Leaves
Early Morning Stretch
Sometimes I just pick up my camera and wander around my yard to see what I can see. On a recent morning stroll around the yard, just after sunrise, I snapped a few photos of the pea plants growing in the farm field that surrounds our property.
This shot appealed to me for several reasons… The green glow of the plant in the morning light, the tiny drops of dew still clinging to the plant in the cool of the morning, the graceful curve of the vine-like shoot and the small buds that will bloom a pretty purple flower.
Of course, to see the sharp detail of this image, it best viewed in a large size. To see the largest possible size on your particular screen, click the photo.
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Springtime Vibe
These sweet, tiny, wildflowers are known by a variety of names such as, Spring Beauty, Virginia Spring Beauty, Eastern Spring Beauty or Fairy Spud. Not all clusters are as vibrant in color as these, most plant blooms are white with very subtle striping.
They bloom in early spring. The life of the individual flowers is short. They bloom lasts only three days, and the five stamens on each flower are only active for a single day. They can be found in many different habitat types, especially in forests. I found these in the woods of northeast Wisconsin.
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Carnival of Autumn Color
The wide variety of hues in this patch of sumac reminded me of the bright colors you might find at an autumn carnival.
I had a few minutes before I had to be an an appointment so I thought I would make a quick stop at a local waterfall to, hopefully, catch a beautiful fall scene. Well, the waterfall didn’t have much water falling; barely a trickle. Even if it were flowing, there wasn’t much color in the foliage surrounding it. However, there was a small patch of sumac in the area that was bursting with color. Normally the sumac turns a bright red. I’ve not encountered sumac in transition with such a wide range of colors before. It made my stop worthwhile.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Red Vine
On a hike though Wisconsin woodlands, the deep red color of the leaves on this vine, draped across a moss covered rock, caught my eye.
This was on a trip to photograph waterfalls in Marinette County. On a very difficult, rocky trail to a viewing spot, I noticed the contrasting color. Even though I was there for the waterfall, I couldn’t resist a quick capture.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Branching Out
One of my favorite spring images are the new, delicate leaves that sprout from trees emerging from their winter dormancy.
As I walk through the woods I’m always scanning my surroundings for something that catches my eye. This sprig was captured by the late afternoon sunlight and highlighted by a back-light of filtering through the trees, making the very common uncommonly interesting. (At least to me.) It was just another twig among millions that caught my eye.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Early Stretch
One of the glories of spring is “new growth” – as flowers bud and leaves sprout in the woodlands. This is a twig bursting forth with new life; awakening from its deep, winter slumber.
A lot of my images are captured on hikes through the woods with my wife. When we hike, you can bet my camera is with me. I often stop in mid-stop and begin focusing on something that would seem painfully plain and ordinary to most people. In these moments, something has caught my eye and sparked my imagination. I see some shape or texture or exquisite light that I want to save – if possible. (It’s not always possible.)
Often the greatest challenge in photography is being able to capture, with a camera, what my eye sees. Sure, you can snap a photo of a scene or object, but the camera has a difficult time of capturing the essence and full spectrum of beauty our eyes can perceive. (With, no doubt, some artistic enhancement provided by the filter of our own soul.)
Let’s be honest. This is an image of a simple, ordinary twig. But there is something about the warm glow of late afternoon light that is revealing the texture of the leaves…something about the early stage and directional flow of the leaves. To me, this simple twig has a seductive quality to it. I’m glad I stopped to capture it.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on it. When you do, a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Happy Hollow Scene
Who wouldn’t love to be in the woods on a beautiful autumn day, strolling through the hills and hollows, on a colorful carpet that provides a comforting crunch with each step. It’s a magical time in a magical place – the woodlands of northeast Wisconsin.
This is one of those images I like the more I gaze upon it. This is a patch of woods beyond the field behind our house. It’s full of colors and contours and peace.
It’s difficult to get a view like this in the middle of the woods. This wasn’t a clearing. I couldn’t get any distance between me and the trees…because the trees are everywhere. To get this wide view, I had to turn my camera sideways, to a portrait orientation, and take six overlapping shots that I combined into one.
This is the kind of image I wish I could print billboard size…or large enough to fill an entire wall. It would be spectacular…like being there. Needless to say, the larger you see this scene, the greater the experience. To get a full-screen view, click on the photo.
If you’d like to put this on your wall, all of the photos I post are available for purchase. To buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Curvaceous
A number of people have told me this stretch of highway, just before you reach Gills Rock at the northern tip of the Door County, WI peninsula, is the most photographed road in the world. I don’t know who’s keeping track, but a number of people stopped and got out of their cars to snap a quick photo while I was there. In fact, I left my home before sunrise just to get there and this shot in the early morning light.
My intent was to make it an “Autumn Colors” tour and get some great fall foliage. I didn’t get much else worth noting. Once the sun was up, it was clear and bright – creating too much contrast and washing out the colors.
I spent a good deal of time in processing this image. A lot of that time was spent removing a power line that stretched across the upper part of the image. Thanks to the magic of software…with a bit of skill and a bunch of patience…an unsightly distraction was eliminated. I thought about removing the mailbox and For Sale sign on the right, but decided it wasn’t too distracting and probably added to the rural feel.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Canopy of Color
This is the time to get out into the woods and view the vivid colors of the changing leaves. This is a upward view from the woodlands near our home in rural Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Yesterday was my first opportunity to get out and grab some fall color shots. I picked up a few.
You can view a larger version of this colorful image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Rose Futures
My wife’s little rosebush has been very prolific this year. Look closely. There’s a tiny spider waiting for this cluster of buds to bloom.
Get a better look at the spider and these beauties with the enlarged image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.