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?
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?
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