2009 Autumn Emergence

(Click to see it on Flickr and for full-resolution). Shot with my "PannyLeica" this year.

Continuing my annual tradition...

Last Bits of Autumn...

I continue to be impressed with my little stash-in-the-car-so-I-can-always-have-a-camera-with-me Panasonic FZ-10. I went on a retreat recently, and since I was there as a musician, I didn't really have the lugging power to take my sizable (and heavy) camera bag with lenses along with my keyboard, hand truck, amplifier, and other stuff. Knowing I had my Panasonic in the car was good enough, as I didn't really expect to have much time to escape in the woods and take pictures anyway.

I did, however, have enough time to grab these shots. Yeah, I reduced the noise and adjusted both colors and exposure in Photoshop -- but nothing unusual. Having a background in film photography, it's something you always do in the darkroom anyway, so I don't feel guilty. I set the color setting on my camera to "warm" though on purpose, and my PS adjustments are there just to enhance my interpretation of the light quality and experience in this scene.

Click on the photos for larger versions (on my Flickr Account) and EXIF info...





My current desktop wallpaper:

Autumn's Arriving, 2008

Every year, either mid-August or early-September, I seem to manage to find an inspiring image reminding me that Autumn color is just around the corner. On this fine 95º day (85º in my house), I happened to find this year's image:



It doesn't appear likely that I'll get to continue my autumn tradition of shooting the Japanese maples in front of my house this autumn, since we're finalizing the sale of our house (and I don't want to trespass). I'm sure the trees will be thankful that I'm not out there sticking my lenses in them. Depending on which house we settle on purchasing (we have two really excellent choices), though, I may find other victims...

Here's a chronology of these images, to keep score...

2005
(Taken Labor Day weekend with my digital point-and-shoot)


2006
(Early September)


2007
(August 21 -- testing the 55-200 VR)

The Peak of Autumn...

From my Fall 2007 Gallery

Autumn Porthole, Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Revisited...

Last year, I took the family for a walk through the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge to shoot some pictures of the autumn leaves. Last Friday, I took my son back through, since he had the day off from school and it was my time to stay home with him. I remembered a certain tree near the entrance of the path that I shot last year, and I wanted to see what the foliage looked like this year. Here's the shot from last year:



Of course, I post-processed that image rather heavily -- too heavily for my tastes now. So, I wanted to shoot it again this year. Here's a couple of shots of that tree as it stands this year:





Hmm, looking at the picture from last year, which was taken about two weeks later than the pictures I took this year, I'm not as convinced the leaves have turned later this year at all. Interestingly, too, the blackberry brambles seem to really be taking over this tree. I shot these bottom ones with my 55-200 VR lens attached to my D1H (the D2H was occupied with the 400mm f/3.5). I'm still amazed that camera works as well as it does.

Welcome, Autumn!

Is it just me or is it coming a little later this year. The colors just now seem to be turning around here.