and bearing witness to such simple marvels is a spiritual experience. Even looking back on the image, during a busy, stress filled workday, calms me, knowing just how temporary it all is.
To think that this ‘moment’ is merely a single stopping place along the way further enriches me.
I’m really enjoying the creation of this “Golden Paths” series, as I’m deliberately progressing along the trail and through time. Reflecting back on these places is therapeutic for me. Recalling the feelings on being on the trails, in this case, with my wife and oldest daughter, especially as I write at the end of long workdays. The act of reviewing the photos, recalling the moment, and writing about it offers a wonderful respite from the day’s stresses. I hope the effect is contagious.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/20.0, ISO 100
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“But give thanks, at least, that you still have Frost’s poems; and when you feel the need of solitude, retreat to the companionship of moon, water, hills and trees. Retreat, he reminds us, should not be confused with escape. And take these poems along for good luck!”
― Robert Graves
Atop a shallow slop, a tight cluster of trees rises straight and tall, a competition for sunlight and the nourishment it brings. Some less hearty members, namely the birches, lie extinguished on the forest floor, a testament to the nature of nature.
Among the fallen birches, delicate saplings and ferns rise up, surviving on the sparse light that seeps through the tight canopy high above. The forest floor, as noted in earlier posts is sparse, something I believe to be the result of the warm yet wet summer, which provided a thick and lush canopy but deprived the low ground plants of much-needed light. I’m hoping this is just part of a natural cycle which I have not witnessed till now.
As in previous posts, the bright gold of the maple trees dominates the background, broken up by patches of green. Yet, the green fades day by day, hour by hour, and all will soon be yellow and gold.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/10.0, ISO 100
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“That quotation about not having time to stand and stare has never applied to me. I seem to have spent a good part of my life – probably too much – in just standing and staring and I was at it again this morning.”
― James Herriot
I thoroughly enjoyed just standing and staring at this scene. I liked the transition or ‘shift’ from deep green ferns at my feet to the bright golds at the top of the hill. There’s also a shift from shadows to light and a delicate glow produced in the foreground from the bright light behind.
As the “Golden Paths” series continues, you will notice a shift from green to yellow, to orange. Some of this is due to the gradual change in the leaf colours and some due to the composition of the forest itself, as I hike from the immature maple saplings, through larger beech, and into rolling hills, dominated by mature oak and maple. That transition, within a relatively small area fascinates me. I pass through tight clusters of slender saplings and into hills lined with large, mature hardwoods.
It’s this forest diversity that is so appealing to me. I find myself going to these areas rather than those dominated by a particular species. It’s colourful, but monotonous, if that makes sense at all? I like the variety offered to me by specific trails. After all, if I’m going to stand in on place and stare, I want a good reason to do so.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/10.0, ISO 100
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“All that glisters is not gold—
Often have you heard that told.”
– William Shakespeare
Indeed, all that glitters is not gold, but often beautiful, nonetheless. These young poplars along the edge of a meadow actually glimmered as the gentle breeze shifted through the golden leaves, making them shimmer in the sunlight.
This image is still a part of my “Golden Paths” series. It’s the only one that was made, thus far, outside of the forest, though still a stop on the path, as it emerged from the forest. The bright wood of the tall tree trunks are what drew my attention at first, but it was the movement and brightness of the leaves that caused me to make the image, hoping to capture this moment effectively.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/18.0, ISO 100
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“The best part of the journey is the surprise and wonder along the way.”
― Ken Poirot
The quote I chose for this image is quite simple, yet has such depth to me. As I hike and make images, I am constantly surprised at what lies before me. My path is seldom straight, and I can’t always see what’s ahead, though I journey in anticipation. Every bend yields something new and often unexpected. The light plays in different ways, making familiar scenes change before our eyes. The forest, is always shifting, changing, adapting.
At some point, someone created this path. It may have started as a game trail or been deliberately carved through the forest. It often makes sense, winding around objects or following the contours of the land. Straight paths speed the journey, but often take us far from the many beautiful places the forest has to offer. Personally, I prefer the winding path. A path where I can take my time and enjoy as much of my surroundings as possible.
As this path winds its way through the forest, the canopy takes on more or the golden hues that inspired this series of images, the “Golden Paths” series. Some of the paths in this series are straight, some curved, and some, barely discernible, but all are the ways I have travelled and each holds its own experience for me. Something I’m trying to communicate with this series.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/10.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Art doesn’t give rise to anything in us that isn’t already there. It simply stirs our curious consciousness and sparks a fire that illuminates who we have always wanted to be.”
― Kamand Kojouri
Deeper into the woods the path winds, the canopy ablaze with brightness and surreal colour. Ahead, a wall of shimmering orange and yellow, like ethereal flames, dances in the breeze, amidst dark tree trunks, filling my eyes with the magic of autumn light.
It’s this light that inspired the “Golden Paths” series and my desire to capture some of this wonderful experience in words and images. Words fall short, but the images approximate feelings. Every turn of the path fills my soul with delight. After a dull, rainy summer, the extended and mild autumn more than makes up for it. I expect every day on the trails to be a final opportunity, but it keeps giving, though I’m restricted to weekend walks. I find the leaves turning gradually, a transition from summer greens to autumn yellow and orange. Red makes an appearance in subtle ways, never quite overpowering. A handful of leaves are scattered on the ground, the rest, still hanging on, despite rain and wind. It’s difficult to believe that November is only a week away.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/11.0, ISO 100
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“… as we travel again between life and death,
Waking and dream, blinking, while layers within layers,
None better, none worse, unravel and knit up before us . . .”
― Jay Woodman
The next image in the “Golden Paths” series, takes us a few more steps into the forest. Among the remaining greens, bright splashes of yellow, orange, and red burst among the branches. Surprisingly, for this time of year, the greens remain deep and rich, gradually fading to pale lime tones. It really looked like someone had taken a brahs and spayed colours through the air in wispy layers.
The hillside adjacent to the path is littered with a few leaves which have already fallen on the deep brown forest floor. I may have mentioned earlier, that the forest floor this years had very sparse ground cover. I believe this effect may have been caused by the unusually rainy year, which thickened the canopy above, blocking precious light from reaching the ground.
The path, bends gently, ever deeper into the forest, a progression into another season.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/10.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Ed Lehming Photography 
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