Several years ago, Ernest Atencio wrote an essay called “Little Wild Places” in which he talked about wild places–even the smallest ones surrounded by city–as locations where we can rekindle our relationship with the natural world.
On our recent visit to Wyoming, I was lucky to have a creek to walk near several times. Deer visit the creek daily; raccoons, pronghorn antelope, grouse, several small rodents, and other birds are not infrequent visitors. One afternoon on my walk, the abstract patterns of the ice struck me and I attempted to make some abstract images of it.
Ice Abstract I, December 2010
While making these images, I looked up, briefly, and saw one of the creek’s residents–a small mouse–bolting back into the underbrush. I think it must have been as surprised as I was–what a strange being it encountered on the side of *its* creek!
Ice Abstract II, December 2010
If you’re interested, there was quite a bit of technique that went into making these images. Each one is a composite of 9 separate RAW files. I wanted to maximize depth of field, so I focused at three separate planes through each image. Each of these was then combined in Photoshop to maximize depth of field (I’ve blogged about this technique in the past). At each plane of focus, I bracketed the exposure to maximize the dynamic range that was captured in the scene. Finally, I converted the image to monochrome using Nik’s Silver Efex Pro, and added a slight silver-blue tone to convey the sense of a chilled winter day. So, I guess these are HDR, focus-bracketed ice abstracts. Whew…what a mouthful. I hope you just think they’re pretty.
I was thankful to have this little wild place to not only rekindle my connection with nature, but also to foster some creativity in my photography.
How do you use little wild places?
Beautiful Greg!
For the last 5 years or so I’ve been lucky enough to live across the street from what’s called the duck pond here in Missoula. It’s a small wetlands park where I can wander and talk to the ducks and a pair of nesting geese who return to it every spring. I’ve done a small ongoing series of abstracts from the pond over the past couple of years. While they may not be as soul-stirring as our great wilderness areas, little urban patches of wildness are great havens, and protecting them are a small but vital step in preserving our natural world.
Good post, and I love your ice abstracts Greg.
Wonderful images Greg. Sometimes those small, nearby locations provide just the intimate connection to nature we all seek.
My father used to tell the story of how out of all the many objects in a city like San Francisco that could catch a small boy’s eye, he used to be fascinated by small tree sprouts that would come up through cracks in the sidewalk in front of his home on 9th Avenue. Much later with hindsight he counted this as one of the signs he was more interested in nature than anything else. In selecting places to live in the past I have always tried to find a place where the room I would have my desk in would look out on a garden, trees, greenery, or the wild side of the building. These photographs are beautiful and a good direction to take. I have discovered that collectors and galleries really like good ice photographs.
interesting abstract. Very nicely done.
Thanks so much for the comment and for stopping by, Karan!
Ha, yes, sometimes we put a lot of technique into these images… and as you say, as long as people appreciate them on some level is the end result.
I certainly do.. neat work, and good vision to use the techniques you did to enhance the experience…