Since it’s post-holiday season I think it’s time I make another post. I didn’t take as many photos as I would’ve liked to while I was off of work but in looking around, I think I have enough for a couple of posts. Earlier in the month, Tucson experienced freezing temperatures followed by some rain. The precipitation at lower elevations didn’t stick around very long. With a short drive up the mountain, however, I was able to find some areas where the ice was persisting.
The header photo is a good place to start. What I like about this photo is how out of place things seem. The typical photo of cacti is one with a barren wasteland and a pretty sunset. This photo busts that stereotype. The hazy mountains in the back defy the typical southern Arizona backdrop. The snow (ice) on the cactus is also a surprise. I like that the tree behind it has also gathered some snow.
This next photo turned out pretty nice though, I admit, it doesn’t have quite the punch I was hoping for. However, I feel like I was able to accomplish my goal with this photo. When the sun sets in the desert, I actually do like how the cactus needles seem to light up, especially when backlit. This is seen better in a cholla cactus but the prickly pear in this photo does the same. For me, this is a win. As I progress in photography, I find it difficult to really draw the eye to what I want the viewer to look at. I feel like I did it in this photo and hopefully, that means progress for me!
This shot caught my eye due to the light rays coming over the mountains. I do like how it hits the tree in the foreground and highlights the snow on the branches. Though, I think I could’ve done better here. Since the Rays of light are what stuck out, It may have been good to move a few feet to the right to get around the tree. From this angle, there are two areas where the light pours over the landscape but I think I could’ve highlighted it better. It’s a bit strange, I wanted the rays of light highlighted but the tree is in focus vs the background. For some reason, it feels like it works better like this than it would by having the mountains in focus and the trees out. Perhaps the light rays are a good background but not the main attraction here.
I’m not a big fan of the ‘city’. I like being out away from things. This photo is peaceful to me. I like that it has a geometric feel to it. There are multiple horizontal lines here – the cloud deck, the tops of the trees where they touch the mountain, and the bottom of the trees where they touch the ground. Then there’s this giant diagonal fence with the sun highlighting it splitting up the image. Perhaps I could further bring out the highlights from the sun in post-processing. I think it may be nice if the fence were a bit bolder here.
I like this photo but have one wish. The top of the fence is in line with the horizon. Had I raised the camera up a few inches, there would’ve been more separation between the two and there may have been a better sense of depth. For the astute observer – yes. It was already dark by the time I took this photo
This photo is very typical for me. I took the picture thinking that the tree looked interesting. Even after loading it up on a larger screen at home, I didn’t notice the highlight of the photo. It took my wife saying something before I realized what made this scene interesting. The snow on the ground seems to spiral around the tree! After seeing it, I can’t unsee it; Of course, that’s what’s so interesting about this photo. If we get some light snow again (most likely not this year), I’ll go back and try this one again. I think that if I get a slightly different angle on the tree, I can get all of its leaves and branches above the horizon and maybe still keep the swirl.
I’m glad to have this post out – the first one of the year. I’ve been trying to think about how to get out and take more photos while hauling the kids along with me. Perhaps 2024 will be the year that one of them will be able to go with me. It would be good bonding time and help me get out and improve.