Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Green Lobby

Foliage In The Last Fortnight Of Autumn

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


At this time of year, with winter just a fortnight away, the light is softer, the shadows are longer and Melbourne’s gardeners are busy raking up leaves. I took these shots last weekend, when I noticed the sunlight striking one side of a street even while the other side was in shadow.

I waited about 45 minutes to take these shots, because I wanted the light to get a bit stronger so that the difference between the nearby green leaves on one side of the street and the bronzed leaves on the other side would be in sharper contrast.

Fortunately I had my long lens with me, so I was able to substitute my 18-125mm lens with my 70-300mm lens at my leisure. The trees in these shots are plane trees, which are very common around Melbourne and are the cause – at this time of year – of beautiful footpaths covered in a carpet of golden leaves.

Even though I’m over six foot, I needed a particular angle to take these shots, so I actually had to utilise something close by, standing on it to give myself an extra couple of feet in added height.

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45 comments:

Daryl said...

Lovely .. and here we too have Plane trees paving the streets gold in the fall .. but now we have rain

Carol Murdock said...

It amazes me David that our seasons are opposites!The fall leaves are beautiful! It is rather fallish here today as it is 52 degrees.

immersion said...

Nice capture!

I too had to step back for a second and remember your seasons are not NW WA seasons. I'll get it one of these days. What a delight, to see life from your perspective.

Jenn Jilks said...

The image you conjure up as you took the photo would have been a great shot in and of itself! :-)

We woke to 3 degrees C. this a.m. in My Muskoka, with frost in open areas. The lake moderates our temperatures. We are headed into summer...I hope.

Sylvia K said...

Gorgeous shot! Love the colors! Have to admit though I'm glad they're yours and not ours -- we, here in the northwest are so overjoyed to have spring colors after a very long, long winter season!

Barbaloot said...

Summer is my favorite season---but Fall is definitely gorgeous. Changing leaves has to be one of God's prettiest miracles.

Sandi McBride said...

After the hell of a summer you had, I know that Fall is something everyone is enjoying and might I say Winter is probably greatly anticipated!
Sandi

Rosaria Williams said...

I am still laughing at the previous post, and your advice to the population. You just gave us another hint here that I had not thought about ever.

Your fauna looks quite tropical; how cold is your winter?

Sniffles and Smiles said...

I love fall...and I think the light is most beautiful in the fall!!! This photo speaks to my heart's delight in the golden sunshine of fall! I can't wait...Beautiful, as always, David! ~Janine

From the Old InkWell said...

Great shot. I'm so glad you explained your planning of the shot. Maybe I can learn from your explainations. It is so odd to hear you speak of fall and winter coming soon since we are just past winter; expecting sunny days, juicy Bradley tomatoes, and walks on the beach.

DeniseinVA said...

I have enjoyed catching up today. We get to enjoy Fall again through your wonderful photos. It is one of my favorite times of the year. Happy Autumn to you and your family.

Snowbrush said...

Of course, you're in Australia. It all makes sense now.

aims said...

I woke this morning to a blizzard and 2 inches of snow already. We're supposed to be going into summer.

I'm ready to give up. And I can't move down there because you're going into winter now....grrrrr!

Reasons said...

Gorgeous, so nice to see some autumn colours as we are in Spring.

Heidi said...

As I am new to this blog, I hadn't realize you live in Australia which made for a confusing . . . well, I'd like to say split-second but it was, alas, longer than that. Gorgeous photo!

Thumbelina said...

Beautiful contrast. I love the soft tones in the background.

2 weeks to winter eh? Feels like it here too today mate. *sigh*
(And it's Wet with a capital W!)

aims said...

BTW - here's a lovely blog to visit David.....

http://leekdailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Regina said...

Hi David. This one is really good.

Hilary said...

I'm a tad envious of that beautiful shot but not the season. I'm looking forward to the summer ahead.

NG said...

woww its fall at ur side of the world... we are just waiting with lamps (Indian tradition )to welcome the summer :)

ur pictures are pretty as always...but i love the fact that u understand ur art so well...so as to strike in accordance with the length...distance...light...
i am impressed....!!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!! THank you for sharing this wonderful time of year... it's odd, being on the other side of the world, to think about the leaves changing, we're just getting into summer with a scoarching 104 degrees yesterday!

Maggie May said...

That was well worth the effort. Really lovely. I particularly like the way the green leaves set off the yellow behind them.

We have plane trees nearby too. They do well in cities, so I hear.

SandyCarlson said...

Those hangers-on are quite dramatically green in contrast to their counterparts in the background. Nicely done, David. Thanks.

Jane Hards Photography said...

I'm always caught out by your Autumn to our Spring. Even you Autumn colours have polar opposite to ours. Always a different angle both image and narrative.

Unseen India Tours said...

Wow !! This Photograph Is Really Very Beautiful...Thanks For Sharing Such An Amazing Beauty...

Sarah Sullivan said...

I adore Fall how wonderful to see some during our Spring here in Idaho.
I'm always up for some photography instruction!! Beautiful picture - thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for popping by my blog!
Sarah

Eddie Bluelights said...

Should have been on your horse - then you could have reached it easily!
Beautiful shot, David, well worth waiting the 45 mins.

Anonymous said...

Just lovely! Strange you are in fall as we enter summer!

Loran said...

All your effort and patience really shows in this picture. Beautiful colors.

Jazz said...

I can't help but find it bizarre that as we finally have leaves coming in, you have the whole autumn colours thing going on.

Catherine said...

The colours and light in that first shot are quite wonderful..

alicesg said...

It is wonderful that nature is so colourful.

Tess Kincaid said...

Gorgeous shot. You could have titled it "How Green was my Lobby". :^)

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I'm ready for it again already.

Woman in a Window said...

BeautTIful! But I have to say, this side of winter over here (and although I love fall) I'm hoping this is a long ways away!

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

That is an amazing shot! I love the rich colors! Just think ~ you're gearing up for winter; we're dreading the hot summer which is roaring our way.

Anonymous said...

Excellent shot David!

The seasonal colors are one of the things we sorely miss here in the south west.

Sharon Rose said...

Great shot with the contrast of seasonal colors. It took me a minute to realize we are on different sides of the world and as we "spring into summer" you are "falling into winter" :)

Shadow said...

this is beautiful... we too are raking leaves and leaves and leaves...

LadyFi said...

That is a fantastic picture. I do love autumn although I am very happy that Sweden has now moved from winter into spring!

Baruch said...

Beautifully taken

Arija said...

The leaves this year are stunning, especially in Vic.

Maureen said...

Beautiful! I am just wanting Spring to arrive properly... it snowed here last weekend!!! Gah!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I love the softness of autumn, David. If I could choose to live in a season, it would be autumn or what ee cummings referred to as "in just spring" or the first hint of spring. But there is a beauty in autumn that makes my heart rest easy.

Sheila :-)

amanda guthrie said...

Lovely back lighting, nice and soft.

Unknown said...

Very nice shot, David !!

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year ..