Water Reflection Pictures: How the Sunlight Affects the Types of Pictures that Can Be Taken

Taking photographs in nature is a mindful activity for me, making me very tuned into the details of my environment.  During the last few weeks, I have become very aware of weather conditions and how they affect my pictures, particularly at one of my favorite locations, Spy Pond.  My friend Grace, photographer extraordinaire, continually takes pictures of reflections in water (often in rivers) that intrigue me. They have inspired me to take pictures of images reflected in water.

Sometimes an almost exact replication of an image can be reflected in the water.

I love the effect that cropping a picture and rotating it creates.  It looks like a painting by Monet.

I also like the way that nature scenes look when they are reflected in water.  In the shot below, trees are reflected in the water.

In the next picture, I was originally intrigued by how accurately this tree's branches were reflected in the water and how the branch itself and it's reflection touched at the water's edge.

Grace suggested that I crop out only the reflection.   When the eye focuses on only the reflection, without the context of the rest of the scene, a much more mysterious image is created.

In the following picture, I like the way that the reflection of the duck in the water adds an additional element of interest to the picture.

Not only can water create realistic looking reflections of objects from nature, but it can also create very abstract looking artistic pieces.  I love the way that water can bend light, creating wavy lines and at times, capturing phenomenally bright colors.

     











The light hitting upon the water can also create interesting textures and patterns.

It is neat to see the interplay in some pictures of the realism of nature with the abstract elements (wavy lights and colors).  This picture almost looks like a multimedia picture of different mediums.

And another picture that starts off with a realistic theme (a tree) but looks rather abstract.

So this weekend, with the bright sunlight and camera in hand, I set out to Spy Pond (twice) to take some reflection pictures in water.  What I discovered was that the weather, (except the temperature which was a bit too chilly) was too perfect.  Both of the times that I visited Spy Pond, there was not a cloud in the sky, the sun shone brightly, and the sky was a gorgeous bright blue.  Walking around the perimeter of Spy Pond I could not glimpse even one reflection in the water.  Instead, the water was a bright blue, reflecting the image of the sky.   Instead of realistic images of trees or abstract wavy lines and bright colors, I breathed in the sparking blue water and the sunlight bouncing off of the ripples.

What I learned this weekend was that the weather plays a big part in the types of pictures that I can take near the water.  With bright sunny weather, my pictures are best focused on the surface of the water-- capturing the way the sunlight sparkles and bounces.  Water reflection pictures are better saved for days that are not so perfect-- when there are some clouds in the sky and the sunlight is more varied.   I'm glad that I learned this lesson this weekend so that I can know what types of pictures will come out best during various kinds of weather.

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To Readers of my Blog:   How does the sunlight and the weather affect the way that you interact with and perceive nature?

Acupuncture and Sunrise Breathing for Relaxation

As an asthmatic, the relaxation advice that most people give (Take deeper breaths) doesn't usually work for me.  In fact, at times, focusing on my breathing can make me even more anxious, especially when my breathing is off.  As a result, I'm always looking for alternative strategies to help me de-stress.  The past few weeks have been stressful and anxiety-provoking for me-- both personally and professionally.  Luckily, there have been two strategies that have helped me to relax by being mindful of the present moment-- acupuncture and sunrise breathing.

Acupuncture

I've long been a fan of acupuncture-- in fact, this May will mark three and a half years since I first started.  It is incredible to me the dramatic effects that acupuncture has on my body.  As a noninvasive medical treatment, it is very satisfying to me that such positive change can come about without the use of chemicals and standard Western medications.  

In the past two weeks alone, acupuncture has done wonders for my stress level.  Last week, I entered my  appointment feeling frazzled and overwhelmed by the level of details that I had been swimming in all day (scheduling, preparing for MCAS, meetings, teachings, etc.)  Feeling bogged down by the stress of the day, I had difficulty seeing beyond it and my energy level felt both frantic and heavy at the same time.  Feeling my pulse, my acupuncturist told me that it was wiry, indicating my stress and anxiety.

By the end of my half hour treatment, I felt more centered and calm and my acupuncturist reported that my pulse felt more steady.  Upon leaving the office, I felt a new kind of energy-- lighter and more creative.  I felt happy, looking forward to the rest of the evening rather than dreading the tasks that needed to be completed that night.  As I've often said, "Acupuncture rocks!"

Sunrise Breathing

I've coined the term "Sunrise Breathing" after my friend Grace's expression, "Brownie Breathing."   This past week, the fourth and fifth graders at my school have been taking the MCAS test.  For those of you who live outside of Massachusetts, these are the big standardized tests that the students take each year in reading, math, and sometimes science, depending on the grade level.  One of the fourth graders became very anxious and Grace engaged her in "Brownie Breathing".  Rather than tell her to take deep breaths, she asked her to imagine breathing in the smell of a brownie.  (Yum!)  This particular student didn't like brownies so she pictured breathing in the wonderful scent of mint chocolate chip ice cream instead.  I loved this idea-- focusing on a smell as a way of regulating breathing and creating feelings of calmness-- rather than the breath itself.

Driving to school a few mornings ago, I realized that I was doing the same thing upon witnessing the incredible sunrise-- but instead of focusing on a smell, I was focusing on a sight.  Feeling stressed about all of the details that needed to be attended to before the students began taking their MCAS test that day, I began my drive to work feeling pretty wound up and tense.  Suddenly, halfway there, I became aware of one of the most glorious sunrises that I have ever seen.  After a night of rain, the sky appeared to still be swollen with clouds.  The moisture lingering in the air, coupled with the morning sunlight, created deep blue and purple clouds.  The sunlight that shone upon the yellow trees turned them into glowing golden branches which sharply contrasted against the colors in the sky.  

Within less than a minute, my attention was fully absorbed by driving and by my environment.  All other thoughts and feelings disappeared.  I was fully in the moment.  Feelings of calmness and serenity washed over me, coupled with an eager creative energy to grab my camera and take pictures.  Upon pulling into the school parking lot, the responsible part of my brain took over, and I reluctantly walked inside to face the day, feeling calmer than I had upon leaving my house.

Although I was not able to capture the incredible sunrise on film, throughout the day as stress and tension crept its way back into my brain, thinking of this incredible sunrise was a great antidote.  Now, some of my favorite relaxation techniques include photography, writing, acupuncture, and sunrise breathing.

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To readers of my blog:  I'm always looking for new relaxation techniques to try.  I'm curious what helps you to unwind, relax, and de-stress.   I would love to hear your thoughts....

 

 

Magical Places; Inspiring, Life Changing, Comforting

     A magical place is where something extraordinary and incredible happens that makes you look at the world in a different way.  Magical places can be inspiring, life changing, comforting or all of the above.  For me, one of my favorite magical places is the baseball field beside the parking lot at my school.  One crisp fall day in 2009, I pulled my car into the parking lot and the most amazing sight lay right before my eyes-- sunlight streaming in through the tree branches.  As one of my friends commented, "It was raining sun!"

     Excitedly, I ran into the school building to borrow a camera from my friend, Grace.  I couldn't wait to capture these incredible images on film.  And that's when my love of nature photography was born.  Beautiful scenes, click of a camera, upload to a computer, share pictures with friends-- I'm sold!

     Not even a month later, another breathtaking scene lay before me as I pulled my car up to the same parking lot.  The lighting, the clouds, the patterns-- Wow!

     Fast forward to around this time last year-- March 10, 2010.  22 years ago to that day, my dad had passed away in a car accident.  That morning, before school, although I had a to-do list a mile long, I did not feel compelled to do any of it.  I had a feeling that if I went to the magical field, something special would happen.  And indeed it did.  

     Armed with my digital camera, I stood in them middle of the magical field waiting for a spectacular scene to unfold.  Although I did take a few pretty good shots, that's not where the magic happened.  It happened after I stopped taking pictures.

     Standing still in the middle of the magical field, a stillness, a calm, came over me.  I became highly attuned to the sounds (the soft rustling of the leaves), the sights (the color of the leaves and the morning sunlight peaking through the branches).  And then I heard it...a voice inside of me...my dad speaking to me.

     Walking back into the school building, I was inspired.  A poem just seemed to pour out from me as I sat at the wooden bench seat, at a window that overlooks the river flowing behind my school.  


                                     
                                                    Morning Whisper

                                                                   Dad spoke to me this morning
                                                                    Not in a loud booming voice
                                                                      but in a quiet, steady whisper
                                                                         "I am here."

                                                                   Amidst frost-tinged grass
                                                                    Piercing cold air penetrating my fingertips, my lungs
                                                                       Shadows cast across the field by trees
                                                                          "I am here."


                                                                   In the calls of the morning birds
                                                                     The sliver moon waving from between tree branches
                                                                        Morning sunlight streaming from brilliant blue sky
                                                                           "I am here."


                                                                  Standing real still
                                                                     Crunchy, frozen leaves underfoot
                                                                        I breathe in dad's voice
                                                                           As he speaks to me.




The poem was very comforting to me and much more important than the other things on my to-do list that morning, which I have long since forgotten.  Even now, writing about this almost a year later, the poem comforts me as the 23rd anniversary of my dad's death approaches.  This field has convinced me of the importance of allowing ourselves to be open to the power of magical places.



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To the readers of my blog:  I would love to hear about one of your magical places and why it is magical for you.  If you feel inspired, please leave a comment.