Rembrandt 2009

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I had worked on my folk art paintings

for a few days and neglected my

photography. I found that I missed

the photography and needed to get back to it.

I find there are fewer subjects outdoors

this time of year as we are really between

seasons.

The leaves are down but we aren't getting

snowfalls just yet.

I had noticed these beautiful

multi-coloured fall leaves on

a walk and returned to take some

shots.

Using my Freeman Patterson

motion technique I got some shots

of multi-coloured leaves, purple asters,

and red berries.

This image is multi-coloured leaves

against a stone wall. To me

the colours look like a Rembrandt

painting.

Hope that you enjoy this image.

Have a generous-hearted kind

of day.

Helen.

Hedged 2009

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These images are motion shots of

a brightly coloured hedge. The colours

are reminiscent of Christmas with bright

red berries and colourful leaves.

Hope that you enjoy these images.

Have a gearing-up-for-Christmas

kind of day

Helen.

Impressionistic maple

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Well. Encountering a windy day 2 days ago and

working to capture the leaves blowing in the wind

emboldened me. I thought why not try a Freeman

Patterson technique and move the camera

while taking shots.

This is harder than one might think. The instinct

is to hold the camera still at the point of capture.

So one is moving the camera and instinctively

pausing and holding still at the shot one wants.

At any rate I got a shot I am pleased with.

I spotted this tree on a drive-by and

wanted to capture the 3 branches

overhanging the water. By moving the camera

side to side I landed an impressionistic shot.

See what you think.

Have a notice-nature-even-

for-a-moment kind of day.

Helen.

Foggy Day

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Well, I woke up to a foggy day this Sunday.
I thought "oh" "this kiboshes my picture-taking for the day".



Then I thought-well why not try to capture the fog in my
photographs.


A few shots turned out. I am particularly pleased
with the image of the trees and their reflections
in the water in the fog/mist (above).



Hope that you enjoy these images.



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Freeman Patterson in his book "the garden" writes of the mists obscuring the trees near his house as follows:

"Near dawn on early spring mornings, the difference in temperature between

the cold, frozen earth and the wamer air that has caused the snow to melt often produces ground mists. These mists which obscure the more distant trees in the woods behind my house, usually soften the entire landscape for hours. When the sun rises unseen above the distant horizon, it briefly transforms the somber. delicate greys into vibrant golds. As it ascends it gradually

dilutes these intensely warm hues to the palest creams. Finally, it emerges as a ghostly orb on a milk-white sea. Then the mists twirls itself into strands and wisps and dissolves forever".

This is a lesson for me. Embrace fog and mist rather then seeing

them as a hindrance to photography.

Helen.

More spring inspiration

Two spring images (above).

The birch tree collage combines folk art painting

and collage and was completed last year.

The iris picture is simple with appealing colours.

Below is a shot of a property adjacent to a garden
I was invited to photograph by the owner.
I find the juxtaposition of the harsh wall and window
with the delicate hyacinths in multiple colours to be
a pleasing if somewhat edgy composition.

More thoughts on spring and beauty from Freeman Patterson excerpted from

"the garden" (p.17):

"By late winter and very early spring I not only enjoy the flowers blooming in my sunroom, I need them. My sense of well-being depends on having plants living, growing, and blooming around me, especially when there are none flowering out of doors.

We grow plants, especially flowering plants, in our gardens,greenhouses and windows because they are beautiful. Beauty never requires justification, because it balances the ugliness, hurtand sorrow that are present in every human life to a greater or lesser degree.

Without beauty as inspiration and refuge, our deprived souls grow hard and cold, and often we transfer, or project, our unacknowledgedsuffering onto others, especially those with whom we live and work.

Beauty is invariably a positive factor, an enriching presence, a healing influence. It is true in music, painting and dance, of clouds in the skyand birds singing in the light of dawn ,of flowers, even humble geraniums in kitchen windows."

Have a happy-to-finally-be-spring-see-the beauty- kind of day.

Helen.

April Flowers

For thoughts on Spring I turned to top Canadian photographer

Freeman Patterson. In his book "the garden" he shares his

strong attachment to gardening. Freeman appears to be

deeply engaged in life. One has the sense that he lives

life to the fullest every moment he can squeeze out of time.

Here is an essay from his book (P.19):

"When the leaves on trees are about the size of squirrels' ears,

when birds returning from months in the south dart around

in search of nesting sites,

and daffodils dance in gardens and meadows,

a deep sense of well-being floods over me.

Everything good in the world seems possible.

My emotional liberation is mirrored by my increased physical activity.

Lying in bed after sunrise seems incomprehensible.

Politely, but firmly

I refuse to attend meetings, particularly in the evenings.

I neglect my basement work area, disown my computer and

spend every possible moment outdoors. In short, I make room

for receiving the gift of spring.

As I wonder along field and forrest paths long covered in snow,

sniffing the breeze to savour the rich moist tang of the soil and

the drifting ambrosial hints from flowers blooming somewhere,

I observe variations of colour that appear at no other time of

year-delicate, warm and sprightly hues. I reconnect with the earth

and sense the incredible surge of creativity around me, and within me.

And I garden. I can't help it. My whole being longs to be

engaged in the birthing process. This is not a hobby but an

essential aspect of who I am. For me, not to garden would

be saying No to life itself".

Here I share some of my shots of April flowers to illustrate

Freeman's words.

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Have-a-spring-in-your-step kind of day.