This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world.
The grand doors of Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal. As in the case of many popular locations, I had to wait a while till there was nobody entering or exiting via these front doors.
It does always surprise me, when I review my photos of things I think I know well, all the details my brain seems to filter out. Things like the chains to hold the doors open, the light recesses in the floor just to the sides of the door, and those annoying spike to keep pigeons away from the ledge above the door. I hope you enjoy losing yourself in the details as well.
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,
aus einer Wurzel zart,
wie uns die Alten sungen,
von Jesse war die Art
Und hat ein Blümlein bracht
mitten im kalten Winter,
wohl zu der halben Nacht.
– author Unknown
Today, a break from the birds and an image of a rose from a recently purchased bouquet. The image got one of my favourite Christmas carols rolling through my head. Growing up in a German household, the original words take me back to simpler times and my parents, sister, and grandmother. My parents and grandmother have all since passed away, leaving only memories.
The music is so familiar, yet the English version, by Theodore Baker (1894), now dominates my brain, until I look back on the German words and it all comes rushing back to me. I can almost smell the sweet fragrances of childhood at home and see the smiles of loved ones, now gone.
Lo, how a rose e’er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung.
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung;
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.
So, I consider and share this image of a red winter rose, a flower my father could cultivate with ease, as a connection to faith, family, and the simple beauty that was and is Christmas season; a bright rose, that warms dark, cold days; whose fragrance reminds me of warm days in the garden, and symbolizes love for so many of us. As Christmas rapidly approaches, my wish is that all of us can keep an eye open for these small glimpses of beauty and calm, and feel a sense of peace throughout the holidays.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 130 mm
1 sec, f/25.0, ISO 200
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“December is full of the beauty of Light and love we can bring into our life.You can chose to be stressed or you can choose to let the small stuff go and be peaceful this Holiday season. It really is a choice you make.”
― Eileen Anglin
As I said earlier this week, it looks like I’ve gone to the birds. I’m pretty much a photo-opportunist and tend to move back and forth between subjects and styles from time to time, depending on what presents itself. Given the abundance of birds at our feeders lately, I simply could not help myself in documenting all the species present. The weekend started with Juncos and Cardinals. Today brought about Downy Woodpeckers and Nuthatches. As you can see, from all the tracks and shells around the dish, it’s been a busy place!
The nuthatches are curious birds and I seldom see them right side up. Usually i see them on my hikes, glancing at me while perched upside down on a tree trunk. It would appear that they will make exceptions if seeds are offered. This one, and her male companion (to be shared at a later date) kept coming back and gave many opportunities for nice images.
Birds, especially the small ones tend to be very skittish and move rapidly, often leaving me with a partially blurred image as they twitch and fidget. However, getting to just the right sunflower seed seems to slow them down a bit. So, despite the ‘dullish’ weather on this year’s winter solstice, a bit of brightness has graced my back deck and given me the enjoyment of watching our little friends flutter and feed.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 300mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Snow & Fence”
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 240 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Every choice we make affects the other. It always has… We share our choices and our burdens. But that way neither of us has to carry the weight alone—You have never been alone.”
― Olivia Fuller
I debated for some time on the title of this image. First I considered the plant was bowing its head and as I looked at it more I settled on “Overwhelmed”, as it really was folding under the sheer weight of snow it was holding. Many of its neighbours were also straining under the weight of snow produced by the day long stream of soft, light, flakes. They too were bending but not quite folded over like this one. It’s really quite amazing just how much of a burden they can carry before either toppling or shifting slightly, losing their cargo and snapping upright once more.
There are all sort of analogies to life here, aren’t there? How often do small things in our lives accumulate till one day we too shift under the load, some able to shake it off while others find themselves near breaking, unable to snap back.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 80 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“…I keep looking for one more teacher, only to find that fish learn from the water and birds learn from the sky.”
― Mark Nepo
This past Saturday was ‘bird day’ on our backyard. The yard filled with chickadees, wrens, juncos, blue jays, and cardinals. I put a terra cotta flower pot base on our barbeque to see if I could attract a few of them closer to the window. I did not have to wait for long till this bright red cardinal landed for his morning meal. Despite being a fairly dull day, I was able to get decent light on him to be able to show some detail. They are beautiful, aren’t they?
Other birds, including the female, sat in the nearby tree watching him, but none approached the dish, even after he left, which seemed odd.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 250 mm
1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.”
― Robert Lynd
Our recent heavy snowfall has brought with it an abundance of birds seeking food, reminding me to fill the feeders. Today, our mulberry was filled with Juncos, dozens of them. They are strange little birds, as they will not go to the feeders, but rather, wait below it to gather up whatever the chickadees, cardinals, and blue jays drop.
I love the look of the juncos, with their pure white bellies and dark backs. This also makes them a bit of a challenge to photograph, since the white belly often blows the photo out, while making it difficult to bring out the details in the dark part, most particularly the eyes.
Fortunately, the dull, post-storm skies balanced out the light nicely and made this image possible.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 300 mm
1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
― W.B. Yeats
This image was made yesterday morning, during the walk I mentioned yesterday. A little trace of soft, indirect sunlight brightens up the tree, warming up a cold December morning.
I only made a few photos that day, though I was surrounded by a winter wonderland. That is something I have experienced a few other times. When I spot something different and wonderful the composition comes naturally. But, when I’m completely surrounded by wonderment it becomes difficult to chose just one or two subjects to photograph.
In this case, the spruce tree stood separate from other trees and was brightened by the unusual light and that is how this photo came about. Truth be known, I was looking for material suitable for this year’s Christmas cards. Several of the images, which I’ll share in the next few days were suitable, I think. A far cry from last year where there was not a trace of snow to be found.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 70 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“When I think of whisper, I think of tenderness, gentleness, beauty. And that was God’s voice. The hard part with whispers, though, is we have to be listening for them. They are just loud enough that only the people listening will hear and those who are distracted won’t.”
― Jefferson Bethke
A long-lasting snow squall blanketed my area yesterday, transforming the world into a wonderland and there’s more to come. It was one of those snow falls that just keeps coming, gentle yet persistent, snow sticking piling high on branches and wires. So, I set out this morning hoping to capture the moment. I have lots of photos of trees blanketed in white, weeds wearing tall caps of snow, and bunches of frozen berries that the birds have not devoured yet. Through all these images, the light, soft, diffuse, hinting at warmth that was not there, dominated.
The sun never quite broke through the thin layer of cloud that hovered on the horizon. Yet some light made it through. A soft, pale yellow whisper of light that floated in the air. It was like a whisper in the morning, a promise that could not be kept, and it brought a wonderful sense of peace. Of all the images I made, this is the one that speaks best to the ‘feel’ of this wonderful walk, after the squall and before the next storm, hidden somewhere in the whisper of this dawn.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 110 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world.
Back to Saint John, New Brunswick once more and it’s variety of lovely doors. This one is title “Neighbours”, for fairly obvious reasons. I found it very interesting how two adjacent doorways could look so different, based on the homeowner’s decorating style. It was also interesting just how much the light changed the colour of the stonework from warm to cool.
“Anger is like flowing water; there’s nothing wrong with it as long as you let it flow. Hate is like stagnant water; anger that you denied yourself the freedom to feel, the freedom to flow; water that you gathered in one place and left to forget. Stagnant water becomes dirty, stinky, disease-ridden, poisonous, deadly; that is your hate. On flowing water travels little paper boats; paper boats of forgiveness. Allow yourself to feel anger, allow your waters to flow, along with all the paper boats of forgiveness. Be human.”
― C. JoyBell C.
Today, an image I made back in the summer, at a local conservation area. The water flows through a small dam and concrete spillway, splashing a concrete pad below. I’ve photographed the chute a few times for the side, but had not considered this view till that day and decided to do a longer exposure to highlight the flow and spray of the water and communicate the energy I saw.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70mm
1/10 sec, f/18.0, ISO 2000
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Thank goodness for the first snow, it was a reminder–no matter how old you became and how much you’d seen, things could still be new if you were willing to believe they still mattered.”
― Candace Bushnell
Today, a winter abstract. What caught my attention in this scene was the splash of brilliant red from the Red Osier Dogwoods that grow along the path, against the bright snow. The photo was made mid afternoon, so the snow has a slight blue cast caused by the shadows under the bright sky. I was tempted to pull blue levels down a bit, but I actually like this look.
The second element is the bright bark of the poplars which are brighter than the snow, since they are receiving direct light and are not in shadow.
Nikon D300
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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Tuesdays of Texture is a really awesome weekly feature. You can read about it over here; but the short version is I want to see a bit of your world so link up your post in the comments!
A simple post today. One of my Studies in Wood photos from earlier in the year. This is Number Three. I believe I have posted six of them on my blog. More to follow.
“You wake up on a winter morning and pull up the shade, and what lay there the evening before is no longer there–the sodden gray yard, the dog droppings, the tire tracks in the frozen mud, the broken lawn chair you forgot to take in last fall. All this has disappeared overnight, and what you look out on is not the snow of Narnia but the snow of home, which is no less shimmering and white as it falls. The earth is covered with it, and it is falling still in silence so deep that you can hear its silence. It is snow to be shoveled, to make driving even worse than usual, snow to be joked about and cursed at, but unless the child in you is entirely dead, it is snow, too, that can make the heart beat faster when it catches you by surprise that way, before your defenses are up. It is snow that can awaken memories of things more wonderful than anything you ever knew or dreamed.”
― Frederick Buechner
We had our first ‘significant’ snowfall here in southern Ontario a few days ago. We’ve had several snowfalls so far but they have been light dustings, which quickly melt off. Our recent snowfall was about twenty centimeters, or eight inches for my American friends.
The just temperatures were close to the freezing mark making for a nice sticky snow which stuck to surfaces and created the “Winter Wonderland” look. Also perfect for the kids to make snowmen.
The other phenomenon created by the temperature variances through the day was the production of beautiful, clear icicles, then the snow slowly melted and froze again while flowing.
I tried to capture that effect in the photo above, highlighting the icicle and the tiny bubbles frozen inside, backlit by the afternoon sun.
Nikon D300
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/200sec, f/7.1, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“These rocks are too heavy, can’t carry them any more,
don’t know why I ever picked them up before,
going to have to put them down where they don’t belong,
’cause I can’t get them back to where they came from.
These rocks belong to no one, except history.
Somewhere between the desert and the rolling sea,
or maybe up in the mountains blue and tall,
I picked them but now I’m going to let them fall.”
― Jay Woodman
This is one of those images that just created all sorts of thoughts for me. It’s not a typical shot for me, but the arrangement fascinated me at the time.
Along the shore of the Crowe River, near Apsley, Ontario, the river, which is really a large creek, dropped off its spring cargo of boulders. The river starts out at Paudash Lake, some 15 miles north. However, the Crowe is mainly a ‘meander’, meaning it snakes its way slowly through the surrounding countryside. So, how far from the source this point, just above “The Gut” is would be a guess.
What struck me is the size of these boulders (the small one in the centre is about bowling ball sized) and how a generally lazy river could move these. That got me wondering further on where they came from and how far they had travelled. At some point in the spring there must have been a substantial current and these boulders have had quite a journey to round and smooth them as much as they have been. Yet, at some point in the spring runoff, the force of water was no longer sufficient to move them any further and he river unburdened itself, till the cycle repeats next spring.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 180 mm
1/60sec, f/2.8, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it is without creating still more of them.”
― Pierre-Auguste Renoir
I’ve contemplated this image many times. The original photo was very dark. I was trying to capture this beautiful gorge, aptly named “The Gut“, near Apsley, Ontario this past summer. It’s a very challenging photo due to dark shadows caused by the deep canyon walls to the left and the intensely bright cliff walls on the right. Yet my eyes saw this beautiful verdant passageway and all its colours as one evenly lit image.
There’s the problem we often face as photographers. Our eyes see something and the camera is just not as versatile as our eyes and brain in interpreting the image. That’s a reason I’m quite clear in stating that my photos depict ‘how’ I saw it. A person standing with me might not see it the same. Different eyes, different brain.
The joy in owning my Nikon D300, even though it’s a few years older, is that the image sensor is able to pull so much detail out of the shadows, with very little noise, when I edit the RAW image. I spent a bit of time dodging and burning the image, trying to balance out the light, yet even then, the image was not quite close to my vision.
I pulled the image into my Topaz Impression plug-in and rendered the image as an Impasto painting, with no further adjustments and, Voila! I had an image that did justice to what I saw that day. I don’t see this as cheating, rather, it’s a way for me to communicate my personal experience in a way that others might appreciate it.
The final image above shows all the richness of the forest, the glow of the afternoon sun on the cliff face and the movement and shimmer of the river, as it winds its way through the gorge. Very close to how I saw it, that wonderful hot afternoon in July.
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.”
― Paulo Coelho
I’m clearly missing the colours and warmth of summer as I sit here watching winter slowly grip the land. This photo was made in mid-September while I was out looking for wildflowers to photograph. But, being ever the photo-opportunist I decided that this lone monarch butterfly was a good subject as well, as it gently and randomly floated around me, eventually landing just off the trail.
Those who photograph butterflies on a regular basis, you know who you are, can relate to the time and patience required to get a good shot. In their natural environment,these skittish little beings simply to not sit still, nor do they land in close proximity to the photographer. They flit and float around on the breeze with no predictable pattern or destination, often not even landing. So we need to ‘sneak’ up on them, trying carefully not to disturb them, lest they take to flight again.
That’s why this photograph is so representative of the butterfly ‘quest’. They seem to be always ‘Poised for Flight’. Just as you compose the shot and all is perfect, off they go again. When all the elements fall in place, the wind is calm, and nothing disturbs them, a good shot is finally achieved.
Next time you look at a beautiful butterfly image, realize that a lot of effort probably went into creating the shot and it’s probably the only one in many that was satisfactory.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/160sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won
As we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
And when that foghorn blows
I will be coming home
And when the foghorn blows
I want to hear it
I don’t have to fear it and I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic
-Van Morrison
I’m not sure where to begin with this image. It has fascinated me since I made it back in mid-September. I was playing with depth of field with my manual macro tubes, focussing on a few peruvian lilies that I had taken from a bouquet.
The results reminded me of a nebula from a science fiction movie, some alien life form, or a vision from a dream. I settled on the dream and thought of the Van Morrison song “Into the Mystic”. The title has stuck with me since then. I have just not gotten around to publishing the image. And, as I edit, and write this post, listening to the music, I’m still pulled into the image, with its intricate detail and bright colours. It literally ‘pulls’ me in and I flow into the mystic. It’s alight with energy, movement, and life. It is peace and chaos.
Nikon D800
Nikor 24-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ @ 48 mm
3.0 sec, f/25.0, ISO 400
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world.
I titled this one “Intrigued”, because of the sign advertising lots of wine. As I explored the streets of downtown Saint John several weeks ago, I came across this nicely painted door. It’s one of those dreaded formed steel doors, but they did a nice job of integrating it into the feel of the area. A series of updated warehouses, now converted into restaurants and pubs.
I was intrigued by the sign advertising their wine selection but was on a schedule that did not allow me to check it out. That will require a future visit.
“A fleeting moment can become an eternity. From a past encounter everything may disappear in the dungeon of forgetfulness. A few furtive flashes or innocent twinkles can survive, though. Some immaterial details may remain marked in our memory, forever. A significant look, a salient colour or a unforeseen gesture may abide, indelibly engraved in our mind.”
― Erik Pevernagie
It continues to be dull and cold outside and I’ve been feeling under the weather with a nasty stomach bug of some sort. So, I went back to a few of the outdoor macro images I made this past summer and picked one of my favourites, the chickory flower.
There are very few things in nature that are naturally blue and this is one of them. They grow wild, especially in poor and stoney soil, in my area from June to October, depending on the weather. I made this image while on a photoshoot with my son back in late September, using my portable studio. I think the natural light does a nice job at bringing out all the textures and retaining teh natural colour, though the light that afternoon was quite hot and patchy, with nice gusty winds thrown in to increase the challenge level, especially when trying to show detail.
Despite the challenges presented, I’m very pleased with this image, which shows all the fine details often overlooked as we pass by these roadside weeds.
Nikon D800
Nikor AFS Micro 60mm f/2.8 US @ 60 mm
1/125 sec, f/18.0, ISO 400
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder
I could not resist taking a closer look at this poinsettia. As a child I’d often look at them, marvelling at the bright red petals, that are actually leaves, rather bracts (modified leaves), as they transition to green further down the plant. Then there are the actual flowers, which are the bright yellow part in the centre. It seems that when the light hits them just right, they seem to be almost metallic.
So, to be able to photograph this view is a real joy for me. It allows me to really see the complex structures and wonderful texture in the leaves. All the details are here to look at and enjoy.
There is a really good chance this image might just be my 2016 Christmas card.
Nikon D800
Nikor 24-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ @ 70 mm
1.3 sec, f/29.0, ISO 200
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“When you gaze out on a quiet, peaceful meadow, next to a still pond, under a motionless blue sky, you wonder how the noisy, busy cacophony of life could have arisen from such silent, motionless beginning.” – M.
It would appear that I’ve gone to the birds, at least for a short time. The past few dull days have not offered much in the way of material to photograph, so I’ve gone back and reviewed a few from the past summer. I’m not sure why I did not post this one earlier but I recall the moment very clearly. I was at Secord Pond making some images of flowers and this beautiful bird landed in the tree right next to me and allowed me to get quite close and make multiple images of him. He did not seem to mind me at all. It brought on a wonderful stillness, as I simply observed him and made the ocassional photo, the the moment was right
This image is the best of the bunch and I’m really pleased that I was able to capture the reflected light reflecting from the water beneath him. It casts a bit of a shadow on his neck but lights his belly up nicely. I was also fortunate that the light conditions enabled me to produce the lovely bokeh at the wide aperture, diffusing the background colours.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 280 mm
1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“I dream of flight, not to be as the angels are, but to rise above the smallness of it all. The smallnesss that I am. Against the daily death the iconography of wings.”
― Jeanette Winterson
Though a bit more of a brooding photo than I generally post, there was something about the form of the crow as he took off from the nearby cedars. The image, though not crisp and clean shows the slight movement of the wings in the air, yet the fine details of the beak still show.
I stood watching several crows that day, as the cawed and frolicked above me. It seemed like they were playing. I don’t know enough about crows to know if this was typical behaviour but it certainly caught my attention. The light that day was also dull, making it difficult to get a clean image, yet there is something her that I like.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Quiet people always know more than they seem. Although very normal, their inner world is by default fronted mysterious and therefore assumed weird. Never underestimate the social awareness and sense of reality in a quiet person; they are some of the most observant, absorbent persons of all.”
― Criss Jami
I sit here tonight after a brief trip back to Bancroft to swap out photos I’m showing at an artists’ co-operative in Bancroft, Ontario. The co-op is called A Place for the Arts and I’m honoured to have been invited to participate in this wonderful place. I’ve met and engaged with fellow artists, including several very talented photographers. We all have very distinct styles and approaches to our art. I enjoy my times there, as I have learned so much just by spending time with other artists, as I begin to see through their eyes.
What really struck me during my two and a half hour drive north was how incredibly the forest has changed in the past three weeks, since I was last in the area. A few snow falls have pulled more leaves from the trees and compressed the ones already on the ground. More significantly, the colours, once glowing and full of energy, are now a muted brown.
I fondly recall the moment above, as I sat on a high ridge above two large beaver ponds, amazed by the bright colour and light, on the ground and in the sky. If you follow your eyes, there appears to be a path that leads into the distance over the undulating ground. There actually is a natural game trail that leads into the distance. The destination? The beaver dam that separates the two ponds and a natural escape from predators. If animals, especially deer, in this case, did not take this route, they would have to travel nearly half a mile to get around the water. It is well-travelled.
I sat on this ridge for nearly two hours, taking in this glorious view and warming in the warm sunshine. The forest around me was a wonderland and every detail etched itself in my memory. The whole scene felt dream-like in its serenity. Every detail, opening up to reveal itself, in time. I need to write more about this experince, but want to keep my posts brief. Perhaps tommorow?
Have you ever taken the time to just sit, with no distractions, and let nature reveal itself? It’s worth the time and changes how you see the natural world, just like my experience with my artist friends, as you spend time observing, it changes your entire perspective, at least in my experience.
So, it seems appropriate that this juncture of ponds can be applied as a juncture of my way of seeing things, another path between points of view.
iPhone 5s back camera @ 4.2mm
1/800 sec; f/2.2; ISO 32
High Resolution image available on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ”
― Norman Vincent Peale
I’m a few days late posting this. I meant to get it out for December first, but did not, since I was still saying goodbye to yellow and had not purchased a poinsettia for our home yet.
It’s a challenging plant to photograph, trying not to blow out the reds while pulling the details of the deep green leaves from the shadows. This one took me a few attempts but overall I’m pleased with the results.
And, of course, the poinsettia is a modern symbol for Christmas. Now that autumn is a fond memory, I look forward for future moments, with friends and family and the comfort that is Christmas in our home. First step taken, poinsettia is on the table as a centrepiece, let the next season begin.
Nikon D800
Nikor 24-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ @ 45 mm
1.3 sec, f/25.0, ISO 200
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The yellow glistens.
It glistens with various yellows,
Citrons, oranges and greens
Flowering over the skin.”
― Wallace Stevens
Good bye, for the season, yellow. Now that December has arrived, there are simply no more traces of bright, sunshine yellow. In autumn, the leaves progressed from crimson, to pinks, oranges and browns, and through it all, there was always a trace of yellow. Be it from birch, maple, or tamarack, there was always yellow to be found somewhere. At times, the entire forest was aglow with yellow, whole sections of the forest floor carpeted in this bright cheerful colour.
Suddenly, it’s gone. I’m not talking the muted remains, now fading to murky brown or gray. I’m talking about the pure, bold, eye-catching, light up my world yellows. So I reflect back to a day, not so distant, when I found a grove of maple trees that were in their full yellow glory. I looked up through the branches and leaves which filtered the autumn sunlight to a warming glow. I made the image above to document that moment, even as they began to show a change, prior to falling.
Today, I’m happy to reflect back on this image, recalling the warmth of the sun on my face and the sheer joy of standing in this place, surrounded by the brilliant maples, soaking up the colour, knowing that it would eventually transition, as the cycle continues and the world prepares to sleep, for a while.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 145 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
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
This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world.
After a few weeks of door deprivation I have this submission for your consideration. NO 3 is number 3 Bridge Street in Bancroft, Ontario.
I love the elegance of this door to an upscale fashion store in the rural community of Bancroft. Over many years spending summers in this wonderful community, I had yet to make a photo of it for my doors collection.
It’s a bit out of the ordinary for me, as I’m usually drawn to historical buildings with ornate doors and iron work, but this one is an exception for me, even though it’s a stamped steel door, it still retains some character and enhances the entryway.
Ed Lehming Photography 
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