Peace in the forest and with the wild things

Infrared Light

Inspired by the work of friends and fellow photographers, John Allen Poppleton, and Barry Parsons, I recently had the sensor in one of my cameras converted to infrared.  I began making both landscape and portraiture images, and immediately fell in love with the surreal look and feel, that infrared light creates!  

Because of the surreal and almost fantasy look of the infrared portraits, I decided to try my hand at making the model a forest fairy.   First I needed wings.  I didn't want digital wings, so I set out to find real ones.  Found!  With a long set of tweezers I began carefully gathering wings from the bugs that had met their fate in the front grill of my truck. As my husband walks by, he just smiles and shakes his head. He has been with me long enough, that he doesn't even ask me what I'm up to anymore.  After finding just the right wings, I put them on a piece of white paper and photographed them.  In photoshop, I then inverted the image to make the wings white and the background black.  With layering, blending, and a little fairy glow, my enchanted forest fairy came to life.    

I entered the Brigham City Plein Air competition and exhibit with this infrared image of one of my favorite trees.  I was so pleased to have been awarded first place in photography with this image!
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I have found a new and exciting avenue in my photography.  I look forward to making more images with this beautiful light.

Beneath the Water

Beneath the water abstracts.  The colors and textures of the rocks on the bottom of the river, along with the reflections of sky and clouds on the water above.  I also love how the light patterns dance beautifully across the rocks and sand below.

Goldfish for Lunch

This water snake decided to have one of the biggest goldfish from my pond for lunch.  I watched it for at least an hour struggle to swallow the fish tail first.  Finally giving up after it couldn't get past the fins going the wrong way.  Down one goldfish, but it was fascinating to watch!  

Tree in infrared

I just had the sensor in one of my cameras converted to infrared, so I had to try it out on one of my favorite trees.  I think I've found my new obsession?!
This is one of the images that I submitted to the Brigham City, Utah, plein air art competition and exhibition.  If you are in the area, be sure to stop in and check it out.  It will be on exhibit at the museum until Oct. 10, 2015
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I just got the exciting news that this image took first place in the photography medium!  

The Uintas

The last light of the sun on the Provo river.

Dad and I found a delicious treat of wild currants and huckleberries.

Lily pads on Butterfly Lake.

One of the waterfalls on the Provo river.

Peaceful reflections.

Just the beginning of my very favorite season!  More beautiful autumn days to come.

Autumn Flowers

I really liked this one in black and white as well, so I decided to share both.  Sometimes its too hard to decide.