Autumn's Golden Blaze

Shot with a slow shutter speed and deliberate camera motion. My hope

was to evoke the blaze of colours which autumn signifies to me. Please

let me know if this technique heightens or diminishes my effort to

capture a feeling for the fall season. Thanks for your comments and

your time, both are much appreciated.

Gordon, You accomplished your vision! It's quite beautiful. Good compostion and colors! NICE! Doug

There's a very distinct texture and, somehow, a 3D effect. What I don't see is the crimson promised in the title.

Thanks for the input.

Thanks I have amended the title. I have a slight red, green brown colour blindness and don't want to make promises I can't keep. Thanks for that helpful comment. It sure looks red yellow and orange to my eyes ... oops:)

I see rich and highlighted golds. Whatever: it's very engaging and you can count it as another successful experiment which opens up new possibilities.

Thanks -- Autumn's Golden Blaze has a nice ring to it:)

Gordon,

You have to understand that, as one whose titles are often better than his photos, I take such things very seriously :>)

 

I do really like what you're doing. What impresses me is that you're not just creating interesting and beautiful textures and effects but very strong compositions as well--and I don't mean composition in the traditional, anchored and framed sense but something much more dynamic. Out of curiosity: do you think differently about composition in creating these movement images than you do shooting more conventionally?

First off, I do love your photo titles, they are always witty, wry and on the mark. Having begun to spend more time with your images lately I disagree with the second half of your assertion.You recent curbside reflection shot is a terrific study in light.

 

To answer your question, I do believe that I approach composition in a different fashion with these shots than I do with my more straightforward images. For one thing with a conventional photo, what you see in the viewfinder is more or less what is going to show up on your film or sensor. With these motion studies and drive-by shots there is a need to anticipate what is going to register since they consist of a stacking up of time and a dragging about of subject matter which you are unable to see in the viewfinder. Experience suggested certain outcomes and then being informed by these outcomes leaves me searching for ways to explore them compositionally. This necessitates thinking in broader strokes than I would with a regular scene. For example over the last while I had been noticing that the fact that brighter areas register faster when moving the camera and subject during longer exposures can be utilized to advantage. I applied this to my " Spirit of Birch " photo, taking advantage of the fact that the white bark gives a much more pronounced and directional blur than the darker tones. This then lead me to try shooting with the birch isolated within the frame. So the next time I had a chance I began stalking single birch trees standing apart from the rest and this resulted in my " Blue Sky, White Birch " image. Sorry to be so long winded but I guess your question has me thinking about this for the first time. I would suppose that the technique generates a certain effect or result and it is this result which suggests further compositional possibilities.

The sunlight gives a nice touch for certain parts of the tree. Especially the middle part where the big bright yellow part is. You had a great subject here for these kind of pictures. Some light curves also tells the camera movement and how you did it, but still the photo dont look nothing like that, photo looks much calmer. Well captured blaze.

Best regards Tero.

I cannot add much to the comments above, other than to say this is another very fine image in an increasingly interesting body of work. Regards...

Gordon! It's not only ablaze, but you made it sparkle and dance. Of course, I can't ever totally know what you see, or wanted us to see, but this has to be awfully close: a beautiful, richly colored, shimmering, dancing, 3D (this really is!) world that brings joy from the seeing of it. Obviously, your choice of trees - did you "stalk" this one? :-D) - was also no accident, and a wonderfully configured and colored tree. Congratulations on this next and delightful addition to your new genre! Regards, David

This image is great -- beautiful bridge. The middle tones and elongated shadow range flatten the image setting it on a canvas. As hokey as this suggestion is, consider dropping the hard frame edge. Best, john

Tero;

 

This was shot in bright sun and I tried to lower the contrast and loose some of the harshness.

 

Joseph;

 

Glad you like this one.

 

 

Thanks for you encouragement, it means much to me that you continue to follow the evolution of these images. To answer your question, yes I did stalk this tree, it had nice tones and was well isolated and the light looked promising. I have attached a straight shot taken a moment before moving in closer for the kill:) Perhaps it will be illustrative of to what degree my interpretation changes the subject matter.

I was trying to get the most from the mid tones as that seemed to be where the magic lay. I don't think your suggestion about a softer edge to the frame is "hokey". I really do need to put some thought into proper framing. This is something I always labour over in the physical world yet I have not gotten around to sorting it out in the virtual world.

Thanks for posting the straight on shot for comparison. Oh, my! Yes, it does help in understanding and appreciating the beauty you see that is well beyond the uninterpreted image. As I understand it, this is what a true artist does. In your image, I can see so much more than I do as I look at the straight image, or if I'd looked at that tree in person, for that matter. *Do* keep on showing us what you see and feel. I can see so much more through your eyes, and the feelings make me smile! Warm regards, David

this is where gold grows ! I thought it would be a magical place, cheers Jana