Shaping the image in my memory

Waiting for rain, Highway 22, Waikato, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2020

“Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships!” — Ansel Adams

It’s Sunday evening and we’re driving through drought-struck farmland in the north-west Waikato. Rain clouds have flirted shamelessly with the skyline all day, but the land remains parched and disappointed.

Rounding a corner, we see a distant hill quite dramatically lit by low sunshine breaking through the clouds. It’s beautiful and stark and emphasizes how dry the land has become.

T stops the car. I hop out and wade through long, brittle grass. As I’m fiddling with the camera, a police car stops to check that we’re ok and that the car hasn’t broken down on this very quiet stretch of road. T assures him we’re fine and I wave my camera ineffectually to establish my bona fide. He nods and zooms off — possibly a tad faster than might be strictly legal. But I suppose there have to be some compensations for patrolling country roads on a Sunday night.

When we finally get home (after quite a few more photo stops), I download the images. “Cop-stop hill” is too dark and doesn’t have the contrast I remember, but the bones of the shot are good and all the pixels I need are there, just waiting to be tweaked.

Thank goodness for PhotoShop.

And for Debbie at Travel with Intent, whose weekly quote challenge gave me the perfect excuse to tell you the story of this image.

Light

Image: Su Leslie 2019

I’m so happy with the texture of my newly-baked loaf. Held up to the light, you can see the little gas pockets that made it light and airy.

One Word Sunday | light. Hosted by Debbie at Travel with Intent

Note to self …

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” –– Tecumseh

And perhaps more importantly I guess, is giving thanks that I have those things to be thankful for.

Ragtag Daily Prompt | light

The dying of the light

Evening walk; Mairangi Bay, Auckland. Image: Su Leslie 2019. Click on image to enlarge.

A rent in the darkness

Lighting the ordinary

Evening light on Lake Rotorua and Kawaha Point, Rotorua, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2016

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” – Aaron Rose

Pipi shells on a beach. Image: Su Leslie 2017

Posted to Lens-Artists Photo Challenge | magical light

 

“But soft! What light …”

Early morning, Luckens Reserve, West Harbour, Auckland, NZ. Su Leslie 2018

Early morning mists create wonderful soft light and I’m lucky to live in an area that still has some tall trees to silhouette against the lightening sky.

The post title comes from the famous balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet. Though of course, Romeo was using “soft” as an exclamation, and was certainly more interested in wooing Juliet than any quality of the light around them.

Lens Artist Photo Challenge | soft

Sunrise, sunset: quiet moments of reflection

Today both sunrise and sunset delivered moments of gorgeous light to my garden. Shame the hours in between were so grey.
Shared to Debbie’s Six Word Saturday at Travel with Intent.

DP Photo Challenge: glow, take 2

Tea light holder. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

The sun’s flirtation seems to have ended, and it’s cold again and very windy.

A good day to light some candles, make a coffee and read my book.

Daily Post Photo Challenge | glow

The Changing Seasons: June 2017

The last leaf. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

It’s mid-winter here; although some days you would be totally forgiven for believing it’s still summer.

Herald Island and the upper Waitemata Harbour, from Greenhithe Bridge. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

As the mist lifts, blue sky is revealed. Greenhithe, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Rockpool, Langs Beach, Northland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Rockpool, Langs Beach, Northland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Late afternoon, Hamilton’s Gap, Awhitu Peninsula. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Sunrise, Greenhithe Bridge, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Days that began in heavy mist have ended with us barefoot and t-shirt clad on a beach.

Wharf, Hobsonville Point, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Sunrise on a misty morning, Hobsonville Point, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Rowers, Hobsonville Point, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Greenhithe sunrise. From Hobsonville Point, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Bringing in the boats. Hobsonville Point, Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Herald Island and the upper Waitemata Harbour, from Greenhithe Bridge. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Late afternoon, Hamilton’s Gap, Awhitu Peninsula. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Lone quad-biker, on the beach at Hamilton’s Gap, Awhitu Peninsula. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Late afternoon, Hamilton’s Gap, Awhitu Peninsula. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

Late afternoon, Hamilton’s Gap, Awhitu Peninsula. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

If there is a theme (or perhaps an obsession) in this month’s photos, it is light. Harsh light, filtered light, reflected light — or just the focus on a single object in the dark.

Arum lily. Image: Su Leslie, 2017

The Changing Seasons  is a blogging challenge hosted by Cardinal Guzman with two versions: the original (V1) which is purely photographic and the new version (V2) where you can allow yourself to be more artistic and post a painting, a recipe, a digital manipulation, or simply just one photo that you think represents the month.

These are the rules, but they’re not written in stone – you can always improvise, mix & match to suit your own liking:

The Changing Seasons V1:

Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons
Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery.
Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.

The Changing Seasons V2:

Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons
Each month, post one photo (recipe, painting, drawing, whatever) that represents your interpretation of the month.
Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!