Every autumn (in places which experience four distinct seasons) there comes a moment. The last splatters of autumn vulnerable to a single breeze. Ineffable. Ephemeral.
And then… release. Winter is coming.
As strange as this is to admit, I sometimes feel a sense of relief in that moment. After the last leaf has fallen. You see, what other people feel in summer — the pressure to make the most of every moment — I experience ferociously in autumn. Perhaps it’s a photographer’s curse; moved to embrace the serene melancholy of ephemeral beauty. To actively appreciate and capture every possible leaf. Each one unique. A tiny, spontaneous work of art.
In honor of those lingering glimmers of foliage in lengthening light (if you happen to be in a place experiencing autumn), today’s post is about slow-looking at those last breaths of foliage, as well as — if you so desire — capturing incandescent photos to warm you on lengthening nights as winter wraps her arms around the northern hemisphere.
Good Foot Prompt:
This is an easy one.. but it will blow your mind if you’ve never actively tried it:
You’re walking along, long rays of autumn sunshine over your shoulder.
There in front of you, a colorful autumn tree in a spotlight of sun.
Gorgeous, you think, I got this, as you move to take a photo.
But it’s not time to click just yet.
First, take a moment to walk around the tree and watch how the leaves transform from passive subjects with light on them, to become more active as the sun moves behind them. Luminous. Multi-dimensional. Tiny vibrating power-sources (they are mini factories, after all, converting sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose).
All this magic, thanks to a simple perspective shift, letting sunlight shine through from behind, weaving through their delicate membranes.
It sometimes feels to me like getting an almost-glimpse inside one of nature’s complex networks for energy production. In a single leaf. Ok maybe I’m taking it a bit too far but I swear… blows my mind every time.
I love to pick up leaves from the ground, hold them up between me and the path of the sun, and watch how the palette and tonal range shifts and surprises me.
Word to the wise: be sure to block your eyes from direct exposure to the sun — we’re not trying to burn any retinas here! As you can see in these photos below, I often stand in the shadow of a larger tree, then look for a ray of sunshine into which to place the leaf.
If you’re still with me, hold that same leaf up, plant your feet, and pivot around in a circle with your arm extended, watching how the colors change dramatically as the sun goes from behind the leaf, to grazing from the side across the surface, to lighting it from the front (this is a trick I sometimes use on photo sessions with clients to find the most flattering directional light).
And that’s it. Backlight. So simple.
It’s easiest to play with this at edges of day when the sun is lower in the sky. And thankfully, in autumn the sun itself is lower so there’s more time to appreciate the effect. It’s great to explore in other seasons, too.
Until next time…
Keep breathing deeply. Allow yourself the gift of being astonished by beauty. Recharge as necessary.
It’s been an excruciating few weeks for empathetic souls the world over, and our good footprints — curiosity, humanity, and compassion — are more important than ever.
Beautiful, Jennifer. xo
This was such a beautiful lens (with a little pun intended) into he beauty of light and joy of nature in autumn. Wonderful tip on backlight - such a beautiful imagery! Thank you Jennifer!