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.
Yet another door for beautiful Germain Street in Saint John, New Brunswick. I loved these ornate, yet somewhat weather worn doors. If you look at the Street View, you’ll see the neighbour has painted theirs. A vast improvement, in my opinion, though I do like the look of natural wood.
“If I am brave enough to stand against those who have been groomed by fear, I will recognize that where I get knocked down is all about where life begins, and has nothing to do with where it ends.”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough
Although not as bright and sunshiney as my previous images, this one still echoes the spirit of the forest and provides me with thoughts on life and my world. As filtered sunlights drifts down from above, filtered green and yellow, and falls in patches on the leaf strewn ground, shadows reach out, and certain trees show their own particular colours, some bright gold, while others reflect the sky in muted blues, and others loom darkly. In the background, bright sunlight reflects from bright yellow leaves. The trees ‘stand’ tall in the forest reaching towards the sunshine, encircling the brown leaves.
A ‘stand ‘ is also an expression for a group of trees, particularly aspens, who share common root system. While not the case here, with the mix of pine, maple, and oak. I still like the name because it instills multiple images in my mind.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/20.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“We are often unaware of the gradual decline and the erosion in our lives but not unaware of the gnawing feeling it brings.”
― Eric Samuel Timm
As I stood on the shore, I could not help but notice the features of this rock outcropping. Wave after wave flowed over it and the light revealed deep scrapes and abrasions. Small rocks washed and danced over the surface and around the edges. The surf repeated this pattern, over and over. At some point, driven by the extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy, larger boulders must have passed over the surface, creating the deep gouges and chips. Long before I was born and long after I’m gone, this pattern continues, adding to the abrasive material that’s responsible. Eventually, the rock will be worn down by some it’s own material.
How often does life wear us down to the point where we are the very agents of our continued erosion?
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 95 mm
1/8 sec, f/25.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
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“One passionate heart can brighten the world. From person to person the chain reaction burns through us — setting heart to heart ablaze, and lighting the way for us all!”
― Bryant McGill
I set out yesterday morning, on a bright clear day, gentle sunlight lighting up the changing leaves. That lasted for about an hour and dark, slate-gray clouds rolled in, effectively ending my planned day of photographing falls leaves.
So, a change of plans, including a trip to a local market and a micro-brewery I had meant to visit. All was not lost and it became a great day out with my wife, being tourists in our own area. Not to be completely disappointed, we drove some back roads looking for some particularly colourful tree to catch our attention. We had varying success with that, as the sky was just ‘dull’ and colours muted.
Then, as we rounded a bend in the road on our way home, this scene offered itself. A temporary break in the clouds lit up this grove of maple and birch trees, making them almost glow in contrast to the dark clouds and pine forest behind them. It was a virtual island of light.
Unfortunately, I could not get a clear shot from the road and climbed up an embankment, hoping for a better view, unobstructed by trees and fences. That was not to be and I just could not get a satisfactory angle to show what I was seeing. But trespassing was not an option for me.
As I came off the embankment, a truck slowed, stopped, and reversed back to where I was standing. Great, a confrontation? The driver asked me what I was doing on the embankment and I told him I was trying to make a photo of the trees in the sun. He told me he was the property owner, and much to my surprise he said, “If you want to get a bit closer, feel free to jump the fence, but mind the horses, they may come at you, so be careful.”
I thanked him for being so understanding, quickly climbed the fence and made three images before the sun was obscured once more. This one photo made the whole day worthwhile and restored my faith in people being understanding of photographers trying to conduct their art. I may have to go back with a print of this image and thank him for being so kind. Like the sun on the trees, that act of kindness brightened my day.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 90 mm
1/100 sec, f/5.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
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“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”
― Plato
This is the fifth and final image from my “God-light” series.
On that most wonderful day, where the sun and leaves provided me with a brilliant show of light and colour, I emerged from a darker part of the forest into what was to be the final bright patch of light. Around the bend the path drops, into a cedar grove, where the leaves are not as bright, the sun is filtered and only a few bright yellow cedar boughs litter the mostly green pathway. That’s the nature and diversity of the forest, always revealing something new around the next bend or beyond the next hill.
If the forecasts are correct, there will be a few more mild days but I’m afraid all that remains will pale in comparison to the experience I had a few brief days ago, stored in my memories and documented in five photos. That said, I was surprised by this show of light and hope to be blessed by another, slightly different experience.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/5 sec, f/25.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
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A quick image of this year’s pumpkin. Wishing you all a safe and delightful Halloween!
©Ed Lehming Photography 2016
“Now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turnin’ gold
And like the sky my soul is also turnin’
Turnin’ from the past, at last, and all I’ve left behind”
― Ray Lamontagne
Image four in my “God-light” series.
It still amazes me at how quickly a day can change. As I’ve said in previous posts, I was out for a brief walk, not expecting much to present itself as far as photos. I often have an intent of what I want to photograph and how, yet every now and then, more often of late, nature has surprises in store for me. This was the case on that short hike a few days ago. Over the span of a few minutes and a few hundred meters the late morning sunlight bathed the forest in an extraordinary light. The effect is further enhanced by the abundance of freshly fallen maple and birch leaves, which give the light a warm golden glow, yet vestiges of green still show themselves in the background. It’s a glorious time of year.
In this image the path bends gently to the left past brightly glowing maples and the surprisingly intense sunshine lights up patches of tree trunks and laps at the ground in tongues of flame while the clear blue sky shows itself among the high branches.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/5 sec, f/25.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Travelling the road will tell you more about the road than Google will tell you about the road.”
― Amit Kalantri
My third installation from my autumn walk in the woods. Once more, the image was made in a very brief time frame when the sun shone brightly between the trees, lighting up the forest floor with an unbelievable ‘glow’. C.S Lewis referred to it as a “God-light” and I can’t think of a better term for it. There is a life and energy in this light that is so utterly profound. You want to stand there and just absorb it. The light strikes the trees, yet leaves barely a shadow, as it reflects softly within the forest.
It was one of those days you wish could go on forever because it is so awe inspiring. I was happy to have witnessed it and even happier to be able to keep some of it as more than just a memory. Something to share and, hopefully, brighten someone elses day, when they need a bit of light to get them through.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“I loved sitting on the pile of freshly cut logs, running my hands over the different shapes and smelling their woody fragrance. To this day I think that there is nothing as interesting to look at as a heap of newly cut logs, the delicate colouring of their veined insides telling their life story, while they wait to bring warmth and comfort.”
― Alice Taylor
A very simple title for a simple composition that caught my attention during a brief hike this week. There is something about the white birch bark and the orange leaves and cedar that make this “pop” for me. It was one of those images that I liked straight from the viewfinder and the composition was relatively simple, yet appealing.
Given the abundance of fungus on these logs, I don’t believe they would be appropriate for firewood, they simply make a nice photo.
Sadly, I’m also envisioning this image with a light dusting of snow, which we had last night. Fall is moving all too quickly to the inevitable winter, which does have its own beauty.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200
High resolution image can be viewed 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
“Any patch of sunlight in a wood will show you something about the sun which you could never get from reading books on astronomy. These pure and spontaneous pleasures are ‘patches of Godlight’ in the woods of our experience.”
― C.S. Lewis
The light in the forest last week was beautiful and brief. I was able to make a series of these forest ‘abstractions’ while on a short lunchtime walk. All were made within a few hundred meters of each other and then, the light was gone and the forest settled into an autumn gloom.
So, drink in this warmth, this “Godlight’, and dance like the trees of the forest in a gentle breeze. Reach your arms to the sky and turn your head to bathe in the warmth of the autumn sun, for inevitably, this gift will fade, and snow and cold will slow our step.
The golden glow was caused by bright yellow maple leaves which covered the forest floor, between the delicate new growth, on a gently sloping hillside. In the distance, some vestiges of green still shine through.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/25.0, 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
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.
Today a travel photo. I was in Saint John, New brunswick on business last week and though I brough my camera gear, I found little time to be a tourist. Rather, I made most of my images with my Iphone as I took a quick stroll through Saint John’s wonderful victorian streets.
The doors here are plentiful and beautiful. Germain Street is especially lovely, though there is a great variance in the condition of the homes and their doors. Some building have been meticulously updated and maintained, hearkening to San Francisco, while others are surprisingly run down and unkempt. The door above is somewhere between and seems to have been neglected of late. I’m attaching a Google Streetview for you if you feel like taking a quick tour.
Why we love with close hearts
Why we love with souls apart
Let the love flow from hearts to souls,
Let the world glow”
― Megha Khare
For the past few years I have found great pleasure in creating these photo abstractions, all done in camera, no Photoshop blur effects.
Several years ago, I was introduced to this technique by a photographer friend who did these for a brief period. She was kind enough to give me some pointers and I took that technique and personalized it. Since I make these images free-standing, each image is slightly different and unique. I usually make three or four and decide on which I like best. I always have a vision in mind but they are always a surprise. The light plays in such unique ways that it is hard to fully predict the outcome, though I have gotten better , I think, in my initial composition.
The image above was made as I was on the inner edge of a pine forest. The sun was shining brightly on the maples and birches just outside, creating this gorgeous glow, which reflected onto the forest floor. Many of the details are missed in the viewfinder, like the green grasses in the foreground and the solitary green leaf, glowing in front of the pines.
The forest, though seemingly dark, is alight with this reflected glow which seems to come from the ground itself, despite the cooling temperatures as we approach the inevitable winter time. You’d almost think it could melt the snow. I’m hoping for a few more days of this warm fall light.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 80 mm
1/4 sec, f/25.0, 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
“So slip on your goggles and your reading trunks, for the sun is high. Let me leave you with one more thought. In what season of the year do we find ourselves – I’m speaking for a moment in terms of the physical world – wading through things? Surf. Kelp. Books. Summer.”
― Roy Blount Jr.
This photo is not my usual style, but I love water, moving water, and I especially love the sound of surf on a beach.
As I strolled the beach at Irving Nature Park, near Saint John, New Brunswick, I made several images of the waves rolling in, looking for a certain ‘feel’. This particular image captured that feel for me.
I can feel the power of the bay, see the sky reflected, bright and blue on the water’s surface, and hear the sound as the wave crests, sprays mist into the air, crashes on the sand, and flows back to its source. The wave is coming in, and going out at the same moment. A pattern, repeated for millennia, yet always appealing to me.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/10 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
“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”
― J.R.R. Tolkien
A convenient five minute drive from my house is this little country oasis, which also happens to adjacent to the farm my mother in law grew up on. The the family was forced off the land many years ago when the property was expropriated for use as a future airport (which after forty years, has not happened, and hopefully won’t).
This beautiful country road is one of the few remaining in the area where maple trees lean over the road, making a tunnel of colour . I had visited two weeks ago and the trees were just starting to show colour. Then, I had to travel for a week on business. When I return this past weekend, some of the trees had already shed their leaves, but what remained was beautiful, nonetheless.
I’m believing this may be an abbreviated autumn, in terms of colourful leaves, we’ve already had several days of cool, wet weather, with strong winds, which has knocked a lot of the leaves down already. So, I drink it in while I can, make photos, when I can, and simply enjoy the season.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 70 mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, 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
“Everything turns in circles and spirals with the cosmic heart until infinity. Everything has a vibration that spirals inward or outward — and everything turns together in the same direction at the same time. This vibration keeps going: it becomes born and expands or closes and destructs — only to repeat the cycle again in opposite current. Like a lotus, it opens or closes, dies and is born again. Such is also the story of the sun and moon, of me and you. Nothing truly dies. All energy simply transforms.”
― Suzy Kassem
Back at a computer after a week of travel, and time to add some context to my simplified posts of late.
The image above was taken on a whim. Autumn was just approaching and a few leaves had made an early descent to the forest floor, still littered with last years’ remnants and several green plants. The contrast between the dry gray leaves from last year, the newly fallen, and the still growing plants told the story of continuous cycle in the forest, made more noticeable to me by the bright colours, randomly scattered.
iPhone 5s back camera @ 4.2mm
1/30 sec; f/2.2; ISO 125
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
“If you are made for flight, intended for it,
you had better find a pursuer, fast.
Otherwise, all that fleeing is going nowhere.”
― Dan Chiasson
As I stood by the roadside, a large flock of birds suddenly lept to the air, spinning and weaving above the cornfield from which they had erupted. They flowed in the air like an apparition, then just as quickly, they descended and disappeared once more. All was still.
Then, within minutes, the pattern repeated, only this time, from the corner of my eye, i spotted the source of their flight, A Red-Tailed Hawk soared high above looking for some unwary prey. As soon as the hawk dropped behind the treeline, the birds settled back down till it’s next visit.
At the time, I did not know what variety of bird this was and assumed they were starlings, since starlings tend to form these groups, the larger ones being spectacular murmurations which seem to be some singular, living thing. As I looked closely at the photo, I noticed that these were in fact red-winged blackbirds. It’s the first time I’ve seen so many together. I suppose they are on their migration to warmer climes.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 140 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3 ISO 400
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
Saint John Anglican Church, Saint John New Brunswick
Travelling this week and could not resist this beautiful propeller.
“Sunflowers, Not Facing the Sun” (A Poem)
I stand tall
As gracious as one could be
Blooming to my best
As slender as it touches my being
Everyone else is facing the sun
Bending towards its unfathomable galore
They and I are both undoubtedly
Grown on the benevolence of life’s essence
The brighter side mercilessly feeding desires unbound
By daunting the “courage to know” with each spin
Though, I am not able to face the sun the way they do
Yet, I learn from the knowledge bred within me
Beyond achievement markers, but an adverse ability
An opportunity to exercise my special self
From the cherubic attire of my blessed soul
To the unfathomable mystery the drape of this world hides
That I, by not facing the sun
Hunt the gems in the milieu of the human existence”
― Annie Ali
As the days shorten and cool, I find myself reflecting back on the wonderful summer of 2016. Many hot days, one the water, on the trails, or just sitting and relaxing, eyes closed and basking in the sun.
So, as I take in the last blossoms of summer, I’m particularly drawn to sunflowers, with their sun-like faces, petals blazing forth in warm yellows. Until recently I had not noticed all the variations of sunflowers, from the traditional seed-bearing varieties to the yellow or black faced ornamentals, all beautiful and all reminders, to me, of warmer days, as they matured, facing the sun and drinking in its energies, and reflecting it back now, as the sun itself is less present.
Nikon D800
Nikor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 70mm
1.3 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
High 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
“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.”
― Samuel Butler
I’m not really sure what kind of berry this is. They look a bit like cranberries, but I suspect that is not the case. They came as a colour ‘filler’ in a bouquet of flowers I purchased for our Thanksgiving table. Of course, I had to pull it apart and make photos of the various blossoms, some of which have already been shared here.
In any case, I thought they were interesting and liked the way the light played off the berries themselves. If anyone has an idea what they might be, I’d be happy to be informed.
Nikon D800
Nikor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 70mm
1.3 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
High 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
“And that afternoon, as the sun slanted low through the changing autumn leaves, I remembered to savor the moment, soak in the beauty, breathe deeply and feel the immensity of God.”
― Cindee Snider Re
The next component to nature’s fall palette around here is orange. Interestingly, when I got closer to this branch for a bright orange maple tree, I found a surprising amount of green and yellow, with patches of red and orange. The result, when viewed from a distance is a blazing orange.
This tree, in it’s entirety, can be seen in a post I made of few days ago (it’s the large tree near the back of the group).
I’m quite enjoying this study series and hoping the colours don’t fade before I can build a good collection of images. Bt with autumn, we can only hang on for so long and then it’s gone. I’m hoping for an extension like we had last year. Fingers crossed.
Nikon D800
Nikor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 70mm
1 .3 sec, f/25.0, ISO 400
High 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
“Fall colors are funny. They’re so bright and intense and beautiful. It’s like nature is trying to fill you up with color, to saturate you, so you can stockpile it before winter turns everything muted and dreary.”
― Siobhan Vivian
Today I started photographing fall colours a bit differently. Rather than the broad sweep of forests in full colour, I decided to look a bit closer at the branches that create this wonder. Using the black backdrop, I was able to isolate the branches and leaves to show off the finer details.
These leaves are natural, less than perfect, showing the wear and tear of a hot and dry summer. In fact, I’m quite amazed at the depth of colours this year. I would have thought that the heat stress would have made for a mostly brown and muted autumn, but nature has surprised me with a depth and range of colour I can’t recall seeing for years.
I’ll be spending the next few days sharing more recent images of my native trees in their autumn colours, until business travel pulls me away for a few days. But till then, I’m happy to be able to share this experience with you.
Nikon D800
Nikor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 48mm
1 .0 sec, f/20.0, ISO 200
High 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
“Just as a painter needs light in order to put the finishing touches to his picture, so I need an inner light, which I feel I never have enough of in the autumn.”
― Leo Tolstoy
I’ve titled myself a ‘photo opportunist’ a few times. Really, it’s all about being prepared for any eventuality. This means knowing my gear, settings, and my surroundings. A lot has to do with experience, most bad to mediocre. The many images that ‘could have been’, but did not turn out because I was not properly prepared and inexperienced.
This was not the case today. I went for a brief drive through the countryside near my house. It made for a nice lunch break and cleared my mind.
The forecast was for a mix of sun and cloud and that is exactly what we got. A newscaster this morning asked where the line is between this forecast and mostly sunny or mostly cloudy. That seemed to depend on the time of day, as the cloud cover was very variable, but looking distinctly like autumn, with heavy clouds passing by quickly overhead, a cool breeze and the threat of intermittent showers at any time.
The trick, if you will, to photographing in these conditions is simply patience and choosing a subject and location. As I drove down the country lane, I noticed this cluster of maple trees lit up by a narrow sliver of sun, with the contrasting dark sky as a backdrop. Determined to capture this, I got closer, framed my shot and sat, waiting for another break in the cloud. I was not disappointed. Within minutes, the sun broke through the clouds, setting the trees ablaze with light, while leaving the foreground in shadow. The effect is stunning and I was able to accurately capture one of those great autumn moments to share here.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 122 mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 400
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
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 the University of Toronto and the wide assortment of doors and interesting architectural styles.
An observation, as I considered this image: it is incredible, the details, some quite obvious, that we miss. For example, this door has two very distinct and different columns, each with a unique capital (that is the top part of the column). Something I had not noticed when I first saw the door and framed the shot. It now has me curious what the symbolism of the two styles is.
A rather sad element of this image is that it shows the significant damage done to the marble columns by salt and age. However, the door itself is quite marvelous with its expressive ironwork. I hope you enjoy this week’s Thursday Door.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 80 mm
1/125 sec, f/5.6, 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
“We live beneath many layers. Some are for our protection, and some are for our control.”
― Russell Eric Dobda
Generally, I stay away from ‘tight’ shots of flowers, preferring to show the entire blossom. This image is an exception. As I was composing some images of a Gerbera recently, I was really noticing the transition between the inner petals and the outer petals and how lovely that transition was. These “Fringes” pull me into the blossom, layer upon layer, each one looking like a beautiful brush stroke, each one unique, so I thought I’d share it through this image, for your consideration.
Nikon D800
Nikor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 45mm (12mm extension tube)
1 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
High 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
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
― Lauren DeStefano
One of the beautiful effects of autumn is the glow of sunlight through changing leaves. My son referred to it a few days a ago as “looking like stained glass”. There are times when the forest glows in surreal colours, softly diffused in the air around us. It’s soothing and wonderful. This is one of the many reasons I try to get outside as much as possible at this time of year, even if only for a few minutes.
I set out this past weekend to capture some fall images. The trees here are just starting to show their colours, sometimes in single trees, and other times larger groves, though the colour change seems to be limited to the canopy and has not yet filtered to the lower leaves, keeping the forest interiors mainly green, for now.
The image above was mad at the trailhead, just outside my car. I really did not have to go far for this and several other images. I did send the next hour or so on the trail, mainly photographing mushrooms, as the forest was still quite green, with a few exceptions, like the yellow leaves above.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO 800
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
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
― L.M. Montgomery
Sorry, a very short post today. It’s been a busy Thanksgiving weekend and I found myself with very little time to sit and write. Yet, I made a commitment to myself at the start of the year to do at least one post every day for the year. So, here it is…quickly assembled.
Yet, I want to do this photo justice, since I loved how it turned out, capturing the rich yellows and subtle greens in the blossoms. It also, deliberately, shows all aspects of flowers, since several of them are actually turned away for the camera.
I spent quite a bit of time setting up the shot so that the plant was fully represented. Once i had it, I just knew it was ‘right’.
Nikon D800
Nikor 24-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 70mm
1 /4 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
High 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
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite – only a sense of existence. Well, anything for variety. I am ready to try this for the next ten thousand years, and exhaust it. How sweet to think of! My extremities well charred, and my intellectual part too, so that there is no danger of worm or rot for a long while. My breath is sweet to me. O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment.”
― Henry David Thoreau
Happy Thanksgiving to my friends and family here in Canada. What more appropriate flower for the day than this bright sunflower, it’s face tilted upward to greet the sun, blazing with its own light? A true fall blossom.
The autumn has proven a great opportunity for me to make these still-life images of plants and flowers. Many, like this one, were temporarily ‘borrowed’ from bouquets in our living room. My wife smiles as she sees me extract yet another ‘subject’ from the vase for a few minutes and then return it to the arrangement.
My theory is, the flowers only last while, but the photo preserves the beauty for many years to come.
Nikon D800
Nikor 24-70mm f/3.5-4.6 @ 70mm
1 /4 sec, f/22.0, ISO 400
High 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
“Dream delivers us to dream, and there is no end to illusion. Life is like a train of moods like a string of beads, and, as we pass through them, they prove to be many-colored lenses which paint the world their own hue. . . . ”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every now and then, the eye picks up on a pattern and the brain translates it into something familiar. As I reviewed my image of this orchid made a few weeks back, I could not stop seeing a mouth wide open, in a shout or scream. It’s a strange phenomenon, how our brain is programmed to humanize things like this. Or, am I the only one who sees this? I’ll leave it to you to decide.
In any case, I’m pleased with the orchid itself. As I’ve noted before, the deep burgundy, with notes of subtle orange was very difficult to capture and reproduce accurately, since the image is quite dark to start with. As I sat with the original orchid next to my screen, comparing the colour casts and highlights, I was quite pleased at how it turned out, despite it’s gaping mouth.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200mm
1 sec, f/20.0, ISO 400
High 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
Ed Lehming Photography 
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