Goodbye autumn… Hello world…

As much of the U.S., including my area, is being pounded with freezing rain in a not-so-subtle reminder that winter is here, I thought it would be nice to say goodbye to autumn with this warm and inviting image from just a few weeks ago. Fall seems such a fleeting season; it’s nice to hold on to it a little longer.

For the many followers of this blog that have tuned in and hopefully enjoyed my notes, ramblings, and visual offerings for the past couple of years, I would like to say formally say “hello” with a new identifying header, which aligns with my recently launched freelance photography business (www.debscallyphotography.com). The love of photography has been with me all my life, and I’ve recently decided to embrace, rather than fear, the challenge of taking it to new levels as a professional. Aside from the new heading, this blog’s mission won’t change–I will continue to use this platform to engage the side of me that thirsts for pure passion and creativity. Those are the two driving forces for anyone who is artistic, so I look forward to continuing on this path while I begin to embrace others as well.

Again, many thanks to each of you, for following, commenting, and encouraging along the way. This community has greatly bolstered my confidence and enthusiasm, allowing me to keep following my dreams.

Stay warm, wherever you are…

Big sky country…

 

There is nothing more dramatic, more magical, than a winter sky. It’s truly the season of the “big sky” and if you are photographer and you don’t get out and shoot from December to February, you are truly missing one of nature’s most wondrous achievements. The problem for me in the winter is that am generally working til dark, and I usually glance up and out my window right about the time the “big show” begins… only to realize that by the time I grab a camera, fit a lens, jump in the car, and stash my tripod, the magic will have passed. There is more leeway to make this all come together after work in the summer, but unfortunately, the skies just don’t seem to have the same magnificence in July. This image was taken a couple of evenings ago at a park just across the street from where I live. I was prepared to come away with nothing, or next to nothing, but I forced myself to go through the motions and see if I’d get lucky, somehow. While the spot I was shooting from was far from ideal–no sweeping vistas here–once I saw what was happening in the cosmos, I just sat down and shot. I tried about a dozen different angles and hoped for the best. In the end, I think I captured a bit of the majesty I enjoyed in person, which in truth, is always my personal photographic objective. So while the sun may be warmer in June, I’ll always be able to look back and appreciate this gorgeous mid-winter sunset. Hope you enjoy…

Tender snowdrops…

Yesterday, we awoke to dazzling array of white–a rare treat in our corner of the world–even for mid-winter! Soft, beautiful white fluff, wafting down from the clouds, quietly covering all that was green below. With temperatures predicted to rise by mid-morning, I moved quickly toward the ever-inspiring landscape of my own backyard, armed with a dedicated macro (a lovely Christmas gift indeed!) to capture what I hoped would be some unique images.  This one above is one of my favorites from the morning, because while I shot many sequences of snow while looking down, I particularly like the aspect of looking up, seeing how the tiny variegated privet delicately balances the loft of snow on its leaves.

Within an hour or so, all the snowdrops became drips… as the sun shone and the greenery returned. I hope you enjoy these tiny frozen moments that remain.

Enjoy…

Winter’s WOW factor…

 

Autumn seems to be all about color. Once those green tones of summer begin to evolve into shades of orange, red, rust, and yellow, photographers (me included) leap to our feet, run about madly and try to soak up the color like a sponge–often shooting hue, instead of true composition. You can’t help it, and I am as guilty as the rest. But then December kicks in, and those remaining leaves are dull brown, the skies often turn blustery or gray, and we are left wondering where it all went.

Luckily, the onset of winter brings another dazzling subject–those dusky winter skies. I am no meteorologist, but I assume the tilt of the earth’s axis as we enter the winter solstice gives the sun’s rays that searing ability to blaze through the clouds and offer some of the most gorgeous, breathtaking sunsets of the year. No matter what the scientific reason, I am literally gasping for breath every time a scene like the one above explodes on the landscape, making even an ordinary setting like my backyard look like a scene-stealing broadway star. Now, that’s WOW factor! Hope you enjoy…

Spring’s cruel joke…

 

I have been sharing quite a few of my favorite travel photos lately but today I had the yen to go back out in the field, and the early morning frost was the perfect motivator. We’ve been enjoying an unseasonably warm winter here in Middle Tennessee–so much so, that the forsythia has been in bloom for more than two weeks. Alas, I knew Winter would get the last laugh. After a brief snow flurry yesterday, the freeze set in, resulting a beautiful sugar-like frost on everything around. This poor little springlike bloom, encased in delicate ice drops, seems anything but amused. Hope you enjoy…

Winter buffer…

While it’s been a mild winter season for many residents here in the U.S., there is indeed a chill is in the air this morning. This little bird has the right idea–creating a natural barrier of warm air and down, against the outdoor elements. My favorite feature of this shot from last winter? The tiny sprinkles of snow that dot the frame, giving a true feel for the cold in the air that morning. Hope you enjoy…

Life as art….

 

One of the joys of photography for me is finding something fairly ordinary, capturing it with my camera, and somehow, through my own vision initially behind the camera and afterwards, viewing and processing it onscreen, rendering a final image that emerges greater than the sum of its parts. Something, in other words, truly artistic.  Nature’s just filled with these artistic possibilities…you just have to walk outside and find them! Hope you enjoy…

Frosty starburst…

 

This image is a follow up to my last post, taken that same morning. I love the way these tiny evergreen needles look like starbursts, each popping out in perfect symmetry, and crystallized in the morning’s frozen dew. Hope you enjoy…

 

f/11, 0.6 sec; ISO 100, 90 mm with macro extension tube

Winter’s first sparkle…

 

There is something almost electric about the first frost of the season… you look out and all you can say is… wow… I had forgotten about this magic! Overnight, it was as if fairies from childhood tapped their wands on everything living and gave the world a spectacular lustre… a glow that beckoned me to bundle up and venture out with camera in hand. And, truly, I was rewarded. This was one of my favorite shots, where it appears as though these scarlet leaves have been dipped and sugar-coated, in preparation for the day. This is one of those times when you realize there is a wonderful world waiting to be photographed, all just a few yards from the back door. Welcome Winter! Hope you enjoy…