“By March, the worst of the winter would be over. The snow would thaw, the rivers begin to run and the world would wake into itself again.
Not that year.
Winter hung in there, like an invalid refusing to die. Day after grey day the ice stayed hard; the world remained unfriendly and cold.”
― Neil Gaiman
February has been an odd one here on Southern Ontario. After the snows of December, we had a gradual melt-freeze-melt cycle which left the ground essentially bare at the start of the month, with the occasional ice patch.
Last week, the snows returned and we have had some significant accumulations and a lot of drifting. One recent storm caught me off guard and had e driving through white-out conditions a few times, something I have not experienced for years and a not so gentle reminder that I do live in Canada.
One of the side benefits of these melt cycles is the beautiful icicles which form on days where the snow just begins to melt and then freezes up again. It’s even nicer when the sun break through and lights them up for me. It’s especially nice to see the sun because this winter we have had record days of cloud cover, which from a photographer’s standpoint is not a bad thing, but I do miss the sun’s warmth and brightness. I am looking forward to continued warming and the inevitable spring.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/9.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Hidden by diaphanous clouds of mist and fog floating gracefully over vales of heather and flowing runnels, she began to dance.”
― Lawren Leo
It would appear that I got carried away with the spay bottle.
Between making images of the lily, I did spend some time with the creamy-white roses that are also part of the bouquet. This particular blossom has been a bit slower to open than its counterparts and just appeals to me a bit more.
It was going to be my Valentine’s Day image, but with so many other flowers to share, this one was relegated to my second choice, and so, is being shared today.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Life isn’t static, and sometimes, we don’t realize the value of knowledge or even of people, until further down the track, when we’re mature enough to truly understand.”
― Nalini Singh
Watching this lily mature has been an interesting process for me. Photographically, because I’m trying to keep the image attributes consistent, without leaving my camera set up, as well as from an observation standpoint, as I watch a natural process unfold day by day, looking for the slight differences between the images.
When I first purchased the bouquet that this lily came from, it was closed tight and I focused on the roses,carnations, and spider dahlias. Then overnight, the lily took my attention, and held it. I watched the first blossom expand, followed a few days later by a slightly smaller flower. The first image was posted a few days ago, if you care to look.
In this image, I’m starting to see the first blossom’s petals curl a bit more and the small bud below the other two flowers is beginning to whiten. I’m hoping to see all three in bloom at the same time.
I did enhance this image a little bit by lightly misting the blossoms, simply for a change. We’ll see what tomorrow brings 🙂
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
This is the continued documentation of a lily I recently purchased as it opens. Hopefully, at some point soon, all three blossoms will be opened.
As you can see on this image versus yesterday’s post, the second blossom is now starting to open and the original flower is still holding up very well.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Nikon D300
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
― Anaïs Nin
I’m revisiting yesterday’s lily, as the second blossom begins to open. I thought it would be an idea to document it over the next few days.
The first blossom is still looking lovely, which was a surprise to me. I had expected it to flatten out more, but it is still keeping its shape nicely. Now, as you can see, a second blossom is opening up and will probably be fully open in the next few hours. The mature blossom with the secondary one in the background felt like a nice composition, as i turned the vase around looking for what I had envisioned. Rarely do I just set up and shoot. I’m quite deliberate about the composition and shooting angle to get what I’m looking for in my image.
One of the nice things about shooting these florals now is I essentially have two settings: the first is a well-lit, well-balanced setting, the second is a low-key version, if I’m looking for mood. It took very little trial and error to arrive at these settings since the studio lighting and my environment is consistent. This is not the case when I’m shooting outdoors. Those images provide a bit more of a challenge for me. More to follow.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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Here is my entry for Del Monte Y Mar’s Tuesdays of Texture Challenge Week 7 of 2017, Valentine’s Edition.
With all the floral photos I’ve been posting lately, this one does not seem that much different, except the carnation has beautiful texture in its ruffled petals. So, I decide to combine Valentine’s and texture in one photo. I hope you enjoy it.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
“In the end there is only light and dark. And the two are not so far apart.”
― Thomas Lloyd Qualls
Yesterday it was the roses putting on their show, today, a single lily decided to open fully. Until that point, I had no idea what colour it might be, other than something pale. This one, as you can see from the photo is white with a pinky-cream tone and even some notes of pale yellow, depending on how the light hits it.
Despite the scar on its stem, this lily is, in my opinion, nearly perfect. Fresh to the world, the blossom is pure and unblemished. I suppose I’ve always had a ‘thing’ for lilies, with their large but delicate petals.
Strangely, growing up with a German family, lilies represented death, which always confounded me. How can such a beautiful flower represent an ending, when to me, it symbolises birth or a beginning?
Well, our lives do travel in circles, and as I write these words, I’m reminded that though this flower bloomed today, it’s also eight years ago that my adopted mother passed away. I’m not one to remember the exact dates for such events but hers stuck with me, since she passed on Friday the thirteenth, eight years ago, and it was not till I looked at a calendar, that the significance of this day registered with me. So, in a way, the German tradition lives on, and today, the lily reminds me of one particular death.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.”
― Linda Poindexter
This is photo of an ice sheet below a local dam. Because of the nature of the churning water and constant movement, the ice sheet becomes a visual record of the changes in water flow and temperature though its jagged surface. I thought it made for a nice piece of natural abstract art.
As I searched for an appropriate quote to compliment the image, none of the quotes seemed to align well with my feelings about this image. You’d think with the multitude of writings on fractures or brokenness, and there are more than I would have considered, very few focussed in breaking and healing as an ongoing and natural process.
In the case of the ice sheet, if the ice did not flex, break, and refreeze it would stop the waterflow and eventually release explosively as pressure built up below it. But the small cracks, which eventually seal up, prevent this from happening.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/11.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
― Clare Boothe Luce
Today, the roses in the bouquet opened up a bit more, including this beauty, which was tightly closed yesterday, now partially open and looking marvelous and nearly flawless.
I’ve spoken before about the wonderment that I experience when making these macro images and I ask myself why I have missed these wonderful details all these years. The fine structures of a simple rose petal is absolutely stunning. When you look closer, you can even see the ridge created by the overlying petal as the flower was still tightly closed, the warm translucency of the petals, as the overlap, and the soft glow along the petal edges.
Isolating the blossom against the black background forces the eye into that detail, with no background to distract the eye. The rose, is the singular focus, and as the eye drifts over the surface, more and more detail becomes noticeable. I know I will never look at flowers the same way.
My photography is beginning to change how I see the world, not that I have ever been overly casual about nature, but now I’d add ‘deliberate’ to that description. I’m forcing myself to slow down, observe carefully, and truly appreciate the intricate systems in play in our natural world.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“And with the smallest intake of breath he had painted me a picture. Ash that stung your tongue like poisoned snowflakes and breaths of air that burned your lungs without fire”
― Quil Carter
What else do you call this image of a red Spider Dahlia, as it’s petals burst forth for the centre? It’s a bit disappointing, knowing the blossom has been ‘dyed’ red, that this is not its natural colour. Nonetheless, it is quite lovely.
Yet one more blossom from my recent bouquet. For those who are regular followers of this blog, I’ll continue working through the various flowers that make up this bouquet, primarily red and white, assembled deliberately for the upcoming Valentine’s day.
Despite the artificial nature of this particular blossom, it’s still nice to admire the structure and complexity of this flower, as the petal gradually unfurl from the centre.
As I write this, I’m noticing the roses are starting to open up nicely, so they may become the focus of tomorrow’s photo, even though I photographed them already today. That ,or the lilies, which are not far behind.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder
Back in the studio today, with a fresh bouquet. This time creamy roses, red carnations, spider dahlias, and lilies, which have not opened yet.
My first selection was the soft cream coloured roses, which have just began to open. As I positioned the blossoms under my lights I could not help but be captivated by the soft glow that seemed to come from within the bloom itself. The the title of this image. That warm radiance just spoke of comfort and softness. A tender bloom indeed.
I still have not tired of these studio images of flowers. Every image capturing a moment of beauty, often surprising me in its complexity and details, most of which I don’t seem to notice until the blossom is lighted and isolated against the black background. This is something that I don’t believe I’ll ever stop enjoying. Right now, I’m a bit limited to whatever flowers are available in stores and I’m looking forward to capturing more images using this style as I begin to visit some botanical gardens in the upcoming weeks.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Silence can always be broken by the sound
Of footsteps walking over frozen ground
In winter when the melancholy trees
Stand abject and let their branches freeze
”
― Merrill Moore
So typical of the past week, this cedar bough, coated with a glass-like film of ice, the result of an evening of freezing rain and a gradual morning thaw.
What drew me to this composition was the warm morning light and delicate structure of the cedar leaves, slightly magnified by the lens of clear ice. Such a common tree around here, yet spectacularly beautiful up close.
I also noticed that my camera settings were ‘unusual’, having done some low light indoor photography on the weekend and neglecting to reset them. yet, it all worked out. Lesson learned and a reminder to me to always check my settings before I venture out.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/800 sec, f/14.0, ISO 800
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“My scars remind me that I did indeed survive my deepest wounds. That in itself is an accomplishment. And they bring to mind something else, too. They remind me that the damage life has inflicted on me has, in many places, left me stronger and more resilient. What hurt me in the past has actually made me better equipped to face the present.”
― Steve Goodier
I made this image this past weekend and tucked it away, not sure when I would post it. Then this past Tuesday evening, a fairly extensive ice storm passed through, bringing back memories of previous ice storms, a phenomenon quite common to this part of the country. The Tuesday storm was tame compared to other storms we’ve experienced, especially the one that occurred in the winter of 2015.
The 2015 storm was unique in several aspects: it lasted a long time, covering everything in about 50 millimeters of ice, breaking large limbs from trees, damaging power lines, and creating a thick, impenetrable glaze of ice that was impossible to walk on. Then, something unusual happened. Freezing rain generally melts off mere hours after it falls, that’s the nature of these storms. In this case, the temperatures plummeted, making the ice harder and locking our world in a frozen wonderland. Many people lost power for days, as power lines snapped under the weight of the ice and vast patched of trees were completely obliterated as the ice literally tore them apart. We also experienced a unique phenomenon that became known as ‘frost quakes’. As the ground, laden with water from the freezing rain, froze rapidly, it contracted, booming and banging as it continued to cool. This was especially noticeable on roof tops, covered in close to thirty centimeters of wet snow and encased in ice. It would make the whole house shake.
Such was the dynamic of the 2015 storm and the cause of the damage to this tree, which, despite the extensive damage to its trunk, still lives. I recall the first time I saw it, a few days after the storm. The sheer weight of ice in its limbs and some fairly intense winds had created enough force to twist and split the tree almost all the way from the ground to the lowest branches. Frankly, given the damage, I would have thought it was going to die.
It still will die in the next few years, as the wood, now unprotected by the bark, is open to water damage, rot, and insects. Despite this, I am still amazed at it resilience.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The owl,” he was saying, “is one of the most curious creatures. A bird that stays awake when the rest of the world sleeps. They can see in the dark. I find that so interesting, to be mired in reality when the rest of the world is dreaming. What does he see and what does he know that the rest of the world is missing?”
― M.J. Rose
Today’s post is inspired by a fellow photoblogger, Victor Rakmil and his latest post, featuring a Barred Owl and his own experience photographing these lovely creatures.
Above is a photo I made a few years ago, but one of my most prized ones. Those of you who lean towards wildlife photography will understand why this is so. You see, most of those spectacular images you see in National Geographic and other similar magazines are the result of hours of preparation, and many, many failed attempts to even find the animal, and then, get the shot right. Because, there is seldom a second chance.
Owls, are especially elusive, being night dwellers, they tend to perch high up in trees, under dense cover. So, even when you are looking for them, they are tough to spot. On rare occasions, they remain in the same area for some time and a fortunate birder or photographer happens to find it.
That’s what happened here. A photographer friend of mine began posting images of this Barred Owl on his Facebook page. The images were quite spectacular and made from a fairly close distance. So, I asked him where the photos were made. Reluctantly, he told me, asking that I not share this information with others, which I agreed to.
The next day, I set out to the ‘secret place’ to see if I could spot the owl. Well, about twenty other photographers had already heard about the place and were gathered around the owl, which was perched and sleeping, in an apple tree. We were all happy to see the owl this close up, but disappointed that it was not opening its eyes, despite the commotion around it. I was also pleased that nobody was stupid enough to throw something to wake it up (one guy suggested it and was quickly told “No!”)
I made several photos, just happy to have seen an owl in the wild, that close up. They are spectacular creatures.
A few days later, I returned, during a weekday, and found only a few photographers and birders present and the owl awake. It had just flown to the ground after a mouse and proceeded to eat it, as the cameras snapped. Then, it flew back up into a tree and rested, satisfied with its morning meal.
That’s where this composition came to life. The owl chose, for a change, to sit in the open, perfectly lit, and wonderfully framed by the branches, soft green cedars in the background. I think I made about fifty images, not wanting to miss this opportunity. The image above is my favourite and I still look at this branch, sans owl, whenever I return to the ‘secret place’, but I’ve never experienced this moment again.
Now that I have a bit better equipment and am more comfortable with it, I’m hoping to catch one in flight this year. Fingers crossed.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 300mm
1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 220
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Beware of being trapped in your own imaginings. You instill sparks in others, you charge them with your illusions, and when they burst forth into illuminations, you are taken in.”
― Hugh Parker Guiler
Now this one got me thinking, should I reveal what it is, or leave it a mystery? It’s an image I made a few days ago and it really struck me as I previewed and then processed it. The title “Trapped” has several possible applications, depending on how you interpret the photo. It’s also a cool image for Tuesdays of Texture.
I think I’ll leave it, as is and see what your thoughts are.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Beautiful is he who recognizes what is truly beautiful,
Even if the surface is ugly.
Truthful is he who says what is true,
Even if the truth is ugly.
Ugly is he who measures beauty by its exterior,
Without first weighing the interior.
And ugly is the man who judges harshly what he sees looking out,
Without first judging what he sees in the mirror
– Suzy Kassem
How often I pass by the trees along the way, briefly admiring the varieties and texture. Every now and then, I try to document them through my photos. This silver birch had a certain appeal for me, with its colours and curled bark, such wonderful details. I thought it to be a good submission for this week’s Tuesdays of Texture. It was this or more ice, which is plentiful, with more on the way 😦
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/850, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Life always bursts the boundaries of formulas. Defeat may prove to have been the only path to resurrection, despite its ugliness. I take it for granted that to create a tree I condemn a seed to rot. If the first act of resistance comes too late it is doomed to defeat. But it is, nevertheless, the awakening of resistance. Life may grow from it as from a seed.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Today’s Monochrome Mondays submission is a simple image of a mid-February Queen Anne’s Lace seed head, only a few of its bounty of seeds remaining. It is spent.
This particular specimen is the only one I could find that still had any seeds remaining. Between wind, snow, and rain, all it’s companions had shed their seeds, most damaged and rotted. Yet, this one still had some form to it as well as a few seeds.
For those unfamiliar with this plant, I shared an image in the fall which shows a fully filled seed head, ready to open up.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.”
― Matt Hardy
I thought this was an interesting scene, as it presented itself to me during a hike this past Saturday. The tree had both catkins, the parts that produce pollen, and fruit at the same time, on the same branch and I can’t recall if I have ever seen this before.
It also offered a nice balanced composition, so I decided it was worth the photo.
I’m still getting familiar with my 90mm macro lense and it’s depth of field range, which is much different from my 70-200mm zoom, with which I am far more familiar, so aperture was not optimum, always learning.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.”
― Susan Polis Schutz
Echoing my photographic attraction to nature and abstraction, this is my second attempt at painting with acrylics, it has been over thirty-five years since I last painted. I’ve also been extremely inspired by the community of artists I’ve gotten to know in the past few years.
The painting is loosely based on a few of my photos, depicting the edge of a dense forest, with dark trees opening up to a display of golden light. An effect that I named, “God Light” in a recent series of photos. At this point, there is no deep meaning hidden in the painting, that I am consciously aware of, other than a longing to be in the light, rather than darkness, the light serves to call us from darkness to enlightenment.
The main purpose of my blog will remain focussed on my photography, but I thought I’d share my journey into the world of painting as well, as it has been strongly influenced by wanting to take my photography further.
Acrylic on Canvas
11 x 14
© Ed Lehming 2017
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”
― Albert Einstein
There is something magical about ice, by times. During this past week’s thaw and freezing, some interesting effects were created. Far too many to share in a single post. Ice has formed into a myriad of shapes, forms, and textures.
As I went for a long needed hike today, along the familiar banks of Duffins Creek, a moderately sized creek that runs close to my home, I was greeted by a mix of flowing open water and frozen shorelines. Most of the scenes were fairly typical and not much stood out as unique, until I came to a bend in the creek where the ice had not quite formed yet. It was at that point where it was a very firm slush and still a bit transparent, allowing me to see the blurry outlines of the pebbles below. What made it more interesting, to me, was the chunks of ice included in this natural composition, as well as some trapped bubbles. That, and the beautiful February sunlight that lit the creek bed through the ice.
As I stood there, making the image, I realized that this spot is only a few meters away from where I made my favourite Rainbow Trout image this past spring. This beautiful creek has offered me many lovely memories, and photos, over the past few years.
It seems nature never runs out of unique combinations of elements in her toolkit with which to create artworks. I’m just happy to be able to participate in her latest showing.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Solitude gives birth to the original in us, to beauty unfamiliar and perilous – to poetry. But also, it gives birth to the opposite: to the perverse, the illicit, the absurd.”
― Thomas Mann
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
“Nothing is ever as simple as it seems. At the edge of perception, weird things dance and howl.”
― M.H. Boroson
Every now and then, a photo surprises me. For those of you who are photographers and take interest in my camera settings, which I post with most of my photos, you will have noticed that the studio florals do not vary a whole lot. I will tweak aperture if I want more depth of field and adjust shutter speed to compensate for that.
My results are fairly consistent. I end up with a low-key, fairly vibrant image of the blossom I am photographing. Also, since my studio lights are a consistent colour temperature, I don’t adjust my settings in post and I get predictable colour results, true to the original.
An exception to this was this blossom, a chrysanthemum, if I’m not mistaken. I suspect the blossoms have been dyed to this green tone, but the lights produced an unearthly green that did not match the original. They also caused the exterior petals to become quite diaphanous, making the whole image ghost-like. It first this bothered me, but on further consideration, I thought I’d publish the image as-is so you can also experience this effect. I’m sure there is an explanation for this, having to do with specific light frequencies, which I will have to research at some time in the near future.
By the way, this image was made only a few minutes after the carnation I posted yesterday.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Kind words and tender affections will not save me from this lake of woe and misery, but they may be enough of a buoy to prevent my drowning.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich
I’ll call this a ‘rescue’ from a less than wonderful bouquet. To get subjects for my floral shots, I tend to stop by local shops and pick up a fresh bouquet every few weeks. Then, I pull the bouquet apart and photograph the individual blossoms. It’s a great way to be able to enjoy photography on dull, uninspiring, and icy days.
This practice, of disassembling bouquets, has been very satisfying, but every now and then, a bouquet that looked nice in the store, shows it’s true self under light and lens, or even before then. This one started dropping petals as soon as I unpacked it, leaving many bare stems. Most of the remaining blossoms were bruised or damaged and this was especially noticeable under the studio lights and using 90mm macro lens.
Despite this ‘disappointing’ bouquet, I was able to save a few blossoms, including this beautiful pink carnation, most of who’s companions showed significant damage and wilted fringes. I’m not sure if this damage was inflicted on the bouquet as whole or if the shop had assembled a ‘seconds’ bouquet for quick sale? I’m unlikely to return to that particular store for flowers in the near future.
However, despite this incident, I am really enjoying making these photos. I’m reminded of all the beauty around us, despite the current world events that we can hardly tune out. So, please accept this little gift of beauty. Hopefully, it will brighten your day for at least a few moments.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Real Canada is where people wear sweaters for survival, not style.”
― Mark Leiren-Young
Ice, ice, and more ice. The surreal effects of freezing rain on delicate branches. Beautiful, yet treacherous in even mall doses, making a single misstep dangerous, we soon miss the effects of friction in our world.
The curious thing I’ve found when faced with this spectacle is that when everything is beautiful, it becomes difficult to separate single compositions as the whole scene competes for my attention.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 145mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/29.0, ISO 100
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Thus the man who is responsive to artistic stimuli reacts to the reality of dreams as does the philosopher to the reality of existence; he observes closely, and he enjoys his observation: for it is out of these images that he interprets life, out of these processes that he trains himself for life.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
On these cool, blustery winter days, it’s a nice to be able to head to the studio and play with some macro photography. Under the studio lights, fine details, often missed start to reveal themselves. I find myself pulled deeper and deeper into the image, almost shocked at structures my eye did not consciously see. I chose the word ‘consciously’ deliberately, because I know that our eyes are capturing all this visual data, but our brain filters it, selectively.
The fern is a good example. Not that I sat staring wild eyed at ferns, because I had not noticed the spores (the round cones under the leave for the non-botany folks) on the underside until researching local fern varieties.
Now I sit in awe at the exquisite textures and details of this fern frond, frozen in time for me to observe more carefully.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/29.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes….Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas.”
― Arshile Gorky
This is where is started, my fascination with photo abstractions. Back in March 0f 2012, I was hiking the shores of the York River, near Bancroft, Ontario when I noticed a beautiful reflection on the slightly rippled river surface. I made a few images and was pleased with the outcome. Then, I did something different: I cropped hem to remove the shoreline and flipped the image upside down, producing this beautiful ‘painterly’ abstract of the trees on the far shore. The slight flash of orange near the centre of the photo was an interesting and unexpected bonus.
A close friend of mine commented that it looked like a painting and I ran with that, making my first 24 x 36 canvas print, and yes, it did look like a painting then. It sold quickly and I’m considering reprinting it, larger, for my office wall, since it really has been a pivotal piece for me.
I’m thinking this may serve as the model for my next attempt at painting. Stay tuned.
Nikon D200
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 50mm
1/100 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“If you see a tree as blue, then make it blue”.
– Paul Gauguin
I posted this image to my Facebook page last week. It’s my first attempt at painting, of the non-digital type, in thirty five or so years. The last time I picked up a paintbrush to create art was back in high school and honestly, I was not very good at acrylics, favouring sketching and watercolours. Primarily because I could not get the colours right. I over processed and turned everything gray or brown. Of course, it was art class too, so it had to meet certain parameters. Creativity my my art class was not encouraged. Wow, that sounds odd, doesn’t it? And that, was the end of that. I much prefered to express myself through photography, which I was more comfortable with.
I recent posts, I have taken images that I composed with the camera that did not result in the image as I envisioned it. Some of those, I processed through digital art programs and was very pleased with the outcomes.
Last week, I went to an Impressionist exhibit in Toronto, called “Mystical Landscapes”, presented by the Art Gallery of Ontario. I’m drawn by the impressionist form and style myself a bit of a photo-impressionist, focussing on the feel of a place, rather than precision. I’ll often visit the same place over and over in different times and light, much like Monet did. I see different colours, like the Gauguin quote. I’ve seen lots of blue trees, in early evening light. You’ll notice, many of my trees in this painting are blue.
I’ve had this quote in my head for a few months now and it challenged me:
If you hear a voice within you say, ‘you can’t paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
— Vincent Van Gogh
So, I finally felt inspired to pick up a brush to see what happens, silence that voice. If it was a total disaster, I could just toss it and go back to photography, if it was half-good, I might pursue it.
Well, the result shocked me, as I stepped away and looked back at the painting on the easel I got quite emotional. I’d found something within myself that I did not know existed. This was something created out of nothing, just an image I had made, transformed into something new. I shared it with some friends who responded back positively, most asking me why I had not painted before this and encouraging me to continue with this, which I will do. My biggest surprise was that this 11 x 14 acrylic painting was done in about 2 hours, so I think I will continue, maybe take a lesson or two, since I’m relearning brush strokes for my youth.
Life sure is an interesting journey 🙂
Ed Lehming Photography 
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