Wednesday, November 4, 2009

AUTUMN ONCE-REMOVED

A little bit abstract…
a smidgen of impressionistic…
a soupçon of reversed reality.
That's what you get when you view autumn as reflected off the surface of a lake or stream.
A shimmering, sometimes dreamy rendition that can be close to the real thing…
or no more than a colorful smear—colors juxtaposed and intermingled, as if the scene might have been shattered and hastily reassembled, now recognizable only because the hues look as though they could have come from the seasonal palette.
Autumn, yet not quite autumn; autumn once-removed.
I like to photograph things as seen in water's mirror.
A good thing, I suppose, seeing as how my front yard is a pastoral river with pools and riffles and lots of available reflections.
At least I don't have to go far to practice my predilection.
Do you like autumn's once-removed views?
Double-click, let me know…I'd be curious to hear.

32 comments:

Carolyn H said...

Griz: I like the brighter green reflection best. Perhaps it's simply because it has more contrast than the others?

Carolyn H.

Grizz………… said...

Carolyn…

I like it, too…of course I like all of 'em, more or less. I almost didn't include the green one though, since it was less "fallish" than the others—but being Irish, any decision over green vs. no-green has a predictable, prejudiced outcome.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Do I like them, scribe? I absolutely love them - each one is inspiration for a piece of textile art. What splendid ideas you have.

Grizz………… said...

Water, clouds, reflections—I make a lot of photos of such things because I love the play of light and color…just as I imagine you often fashion with your textile art.

I'm pleased you like them, too.

Wanda..... said...

I "love" all of your autumn's once-removed views! "Perfect Paintings"

Grizz………… said...

Wanda…

They are sort of like paintings—and are possibly the closest I'll ever come to such artistic washes and daubs of color. I do like such works, BTW, and keep threatening to try my hand at a canvas.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

I love them all!! So abstract, shimmering, luminescent, mysterious, like fine art - hinting at what is there without screaming it. They should be framed and displayed!

Did you play with your camera settings to achieve these impressions, or did you edit them in photoshop? Whatever or however, they really excite and inspire me.

Grizz………… said...

Bonnie…

Actually these shots are pretty much as-is except for cropping (to square them up a bit for the blog) and maybe a bit of extra saturation if they appear washed out; no polarizer on the lens, either. Sometimes I'll take three or four frames of the same image, and there's often one whose colors are richer, or different because of the movement of water and the way the light is bounced around. I can't predict what will come out, and am usually surprised by what I end up with. I don't have Photoshop on my computer; only iPhoto and Google's free Picasa.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

All the more praiseworthy that they are pretty much as you took them. I'm impressed, by your impressionistic works!!

Helen said...

I do like them. That river makes a good mirror. Helen

Grizz………… said...

Bonnie…

Actually, that's pretty much my philosophy for most of my shots.

I crop to square up a somewhat for the blog (I shoot "loose" to give myself room to do this). Next I sharpen a bit (my Nikon is old as digitals go, 6 megapixals) though often sharpening doesn't help, and anything more than a touch makes usually things worse. If the image looks washed out, I might add a little saturation—but saturation also blocks up the shadows and hides detail, so if I do add, it's only a tiny amount. I rarely mess with lightening/darkening or contrast. Ditto for tint and hue…just if I need to color correct for white or, say, a blue shift caused by the shadow of a passing cloud. This is really not any different than if I switched from "landscape" to "close-up" or "portrait" modes on the camera, which also tune and adjust for such slight differences.

I have used Picasa to "edit out" a soft drink can or two lodged in the riffle in front of the cottage—because I'm like a doting father re. "my" riffle, and want it to look its best. But I'm not a big image manipulator, and frankly have neither the tools nor the expertise. I would like to be able to "stitch" shots together to make a panorama occasionally…though I don't think they'd publish well on a blog. (Could be wrong on this.)

Grizz………… said...

Helen…

If I'm not mistaken, every shot except the third one from the top was taken along "my" stretch of riverbank; that exception came for the same river, but about a mile upstream.

It is a good mirror.

Grace said...

In yoga and meditation books the same metaphor for a still mind appears again and again: the calm mind is like calm and still water, you can see clearly . . . or some such thing as that. Seeing your pictures, I'm thinking that moving water is much more interesting!

Grizz………… said...

Grace…

Moving water has life…purpose…direction; it is engaged in the journey, hearing adventure's call and eager to see what's around the next bend.

Of course, I'm prejudiced. But new converts are always welcome.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I love them all too! I'm going to find a river near here and look at reflections the Grizzled way!

giggles said...

Yes, these are cool!!!

Grizz………… said...

Raph…

And…the more you look, the more you'll see.

(The "Grizzled way?" Egads! Are you ready for such a methodology?)

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

They are cool…and something else—I saw my first juncos hereabouts yesterday.

TheChicGeek said...

Scribe, you are feeling like Monet today :) These were beautiful reflections...the light, the colors...very special. We will now have to include you in league with the great Master Monet or perhaps Van Gogh. I enjoyed them all very much!
Isn't it amazing how wonderful nature is. There are always beautiful surprises waiting for us if we only take the time to look.
I'm so glad you do.

Thank you again for another lovely and inspiring day by the river.
Hugs to You :)
Kelly

giggles said...

How 'bout that!!!!!

Did you finish the puzzles??!!

KGMom said...

Love them all--I would be hard pressed to choose.
Two extraneous thoughts come to mind. A number of years ago we visited Argenteuil. There Monet had painted his famous water lilies series. Do you know he employed several gardeners whose sole tasks were to clear the water of leaves? He wanted unsullied water and water lilies.
Second thought, remember the myth of Narcissus? Don't go gazing into the water too much, my friend.
;-)

Grizz………… said...

Kelly/ChicGeek…

"I'm pleased you've recognized my great artistic soul and depth of talent," he said, smirking presumptuously. "But I'm not going to cut off an ear." (—from THE EGOMANIACAL RIVERBANKER, a cautionary farce in one blessedly brief act.)

Okay, now that we've dealt with THAT…

Yes, the world of woods and fields and sparkling streams is a lovely place, indeed—more beautiful by far than our grandest palaces. Always there to heal and renew.

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

I did not—not yet.

Patience is a virtue, I hear…

Grizz………… said...

KGMom…

Oh, I have water lily shots, too—though mine are cluttered (good help being hard to find).

I'm afraid I've already gazed too long and too deeply into a thousand pools—each with their own magic. Forever changed, though also forever humbled by the experience. No Echo rejection here.

Gail said...

HI GRIZZ-

I love ALL the pictures bvut I love the muted-blended ones the very best - I love how as they merge I can't discern where one image ends or begins - it is consuming and I fall back into it with ease. Oh my.......

Love you
Gail
peace.....

TheChicGeek said...

LOL, Scribe :) You make me laugh and smile!
Thank you for that!
Have a Happy Day :)
Kelly aka The Chic Geek...LOL

Grizz………… said...

Kelly, aka CG…

Smiles and laughter…better'n money in the bank sometimes. :-))

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Yeah, those are the ones I like best, too—where you can't make out what is exactly what, just washes and swirls of pure, but muted colors.

Kelly said...

....I love your reflected autumn. It shimmers and softens and makes me think...

Grizz………… said...

Kelly…

Water shots are so much fun, because you never quite know how they'll turn out.

And, hey…made you think. Creatively, I'll bet.

Jayne said...

I think I see Mick Jaggar with a horn growing out of his nose in that last shot!

Grizz………… said...

Jayne…

Huh…in that shot I see a blue blot in the shape of West Virginia, three cabbages, and a 1949 Packard. No Stones for me.