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#1242. Tree and leaf
By Kristian Wannebo | Opinion
… towards autumn’s end.
I have to admit that I stole the title.
Tree and Leaf is one of J. R. R. Tolkien’s short stories (published together with his essential essay On Fairytales).
It is about a painter and his fate in a strict society – until he departs for the mountains on the horizon.
I always want a pocket camera but have been without since the shutter of my rather adequate Fuji XF1 broke for the second time five years ago – though a somewhat bulky Canon G12 has helped a bit. Now, finally, I fell for the temptation of a Sony RX100 VI as I happened to find a hardly used one at a very reasonable price.
– – –
The other day I woke up (with it) to a slightly foggy dawn – but the fog of the slight rain was already lifting as I came out.
Along the path towards the forest –
– coming to a glade where the wet ground is still enhancing colours.
Stones covered with lichen.
Another leaf,
and more lichen.
A juniper tree guarding the path through the forest.
Next day’s afternoon the sun broke out chasing me outdoors…
The sun can also paint.
More leaves –
– and grass.
This path is dug out of a slope so roots and stones are laid bare, autumnally sprinkled.
The trees are still standing strong,
and a rock wall rises up the slope.
A last remnant of summer.
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WOW – I have to say this is one of the most compelling articles I’ve ever seen in DS – not just for the pictures, either – you paint with words, as well.
You’ve just raised the bar! – all the more so, because the images are all SOOC!
Thank you, Jean Pierre!
Well, once the photos were there the words came as comments – the other way around would have been very much harder…
As to SOOC, I was lucky to get all the exposures right on the second day out with a new camera – the zebras helped, and the wiewfinder. Also, for me, this RX gets very much out of the way, especially with its long lens.
What a lovely exploration of the forest floor, Kristian! My favorites are the leafy compositions glossed with moisture – fresh from a fairy forest. The second image of the green leaves surrounded by the dried grasses is a stunner……beautiful! Kudos!
Thank you, Nancee!
That second image seems to be very sensitive to framing – I have two, and looking at the edges I hardly see any difference. Though when I switch between them I always end up with this one and find the other one boring, strange…
Very nice Kristian
Thank you for posting such a great piece
Dave
Thank you, Dave!
I’m glad you enjoyed it – I enjoyed finding them.
When we think of autumn/fall, we usually think of the masses of trees in fall colours and pass by the little vignettes and details that are just as much a part of the season. You’ve done a wonderful job of reminding us that those vignettes and details can be just as enchanting and even more enduring than the transient plumage of colours. Well done Sir!
Thank you, John!
In a way it was luck – I went out for trees and branches out of the fog, but with the fog gone and most of the fall colours too … and the ground still wet!
I do enjoy details, and with this lens I could find them without having to crawl on the ground…
I have often thought I would love to have a simple little shirt-pocket camera and this post is exactly the reason I want one. This, plus some street photography.
Ah, Cliff,
there aren’t really any around anymore. The RX100 is somewhat on the thick side.
Perhaps the Canon G9 X? Unless you accept the really small sensors.
Or have good shirt pockets.
There was the Minox 24×36, and Contax T. And Kodak Retina I only slightly thinner than the RX100.
Well, I’m happy enough with my choice, the long lens was ideal for these photos.
I seldom do street ph., but I believe it would do well enough (some say they have two RX100:s for the different lenses).
It can easily be set so as to really get out of the way, especially as with the lens ring you can frame with precision – rather rare among pocket cameras – and it does fit some of my shirts.
Cliff, Kristian, dare I suggest a Canon EOS M ? Cheap as chips and fun, particularly if you install Magic Lantern 🙂
Right, Pascal!
That’s what I started with to get more reach than with the Fuji XF1 – and added lenses to when the XF1 broke.
Magic Lantern was one of the reasons I chose it – it even allowed ETTR auto exposure!
But even with a small lens on, say adapter + screw mount collapsible Leitz 50mm/3.5, it would burst a shirt pocket.
Kristian, These entrancing images are after my own heart–not only because I love to go forest bathing the day after a rain, photographing the very same sort of things you so beautifully portray (leaves, lichen, trees, moss, stones), but also because I still have a Sony RX10 (the original version, but still with a nice Zeiss 24-200 zoom), now underutilized. The RX10 is a great package in so many ways, and I used it for years, but graduated to the A7III for reasons of image quality; I wanted a larger sensor, and paid for it with weight. You have stimulated my desire to send some recent forest-floor images to DS! Thanks!
Lad, please give in to that desire 😉
I hope to do so!
Thanks, Lad!
And I’ll be anticipating your forest-floor images!
I did flirt with the RX10 and with the corresponding Panasonic but in the end preferred the flexibility of a lens mount as an addition to my pocket camera (then Fuji XF1).
And yes, sometimes a larger sensor does make a difference … some would say always.