Sometimes no matter how great an idea may be, circumstances beyond your control make it impossible to convert your idea into action. That happened to me on the night of the lunar eclipse. I was atop a hill with my camera set on a tripod, pine boughs positioned just so in front of the moon… and then the clouds completely covered the sky and the amazing shot I envisioned was impossible. Since I felt a bit like someone all dressed up with no place to go, rather than packing up my gear and heading home, I opted to enjoy the evening in the beautiful forest – and take advantage of whatever opportunities my camera and I might find.
As it turned out, the clouds were an amazing gift and set in motion a new body of work that I call Whispering Trees. On that night I experimented with a long exposure as I moved the camera several times while the shutter was open. The result was a group of ethereal images with soft earthy colors.
Since that night I have done further experimenting with the same concept and also been listening to the whispers from the trees calling me to see things differently. Let me know what you think, and if you have ideas of new things to try and new places to go, do tell!
Speaking of new things to try, this year is bringing grand new adventures for me in the great outdoors. I am now hopelessly in love with the upland lifestyle and rapidly accept invitations to take my camera along with me to shoot on quail hunts. Stay tuned for updates on my adventures amongst the towering pines. In the meantime, get yourself outside and let the trees whisper to you! For my Montgomery friends, do stop by Stonehenge Gallery for the new exhibit “Picture Alabama,” which opens at 5:30 tonight and remains for the month. It features the work of 30 talented regional artists, and I am delighted to be hanging with them and hope you will spend some time with a few of my images from the night the clouds were a revelation instead of a shroud.