Spring, shapes & colors
Spring, mid April. It’s 7:30am, I’ve been up for 3 hours. I’m not tired. I’m sitting on this boulder, letting the sun warm my face. I’ve been sitting here for a while. My camera bag still on my shoulders. I don’t feel it. Now… I am listening. The birds have come back from the depth of winter and their chants are filling the air around me. Now… I am feeling. The chilly breeze doesn’t affect me, in fact there is barely any wind. That young sun warms me to my bones. Now… I’m smelling. The dry smell of the earth heating up around me rises to my nose. The discreet fragrance of some wild flowers also gets carried to me. Now… I am seeing. The fresh green leaves that have started to appear on the trees around me let vivid green light through. They look young and promising. Azaleas and wild cherry trees flowers dot the landscape in front of me.
I am… Now.
I invite you to this day in its entirety.
Let the colors and shapes of spring reach the impressionist part of your soul.
Pre-sunrise
Early in the morning, light is very flat, and the landscape’s colors are also very flat. Only when azaleas bloom can you get dots of colors here and there. They are a much welcomed break from the austerity of winter. They are also a promise of better, warmer things to come.
The V shaped trees create lines leading to that azalea bush, the only real color in the forest at this point.
At this time of year I find inspiration in shapes. Nature being so bare, trees become landmarks. The achromatic bushes, bark and dead leaves only serve to sublimate even the tiniest touch of color.
The diaphanous petals of Korean azaleas are so delicate that they contrast sharply against this dark tree trunk.
This knotted pine trunk offers an interesting composition option, especially since its long vertical shape contrasts so harmoniously with the circular shape flowers.
Sunrise
The sun finally shines through the thick pine forest. Gaps in the tall trees create small windows of warm light that accentuates any color it touches. Nature feels revitalized, and so do I. Everything looks different now.
At sunrise, contrast increases dramatically. Shapes become even more prominent in front of my lens. The warm diagonal light guides my sights toward intimate views I wouldn’t have noticed 20 minutes ago.
These dark tree trunks create a rigid pattern before the sunlit background. The role the pink azalea plays here, is that of breaking that pattern. In doing so, it leads to itself even more attention.
Day light
That warm sunrise glow is only as glorious as it is short-lived. Too soon it transitions into the usual top white light we all know. For me, it means working twice as hard to find attractive compositions…
I used the wild cherry blossoms’ white to divide the frame between dark and bright. That division serves to focus and the pink bush in the center, stealing your attention thanks to it being the only color in the image.
I found the gateway to my soul…
It leads to a stream, overlooked by giant colorful bushes that makes sure all flows the intended way.
Until it reaches a waterfall. It is still entangled in a cold slumber but soon it will roar deafeningly.
As for now, it is tame and its water feeds the countless points of pink that depend on it.
The sun will soon complete its diurnal journey. She has already started selecting the lucky few petals that will receive the last rays.
Sunset
One last time today, warm side light sublimates the scenery.
Everyone turns their attention to the setting sun. The last waves of energy are up for everyone to grab. Very soon petals will gather and create a night shelter for pistils…
So let’s enjoy that life giving warmth while we still can.
Thank you ever so much for reading this spring journey through the forest. I tried to show a different take on wild flowers, focusing on the shapes of the forest and the interactions between the different colors I found there, rather than the obvious beauty of flowers.
If you want to see more images of natural beauties in Korea, follow me on instagram @romainphoto_outside .
Feel free to leave your impressions on my work in the comments section below or hiking/photography suggestions and share my blog so that, one day maybe, I can meet you on a hike!
A bientôt!
