Sometimes great shots are as close as your own back yard...
Over Christmas I brought my DSLR with me on my travels. Then it ended being cold enough that hading out with the camera wasn't very appealing... But one quiet afternoon I looked out the window to see leaves on the dec. The leaves were arranged just so, on the faded wooden deck, that it was crying out to be photographed.
One loop around the house was all I got in until my fingers got cold.. Not very adventurous, but my photo eye was in high gear. I got photos of my leaves. A lot of shots didn't work out. Many did. But it was a nice reminder that if you look different, you can find inspiration wherever you go.
Things started off well with the front door
The front yard had a nice pine tree. Tried several different shots in order to get something interesting. I ended up getting in close. Play with exposure. Convert to Black & White, and got something interesting
"Nevergreen"
Around the corner to the shed. Nice and weatherbeaten. Get the right angle, include some background, then some B&W treatment for some extra mood...
"Hard at Work"
A shot of the wooded back hard. Nice, but didn't do it for me. It's a nice enough photograph. but there's no reason for you to look at it. No real subject. Nothing for the viewer to focus on. Doesn't bring the viewer any mood or emotion. (I also didn't have the big zoom lens, so you can't see the fox way in the background)
The back woods.
However there were some hydrangea with the petals in tact. I got down close, focused on a set of petals and set the F aperture for a shallow depth of field.
Hydrangea, Past
And then my leaves. They were on a nice grey well worn porch, but the leaves had retained their nice brown colors, and happened to be scattered in some interesting patterns. Then selected the more interesting ones to share.
Leaf study #4
There was enough texture to convert some to B&W as well. I love the texture and the play of light that B&W brings out.
Leaf study #3
Not sure if this one worked. What do you think? Always a challenge when the wind picks up.
Ended my walk around the house, of course, lying on the ground. A small almost unnoticable statuette seems to come to life when looked at form ground level.
"Playtime"
Thanks for touring the yard with me. I hope you've enjoyed the image, and that I've inspired you get out and shoot, no matter where you might be.
Visit my Flickr page for more images.
