A Clash of Seasons

A newly fallen Japanese Maple leaf rests on top of an early snowfall

Generally we can’t tell when one season ends and the next season starts. Certainly there is an overlap, but for the most part it’s not very obvious. But there are two instances during the year when two seasons collide head-on, and it becomes apparent to even the casual observer. These two times are in the early spring, and again in the late fall. Snow is the common denominator in these instances and it makes us very aware that there is no straight line in the change of seasons… and for the nature photographer it can be a boon.

Snow rests on top of the leaves of a still viable shrub

When an early snowfall hits the landscape in late autumn we have a very visual indication of two seasons colliding; Colorful leaves of autumn still clinging to the trees and shrubs that gave them live, and the winter snow that is trying to take that life away, as it inevitably will. This juxtaposition of life and death in the natural world can lend itself to some compelling photos. If you’ve read my earlier blogs you know that colors and shapes catch my eye. And often the colors and shapes present contrasts with each other. And contrast is what these particular images are all about. Some of them are contrasts in colors, some in shapes. But they are all contrasts between one season and the next; between what was and what is to come; between life and death.

Early snow on maple leaves still clinging to the tree

Contrast in an image creates a visual tension, and it is precisely this visual tension that makes an image interesting, or even compelling, to look at.

Usually when we have these instances of an early spring- or late autumn- snowfall the effect is very fleeting, because the day is usually warm enough to melt the snow away quickly. So we have to move quickly to capture images that define the phenomenon. Indeed, while I was taking these photos I had snow falling on my head as it was melting from the leaves above me. And I won’t get another chance to shoot such images again this year, as most of the leaves from the trees in these photos were gone the next day…. But there is always next spring, when a late winter/early spring snow will cover some early blooming flowers. I can’t wait.

Early snow on top of Purple Coneflower

Jun082014

Light is Everything

Late day dappled light on this iris brings out details that wouldn’t be possible in full sunlight

The word photography means “to write with light”. And indeed, every photograph is ‘written with light’. That’s a given. but how do we use the light that we have to our best advantage when it comes to making a compelling photograph? Two answers come to mind; quality of light, and time of light. And actually those two qualities are somewhat related. Ideally, the best time for light photographically are the “golden hours”, just after sunrise and just before sunset. At these times the light has a warm quality that bathes everything in a warm color that is pleasing to the eye, especially in a photograph. But as for quality of light, in my opinion there are many other times besides these golden hours that can produce eye-catching photos. Late day is one of those times, when the sun is low enough in the sky to create interesting shadows, or to produce a back-light that causes translucent objects to light up and glow. And if you are in the woods, even a mid day sun can have an interesting effect on the ground as it weaves through the leaves overhead, causing patches of light and shadow on the forest floor.

In the image above, we have a very common subject; a bearded iris. If this photo were taken in the middle of the day, in full sunlight, there would be some very harsh shadows and burnt out highlights. In other words, it would be a very unappealing photo. But this particular photo was taken around 5:30 in the afternoon. The sun was getting low in the sky. It was off to the right and below the tree line, so the light that was hitting the flower was dappled by the leaves. This created a very even and pleasing light that made the petals and stamens come to life amid the very subdued shadows. In fact, between the trees and the passing clouds, I had to wait for the right light on the flower. But the final image was worth the wait.

close-up image of a bleeding heart in subdued lighting

In this image of a Bleeding Heart flower, the lighting situation is pretty much the same, but it illustrates a different point. The light was again dappled through the leaves, but here it was hitting only the flower. The background was in shade, causing it to go dark in the photo, which makes the flower stand out. Also, an f-stop (f-8) was used that would render the background blurry with no detail, further hilighting the main subject. (note; all of these images were shot with a 105mm macro lens)

backlight on coral bell leaf

This last image illustrates one of my favorite kinds of light; backlighting. Backlight can only be achieved when the sun is low in the sky, and only at very certain angles to the subject. But when it is right, it is magical. First, backlighting can transform a normally ‘nice’ subject into a thing of beauty. This works best with objects that are semi-translucent, like leaves and flower petals. When a low angle light comes through these objects, they almost turn into stained glass. And secondly, if there is some fine detail around the edges, like fine hairs, they tend to glow in a way that you wouldn’t see otherwise. This photo shows off both of these qualities.

So the next time you are out there late in the day, look around for some of these lighting situations. Start with your own back yard. You may see things you never saw before, and it will change the way you look at photographing everyday objects.

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Feb122014

Color, Shape and Form

This image exhibits the epitome of shapes and colors in a photographic image

Maybe it’s my artistic and graphics background; maybe it’s just something that has been in me since I was a child. Whatever it is, it’s not something that I ever thought about consciously as I was developing my photographic style. Indeed, I wasn’t even aware of it until several years in when I started seeing a common theme to a lot of my work. But once I realized it, there it was, staring me right in the face… I was attracted by strong color, shape and form. It seemed that most of my best and most striking images contained at least one of those qualities; and often they had all three.

Now that I realize this propensity and ability to see blocks of shape and color I seek them out even more, and I see them in some unconventional locations. This image was taken during a snowstorm last winter. I don’t often go out shooting during a storm, because it can cause problems with the gear. You have to be careful which direction you shoot. But anyway, I made my way down Lisbon Street, mostly documenting the downtown in a storm, but at the same time trying to be a bit artistic about it. When I got to Oak Street the shelter of the parking garage beckoned, offering a bit of respite from the wind and snow; so I obliged. Once inside I was free to point my camera in any direction without getting the lens wet.

ice and light reflections on the androscoggin river

This image is a good example of shapes and color in a nature image

As I walked around, looking from the inside out, a whole new world of possibilities opened up to me. I was seeing the same buildings I saw before, but now they were framed by the columns and rails of the garage. What was before just a couple of buildings with no special qualities now became the backdrop of an image that was broken up into blocks and shapes by the columns directly in front of me. And furthermore, the red and yellow of the two distant buildings now added the color that I crave in an image… and these colors themselves created more shapes. And to top it off I was blessed with horizontal line, vertical lines and diagonal lines. I had it all.

The two buildings by themselves, viewed from outside the parking garage, while interesting for their contrasting colors, do not have the same impact on their own. Not until I viewed them from inside, framed by the rails and columns did the whole picture come together for me. It now had everything that attracts my eye in a photograph. These images are all around; in nature and man made. One just has to be attentive to their surroundings, and learn to look at the details, rather than the big picture.

My Web Site: Daniel J. Marquis Photography

Daniel J. Marquis Photography

Fine Art and Stock Photography

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