Revealing Delicate Texture

Early spring woodlands present a texturized background of neutrals against which the early blooms of spring are showcased. I often find that this and other delicate texturing does not show well in photos. All the little edges get lost. To regain that element I use the Poster Edges filter in Photoshop.  This filter does two things: it bumps high-lights and low-lights a tad higher and lower respectively, and it finds all the edges, picking them out with a thin black line. Since I am mostly looking for painting references, I rather like the element of 'sketchiness' that is added. All of today's photos have been treated with the Poster Edges filter.

In the Georgia Watercolor show I visited a few weeks ago, one artists had made a painting of flowers in foliage, and we noticed there were rather large black outlines around all the leaves and flower shapes. I knew right away what the artist was doing, although I thought it was too heavy handed for close-up viewing. They were deepening all the edges so the painting would 'read' at a distance (across a large room). It worked too. From the doorway the shapes within the image were quite clear and the trick to make them so was not visible.

I rarely 'work' in black and white, but the exquisite textures in this shot were better enjoyed without color. Ripples on the right fractured the tree reflection into shingled rows.

Forsythia and the green snowballs of Viburnum against a wood line.

A lace-leaf Japanese Maple in freshly unfolded foliage beside a quiet woodland pond.

Blue phlox at pond's edge in the Japanese Garden. It's the poster filter that makes every blade of grass and Iris leaf visible.

Beautiful Bridges in Early Spring

Today's post is two bridges from Gibbs Gardens. As with the earlier landscape shots, you might think the park as empty, but it was actually quite busy. I just waited until the shot was clear. People were very courteous, pausing on the path if they thought they would walk into the shot. I love photo shoots. I slip into my own world and change the way I look at the world. I scan for value changes, special lighting, amazing color, interesting textures or edges.

In Monet's bridge, I loved the arching line and refreshing shade of aqua green in counterpoint with the emerald lawns and ruby maples that were just coming into leaf. By summer, the canopies of other trees will crowd it. Today it was simplicity.

In the woodland bridge, I loved the strong geometry of it settled at the feet of towering trees. The forest was still a muted netting of grays, pinks, and palest greens, allowing the fresh morning sunshine to warm the tiger's eye gem of bridge and pond.

Early Spring at Gibbs Gardens

I love the twiggy structure of tree and shrub. Early spring fills the canopies with hazy color, and that marvelous twiggy lace sparkles in the sunshine. This phase doesn't last long, and here I was with a balmy, sunny Saturday at just the right time: off to Gibbs Gardens for a photo shoot.

Though I often claim I am not a landscape photographer, the long scenes were irresistible this time.

Gibbs features a Daffodil festival, and this year (besides the millions that clothe hill tops and dales) they grew single cultivars in labeled buckets lining one of the walkways. It felt like browsing a flower market. Everyone with a cell phone was taking photos of their favorite flowers.

PS: these were all taken with the 100mm Macro lens, as I am too lazy to dig around switching lenses every few feet!

Gold Leaf Among Jewels

I hunt reflections. Any painter will tell you that the colors in a reflection are richer and darker than they are in the landscape.  Last fall the lily ponds at Gibbs Gardens were surrounded by canopies of fall foliage and by reflection hunters. Photographers milled about, dreamily scanning the scenery, carefully placing a tripod, allowing each other the distance and quiet one would afford a pro golfer on the green.  We were all working off the same few ponds...but were we all looking for the same images? I wonder. It was a great day for reflection shots.

These two are from the same tourmaline-colored pond, shot almost one after the other. I have not done anything special to these colors...as you can see from the overexposed leaf tops on the floating mass. It looks like flakes of gold leaf floating up from the depths. I trust I'll learn a Photoshop chop or two one of these days that will allow me to tone down that glare.

Be Still

Gibbs Gardens is a park-like property hidden in the North Georgia mountains, near the community of Big Canoe. This was their first year open to the public. Lucky me, they are less than 15 miles away, and all of it country roads. As close as they are, I barely managed to get in a March and October visit!

October was gorgeous. The valley and manor gardens are studded with Japanese Maples, threaded with reflecting ponds, and laced with hydrangea and ferns. I took the new camera, set it on ISO 400, and loaded the macro lens.

Today's offering is Carex and Fern, draping along the bank...probably of the Japanese garden area. Be Still, quiet your mind, breathe in the complex aromas of life at the pond. Listen for the small sounds.