Category Archives: Leaves

Fall is upon us again

16 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall, Red Sugar Maple Leaf, sugar maple leaf

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I took this picture a little more than a year ago when we visited my wife’s relatives in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada. We were too early for the peak of the Fall Foliage there, but I did see the beginning of the changes. I took this picture on the Hub Trail in Sault Ste Marie. My love for the diverse colors of fall leaves never gets old. I can spend endless hours shooting photographs and looking at the various leaves.

Unfortunately, I live where there is little change, when it becomes fall. Due to the pandemic, we do not go anywhere other than doing necessary errands like grocery shopping.

We went up to Sault Ste Marie last fall on a whim. We even thought about the possibilities of meeting our relatives in the spring to see other sites. Little did we know a pandemic would restrict our activity and travel.

When I shoot leaves, I seek to shoot with a dark background to show off the colors. It is important to take advantage of contrast to optimize your photo.

This lesson applies to life. We need to optimize our moments in life. This pandemic teaches us to appreciate our “now” time. Be present in your moments. We do need to prepare for the future and the unpredictable predicaments. Making most of “now” means being creative to find solutions for today’s problems. Finding new ways for fun during our “now” time is a necessity.

Feel free to share your new fun ways during this “now” pandemic time.

Learn life lessons from photographs!

Back on the Hub Trail in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada

17 Thursday Sep 2020

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall, Red Sugar Maple Leaf, sugar maple leaf

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Fall is right around the corner and change is in the air. This Sugar Maple Leaf is transitioning from green to red to start the change of colors from Fall Foliage.

Last year, we were fortunate to go back and visit Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada. This is a border town between Michigan and Ontario. My mother-in-law was born in this town. She did not grow up there, since she was sent to China at the age of 5.

During my first visit to the “Soo”, my wife’s cousins encouraged me to pursue my photography again. I was a professional photographer for a electronic corporate company until it went out of business. Even though my college degree is in Fine Art photography, I assumed it would be too difficult for me to go back to my first love. Interestingly, I fell in love with the fall scenery in this locale. So I wanted to return to not only see the changing colors, but to visit our relatives who encouraged me to do my first photo show and pursue my photography again.

Little did I know 2020 would be a year our family would not be traveling anywhere due to the pandemic. We reside with my senior mother-in-law, so we are extra careful to stay healthy.

I love this leaf with the transitioning colors. It reminds me how life is about transitions. Our world is transitioning with this pandemic, social injustices and issues and the fires which are abundant in the western United States.

This leaf shows me that transitions can produce beauty. This leaf will transition to a pure red color and will be vibrant in appearance.

I am hoping as our lives are in transition, we will also see beauty and a more vibrant era after we endure these difficult times.

Photos teach us to hope in midst of transitions.

Fall Leaves Resting on the Ground at Hiawatha Highlands

08 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall, sugar maple leaf

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These Red Sugar Maple Leaves had fallen off a tree and were resting on the ground. Notice the colorful bright red side of one leaf facing up and the duller side of another leaf on the left.

We were walking along this trail searching for bright red sugar maple leaves. My wife was noticing the lavender and pink colored leaves. She was thinking it was a different type of fall leaf. But in reality those colors were the reverse side of the bright red maple leaves.

These bright red leaves are my favorite. In this photo, we can see how much the red stands out. Even though this leaf has some holes and is not perfect in shape or color, it still looks unique and pretty. I love the various shading between darker hues and slight orange on the top right portion.

These double sided leaves represent how we all can have duplicity in our character. Do we project ourselves sometimes with the attractive bright personality? Are we always genuine in our concern or interest in other people? Are we more concerned in how we appear to people than show our true selves? In reality, are we hiding who we really are since it may not be very nice? Do we pretend to be someone that we really are not?

Since I can get angry over social injustice or a bad driver I encounter, I constantly try to pray about this problem. I strive to hide this angry side. My goal is to replace this anger with peace.

Consider how to unify a 2-sided persona into one whole person?

Photos Teach!

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Red Leaf Sugar Maple Basking in the Sun at Hiawatha Highlands, Sault Ste Marie

07 Thursday Nov 2019

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This photograph was taken at the top of Crystal Falls at Hiawatha Highlands in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. My wife’s cousins took us to this beautiful park. We hiked on a trail that ran parallel to Crystal Falls, where I saw some Red Sugar Maple Leaves near the trail at the top of the falls. My focus during this trip was to find these bright red leaves.

This leaf is not a perfectly symmetrical Red Sugar Maple Leaf. In our minds, we can see the the perfect points of the leaf gradually come down the side in an “A” slant. Then we can imagine each point has parallel corresponding point.

This leaf has been torn and broken apart randomly. I shot this leaf since I found it’s lack of asymmetry interesting. The holes and interesting shape is what I found attractive.

Can we accept ourselves with our imperfections – i.e. a funny shape or holes in our character? Does this mean we should be content and not strive for change to improve? No – Goals should be a constant in life.

Can we accept that who we are inside and out is good and can get better with work?

Photos Teach!

 

Posted by | Filed under Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall, Red Sugar Maple Leaf, sugar maple leaf

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Why I love the Transforming Fall Foliage in the “Soo”

09 Wednesday Oct 2019

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall

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We traveled to the border of Michigan and Ontario, Canada. My mother-in-law was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, otherwise, known as “The Soo”. So my wife has relatives still in the Soo. After my wife and mother-in-law had completed a phone call with a relative from the Soo, I felt an urge to go back. My wife and I had been trying to decide where we should go for a week of vacation. We originally were thinking about Hawaii. But when I started to think about this quaint town and my first previous big fall foliage experience, I felt the need to return. I also wanted to visit my wife’s relatives, since we had not been back to visit for 5 years.

This leaf is in transition to becoming a bright red color. I love the interesting pattern of green and the orange red. This photo was taken in the Hiawatha Highlands located in the north east corner of the Soo. There was a luscious waterfall along side as we climb up the small hill. Fall foliage was in its beginning stages. It was still exciting to be there and experience the changes in the temperature and scenery.

The Soo is a small town where I love it’s scenic and quiet countryside. We wondered how my wife’s grandfather emigrated from China and ended up in the middle of Canada.  But I’m glad he did end up in the Soo. Otherwise,  I would not have found or fallen in love with this place.

The changing colors of the leaves reminds me also how our own lives are in constant change. When we returned to visit our relatives, we realized how we missed many of the aunties and uncles we visited previously. I appreciated the remaining relatives and knew I did not want to delay our visit.

Fall is wonderful time of change which I enjoy to see. I learned to embrace the changes in our lives and make the most of today with the people who are important to me. Our visit with our relatives gave me a refreshed attitude about my photography and ambitions. They were a blessing to us, and we treasure the time we spent together.

Fall reminds us change is a constant in our life. Make the most of today. Make time to visit those important people to experience our life changes together.

Why is Red a Good Fall Color?

21 Saturday Sep 2019

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall

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Being a guy, I tend to wear “guy” colors – meaning dark and monotoned. I rarely wore bright colored shirts.

I am also Chinese. So “Red” is an important color in my culture. We wear it for our parents’ birthdays. We know it symbolizes good luck and prosperity. We give red envelopes to children during Chinese New Year’s and also for special occasions.

It is striking to take the bright red leaf with the dark background. I was randomly shooting the leave and found this ideal scene. Off setting the red and with the dark background highlights the bright colors. Also note how there is a slight brightness from the sun on the leaf. Too much light would give glare. There is just enough light to give a little glow.

The bright fall colors are enjoyable, before we face a dreary winter with the cold and wet weather. The contrast of seasons with the associated colors give us a good diversity. Without this diversity, we would not appreciate the bright reds and oranges of fall. We need this splash of brightness to commemorate and alert us to the changes in temperatures.

As mentioned in other blog posts, I do not alter the colors in my photographs. I do not brighten or enhance the colors. I enjoy the real colors as I see them in nature.

Being real is important. Hope this “real red” leaf photograph reminds us to be real and accept the natural changes in life.

 

 

 

Under the Canopy of Fall Colors

13 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario Fall Foliage 2014, Ontario in the Fall

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This photograph sums up the feeling of the Autumn season. It was taken on a warm afternoon in the Fall in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada, on the Hub Trail. The Fall Colors were amazing and vibrant.

I am not a person who enjoys lying on the dirt ground and look up to the sky. But this view could compel me to do this.

It would be interesting if there is some sort of instrument that could inform us as to how many colors and hues there are in this fall display of color. It is fascinating to imagine the variation of shades and colors.

We often forget to look up and gaze up to the sky. We are missing out by not looking up and perhaps focusing too much on looking down at our circumstances and problems. If we spent more time just staring at the sky and scenery, we would realize just as there are a tremendous array of fall colors in this canopy, there could be an infinite number of possibilities for our life.

 

What does the Shadow Know?

11 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canada, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Northern Ontario, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall

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Here’s an interesting photograph from the Sault Ste Marie Area of Ontario, Canada. I love the variety of autumn leaves.

The variation of the jagged outlines are interesting as well as the vein patterns in the leaf.

One of the interesting things about photography is to enjoy the shadows in your images.

Shadows can give different shades of colors – you can search for my “Blue Aspen Tree” photos from Aspen, Colorado which show how the shadows and lighting transformed white colored bark Aspen trees to have a beautiful blue color.

Shadows give interesting images as in this leaf photograph. What do you see in this leaf and shadow photo? I see the “Beast’s” (from Beauty and the Beast) head on top right facing to the left. He’s looking at the post on the left.

So what does the Shadow know? I remember there was a show which had a saying – “Only the Shadow Knows”. I am not old enough to have ever listened to the radio show or watched the old TV show. But I googled to see what the saying meant. It refers to an avenger character known as “The Shadow”. The saying was “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?….The Shadow Knows!”. So perhaps the idea is with the darkness of a shadow, there can be evil.

But with photography, the shadow knows that dark and light can create beautiful images together. Explore taking photos including the shadows to see what can be seen with dark and light combination. See what colors and images can be derived when the shadows come into the light.

Info about “The Shadow”

 

Foggy Morning on the Trans-Canada Highway in Northern Ontario, Canada

02 Monday Sep 2019

Posted by in Autumn colors, Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Colors, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario Fall Foliage 2014, Ontario in the Fall

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My wife’s relatives took us on a great road trip on the Trans-Canada Highway from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. The morning started off overcast and foggy with a lot of moisture in the air.  It was nice we could just pull off the road to explore. We found this clear lake showing the reflection of the red trees.

I love this photo since it shows off the bright red trees in the center of the green trees. The bright red trees stand out in the midst of the green and foggy sky. The contrasting colors emphasizes the differences between the trees and the white sky.

Sometimes we want to stand out in the midst of others. For example, we want to stand out when applying for that exciting job opportunity. We want to be noticed for our skills and talents. We want to be chosen to go a particular university and strive to write an exceptional essay and get high SAT scores. Or maybe we desire to be outstanding in our sports abilities to play on a team or to do well in a marathon race.

How can we stand out in the midst of a crowd? Striving to be the “brightest” is an honorable goal. If we are seeking our true passion, then our brightness will shine and be reflected in our achievements.

 

What we did on a Warm Autumn Day on the Hub Trail in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada

29 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in Canadian Fall Foliage, Fall Foliage, Leaves, Ontario Fall Foliage, Ontario in the Fall

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The color contrast is amazing looking up at the Golden Orange leaves of a Sugar Maple tree in front of a sparkling clear cyan sky on a warm fall day on the Hub Trail. It was mid September in 2014 as we were visiting family in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.

My wife had never been to this trail during her previous visits to the Soo. Fortunately, since I am a photographer, her cousins led us to this wonderful area.

We do not see Fall colors like this in California. This is why I went crazy shooting photographs during this trip. I fell in love with this Canadian Fall scenery.

Shooting these pretty fall photos is important. These scenes are one time events. They will never occur quite the same way again.

When shooting pictures, look for scenes with contrasting colors. This will make the photograph almost seem unreal. When you look at my photos, you can be assured I did not tamper with these colors. I like “real”. So I did not alter the contrasting colors at all. These colors are real.

As I review these pictures, it has renewed my love for Autumn. I am contemplating to return to the Soo to see what new fall scenes I can capture in my photography.

This is what I love about photography. It never gets old since there are always new scenery to appreciate and capture.

How about finding a pretty Autumn scenery and shoot lots of photographs to find the amazing color contrasts of this season. Or maybe you can join me at the Hub Trail in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to witness the changing Fall colors.