Foliage Festival on Creative Arts Thursday/Friday
I think I caught the peak colors of autumn on two perfect, late afternoons early this week. I managed close to 100 shots, at least half-or-so of which, I will keep and publish. I used a 10-20mm lens which distorts perspective at its widest angles … a phenomenon that adds just enough visual "freshness" (IMO), to depart from expectations and presuppositions of the viewer to heighten reactions.
© A. Mac/A.G.
© A. Mac/A.G.
I Couldn't Resist Manipulating this to Create a Digital Painting
© A. Mac/A.G.
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Post whatever creative stuff you care to share … any season … any appropriate subject matter, commentary …
Beautiful photos and 'painting' Mac. Lots of lovely colors.
My "Autumn Leaves" photos were too recently posted, but you said any season, so I'm going to pick up on that.
Of the photos you posted above, for me one stands out as my favourite - I'll bet you can guess which one.
It could be the one with the (man-made) fence … or, the Turner-esque, bottom photo.
LOL. How observant I'm NOT. I didn't notice the fence so of course the bottom photo.
Very beautiful photos.
And off we go....
I would call that picture "Profiles", and what made me smile is that I've got a nose like that.
As you've probably already noticed, I appreciate your excellent taste in framing your images almost as much as the images themselves.
Thank you Buzz for you kind compliment. Sometimes I run out of ideas on framing, so I just let it go for a couple of days, then go back and BOOM! there it is. It just all melds together without hardly a thought. I never try to force it, as it will not do the subject justice.
Mood has a lot to do with what I choose in my artwork, as I am sure it might do with others, no matter what their artistic works.
That is a very cool image Raven Wing.
Thank you G.
A fall Rainbow.
nice catch!
The WINNER!
Wow That really is a beautiful rainbow. Very full and radiant. Great shot Kavika.
WOW!!! That image almost made me sing. I'll bet you can guess the song.
LOL. No. Think somewhere other than Kansas.
Awesome!
A beach sunrise in November 2 years ago at WI Point.
That's a real beauty, EG. What a very peaceful sunset.
I don't recall ever seeing such a dramatic sunrise - fabulous photo.
Reverie
That is so nice.
Where is everyone?
I was asleep.
Here's one for Thursday....
Magical.
Thanks Buzz. I'm glad you like it.
Something of a Disneyesque quality.
Thanks Mac. That's a very interesting description.
I agree.
My favorite, RW.
Thank you Kavika.
That is really special Raven Wing.
Thanks G, I'm very glad you like it.
Bunny hiding under a bush in my backyard garden
Thumper!!! Where's Bambi?
A sharp eye was needed to capture an animal with protective coloration in a pile of vegetation!
Good one!
it's waiting to ambush a carrot.
LOL!!! It does indeed look look that way.
I actually threw a small carrot out there, but so far he/she has not eaten it.
lady, you can't just throw a carrot out. First off wrap it in lettuce with just a dash or garnish and a small bowl of lemonade (rabbits love lemonade)
I'll bet she'll eat it. (women rabbits are fussier than guy rabbits) a guy rabbit would have snatched up a plain old carrot...No class
It's not a very good hider - super photo.
We have rabbits in our yard. We also have coyotes on patrol as well as hawks and owls. I saw a rabbit escape from two coyotes one morning. They went down the slope on one side of our property from different angles, and then I saw the rabbit run up the slope and get away. Afterwards, the coyotes left, walking up our back hill, and one them was looking back very disappointed.
This photo was taken in Oct. Butterfly on lantana.
That's a very lovely Butterfly, Kavika. It fits in well with the surrounding flowers.
You captured that so nicely Kavika.
Good one - I guess it knows to hide where there are flowers of a similar colour.
The Monarch Butterfly. Nice shot.
I planted one of those this year. Only had a couple of blooms. Hoping it takes off next year.
An interesting gate opening to the bike path along the Los Angeles River, Reseda, CA
Great photo, I love the gate.
Thanks, Kavika. I love the gate, too. The gate is the reason I took the photo.
Yes, that IS an interesting gate - thanks for showing us.
You're welcome. I thought it made an interesting photo.
Indeed that is a beautiful gate. Very well done.
Glad you like it Raven Wing.
Glad you like it Raven Wing.
Oops! Doubled.
Sunset
That's an interesting cloud formation - nicely displayed by you.
Thanks!
Beautiful with an interesting cloud formation.
Thanks, Kavika
That is indeed a very awesome sunrise. The rays of the sun on the clouds gives it a surreal appearance.
Here are "four seasons" photos taken by me over the years here in China:
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Wait, what is that snow? I've heard of this stuff called snow. I don't ever want to be in it or around it.
LOL, great photos Buzz.
Is that what that stuff is? I was wondering...
LOL. That was when I was living in Zhengzhou, which is in central China, where I am now they don't know what snow is.
I had enough to last me the rest of my life the 4 years I lived in No Virginia. I was so happy to get back to So Cal where the snow we get is in the mountains. Many times in winter we could go and play in the snow in the mountains in the morning, then come home, change our clothes to shorts and tank tops and head for the beach for the afternoon. The weather in So Cal is very easy to predict most of the time. But, we don't have to live in the snow 24/7 during the winter unless one lives in the mountains.
I be a beach bunny, not a snow bunny.
The only place I've been to in Canada that's like that is Grouse Mountain that stands right behind Vancouver, B.C. where you can take the cable-car up to ski in the morning and then come down and play golf in the afternoon.
Beautiful photo Buzz. Makes me shiver just to look at the snow. I can see Big Bear mountain from my apt, and it is still covered with lots of snow.
I never liked the snow, but, I took my kids to the mountains to play in it now and then so that they would know what it was like. After a couple of years they were bored with it and opted out of it. They liked the beach better. I guess they got that from their Mother. (grin)
I like the theme of the four seasons. Very nice photos.
Just what Vivaldi had in mind!
I wanted to start my photos with an introduction that for thousands of years Chinese artists have painted the 4 seasons on hangng wall panels, and on folding room dividers. I bought a hand painted set and gave it to my son and his wife as a wedding present. Quite a whlle ago I posted an article about Chinese 4-panel art. This is an example of what I mean:
As for Vivaldi's Four Seasons, they are my favourite Vivaldi compositions. Here they are, if anyone wants to listen:
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Those panels are really beautiful.
Our China cabinet is from China, and it has four panels representing the four seasons. I love it. I'm not sure I can photograph it too well because of the way the room is set up, but I will try. I think you might appreciate seeing how beautiful the panels on our cabinet are.
Absolutely,. Please try, even if you have to take more than one photo to capture the whole thing.
It is a bit of a tight space, but I will see what I can do.
One in advance of Friday.
© A. Mac/A.G.
Are there trout, or is that just a spot to feast the eyes?
Some trout, Brown and Rainbow, some bass, sunfish … not a great stream as fishing goes … but there's a trail along the stream that goes for almost 10 miles and the stream is in sight the whole way.
I didn't think Bass were in streams - I always thought of it as a lake fish.
The best Smallmouth fishing is in rivers! But both large and smallmouth inhabit lakes, streams and rivers.
Leaves on the lawn? I recently read that instead of raking and removing them, it's better for them to deteriorate and soak into the ground as a kind of mulch fertilizer. Nobody told me that when I had lots of trees and big lawns to rake.
That is terrible advice unless you’re trying to kill your grass. The area in the photo is along my rear lot line, where grass won’t grow because of the shade from all the trees. It’s on a slope and the soil was eroding badly. To fix it I came up with a unique hardscape solution using geotextile fabric, concrete block, and a few tons of 4” diameter stone. It was one of the most back breaking projects I ever completed but it worked like a charm and looks great. Water drains right through it from the high end to the low end without eroding anything now. Now I need to break out the leaf blower and clean it up.
That looks terrific! Nice job.
Happy Friday!
© A. Mac/A.G.
That is a very beautiful artwork, Mac, very surreal.
A little spooky.
From 2015 when HDR was a thing...
Very sereen EG. Lots of fall colors and a lively little stream. Great photo G
Nice location. Beautiful photo.
I can almost here the stream babbling through the rocks.
Happy Friday all! Have a great weekend!
One of your very finest, RW!
Thank you for the nice compliment, Mac.
I did not realize it had posted twice. Please delete the second on if you would. No need to take up the extra space.
She's so nice we like to see her twice!
LOL!! Thanks G...I'm glad you like it. (smile)
Very lovely.
Thank you Buzz.
Hope everyone has an awesome weekend....
"Double your pleasure, double your fun...."
LOL!! Thanks Buzz.
After a passing rain shower
That's really unique G. A trailing line of rain drop sizes. Great shot!
Thanks Raven Wing.
'The Shape of Water'
Getting the jump on Saturday.
Council Rock, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
© A. Mac/A.G.
Rock on Mac!! Great shot! That tree growing right out on the tip of the rock tends to make a point.
'Rock and (don't) Roll'
'Saturday Special' - Cruising down the Li River through the Karst mountains in Guanxi Autonomous Region.
Those mountains are so beautiful. If I ever visited China again, I would want to go to Guilin and the Guanxi Autonomous Region.
The curise down the Li River through those mountains is one of the "must-see" sights in China. Both Bob Nelson and I have posted photo-essays of our cruises on NT. His photos are better than mine.
I'll add another to lead into Saturday....
A Mayan God of the Afterlife...
Displays the great variety of your technique - quite fascinating.
Thanks Buzz. Being as the Mayan's are also part of the Indigenous people of North America, I thought to add a little bit of their beliefs and artistry. The Mayans have a very unique type of artistry that has remained throughout the many years, which is very similar to the Aztecs and many South American Tribes. Thus, it takes a bit more work to create different artwork.
That is really interesting.
Thanks G. I'm glad you like it. It is a bit different from the usual Native American artwork I do. I thought maybe folks would like a bit of change up.
I think we like all of your artwork.
OK....now it is Saturday and time for an oldie....one for the ladies.
LOL. Okay, okay, I'll stand down, but you know I'll stand by. Where have I heard that before?
LOL!! I can't be partial Buzz. Gotta be fair ya know. (grin)
Well, at least the guys got a two-fer this week...
HAHAHA! Yes you did, G. So we can't have our ladies feeling slighted. (grin)
Continuing the weekly photo marathon...
That's a real beauty Buzz. The xcenery itself is very peaceful. and the reflections on the water makes it even more so.
Here's one for Sunday...
In the mystical world of Mother Earth...
Again a comment I posted disappeared. I'll try again.
Another magical image, but my eyes are failing - is that a cat behind a fish under the blue-beauty's chin?
No Buzz...There is no cat. The only things in the image besides the subject are birds and butterflies.
Ah yes, I see the bird, but what is right behind it?
More birds. Various colors and sizes. I've blown up that portion of the artwork so that hopefully you can get a better look at the area in question....
Yes, I can see that now much better. What I first thought was a cat is the bird's wings.
Good, glad I could help. Whenever you are not sure of something just let me know and I will do the same so that you can see things better. Others might not see things that clearly either in a very busy image.
© A. Mac/A.G.
The forest, holder of secrets, leaves whispering them, another kind of magic.
That looks like a very peaceful place Mac. It projects a feeling of "Glad you're here" as the limbs of the trees reach out to you as sign of welcome.
Well done Mac.
One for Sunday...
Another spiritual image, and your superb matching of the frame to it both enhances and compliments the image.
Thanks Buzz. As you might imagine, this one was a bit of a challenge to frame. Finding just the right type and color of framing was one of trial and error for a while. After a couple of days of frustration, I decided to just let my minds eye do the work and this is was the results. In many cases the more difficult the subject the easier the frame work is. But, with some, as in this case, there is so much that is involved that creating a good frame that works well with the artwork overall can take some time to perfect.
I am glad you like it. And makes the hard work very worthwhile.
And one for Monday,
That looks as if she is doing a dance,
It's a he Buzz, and he is doing a dance.
Tuesday afternoon here - morning there, I guess.
Very beautiful and robust flowers, Buzz. The color is very vibrant.
I think the iris was my mother's favourite flower.
As I remember, Iris of different colors was always growing around our house. So I guess my Mother like them too. We could not have roses, as both my Mother and myself were very allergic to them. Same with Gardenias.
And the beat goes on....