Friday, December 7, 2018

Magical Winter Morn
Last weekend, there was an unexpected snowfall on Saturday night into Sunday.  When I saw the snow in the morning, I threw on some clothes, grabbed my camera and took off in my car to photograph the magic of a winter morn.
Winter Tree Stand
There was something about the textures and shadows of all the trees gathered together that just begged for this to be a black and white image.  Color would only get in the way of the pattern that the trees created.  Even the fence posts, with their caps of snow, and the wire fencing added to the overall textural effect of this image.
Winter Barn
On a snow covered dirt road, I happened upon this quintessential winter scene.  The snow that remained on the trees perfectly framed the old red barn, which seemed to glow in the soft morning light.  The tops of the grass still showing above the snow line adds a bit of warmth to this image and gives you the feeling of looking at it from the inside of a nice, warm home.
Early Winter Morning
The sky was especially photogenic on this winter morn.  It was shades of gray, with some almost cream color in the sky.  You can even see the sun rising just above the horizon.  It, too, is shrouded in cloud cover, so its light is muted.
Long Hard Winter
This poor little cabin has been a favorite photo subject of mine for several years, and it’s now in such a state of collapse that you wouldn’t know it used to be a cabin unless you’d seen it in better days.  It still has plenty of character and reminds me of how hard winters could be on the plains in years past.
Barn in Field
This barn just caught my eye – a bright spot in the midst of grey and other neutral colors.  I liked the texture of the fence, weeds and old grass peeking up from the snow.  I feel like altho this is a quiet moment, activity lies just around the corner when the rancher’s family wakes up.
Pale Blue Winter Sky
There’s nothing quite like the pale blue that a winter sky can be sometimes.  I liked that you can see it thru the delicate pattern of the winter trees.  The fence in the foreground serves to ground us so we don’t all float away into the blue!
Tree Line
While driving on a seldom traveled snow-covered dirt road, I noticed this different sort of tree line.  I’m not certain if someone planted them in this way years ago, or how they happened to be lined up so perfectly on the side of the road, but they remind me of soldiers lining the route of some dignitary.  That would certainly not be me!
Enjoy!
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Sunday, December 2, 2018

Napier Sunset
When leaving Napier, we had another lovely sunset!  We have been so lucky on this trip to see so many.  So, without further ado, let me share this latest beautiful ending to the day.

I love the way the sun is dipping behind the cloud front on the horizon.  You can really see the texture and shape of the clouds as they are silhouetted against the bright setting sun.

Things seem to quiet down, and the colors are becoming more subtle as the sun continues to set.  I also love the little wisps of clouds in the upper right of this image.

I’ve always heard about the “afterglow” when the sun sets, but never saw such a pretty illustration of that.  I felt the impression of the sun’s rays in the sky, without actually seeing them.  Just a perfect end to the day.
Enjoy!

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Artful Blooms in Wellington
There were some beautiful blooms all along the city of Wellington, altho most were found in the Botanic Gardens.  It was spring there, and provided a lovely counterbalance to the autumn we were experiencing at home.  Take a look ~

This lovely bloom was found in Old St. Paul’s Church, in Wellington, New Zealand.  The lighting was naturally dramatic, coming in thru a window next to the flower.  It truly accented the beauty of this bloom.
Poppies were blooming in force and served as the perfect subject matter for this digital watercolor sketch.  You can almost feel the breeze that they were swaying in.
I’m glad I noticed the layers of petals that this rose had.  I felt that I needed to capture it from the side, showing off all the layers of its being. Having it be a digital watercolor sketch softened the look a bit.

The name of this waterlily is St. Louis Gold, and it certainly is standing tall in the pond at the Botanic Gardens.  The subtle shading of it adds to its delicate beauty.

The dramatic coloring of this Black Prince Waterlily really highlights it.  It makes a quiet, yet bold statement in the pond.  Nothing else there could quite match these striking colors.
Enjoy!