Introduction
Last Sunday I was barbecuing a pork shoulder, and I knew that checking the meat was an hour away. So, I grabbed a camera and a Panama hat and took off in the noon heat of 97º F (36º C). I found these scenes on the sides of my neighborhood streets.
New Fence – 10th East
This scene has depth. A tree in front casts a shadow, and the spaces between the slats hint at the garden behind. Just a few of the many noteworthy aspects of the fence: The color, the texture, the knots, and the hammer dings.
Fire Hydrant – 10th East
I like the overall seediness of this scene from the powdery paint on the metal to the uncared for shrubbery. Further, the greenery on the left is the often despised Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila), an invasive species in Utah and throughout much of the world. The juniper on the right is a lovely plant, but the owner has forgotten this specimen in the side yard.
Tree Shadow – Riches Street
I was struck by the shadow shapes of the tree canopy on the asphalt. Notice that the bright spots are the color of the sun, and the blue of the sky has transformed the natural black asphalt to a rich gray.
Cottonwood Tree – Riches Street
What does one take a picture of at high noon on a bright summer day? Luckily, this cottonwood tree was standing here. On this outing I was using a Nikon Z6 with prime Nikkor 35 mm/f 1.8 S lens. Using my feet to frame the scene instead of changing the focal length of a zoom helped me avoid getting lost in the camera.
Parkway – 11th East
This photo was the original goal of my walk. I had noticed the colorful flowers contrasting with the neglected parkway during a dawn run. I did have my smartphone and could have captured the scene during that so-called golden hour, but I did not want to interrupt running. The harsh midday light fits this scene better than the tranquil illumination of early morning. I like that the blooms have passed their prime and the scene is actually “seedy.” Further, the flowers are tawdry in the original sense of that word.
Endnote
If you made it this far in the post, I thank you. I realize that The Fence and The Cottonwood Tree are traditional subjects. The other three are ugly at first glance but perhaps redeemable in light, pun intended, of their stories.
Best regards,
Dr. Michael
I love how you take ordinary things and make them look extraordinary and beautiful. Any of those would make beautiful framed prints. There is so much beauty around us that is never noticed and you have a true genius for noticing it and photographing it. Love looking at your photos.
Your comment very much affirmed my goal with this post. I am deeply grateful that you connected with it.
I always enjoy your perspective when you take photos. Shadow patterns are always a favorite subject – at first I was so busy looking at the texture of the fence that I didn’t see the shadow patterns. Once they were visible to me – they became the main subject.
The texture of the bark on the tree is appealing – but the tree shadows are my favorite! I like how they flow down toward the bottom left corner in a slight arch.
Keep ’em coming!
Thank you for your reassuring comments. Every time you comment on my work, I learn; you are a wonderful teacher! The shadow on the fence reminds me of the essences of Tuscan cuisine: Subtle but essential and often primary with our continued attention. I was attracted to the fence because of its color in that light but did not notice the tree shadow until I was staring into the viewfinder. Only then did I realized the final photo may have some promise.
The tree shadow picture brought to mind one of my favorite books on natural optics, “The Nature of Light and Colour in the Open Air” by M. Minnaert. In it the author describes how, regardless of the irregular shapes of the breaks between the leaves in the trees, the light patches on the ground always approach a fairly uniform elliptical shape.
Wow! I did not know what I had stumbled upon when I saw that scene and photographed it. I am very excited to get M. Minnaert’s book, “The Nature of Light and Colour in the Open Air.” I just ordered the book this very minute. Thank you for recommending it!