As
the lovely variety of spring greens have evolved into the dark hue of summer,
we can enjoy our next New England mini-season: the perfect lush green of early
summer.
Lush Green Season
In
the early summer the leaves of the trees and plants show a deep green, but this
uniform color seems to fade and become more irregular as the season proceeds.
Leaves become speckled with various pests and fungi and other insects
begin munching on the leaf edges. It is a slow process which accelerates
as we approach autumn and, as a part of their normal senescence, the leaves lose
their chlorophyll pigment.
Within
the next few weeks it will be time to enjoy the deepest and unblemished colors
of summer. Get out and fight off the black flies to capture some great
images.
Clouds are your Friend
As is true of much landscape photography, overcast days are the best for catching the rich shades of early summer foliage. The reflected glare from bright sunlight can block the color and create troublesome high contrast, but during these conditions, nice effects can be created by trans-illuminating the young leaves.
Even
on cloudy days a polarizing filter can enhance the depth of color in summer
foliage. I routinely keep a polarizer on my camera and experiment,
balancing its effect against the loss of one or two f stops.
Walldog Distractions
The
beautiful green is all around but I have been busy recording the wonderful work
of the “Walldogs” in Keene. Over 5 days, more than 200 mural artists have
descended on our city to create 16 large murals which celebrate important
aspects of the history of Keene and the Monadnock region. Every year the
“dogs” pick one location in the country to decorate and this year we are the
lucky ones. I’ve been recording their efforts – stand by for more images,
but in the meantime get out and enjoy the perfect green!
Jeffrey
Newcomer