“Always be friendly, always be kind,
Like the most beautiful flower that you can find.”
― Debasish Mridha
This image is a switch back to some of my earlier floral images. I went back through older images that I have not had the opportunity to edit and found this one of a gerbera that was part of a larger floral arrangement.
I had a hard time with this one, as the coral colour is tough to reproduce to my satisfaction. So, like many images, I return to it once more, hoping to extract the image I had envisioned when I made it. A different day, a different eye, and the results now please me enough to share it. I’m hoping to do a bit more studio work over the winter months, it will help brighten the days for me, and hopefully, those who follow my blog.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
Hi Resolution image on 500px
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On a dull chilly day, what do you photograph? A snack, of course.
“I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
As I was reviewing my photos from the past few weeks, I kept glancing at this one, which at first seemed a bit dark for me. When I opened the thumbnail and looked closer it brought me back to the moment when I made the photo and I recalled why I made it.
I was sitting on a rock above a large beaver pond in the late afternoon. The dense spruce and hemlock forest was dark and damp, green with moss, and a bit foreboding feeling. Yet, through the dark canopy, a narrow opening allowed a patch of bright sunlight through. Just enough light to reveal the multitude of colour present in the dark place. Some trees glow green with mosses and lichen, while others, a soft brown. There are others which remain quite dark and gray, yet above, even the canopy has a soft green brightness to it.
So, despite what appears to be darkness, there is light, if we are observant and take the time to look.
How often have we experienced this darkness in our lives, the narrow sphere we feel we are in? Yet, just on the periphery, bright lives continue, children laugh, people love, and the world, even on rainy days, sits in wait of sunlight, which inevitably comes.
So, look deeply into this scene, which appears dark and somewhat sinister and see all the light in the details. Is this a forest you would walk joyfully into, even being aware of the subtle brightness? What lies beyond that line trees? There was more life beyond this veil of darkness. In fact, a beautiful grove of majestic oaks awaited me, just over the next rise. Sometimes you have to risk it and break through to the next layer, encouraged by the hints of light we are all given. Though not Nietzsche’s banks of roses, it was wonderful, nonetheless.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/16.0, ISO 400
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“Distance sometimes lets you know who is worth keeping, and who is worth letting go.”
― Lana Del Rey
This is a bit of a shift for me today. I went back in my photo archive, looking for some colour and came across this image I made in the spring. The title came to me as soon as I saw the image, recalling how I composed it, deliberately leaving the dark area between the butterfly and the flower.
They were only inches apart, yet through the viewfinder, it appeared that the butterfly had a journey to make, a dark void to cross, as he sat considering the blossom. This was also true literally, as the image was made at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory, not outdoors, and this little fellow had plenty of competition lying in wait, seeking the same blossom, though they are out of the frame here.
It was also a bit of challenge for me, attempting macro-type photography with my 70-200mm zoom. But, the light was good, and the image stabilization was quite effective. However, I would like to return next year with a macro lens and attempt it once more.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/60 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200
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“A kind of light spread out from her. And everything changed color. And the world opened out. And a day was good to awaken to. And there were no limits to anything. And the people of the world were good and handsome. And I was not afraid any more.”
― John Steinbeck
A sleepy, gentle start to the day, now two weeks ago. This day started a bit less foggy than others, yet the water was still as late migrating waterfowl lazed about in the chilly lake and the sky shifted from gray, to shades of pink, gold, and blue. There’s also still a hint of colour on the distant shore, dispersed among the conifers.
As I sit writing this post, soft jazz sooths me further, recalling this beautiful morning. We need to savour this serenity in our busy world whenever it offers its gifts to us. Though I was only on Fraser Lake for four days this fall, each morning dawned slightly differently. The first morning being quite raw and choppy progressing to the glass-like appearance above and remaining so the rest of my stay, offering many photo opportunities.
I’ve spent many summers, falls, and winters on the lake and its shores. One summer was spent paddling the entire shoreline enjoying the diversity of plants and wildlife and that same winter enjoying cross-country skiing on the ice covered lake.
Then I consider that this is a single lake among thousands that dot the Ontario and recognise that there are more memories to come as I explore the province in live in.
“The sun was as flirty as Scarlett O’Hara with the Tarleton twins, breaking through the clouds in spectacular bursts that seemed like personal favors and then retreating for hours, days, and making us all ache for just a glimpse.”
― Lorna Landvik
Another fine early November day in southern Ontario, and a return to Secord Conservation Area, in search of a few images. The day could be defined most accurately by its variable light, as a low cloud deck drifted lazily above, casting patches of bright light across the landscape. The trees had recently dropped their leaves, blanketing the ground beneath them in gold. The rays of sunshine breaking through the clouds made these leaves glow warmly. It’s a effect of autumn and it’s soft light that I really enjoy and it’s really accented when the light is variable and patchy, contrasting nicely against the darker area and the clouds moody clouds above.
I’ve photographed from this location many times. There is something so beautiful about teh gently rolong hills and how thier lines flow togother. An ebb and flow of colour and light, fallow fields and pasturelands, diveded by rail fences and tree lines. Each layer a new scene to be enjoyed.
Recent high winds and a light snow cover have obliterated the neatly arranged leaves and dulled their colours as winter approaches, but I’m still looking for a few bright days and some of these glimpses into the autumn which has extended nicely.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 75 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“I have been finding treasures in places I did not want to search. I have been hearing wisdom from tongues I did not want to listen. I have been finding beauty where I did not want to look. And I have learned so much from journeys I did not want to take. Forgive me, O Gracious One; for I have been closing my ears and eyes for too long. I have learned that miracles are only called miracles because they are often witnessed by only those who can can see through all of life’s illusions.”
― Suzy Kassem
What do you do on a dull day after a few days of posting photos with bright orange leaves? You do a studio shot of clementines. Well, at least that’s what I did. I’ve been looking at this bowl on our kitchen table for the past few days, considering it as a photo subject. It’s also the result of constantly looking for and being aware of the wonderful yet mundane things in our lives.
The arrangement in the bowl looked like a still life and I believe the studio lighting that I had set up for my series of flowers late summer worked well here as well. So, here is the result.
These clementines also seem somehow appropriate for me, since we are now approaching Christmas season. Growing up, clementines were a rare treat and always signified Christmas season. Nowadays you can find them nearly year round, but there is still something special about a December clementine. It brings back fond memories of cozy evenings with family and friends, sharing treats and memories.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1.0 sec, f/14.0, ISO 200
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The true optimist not only expects the best to happen, but goes to work to make the best happen. The true optimist not only looks upon the bright side, but trains every force that is in him to produce more and more brightness in his life….”
― Christian D. Larson
Despite it being late November there has been a bright, golden theme in my photos recently and I’m pleased with that. I do tend to look for that brightness, despite walking through dark groves and solitary paths, I always seem to find some brightness. In this case there’s the wonderful effect of nice light and the bounteous oak and beech leaves glowing all around me, which have as yet to be buried in snow. Though we have had some light snowfalls lately, that snow has melted off and temperatures remain relatively nice, for November.
This image was made a few days ago in Durham forest, not far from my home. It was mid morning and the light was filtering brightly through the sparse canopy, lighting up the remaining leaves in bright tones of gold and orange. This particular section of the trail is unique in its abundance of tightly packed hardwoods, a mix of oak, maple and beech. Though only a few years old the grove has a very unique feel and lends itself well to my vertical pan abstractions.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/18.0, ISO 200
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“The joy you feel when you become a small life particle sun and share its brightness and warmth with those around you is indescribably great.”
― Ilchi Lee
As the upcoming winter makes its presence known daily, with cold winds, sleet, and icy mornings, a bit of autumn still remains. Beech seems to have some extra ‘stick’ to its leaves. They are almost always the last to fall and bring patches of brightness to even the dullest days.
I made this photo a few days ago, when the skies were not quite so dull and a bit of colour still shone through from the background. Even there, you can see a few patches of golden orange in the higher branches.
The beech leaves themselves are a bit weathered, but that is typical of this time of year and they are surprisingly intact considering the hot summer drought we had this past year. Surprisingly, most trees in my area produced some of the most astounding colour in years, despite the harsh conditions they faced.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 92 mm
1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200
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“Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. Every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
I could have titled this “The Other End”, since it really is the opposite end of the beaver pond I shared last week, but the word ‘serenity’ and ‘peace’ kept echoing through my thoughts as I reviewed the image. The light on the glass-like water, the tall pines along the shores, and the soft light, just calms me and draws me back to the moment.
I stood on the beaver dam itself, for a long time, taking in the vista, after forcing my way through the tangle of balsams that line the shores of the pond. In fact, I have yet to experience an established beaver pond that is not surrounded by the moisture loving balsam firs, with their tangled branches, leaving barely any room to move around with any level of ease.
This natural ‘wall’ also offers protection to the wildlife that calls the pond and its environs home: the beavers, deer, moose, and waterfowl. Sitting inside this wall, separated me from the world of the forest and put me into the world of the beaver pond, which is a nice place to be.
And yes, it’s another iPhone photo 🙂
iPhone 5s back camera @ 4.2mm
1/1800 sec; f/2.2; ISO 32
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“Goodness is about character — integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.”
– Dennis Prager
I’m cheating a bit today, as this is a photo I made three years ago from the window of my car as I drove to work one morning. The tree in the foreground is on my wife’s home farm. When I was commuting to work, I would see this scene daily.
The post was prompted by one of those Facebook Memories pop-ups and I recalled the painful events that caused me to make the photo and insert the text, which is not something I normally do. But, I felt the quote and the image might help others come to terms with unhealthy relationships.
It was during this period in my life when several close friends suddenly turned on me, very publicly, to serve their own interests. I would not wish this experience on anyone. Those days were filled with self-doubt, depression, anger, and I nice touch of paranoia. I’m the type of person who is very cautious about who I let in my life and it hurts all the more when I realize I made a poor choice.
As I emerged from the experience, I spent a lot of time on introspection, trying to figure out what I had done to deserve their attacks, and how the situation escalated so quickly, is something I have to this day to figure out. I do know now that is was led by one individual and others followed along to remain in his favour and continue to do so. During this time I came across the quote by Dennis Prager and it reminded me why the true friends who stood by me during those dark days were and still remain my friends. It’s because they are, simply put, ‘good’ people, who exhibit the traits mentioned in the quote. It has become a bit of a mantra for me and a gauge to consider the character of those who call themselves my friends.
“Rather than crying and craving for those who left our path during dark moments of our life, let’s spend some time to thank those who stood and helped us to pass those dark paths.”
― Nehali Lalwani
This image was made on a somewhat foggy morning. As the fog dissipated I came across this scene. Amidst a damp low area, filled with spruce and hemlock, stands a small grove of silver birch. The sun streaming through the branches, lighting up the forest floor in glowing bands and reflecting off the shiny bark made it seem like a magical place. Literally, a light among the darkness. I sat here for quite some time, on the log in the foreground, just enjoying the light and sense of peace this place brought me.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/120 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“November is usually such a disagreeable month…as if the year had suddenly found out that she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it. This year is growing old gracefully…just like a stately old lady who knows she can be charming even with gray hair and wrinkles. We’ve had lovely days and delicious twilights.”
― L.M. Montgomery
It reminded me of a scene from The Hobbit, as Bilbo enters Smaug’s lair and sees gold strewn everywhere, pouring across the floor and flowing between the columns. Though this is not gold, rather, an abundance of oak and beech leaves covering the rugged forest floor near Bancroft Ontario, flowing like a golden river between the rocks and trees.
Four mild November days and bright sunshine made the forest a wonderland of colour and light, especially accented by the golden leaves which were everywhere, on the tops of ridges, on ledges, and in deep valleys, everything was alight in the same golden glow. It really was surreal.
The image above is just one of many I made while hiking through tone of the deep valleys that is so typical of this region. Many ridges are a challenge to climb, so some careful planning is required before the attempt is made. This particular valley is quite shallow but many feature sheer drops and I’ve found my way through them with several years of exploring. It’s always a pleasure to get back here.
iPhone 5s back camera @ 4.2mm
1/120 sec; f/2.2; ISO 64
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“She is free in her wildness, she is a wanderess, a drop of free water. She knows nothing of borders and cares nothing for rules or customs. ‘Time’ for her isn’t something to fight against. Her life flows clean, with passion, like fresh water.”
― Roman Payne
If today’s forecast is any indication, it would appear that our wonderful, mild Ontario November is at an end and winter is anxiously knocking on our door.
That makes my memories of my ‘retreat’ at the beginning of this week all the more special. Cool nights and warm days brought a combination of colourful sunrises and a few foggy ones. Both are beautiful in their own way.
The image above was made this past Wednesday as the fog drifted lazily over the lake and draped the landscape with a layered veil, creating shadows in varying tones of gray. The landscape was quiet and serene as I stood on the shores of Fraser Lake, a gentle breeze moving tendrils of mist along the shoreline.
I felt the black and white image of this scene best conveyed the mood and puts me back to that time and place. A wonderful reminder of gentle November days to savour as the cold of winter takes hold.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 175 mm
1/30 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200
High Res Image is on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Daybreak,’ he said, looking out at it. ‘I always thought it was funny that dawn should be called daybreak. This is when the day is made – it’s the beginning. I’ts the best part: you’ve got all the potential of the day to come, and you haven’t wasted yet. When it gets dark, that should be daybreak. When the day is broken. When it turns into night time, that’s when it all start’s to go wrong.”
― Erin Kelly
The recent November dawns and dusks have been spectacular, whether on the lake or off. With cool nights and warm days, fog, in all its forms was readily available.
On this particular morning the fog had lifted into a low, churning, cloud deck that left vestiges of itself lingering in the valley below. In the distant right, the sun makes its appearance, ready to burn off the moisture, leading into a beautiful sunny day with only traces of the cloud to remind us of how the day began.
Irish Valley is an area of northeastern Ontario just east of Bancroft in the North Hastings Highlands region. The Little Mississippi River meanders below pasture lands in the foreground. A little piece of paradise that I will miss over the winter.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 800
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“Veil after veil of thin dusky gauze is lifted, and by degrees the forms and colours of things are restored to them, and we watch the dawn remaking the world in its antique pattern.”
― Oscar Wilde
This is the same view I posted yesterday but fourteen hours later. I have now returned home from a four day escape to the wilds of northeastern Ontario. I spent the time walking the trails, sitting on moss covered boulders, enjoying sunrises and sunsets, and simply drinking in my surroundings.
It’s been a spectacular November, with temperatures in the mid teens (fifties for my American friends). Each day was bright and sunny with shifting breezes. Each day ended with a lovely sunset and this particular day dawned a mix of lazy pinks and blues amid a high cloud deck, which soon dissipated.
Needless to say, I will be posting more photos of my ‘retreat’ and some thoughts about teh thing I experienced during this time.
iPhone 5s back camera @ 4.2mm
1/60 sec; f/2.2; ISO 32
High Resolution image available on 500px
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A beautiful sunset on Fraser Lake last night.
As you may have noticed by the brevity of my posts, I’m on a short break in Northeast Ontario, enjoying time in the outdoors and enjoying spectacular November weather.
I found this lovely beaver pond at the end of a trail. Spending a few days in the wild.
Northern Ontario forest light
“But it is a pipe.”
“No, it’s not,” I said. “It’s a drawing of a pipe. Get it? All representations of a thing are inherently abstract. It’s very clever.”
― John Green
I’ve had a few people comment on the forest abstracts that I create and how I do it. That is something that I have learned through experimentation and though I share my camera settings, the precise method is difficult to describe. I’m afraid if I over thought it, the images may not look the same. It’s really a ‘feel’ thing, the ‘art’ part for me. None of this workis done in Lightroom or Photoshop. It would simply not be satisfying for me.
One thing I did want to share is a before and after view of the same scene. First, I look for bright colours and a strong dark to light contrast, which was the case of this forest edge scene with the dark tree trunks and bright leaves (yellow maple and red oak). If you look carefully at the two images, you will see that the abstract captures most of the details and actually enhances the colours by blurring them together, leaving less dark shadows.
I tend to stick to a 1/4 sec shutter speed, since that has worked best for me. Next ,I do a vertical pan when activating the shutter. I often make multiple images and adjust aperture for exposure. The rest is really just previewing the images and deciding if what I have captured is what I envisioned. There have been instances when I have come across a composition I like and made 20 attempts to get it right with not a single suitable image. Thank goodness for digital cameras.
It’s a technique I learned from another photographer and customized to my own style. It’s also very satisfying, since I am creating something that did not exist before, in its modified form, yet still has natural origins.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The best part of the journey is the surprise and wonder along the way.”
― Ken Poirot
As I’ve done a few times in the past, I turned this image into a painting, through the wonder of Topaz software.
There are times when I envision an image with the camera and it does not quite meet my expectations. The above image is one of those. The sunlight was beautiful, casting long autumn shadows on the golden forest floor. The oaks had dropped most of their leaves and only the high canopy remained, filtering the sunlight to a soft orange. The leaves you see still clinging to the trees on the right are all beech. Yet, the rythm and warmth that I wanted to convey through the photo was lacking. By softening it, through brush strokes, that ‘feeling’ comes through better.
This path, at Uxbridge’s North Walker Woods parallels the forest’s southern edge. To the left are private properties consisting of homes and farms, all backing onto this little slice of paradise. To the right are rolling, oak covered hills. What struck me as I walked this perimeter trail was how the trail beckoned me further along, always wondering what might lie beyond the next dip. At the very end of this trail is the small pine forest where I made the image for “Be Still…” and the start of the trail is where I made “The Trailhead”, posted earlier this week.
Many more photos were created during this brief hike, of all of them, only this one did not satisfy me as a photograph. So, it’s nice to have options.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 85mm
1/180 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
― John Muir
As they say, every journey begins with a single step. This is the first step, and view, when entering the beautiful oak forest at Walkers Woods, a single tract within a vast conservation area, just south of Uxbridge, Ontario.
It will also be my first step to a new series of art photos that I’ll be publishing over the next few weeks, documenting the mid-November forest, most captured, on a single day, since time and light seem to be rare commodities of late. Fortunately, I live only a few minutes drive from these forests, which makes them a convenient weekend destination, with most of my time spent hiking and making photos. Evenings, though an option in the long days of summer do not offer any opportunities in the fall, since it’s already getting dark around four thirty.
I titled my prior series the “God-Light Series” and it featured a lot of golds and yellows. Well, the sun is lower in the sky and the light not quite as intense. As I considered the light and my attraction to this form of art I decided to call this latest series “Wooden Movements”.
Most of these images feature the bright copper colours of the oak forests just east of my home. While the maples and birches have dropped their leaves, oak and beech seem to be holding on till the end. Beech in particular seems to retain its leaves until well into winter. In the image above, the forest floor is covered with a thick layer of oak leaves, shimmering in the sun, while beech can be seen above, still clinging to the branches.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 75 mm
1/4 sec, f/14.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed 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.
And yet another door for beautiful Germain Street in Saint John, New Brunswick. This fairly simple door, with the ornate scrollwork above it, sits at the very beginning of Germain Street and concluded my photo walk that day.
Once more, the door is a bit ‘weathered’ but the owners have taken some measures to make it beautiful. It looks like an original door, which is wonderful. I see so many antique doors being replaced with aluminum and vinyl and the character is lost.
The photo was made near the end of the day and you can see the sun reflecting off the building across the street. Once more, I’m posting the Google Streetview link, so you can see the doors in relation to their surroundings. The contrast between old and modern will surprise you.
iPhone 5s back camera @ 4.2mm
1/470 sec; f/2.2; ISO 32
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“Who will bear witness to these small islands and oases of wildness as land is divided and sold to become strip malls, housing developments,and parking lots? What happens to the natural history here? We must bear witness.”
― Joni L. James
The sky yesterday was unbelievable. I had a brief errand to run which put me on the road towards Uxbridge, Ontario. From my window, this scene unfolded and I had to stop to capture it, to bear witness to this ‘oasis’, literally, on the outskirts of local development. All too soon these places will be mere memories.
Cold winds blew thin clouds in from the north and many trees had dropped their leaves already, but what remained was gorgeous! The sun bathed the rolling farm fields in a warm light that contradicted the cold wind and set the distant treeline ablaze with yellow light. I’m so happy I had my camera with me and was able to do the image justice. I can almost see the clouds drifting across the scene.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“In transitions, we must learn to be still. Being still is, in part, about learning to be comfortable with ambiguity.”
― Janet Rebhan
These are the words that echo through my head, as I consider this recent image and the events over the past several months and yesterday evening. I find myself standing here once more, drinking in the beauty and the quiet, as the world goes on about me. But here, in this place, in this moment, I am still. I am still and the quiet of the forest surrounds me, nourishes me, makes me aware of its life. In this small part of my world, I am at peace.
The contrast between the dark tree trunks and the bright sun soaked forest floor, as well the bright green ferns, still lush among the fallen leaves, makes me consider all the extremes we are faced with and how they can coexist in this small, quiet place and make the whole scene beautiful.
Be Still…, also echoes the verses of a favourite hymn, and reminds me that I am part of an incredible creation and that there is peace in faith as well.
This is my refuge, my quiet place, and affords me the ability to be still, even though I can’t be there right now. I’m hoping this little glimpse affords you that stillness as well.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 75 mm
1/4 sec, f/14.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“As the sun lives on when it sets in the warmth it has given to others, you too will live on in the hearts of those whose lives you have touched.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
I could think of no better title for this image of a mature milkweed pod, backlit by a late afternoon autumn sun.
The image was not one I set out to make but was one of those ‘opportunities’ that often comes up in most photographer’s days. There is a grove of poplars which I photographed last year, at their peak of colour, that I was hoping to revisit for another try. The light was not great and I have yet to review all my shots. However, as I stood there photographing the poplars, I could not help but be drawn to the multitude of brightly shimmering milkweed pods as they moved about in the gentle breeze. Each one seemed to lit up from inside. Also, for this time of year, it was a warm day, thus the combination of the warm and fuzzies.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 170 mm
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
“Do you know how there are moments when the world moves so slowly you can feel your bones shifting, your mind tumbling? When you think that no matter what happens to you for the rest of your life, you will remember every last detail of that one minute forever?”
― Jodi Picoult
As I mentioned on a previous post, I had the opportunity this past weekend to get back on the trails, spend some time with my son, and make more photos.
In several aspects, we experienced ‘Golden Moments”. The soft autumn sunlight made both the canopy and forest floor glow with golden light, trees cast long, yet barely noticeable shadows on the ground, and we had a great time discussing photography, light, and composition.
My son is in his third year of university for film making and has a great sense for all of the above and is quite a talented photographer as well, yet he sees thing slightly differently from me, which has been a great learning experience for both of us, as we walk and discuss what and how we are seeing the scenes around of us.
Often he will see something that did not catch my eye and vice versa. The joy in this is that we are both able to communicate well what that ‘something’ is. Then the other will see it as well. I found this has expanded my art as a photographer significantly.
After all, if I can’t understand how others may see my work, then I believe I’m not fully communicating my vision.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 78 mm
1/80 sec, f/7.1, 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
“You never know what’s around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you’ve climbed a mountain.”
― Tom Hiddleston
Ah, the weekend again and a nice time to get out and enjoy what autumn has to offer. As I went for a hike with my son we both noted that fall is a sensory banquet, filled with sights, sounds, smells and texture. We left taste to another time, though pumpkin pie did enter the conversation as a possibility.
I’ve hiked this train more times than I can remember, yet every time, it offers something new. At this point in the trail there is a small but wonderful grove of birch trees. Larger birches are spare in this area and usually not in well established groves. This one is right on the trail and grows on a gentle hillside, allowing ample sunlight to warm the roots. The rest of the forest in this section is largely maple and beech. It’s the beech leaves littering the forest floor that give it that beautiful coppery glow.
Something I have not tried here was a vertical pan, which I have been enjoying a lot lately. I made three images and chose this one as my favourite. There is a nice contrast between the greens and oranges against the bright blue sky, broken up by the white lines of the birches. To see another of this grove, please check my other image made here last year. Last year’s image offered a bit more leaf cover and more undergrowth.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 75 mm
1/4 sec, f/32.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed 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
A very brief post from the trails today, but keeping up to my commitment to a post a day for 2016.
A little glimpse into my world today. Enjoying mild weather and beautiful trails.
Interestingly, this is my 500th post, so I will need to add to it in celebration. More to follow.
“The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity… and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.”
― William Blake
At first, this image was in my ‘discard’ pile. The bend and tilt of the trees bothered me and I could not get it ‘straight’. I realized that the wobble , though distracting to me, was OK and that there were wonderful textures and movement in this image once I reconsidered the image as a whole.
This image was made on the same day as the rest of what I am now referring to as my “God-light” series. As you can see, the sunlight is abundant and the forest floor is strewn with golden leaves. Yet, small patches of green still linger. A beautiful day to absorb this scene.
This got me considering how many other things and people we may relegate to our ‘discard’ pile when first impressions discomfort us. In future, I intend to remind myself of this image and consider the many reasons how these trees got their bend in the first place.
I love the quote: “Art, brings comfort to the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable”.
I find it becoming a bit of a mantra for me of late.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/5sec, f/14.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed 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
Ed Lehming Photography 
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