The Photography of John Caruso
I was wrapping up a photo walk and began heading to my car. On the way there, I happened to notice this scene on the other side of a little water way. I knew I couldn't pass it up so I made the photo. As it turned out, it was one of the ones I particularly liked from that afternoon.
Forest Fence
[flickr id="6333164730" thumbnail="medium" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="center"] I was walking along the banks of a river and noticed these leafs floating across the surface. I moved from side to side to find an interesting angle and, as I did so, the reflection of the bare trees on the far bank came into play. I couldn't help but notice the visual trick of replacing the fallen leafs back upon the trees. I made a few shots but wasn't very happy with the outcome. At that point, I deliberately underexposed and, voila, I was much happier.
[flickr id="6259872014" thumbnail="medium" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="center"] Autumn is such a richly visual season. I love finding those quiet yet meaningful moments during a fall day. For this photograph, I pulled over into a forest preserve grove and just wandered around for a while with camera in hand. I eventually came upon this cluster of dead leafs lingering on the branch. I used my ultra-wide angle/fisheye lens to capture the tree in the background to add some context to the scene.
[flickr id="6242837404" thumbnail="medium" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="center"] I am a big fan of the juxtaposition of nature and man-made. Here, the tendril spills over the side of a brick wall creating a color and texture bonanza.
[flickr id="6238622530" thumbnail="medium" overlay="false" size="small" group="" align="center"] While on a photo walk, I came across this wooden grate across a little stream that led to the mill wheel at Graue Mill. I loved the way the leafs were randomly caught up. The light, too, was just gorgeous.
I was driving along when I spotted an entrance to a forest preserve. On a whim, I pulled in and went for a little walk. I noticed this hefty branch that had fallen in the clearing, and particularly liked the way the trees behind it played off of it in a pleasing way. I put my Lensbaby on my camera with the notion of emphasizing the branch while adding a touch of visual interest to the background trees as they swept up toward the sky.
When my wife and I put up a new fence in our yard, a little corner where a bush used to be ended up being empty. We decided to make a little gnome village there, and so we are always on the lookout for gnomes. While in Spring Green, WI recently, we stopped at a roadside stand that sold statuary. We found this guy and the mushroom, and so he made it into this spot.
I was struck by the beautiful blanket of leaves in our yard, so naturally I got out my camera and made some photographs.
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To read more about my on-going quest to make a photo-a-day, every day, in 2009--my Project 365--please take a moment to check out my post from December 30, 2008 appropriately titled, "Project 365" as well as my 50 day update, similarly appropriately titled, "50 Days? Already?" my more cryptically titled 100 day update, "Day 100...or The Last-Call, Whiskey-Soaked Plan That Didn't Die," the rather pedestrian-titled half-year update, "And in a Blink, a Half a Year is Gone…," and the verbosely titled, "A Hard Time Seeing the Trees for the Forest –or- What I’ve Been Learning these Past 300 Days."
Autumn in Suburbia (304/365 10-31-09)
Originally uploaded by CarusoPhoto
It was one of those beautiful autumn days, and I made my way out into the yard for a quick session of making photos. Here the satellite cable, gutter, downspout, and brick wall all make for an interesting counterpart to the sky and changing tree.
Made with a Lensbaby Composer (with the Plastic Lens Optic insert) mounted on a Canon 5D Mark II.
Pumpkin (299/365 10-26-09)
Originally uploaded by CarusoPhoto
It just wouldn't be autumn without the requisite pumpkin-in-the-yard-with-a-smattering-of-leafs-on-the-lawn shot. So here it is.
While in my tent at the Oak Brook show, I couldn't help but make a photograph of this bit of foliage that was laying on the roof. The light, the colors, and the translucent material all combined to make an intriguing scene.
(Incidentally, Margie Hurwich, a friend of mine and a terrific photographer, mad a similar shot when she was visiting me. I can't wait to see how her's turned out!)
