Leaf Peeping

The other day, the subject of leaf peeping was discussed on the radio.  Specifically, the colours of Autumn as witnessed in Vermont, USA.  But later on, we learned in our local TV news that this year had seen some of the best Autumn colours in the trees on this side of the ocean too and that our local arboretum was enjoying the most spectacular season for quite some time.

Whilst in Cheltenham the other morning, I made a mental note, then, to make sure we got ourselves up there to the Arboretum in the next few days.  Better not go at the weekend, though – maybe we might make it early next week, I thought.

At home this morning, I went out into the garden for a look around, really in search of a few buds or branches to put on the lunch table.  No roses left now and the sedums were a bit heavy, I thought.  There were a few hydrangea heads left but I wasn’t sure I wanted to chop those off.  Instead, I picked a few small branches of cotinus which was looking particularly colourful.

As you can see it was a glorious morning.  (It didn’t last)

As I put them on the table, I spotted some interesting markings, though.  It looked as though someone had been batiking the leaves!  Perhaps I’d take my camera outside and go and take a closer look (and a photo or two).

Did I say that the cotinus was putting on a pretty show right now?  I promise you that none of these photographs have been enhanced in any way!

Looking down at my feet, I spotted some of the patterns I’d been hoping for.  Wow!  How fascinating!

I’ve not noticed this previously – though have I ever gone out and looked closely before?  Possibly not!

Even the undersides are rather special.

I wonder why some are patterned like this and others remain a solid colour?

Though really, I’m not complaining, for even those leaves without any markings are rather splendid right now.

It wasn’t until I came inside and uploaded my pictures that I got to take a closer look.  What an amazing range of colours on that one, fairly small shrub.  I thought I’d run this photograph through one of those colour palette generators…

What do you think?

A child of the Autumn

Arriving home after a couple of weeks away, we were greeted by the usual pile of post.  Most of it went straight in the recycling but one envelope caught my eye and I hung onto it.

With an October birthday, Autumn is “my” time of the year, but during one of those wardrobe colour sessions with a very talented counsellor, I think I was heard to say that if I turned out to be an Autumn kind of person in terms of colour, I’d give up.  Googling images of Autumn just now produced the usual selection – all traditional leafy pictures in a range of orange, browns and yellows.

You see my primary school uniform was brown and primrose yellow and I hated it from the moment I saw it.  I was a Brownie too, so even when I wasn’t in my school uniform, I still couldn’t get away from those awful colours.  On going to grammar school, I was glad to leave it behind but it was only a slight improvement, for that school uniform was maroon.  Why couldn’t we have navy blue or bottle green like everyone else?

Back to the National Trust Autumn catalogue which was in the pile of post, though.  Rather different from the cliched countryside images I’d expect to see on their publications, isn’t it?  Not a speck of brown and yellow in sight.  Following through to their website, with “designs inspired by untamed heathlands and moody landscapes”, I found several things I quite liked.  Bravo National Trust for catching my eye with something a little different from the norm – or did I just fall for their device to capture a new audience?

 

Anyway, my eye was attuned to this alternative Autumn palette as I caught up with a few favourite blogs, including Lia Griffiths whose palette of plum and saffron also appealed to me.  Well, students of colour theory would immediately identify the complementary colour scheme going on there and wouldn’t be surprised that it works so well.  But yay!  no orange!

The BBC website had a section on Autumn poetry, illustrated with photographs including the one above.  Most were the usual leafy landscapes, but this one appealed to me, in spite of the yellows and oranges because they are offset by the navy blue.

Perhaps I’m finding that I am an Autumn girl after all?

Because although I still wouldn’t wear sunshine yellow or marmalade orange, I do wear citrine and purple and perhaps this year, I could be tempted by that deep teal blue?

How interesting is it to observe these colour trends change?   And having noticed it, I find it fascinating to see how it all falls into place.

Different times

36 years ago.  Seems like yesterday. 

I was looking through our wedding photographs this morning, thinking it might be a good idea to scan and upload a few so I don’t have to use the same old one I trot out every year on this date.  I couldn’t help but contrast our small album of 36 proofs and the big brown leather album containing the dozen selected enlargements with Seb and Maria’s Facebook “sneak peek” yesterday, uploaded by the photographer.

Lovely, spirited photographs of a special day, capturing the moment beautifully.  They make our photographs look so posed and our discomfort and awkwardness is clear in several of them, even if the first picture I used today is a hint of the way wedding photography was moving.  It’s the exception, though, and most of our pictures are what could best be described as traditional poses.

As you know from my previous post, I took a couple of pictures in the church during Seb and Maria’s wedding, but as I did, something I’d read online a few months ago was uppermost in my mind and I quietly put my camera away.   Seb and Maria’s celebration was a small, mostly family affair and though several guests took an occasional photograph, they were not intrusive and I don’t think they got in the way of the professional at all.  It’s a fine balance though, and though he was there to record the ceremony of course, at times I found his presence distracting.

It’s a dilemma, though, isn’t it?  Though we wanted photographs of our big day in the same way as every bride and groom, we’d have preferred a more natural record of the whole event rather than three dozen snapshots.  Actually, we did get a surprisingly natural recording because my Hero’s Auntie Joan hid a cassette recorder in her handbag and taped the lot – even if it was she and Uncle Tobe singing the hymns which came through the loudest!

For now, then, I’m so glad Seb and Maria didn’t put on a “performance”, ready to be uploaded to FB, YouTube and everywhere else, because a wedding day is so much more than that.  36 years later is probably a great time to reflect on that thought.

And the next big thing?  Oh my goodness.

Later that evening

Mary, the lights did indeed all illuminate when darkness fell and as we walked the short distance from our hotel to the pintxo bar we’d identified earlier I took a few photos.  Needless to say, once back in the comfort of our room, they don’t seem to give a very good impression, but I’ll wager that taking a night time photograph of lights on a wet evening is just about on the edge of my ability and the limitations of my camera too.

It’s easier to take photographs in a bar

November. Really?

The clear blue sky and mild temperatures today would contradict the calendar this morning.  Can it really be November?  We have lit our stove just twice so far and really, have not been cold at all.

Yet.

A week or so ago, I came across this.   Mira Jurecka shared her ideas for a small book celebrating Autumn and looking out of the window at the gorgeousness that was outside, I just had to take my camera into the garden and capture the magic.  Because, in the wonderful way the Germans have of saying it how it is,

Es herbstet sehr…

The kitchen window overlooks this little burst of colour and I’ll admit to not having taken a great deal of notice of it lately, because I’ve been terrorised by an over-friendly robin.  He seems to have moved on now, so perhaps I’m safe to venture out into that corner? 

A recent shower of rain had left everything slightly drippy.  I think that just adds to the joy and began to click away, forgetting some of the tips and ideas that Mira had shared in her blog post.

I was immediately into my “usual mode”, I knew where to look for bright colours and interesting shapes.

I knew to head for the summer house and the little maple tree nearby, which has outdone itself this year in terms of colour.

I was distracted by the pattern and colour from these self seeded things – I don’t know what they are but I’ll bet Stasher does!

A rose in November.  Of course I had to take a photograph of it.

Actually, it was one of many, so I took several.

There are still a few hypericum flowers too so I took a couple of photographs of the raindrops on those.

But then, I remembered Mira’s suggestions for “different” photographs.  I didn’t have company in the garden, so there was no chance of taking their picture and it was too wet to sit down and set the autotimer.

But I could do this…

I could put my camera on the wall of the raised bed and press the button to see what happens.

Not bad!

I moved to a different spot and tried again.  Interesting!  I love the light at this level and the autofocus makes it very simple to do.  I took a few more shots.

You know, I think I’ve found my new favourite angle. 

I haven’t made these photographs into a mini-book or done anything else with them.  But I’m delighted to have spend half an hour with my camera, enjoying the fresh air and getting some new ideas for capturing the moment.  Thanks Mira!