This weekend marked the first day of spring (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere anyway), which I think is truly a reason to celebrate as a photographer!It wasn’t all that long ago that the winter weather was hampering the efforts of many photographers to get out and take incredible images. Not that you can’t produce amazing images during wintertime (last year in Yosemite I produced some of my favorite images), but spring and fall in my mind are the ideal time to be out capturing photographs.The change up here in the Pacific Northwest seems to have happened especially quickly. Just over a week ago I posted an image on my Blipfoto journal (reproduced below) that called out the dreary weather I was facing while cycling, though I still found the scene interesting enough to photograph (albeit with my iPhone since that’s the only camera I had with me).
But now the signs of spring are all around us. Granted, today there was a bit of heavy rain here in the Seattle area, but even that rain felt very much like spring (a highly unstable weather pattern) and not very much at all like winter. To underscore this, the cherry blossom trees that at least unofficially signal the arrival of spring are already starting to lose their flower petals. So spring is in full swing!
So, now the question is what you’re going to be doing photographically to “ring in spring”. With the tradition of “spring cleaning” this is a great time to dust off the cobwebs from your camera gear, as well as your mind, and get inspired to get out and capture new and incredible photographic images.I’d like to hear what you’re going to do to kick off some great photography this spring. And the person who has (in my opinion) the best idea will win a free copy of one of my video tutorial DVDs. Simply post a comment to this blog entry with your idea by March 28th, and I’ll announce a winner on March 29th.
Spring Has Sprung!
G’day Tim,
Spring is THE fresh start to a new(hopefully) better season, so a good theme would be to capture the enthusiasm with shots of the preparation on a farm, ie, the first crop being sown and try to capture the optimistic mood of the farmer.
Tim Elliott
We began our celebration of spring by attending a George Lepp seminar on Saturday and doing a presentation about our book ‘Deep Nature: Photographs from Iowa’ (University of Iowa Press, 2009) at a nature center on Sunday. What we learned about Photoshop from Tim when he worked at the former Lepp Institute, contributed greatly to our being asked to produce this book. Today we will explore the photo opportunities at Hanging Bog (a TNC preserve) for Skunk Cabbage, Morgan Creek Park for Snow Trillium, and Palisades-Kepler State Park for other early spring ephemerals.
This Spring I plan to document the fledging of the eagles in a local nest. The nest is in an area next to the White River that regretably is being developed into a subdivision. The nest has been there a long time, and the birds return annually to raise a new generation. We all fear that human nearness will disturb their cycle. It may be the last year to witness the raising of chicks in this location.
My plan to celebrate spring is to capture flying manes and tails. Get up early..climb the hill in back of the stable and wait for the horses to be let out for the day…I can already see them running as a herd up the hill to eat the new spring grass..no fly masks on because it is before bug season.
They will look like a wild herd and my sping photos will be great. (at least in my mind..LOL)
Hi Tim, my comment re “ring in spring”
Actually this just happened this past weekend, ironically (March 19-21). I decided that I would sign up for a photo weekend outing, located at a quaint lodge, that a chap offered in my home province.
After what seemed like a long winter, I needed to “get out” and meet new people and fellow photographers; that is what this weekend workshop accomplished. There was 13 people in attendance and I did not know any of them, which made the weekend something special because I became newly acquainted with great folk, I saw new (to me) photographic styles and entered into great conversations about photography, including of course “gear talk”.
The weekend involved sharing cabins, sharing meals, sharing stories and sharing photographs – what more can a person ask for to “ring in spring”.
PS: One does not need to travel afar to partake in photographic adventures, sometimes these events can occur “right in your back yard”. In my case this is what happened, plus, the price was right. Where can one get two nights accommodations in a quaint lodge, plus all meals for a weekend for $100!
Don JJ Carroll
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What to photograph this Spring? Well, I’m returning to the family roots in Northern Saskatchewan to photograph a small town that hasn’t spread much in over 50 years. Only 2 main streets east to west, and the same north to south. Of course, I’ll be photographing the surrounding landscape, and the people at the family reunion that’s planned for my arrival. I haven’t seen some of these folks in 50 years. I will build a slideshow from this week-long photo session, and give each family a DVD full of memories of our time together.
Dorothy
though I have the obligatory large dslr camera, I plan to carry my small, point and shoot, to capture the outdoors seasonal shift from winter to spring-summer. I hope this will re-focus my attention.
Spring is all about new beginnings, so I am focusing on birth and rebirth: tiny maple leaves just coming out of their buds, newly hatched turtles in a park pond, spring wildflowers that only live for a day. I’m going walking every day (good to get the winter pounds off, too), taking my camera with me, of course, and finding today’s tiny signs of spring. Then I will slideshow the best for a rainy day pick me up on my desktop, and blow up many to change out my wall art. Surround myself with this season’s new beginnings. Celebrate Spring!
Since spring is all about the earth coming alive after a long winter’s sleep, a great photographic project would be to document Nature’s small victories over Man’s attempt at dominion. Suggestions for photos would be a dandelion poking through a sidewalk, a weed in an otherwise perfectly tended garden or farm field or a road or sidewalk eroded by rainwater.
Here in Chicago, we’ve had some of those nice early spring days that you sometimes get in March, but it’s going to be a while before the spring wildflowers show and bird migration really kicks in.
I like to get a jumpstart on the season by heading to California desert country where the desert wildflowers typically peak over the next few weeks.
I like the moody rainy day shot alot. Normally I would say there is too much sky but in this case the sky is very important and add to the mood.
Our plans for 2010 Spring is twofold; 1st is detailing the plan for our 5000 mile RV Spring trip south – waterfalls in OR, Bodie, BristleCone Pines and other wonders of the eastern Sierra, family reunion in LA, Valley of Fire NV, Snow Canyon, Zion, Bryce and the wonders of hwys 12 & 24, Natural Bridges, Pueblo Country, Chinle, Monument Valley, Page and Lake Powell, No Rim G Canyon and home.
2nd is continued work on our website display of images from prior trips.
A camera phone, $10000 DSLR, P&S, 8×10 view etc. are only a means by which one captures a view – it is the ability to discriminate, to select that view that makes a photographer.
Spring in Mississippi is glorious with dogwoods, wisteria and azaleas in bloom by the end of March. Our local Pilgrimage of antebellum homes takes place in early April to take advantage of the spring blossoms. I plan to photograph the homes and flowers. I also keep close watch on 2 eagle nests in the area and photograph the eaglets as well as spring migrants such as indigo buntings and rose-breasted grosbeaks.
In the panhandle of Florida several members of our local photo club met to welcome spring by photographing one of the historic sites on the gulf coast, Ft. Pickens. Although most of us had photographed the site before the camaraderie of fellow photographers inspired me to look for new ways to photograph the fort and to work on improving my technique. This spring has inspired me to slow down and take more technically good photographs, and improve my Lightroom and Photoshop workflow. Ok what I really mean is develop a workflow which to date has been pretty much miss with and occasional hit.
Spring means flowers and I will begin my spring shoot with Southern California wildflowers in the Antelope Valley at the California Poppy Reserve or other wildflower area. Two weeks bridging March and April are set aside on our calendar. We are watching the flower reports and will move when the greatest displays are reported. I plan to try for the toe-to-horizon sharp image of, I hope, fields of color. And, of course, those close up views well be attended to. If appropriate, I also with try my skill at HDR images. In a sense, I already have begun with a few days in Deaht Valley and a Zepplin ride over San Francisco Bay. I have pixels to burn and will do my best to burn them well and often.
Tim, we added the month of April to our Arizona visit to enable us to see and photograph the desert bloom.
I intend to shoot cactus blooms with my telephoto and 500D lenses.
Wildflowers will be shot up close with my wide angle at f8-f16 so that I can get an unusual angle plus depth of field.
End goal is to capture the natural beauty of the Sonoran desert at unusual angles.