I love Autumn’s palette. Perhaps more than any other season. It has only been recently that I’ve become Summer’s deepest acolyte. Up until this expanse of grey, I would have told you that I loved the fall most. For its color. For its textures. Even for its light. Best. With complete loyalty.
Clearly, I am fickle.
Where once the misty quality of Autumn’s light would have enchanted me, I am now finding it my undoing. Product shots, pictures for this blog, the random snap-shot of my life beg for natural light. Natural light is not to be found, unless filtered through layer upon layer of grey. The sun, which never really took up residence here, has packed her bags and headed for climes most southern. And in her wake, is this impenetrable grey.
But I refuse to be undone by the lack of light. Today, I broke out a new lens to tackle the issue directly. It has numbers and buttons and can do more than I can imagine. It will, of course, mean deciphering the user manual. However, you know and I know that I am unlikely to read the manual. Instead, I will just shoot. Pick up the camera. Click. Click. Click.
A terribly violent word, shoot, for such a gentle craft. But shooting I am. Shooting to pierce through layer upon layer of grey. Shooting to find some remaining trace of the sunlight I remember. Shooting to capture what was once my favorite. Redemption, conversion, returning to an old love. A deep love. Autumn in all her glory, in all her color, in all her texture. Shooting to be enraptured once again.
I am fickle at heart. But I will not be undone by a lack of light.
That’s a lovely photo and it looks like you may have found a way to indeed find some light in the grey… fantastic! Today has been a dark, stormy, cloudy day for me – thank you for brightening it!
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This lens might work, thank you!! I’m liking the product shots enough. You know, it’s not perfect, but I don’t like the “light tent” look on photos. So this thing is getting the job done. I still think the best solution is to move to California. 😀 ~W
I’m not sure if it’s fickle but changeable. If we didn’t change, we would just curl up and die so fickle must be a good thing. I love the colors in that picture.
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The color works… the focus is all wrong. I love how you make me sound almost normal. 😀 ~W
The weather(and especially the NW sunlight) is fickle, so why shouldn’t you be? I love the photo and your FIGHT for it. I enjoy all the seasons; I just love the changes from hot to cool to cold, sunny to rain and sometimes snow. Variety is the spice of life. It was a pretty day here today.
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The seasons out here don’t feel distinct enough. It’s all gradations of winter. And honestly, I can’t stand it. But rumor has it, I won’t have to forever. 😀 ~W
I adore Fall, but I suppose we get much more light here than you do. For me, it’s not just the light and the colors, but the scent of those leaves underfoot.
Beautiful photo. Can’t wait to see more.
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Thank you. It still feels “off” to me. But I’m getting there. I should stay off of Flickr tho… because I see all those people who take AMAZING photos and start second guessing my every move. ~W
I think the gray has taken up residence in my part of the sky. It’s very gloomy.
This is a beautiful shot, as usual. I see you’ve either suffered through the manual or you’re just lucky and talented 😀 I’m working on a new camera early next year.
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I haven’t opened the manual yet. . . so I guess, “lucky”?? 😀 I don’t usually bother with the manual unless I’m desperate. For starters, it’s all in a foreign language. I do not speak numbers. I’m convinced that there should manuals for cameras and math and physics all done in Super Model metaphors. Right? Because if they did that, I could get it. ~W
I have been having a terrible time with this gray lately. Like, sitting in bed crying type of gray. Perhaps if I went out during lunch to take wonderful photos like yours things will get better. Maybe if I hang out in front of the Westin I will get some celebrity photos, and be chased by angry celebrities, and get more exercise while I am at it.
Oh, gosh, I want to take another nap….
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It’s so depressing, isn’t it? Go hang out at the Westin… take pictures of celebrities. Post them on your blog. It will help. 😀 I will come and make sunny comments about them. (on a related note, a friend of mine suggested I could increase traffic to my blog and there for increase my sales if I posted celebrity gossip. So, while you’re getting photos, dish me a little dirt, M’kay??) Feel better.
May I suggest a pith helmet with a full spectrum lightbulb?
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Yes you may! What’s a pith helmet? ~W
The light is all down here.
It was 90 degrees today with bright sunshine.
Come and get it!
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Oh! Don’t toy with me like that, Suzy! Sounds like Montecito isn’t the only getting the “benefit” of the mighty Santa Anas. ~W