Blazing Tree
Gillson Park-Wilmette

Fall, Gillson Park, Wilmette, Landscape, Wilmette Landscape, Autumn Colors

Blazing Tree

Evolution of a photo….
While driving home from Evanston yesterday afternoon, I realized it was a cool and damp day and that the sky was overcast, but that the colors on the ground (literally!) had strong shades of warm Autumn tones.  So, as I passed the B’hai Temple on Sheridan Road, I turned off into Gillson Park which is a gorgeous area along Lake Michigan.  http://www.wilmettepark.org/lakefront/gillson-park 
I was just kinda trolling in my car through the park when this blazing tree captured my attention!  Vibrant, irresistible colors!
So, I pulled over and set up my tripod to try to figure out how to capture this scene.  I liked the reds, yellows, and greens, but I also liked the background which was kind of foggy and bright, and the light area of green grass in the middle part of the scene.
I tried a few different compositions and angles and waited for somebody or someone to walk or drive by to add a little interest and balance.  However, no one came by (I couldn’t believe it), so I put myself in the scene and made a little “selfie” to see if a person would add to the image.  (I’m including that below…a rare photo of me!)  I thought it was “needed,” but I waited and still couldn’t find a willing person to pose.

Anyways, I switched views and set up the camera on a different angle/perspective  when I saw these two people walking across the park.  As I saw them nearing the scene, I changed to a slower shutter speed to try to diffuse their images and make them less a focus (again, literally!) of the scene.
Two frames.  I liked this one better.  And I also like the boulder in the foreground and garbage can on the far right….makes my eye move through the scene, I think.  Nothing edited out or in the final image.

Fun!  At least it is for me!

 

Blazing Tree

SML Selfie and the Blazing Tree

-Stephen M. Levin
“My Mind’s Eye”
www.stephenmlevinphotos.com

 

 

 

 

 

SML Photography