As a kid with blue eyes and blonde hair, everything I wore seemed to be the color blue. So much blue! Too much blue! I really didn’t like it after awhile, but these days it is probably next to greens as a color I enjoy.
Looking through my photo archives this morning, I found a number of pictures I took in the local botanical garden one spring – a brilliantly blue sky with no clouds, but branches blooming and leafing out. This is when I love blue!
Meanwhile, blue denim sashiko continues!
Yesterday I went to the local botanical garden, Smudge on leash, Fuji X100V in hand. Smudge is really good about stopping and sitting and waiting for me as we take a sniffy walk around for her and a looky-lou walk for me. It is a stop and start proposition.
As any photographer know, dappled light is hell to try to catch, especially if there are flowers under the foliage, a bit of wind, and so on. The cameras just cannot do it justice and our eyes see more than the camera in many instances, digital or film. But, I was determined to find something to both photograph and then paint.
I doctored it a bit in post as I wanted fairly strong contrast and warm / cool balance. This one pleased me. It is right at the gateway to the botanical garden and the path zooms off uphill, which we see ahead and to the right, and downhill, which is behind me. I always enjoy this section as I can choose my adventure.
I tried to keep this painting fairly close to both the values and perspective of the photo, but as always what I see and want is not necessarily what I paint. My sense of depth is not good and I often find it happens when I paint. I know a few tricks, but that is not always something I “get” – oh, well. Nonetheless, I rather like the dappled light I did get even if the end of the path ahead is rather wonky.
This took me a bit of time to do, and I did it in my sketchbook. Sort of a “serious” study, but because it was a sketchbook and I did it at my desk I didn’t take it too seriously. Cramped and messy space to work in but it did work out fairly well. I wonder if this ability to work in limited areas, such as my desk rather than my drafting table, will also help when I decide to go plein aire . . . .
Not an especially well-taken photograph. I have a tendency to shoot quickly without holding still. As a result, a lot of my quickie shots are a bit blurry. Nonetheless, they do catch a mood that pleases me, such as a sea of flowers and a lovely tree. Our botanical garden is always a delight to visit.
X100V.
The botanical garden is just gorgeous right now! It’s had its spring cleaning done, and all the undergrowth has been cleared away. Between the trees is simply leaves, new plantings, and trees budding out and in bloom. I went there yesterday in search of the bulbs, primarily the narcissus, but they were past their season. Ah, well! There was still plenty more to see.
The rocks you see above for a long time were overgrown and not tended. Now they have been cleaned up and I think later on the Matilija poppies will show up. I noticed a lot of new growth where I know they grow, so that will be a sight to see. These rocks are on the edge of the garden, with a fence separating them from the nearby condos and the hill beyond, which I really should climb one day!
I brought the X100V along with me, and no dogs as the last time I did I went flying down a hill, camera in hand. We all survived, but as there are other dogs here and squirrels to chase, it seemed prudent to come alone – this way I could look and wander a bit.
Before they added a second entry, this was the first tree to greet you as you walked in. Every autumn its leaves change color, and tumble to the ground. Sometimes they fly past you when the wind picks up. They are large and colorful, and something I look forward to every fall as much of California, where I live, is populated with non-deciduous trees and bushes.
Olympus Trip 35, Fuji Superia 400.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 