TR Island & cherries

Bits and Pieces

Fellow Potomac photographers might be interested in this article on wtop.com:
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=920&sid=2325996 The story covers some autistic children who are expressing themselves through photographs of the cherry blossoms.

Cherry Blossoms 2011

The challenge of the cherry blossoms, for me, was how to convey their cherry-blossom-ness without falling into cliche. I wanted to avoid the hunt for the perfect blossom, and look for loveliness in the imperfect -- in this case, blossoms already past their prime. The brown adds a nice color to the pink and white, I think.


Drizzle and overcast skies also meant some built-in imperfection when compared to traditional cherry-blossom shots. Though this photo is a bit soft, I like the raindrops and the gray background of the Tidal Basin.






Again, I like the quietness of the colors.










I swore I wasn't going to take any shots of the monuments, but couldn't resist how much warmth the light at the Jefferson Memorial brought to an otherwise cool, gray scene.






I took dozens of shots of blossoms and buds against the dark, gnarled cherry trees, but struggled technically to get shots in which the white blossoms weren't washed out, or surrounded by the dreaded purple fringe. I think I needed a smaller aperture and longer shutter time, or to wait for better light, to do better on these shots. I welcome your advice.

Roosevelt Island 3/25/11 by Spencer

Hello all. I am posting a few pics from our class for those who did not make the final session.

Janet: yes, it is a multiyear project as I can attest. After 5 of these classes with Barbara, I am only scratching the surface and learning all the time. I enjoy your images so much in the focus on the small detail that is both telling and abstract. Something unique in your vision to focus on.

I enjoyed seeing everyone's work at the last session and working with each of you over the autumn months. Hope to see you in the sping.