Jim Larson Photography

While out for a bike ride today I spotted a fisherman having a great time on the river.  I had to stop and take a shot or two since the vibrant colors were showing their stuff.  This fall has been particularly nice for colors and it has lasted longer than usual.

Keep your eyes open for a nice shot and don’t be afraid to stop and take the photo.  It would have been easy for me to pedal on past, but I’m glad that I stopped.

Another thing to note is that I would have normally only my cell phone camera with me on a bike ride, but I took a pocket camera with me in hopes of seeing something good.  I was not disappointed.

One place that I love to photograph is at old cemeteries.  As you walk amongst the gravestones, you think about what life was like for those people in the days of old and how much easier we have it today.

There is one in particular in Boise that is in the foothills and is not visited very often.  I was walking through it the other day looking for a good composition (I didn’t say decomposition ) and found this one that I actually took may years ago with a film camera, but decided to capture it again on digital. 

I like the lead-in that the fence provides, taking your eye into the picture and up to the tree. The deep blue sky this winter day provided is quite nice as well.

Here is a photograph of some Aspen trees after an autumn rain taken just north of Ketchum, Idaho. The rain really brings out the vibrancy of the colors.

It used too be that I would leave the camera at home on a rainy day, but a little rain can help to make a great looking image.

Keep on shootiing… even if it looks like rain!

I love taking pictures in the fall season.  You can usually count on getting some very nice colors off of the changing foliage of trees and bushes.  The same day that I photographed the fall picture of the foot bridge (see March 27, 2008 post), we were driving toward Galena summit north of Sun Valley, Idaho and saw these nice colors.  It was also a rainy day which helped to bring out some of the richness of the leaves.

Someday, I would like to travel to the east coast of the country in the fall to see the thousands of square miles of trees all showing off their autumn colors.  It would be a photographer’s dream.

We were able to stop by “the foot bridge” to take the winter version of the image that was shown in my last post. I tried to remember just where I was standing and where I had the center of the photo. It was close, but may have to try again next year.

It’s amazing to see the difference between the 2 shots with no leaves on the trees and the wood planks covered in snow.

Find the location for your 4 season shots and remember the details. Things such as time of day, focal length of the lens, aperture, focus point and where you were standing will help with constancy.

Idaho is a great place to live. One of the best parts about living here is that the seasons are all very well defined.

Sun Valley, in the south central part of Idaho is a favorite spot of ours in the winter season due to the great cross country ski trials in the area. As I write this, my wife and I are in Sun Valley enjoying the snow and our time together.

So, what does Sun Valley and snow have to do with this photo? Well, on a prior trip up here this last fall we took a little hike on a rainy day, venturing across a foot bridge that we normally ski across. The trees were just beginning to change colors and the dampness of the day enhanced their richness.

Just because it is raining, or snowing, or whatever “non-sunny” thing might be happening, take some photos anyway. If the location is someplace you frequently visit, take a photograph of the same subject from the same angle during each season of the year.  It could make a great 4 photo collection.

I’ll see about taking a photo of the same bridge with snow on it tomorrow.  That will be 2 of the 4 seasons complete for this subject. 

Living in Boise, we are blessed to have clearly defined seasons.  Fall is one of my favorites due to the very vibrant colors of all the trees.

This past Sunday, I was driving just northwest of the city and saw these trees.  I pulled off the road, grabbed the camera and tripod and picked my position to shoot.  I generally like to shoot colorful trees with the light from the sun coming in slightly behind the trees instead of shining on my back.  It does two things.  First, it tends to bring out a lot more color, as it is not just reflected light from the leaves you are seeing, but the light shining through them.  Secondly, you will see the darkest part of the trunk which will help to add some contrast to the photograph.

Next time you are out in the fall trees, try shooting from different angles and see if you come to the same conclusion.

Canon 40D, Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS at 135mm, 1/30 at f16, ISO 100