Tag: <span>winter</span>

Published March 15, 2017 by

Forest bathing / Shinrin-yoku

forest bathing, shinrin-yoku, forest, winter, Nova Scotia
Forest Bathing, Newport, NS; 2017            © Avard Woolaver

The Japanese have many terms that we don’t use in English. One of my favourites is “forest bathing”– a leisurely visit to a forest. It is becoming more widely practiced in North America but has been a stress management activity in Japan since 1982. Ben Page, founder of Shinrin Yoku LA, remarked in a USA Today story, “A hike is generally oriented as a journey from point A to point B, whereas forest bathing is not about reaching a physical destination. The destination in a forest-bathing walk is more like a mental space of effortless relaxation and awareness.”

Studies have shown that exposure to nature creates calming neuro-psychological effects leading to reductions in stress, anger, anxiety, depression, and sleeplessness. It’s a good reason to take a walk in the woods whenever possible. I’m fortunate to live near a beautiful forest where I can get some exercise, calm my mind, and take some photos.

It’s pleasurable to walk in the forest, even in winter. There are numerous animal tracks in the snow, as well as interesting ice formations, and plenty of crisp, fresh air.

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Photo tip: Taking forest photos in a relaxed stare of mind is quite different from the immediacy of capturing a moment. Take note of how your vision changes when you are forest bathing.

Blogging Colour Landscape Light Observation Photography

Avard Woolaver forest forest bathing Nova Scotia photography winter

Published March 9, 2017 by

Complementary colours create balance

complementary colours, cool warm colours, rear view, winter,
Winter Balance, 2012                            © Avard Woolaver

You may have noticed the use of complementary colours on sports jerseys—blue and orange; red and green; yellow and purple. The combining of colours that are opposites on the colour wheel creates a sense of balance and harmony. It is something to consider when taking colour photographs.

American photographer Joel Meyerowitz, who rose to prominence in the early 1960s, is one of the pioneers of colour photography. In a 2015 Huffington Post interview Meyerowitz observed, “So color was a basic force in my development and I learned, early on, that it had an emotive power that needed to be recognized and which made me become a kind of early missionary for color.” A look through his powerful photographs reveals his use of complementary colours.

Photographer Eric Kim relates on his informative blog (erikimphotography.com) how this can be put into practice, “For example, if you see a mostly cool background color (blue, purple, green)– try to wait until someone with a warm color (red, orange, yellow) shirt walks by. It can be the other way too. You can look for a mostly warm background– and wait for someone with a cool colored shirt to step into the scene.”

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Photo tip: The use of mirrors or reflections can be a way to combine warm colours and cool colours in the same scene.

Blogging Colour Light Observation Photography Social Landscape

Avard Woolaver balance colour colour theory harmony mirror Nova Scotia rearview winter

Published February 28, 2017 by

The winter blues are not so bad

colour, winter blues, landscape, snow,
 Newport, NS; 2015                         © Avard Woolaver

The winter blues are not so bad; they calm the mind and aid in concentration. And according to one study of Instagram posts, “mostly-blue images receive 24 percent more likes than photos with high concentrations of reds and oranges.”

Colour psychology is widely used in advertising and marketing and it’s something to consider when you are out taking photos. According to Wikipedia, “Many marketers see color as an important part of marketing because color can be used to influence consumers’ emotions and perceptions of goods and services. Research shows that warm colors tended to attract spontaneous purchasers, despite cooler colors being more favorable.”

One of the pioneers of colour photography was Ernst Haas. He used techniques like shallow depth of field, selective focus, and blurred motion to create evocative, metaphorical works. His colour work was based on keen observation, or “dreaming with open eyes.”

“You become things, you become an atmosphere, and if you become it, which means you incorporate it within you, you can also give it back. You can put this feeling into a picture. A painter can do it. And a musician can do it and I think a photographer can do that too and that I would call the dreaming with open eyes.” – Ernst Haas

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Photo tip: Taking photos at midday when the colour temperature is high (about 5500k) produces blue results as does shooting just before dark. You can also play around with the white balance setting on your camera. The tungsten setting will give a nice blue hue in daylight conditions.

Colour Landscape Light Photography

Avard Woolaver colour colour field landscape minimalism Nova Scotia photography winter

Published February 13, 2017 by

When the blizzard rages outside, it’s a good time to read some poetry

blizzard, snow, winter, February, 2017, forest,
Blizzard Day, Newport, Nova Scotia; 2017   © Avard Woolaver

When the blizzard rages outside, it’s a good time to read some poetry. Snowstorms and snowy days can be harsh and sometimes threatening, but also contain such rare opportunities to see natural beauty. Here is a poem by Emily Dickinson, titled “It sifts from leaden sieves” that manages to describe this sense of beauty.

It sifts from leaden sieves

It sifts from leaden sieves,
It powders all the wood,
It fills with alabaster wool
The wrinkles of the road.

It makes an even face
Of mountain and of plain,
Unbroken forehead from the east
Unto the east again.

It reaches to the fence,
It wraps it, rail by rail,
Till it is lost in fleeces;
It flings a crystal veil

On stump and stack and stem,
The summer’s empty room,
Acres of seams where harvests were,
Recordless, but for them.

It ruffles wrists of posts,
As ankles of a queen,
Then stills its artisans like ghosts,
Denying they have been.

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Photo tip: Unusual weather conditions often create interesting photos. This photo was taken near my house in the middle of a blizzard. I kept my camera in its case and only took it out briefly to take the photo. The lens was instantly covered in snow–a good reason also to have a UV filter on your lens for protection.

 

 

Colour Landscape Light Photography

2017 Avard Woolaver blizzard February landscape poetry snow snow storm winter

Published February 9, 2017 by

Time to get a “storm combo” and some “storm chips”

Chickenburger Restaurant, Storm Combo, Bedford, NS,
Bedford, NS; 2017              © Avard Woolaver

The term “storm chips” was coined in 2014 by  CBC radio host Stephanie Domet. It refers to people stocking up on potato chips and other snacks in advance of a snow storm.

Rebecca Rupp writes, “What most of us do buy in the face of impending blizzard is usually not what we should buy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an extensive list of supplies to have on hand for winter weather, which includes canned goods, crackers, dried fruit, infant food and formula (should there be a baby in the house), and bottled water. Other what-to-buy-for-a-blizzard lists recommend such sturdy, non-perishable items as peanut butter, canned soup and chili, beans, trail mix, canned tuna, and protein bars. In the event of awful weather, the consensus is, it’s a good idea to have on hand a supply of low-maintenance stuff that you don’t have to cook.”

We get our share of winter storms here in the Maritimes and storm chips have become a phenomenon. New Brunswick company Covered Bridge has even come out with a flavour called Storm Chips.  So I wasn’t surprised to see a sign advertising a Storm Combo. There is a big winter storm coming tonight–time to get a good “storm book” and some “storm coffee.”

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Photo tip: Wet pavement at night is great for colourful reflections. You can also get things like traffic lights or signs reflected in puddles.

Colour Documentary Light Photography Social Landscape

Avard Woolaver Bedford Canon Rebel T3 night Nova Scotia storm chips winter