Why We Practice

Perhaps this title is a bit misleading.  Yes, sometimes I pull out the camera just to “practice,” to keep my camera operating skills and eye in shape.  It sure makes photographing on trips a whole lot easier (read: less frustrating) by allowing me to hit the ground running (photographically speaking, I don’t do much running anymore . . . I weigh too much).  There’s nothing worse than being out in a beautiful place and you’re wondering, “What in the heck does that button do?” . . . “How do I call up my histogram?”  Or you’re out, again in a beautiful place, and you just can’t “see” anything.

Anyway, if you recall, last autumn I took advantage of the leaf fall to make some images, if nothing else to keep in “shape” (personally, this kind of keeping in shape is a whole lot more fun and interesting than exercising to stay fit).

A couple of them worked out.  Even one where the sun made its way through some hazy clouds.  When I first looked at the set of images made that included the one below, I started working with the one in total shade, but then realized that the subtle but obvious sunlight added a quality to the image that the other versions, taken under full overcast skies, didn’t have.

All of that was put to use on our Kellerwald-Edersee trip.  On one of our last days I’d gone a few steps off-trail to photograph (not very successfully) a clustering of fungus on a tree trunk and afterwards did what I mentioned in the previous post - took a look around.  The leaf cover on the ground was rather thick, so I started looking downward for a subject instead of around me.

It didn’t take me long before I found my image.  It was the pair of leaves towards the bottom of the image that caught my eye.  I’m not sure whether it was the contrast between the seemingly perfect leaf and the aged, withered one below, or the contrast between the shape and color of the beech leaf versus the . . .  I don’t know what kind of leaf. (Ann’s contribution: It’s a sessile oak).

The sun was popping in and out every few moments, first obscured by heavy clouds, and then by thin, high clouds that allowed distinct but soft light onto the woodland floor.  After watching a few cycles, I started making images of both, quickly preferring the warmth the sunlit images had.  I knew I had a nice image.

A couple of weeks ago we watched a Simon Booth video where he made a woodland floor image that included a bird’s feather.  He’s the master of these types of images and I can see why he loves making them, particularly when the leaves are dry like we had in the Kellerwald-Edersee.  Watching the video I was reminded of my image from Amsterdam of leaves and a feather.

I said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m no Simon Booth.  But that doesn’t take away from the fact that looking at ground cover can be very rewarding and won’t keep me from enjoying the process of discovery and ultimately image making.  The images can be so fascinating.

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