Thursday, we drove out to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. It’s a relatively tiny remnant of what once was the Big Woods. I always wondered if this is the same Big Woods from the Little House series. Certainly, the Ingalls spent a lot of time in Minnesota, but a little web searching reveals that Big Woods was in Wisconsin.
But Nerstrand is a nice park. Never mind the trees of the Big Woods, the highlight was the wildflowers. Above are (I believe) sharp-lobed hepatica. They are abundant now. The dwarf trout lilies are nearing the end of their blooming season, it seems. I really never saw a good specimen to photograph. Too bad, since they are only found here. I’ve been unable to find the name of these flowers, but they are tiny and delicate, and a worthy subject, I think.
I love spring and the green that it brings. The floor of the woods was, in places, covered by wonderful ferns, and green was just everywhere. There is a small falls in the park, Hidden Falls. I have a few shots of the falls, but frankly, the light was not great with the sun high in the sky and shining off the water at the top of the falls. I have to settle for other lovely subjects.
It helps when you have a subject that can easily move into better lighting! Especially if she’s willing. I was traveling light, so I left my reflector and flash in the car. I’m growing fond of sculpting the light, adding to it, moving it to suite the subject. Natural light can be good, but it’s far from ideal no matter what you might think. If we’re going to just grab the camera and lens and go, though, we need to be able to cope with what nature gives us. Lynne’s smile, fortunately, makes up for imperfect lighting.
There is also post-production, where we can alter the reality and try some creative ideas. Some will work, others not so much. Lynne’s light skin and light colored top made me think about trying a high-key lighting effect. These tend to be flattering for women, although I’m not sure how well I like the technique. But art is about trying, exploring boundaries, finding new expressions. Here’s my version of a high-key shot. I think I like it.
