Friday, July 18, 2008

Late Day Sun

This isn't the first, and probably won't be the last time I've posted photos which were taken late in the afternoon. It's my favourite time of day. Leaves, petals wings and feathers appear richer when saturated with the golden colours of the late afternoon sunlight. The following images were taken on a few different days either at Frank's place or my own neck of the woods. Please remember to click to enlarge them.



A walk along the creek near Frank's home is always a treat. At every twist and turn, a new crop of flowers emerge. (Click to enlarge)



The colours which painted the shoreline a week earlier, have often faded out to make way for a new pallet. (Click to enlarge)



A lone daisy grows by the shoreline of the creek. (Click to enlarge)



Glancing to our left, we saw this family of ducks swimming off to find a more secluded spot. (Click to enlarge)



Sunlight found its way through the shadows to illuminate this rock, which filters through from behind the fronds of this fern. (Click to enlarge)



This Bachelor Button soaks up the colours of the late afternoon. (Click to enlarge)



A small red beetle basks in the last of the sun's rays. (Click to enlarge)



A bit later in the day, this back yard rose comes alive with its scent after soaking up the day's sunshine. (Click to enlarge)



Back near my place, this grasshopper posed nicely while I zoomed in for a shot. (Click to enlarge)



A seagull contemplates its fishing possibilities along the dam at my neighbourhood pond. (Click to enlarge)



After an afternoon shower cleared the air, the sun peeked out from between the clouds, creating the vivid oranges and greens of these droplet-laden Tiger Lilies. (Click to enlarge)



Viewed from above, this Heron landed on the dam while I was taking my evening stroll. He watched me with a wary eye as I took several shots. (Click to enlarge)



Once his fishing expedition was over, he flew off into the setting sun. (Click to enlarge)

49 comments:

Crabby McSlacker said...

Damn, my (much longer) comment got eaten when my computer lost the connection.

So I'll just leave it at: absolutely gorgeous. Love the late day light!

R. said...

the lone daisy was special...

Say DJ, don'tcha have people around at all? no traffic? no noisy neighbours?

Russell said...

Love the bachelor button! One of my favorite flowers!

I like reading your posts, Hilary. I can just take my time and enjoy each photo with no rush... Out here on the prairie, I see lots of wild flowers, but a person does have to take their time.

It is sort of like looking at stars. You have to let your eyes adjust first. That's the way it is with looking for wild flowers since they often blend in with the grasses and other vegetation. But once you see them, they really stand out.

Take care and thanks for the great images!

Daryl said...

I know I say this everytime but you are really getting SOOOOO good ... love these shots and usually I am mistrusting of the light after 2 pm ... but these disprove that ... I especially love the way the rose tilts up and seems to be kissed by the sun .. and the last two pix .. PERFECTION ... the perfect coda to the series of shots.

:-Daryl

Suldog said...

I would give a non-essential body part to be able to shoot photos the way you do. Achingly lovely.

david mcmahon said...

Hilary, the shots of the lone daisy and the criss-cross ferns are sheer genius.

We returned to Melbourne today and I reckon jetlag is going to kick me in the butt in about ten minutes ....
minutes....
er, what? ..... zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Shammickite said...

You are right about the late afternoon sun enhancing everything with a golden glow. It gives a serenity and tranquillity to mundane everyday objects. Very nice pictures, as always.And I suppose that ducky pic is a good illustration of "keeping all your ducks in a row"!

Kat said...

That rich afternoon sun gets me every time. I just love glowy afternoons.
What amazing pics! Wow! The tiger lilies with the water droplets! Ugh! So gorgeous! And the mama duck and ducklings! They are all just so amazing. Really!

Thank you so much for such a sweet comment and for putting my link up at David's. That was so sweet of you. I really appreciate it!

Hilary said...

• Thanks very much, Crabby. Much appreciated. How annoying when words are lost to a bad connection. Thanks for reposting your kind words. :)

• Thanks, Rabin. Of course I do. We have some of the rowdiest neighbours ever! :)

• Thanks, Russel. Good analogy about stars and flowers. It works for birds and insects too. :) Thanks for stopping by.

• Thanks so much, Daryl. Your kind words mean a lot to me. Early and late day sunshine seem magical to me compared to any other time of day. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks very much, Sully. I'd give an equivalent body part to weave words as you do. :)

• Thanks David, and welcome back. Here's a blanket. No need to move. I'm sure the rest of us can just step over you while you sleep. ;)

• Ha! Good one, ex-S! Thanks so much for stopping by. Your kind comments are always appreciated. :)

• Thanks so much, Kathryn. Much appreciated. And you're very welcome for that. Your post about dyslexia was a must-read for sure. :)

Missicat said...

Ooohhh..very pretty! Love all the wildlife, especially the baby ducks.

Leah J. Utas said...

Beautiful work, Hilary. I understand your love of the late afternoon light.
Herons looks so prehistoric in flight and your photo enhances that for me.

RiverPoet said...

I wonder - do you have some of your photos enlarged and framed all around your house? You do some amazing work. Of course, you have a good slice of Nature's bounty to work with.

Peace - D

Pat - Arkansas said...

Lovely,lovely, lovely -- as always. And, what more could anyone say after David McMahon has said "pure genius?"

SandraRee said...

Hilary, you're beautiful. And so are your pictures. Absolutely stunning. :)

steviewren said...

Your nature pictures are so lovely. I can almost hear the crickets and feel the late afternoon breezes.

Reb said...

Oh, I could almost smell that rose! Lovely as always Hilary, I really liked the sun on the rock & ferns. The Heron is stunning as are the ducks and the seagull - just all of them are beautiful.

Tink said...

That picture of the fern leaves on the rock is amazing!

Louise said...

All incredibly beautiful photos. I want to say, "I really like this onen or that one," but they are all so wonderful there is no clear favorite for me. The first one, however, may have to win my biggest favor because it so perfectly sets the tone for the whole post. Beautifully done, all of it.

photowannabe said...

Wow, this is like a smorgesbord of delights. Each picture has great composition, color and subject. Good work Hilary.

Jennifer S said...

These are all breathtaking. That creek! Wish we had things like that here. It's such a treat to get to look at your photos. They're all wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos! I'm taking a photography class and he just talked about the virtues of late afternoon light.

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Missicat. Those ducklings sure were a treat to see. :)

• Thank you, Leah. You're so right about herons. They're unlike any other bird in flight, and there's no mistaking one when you see it. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, RiverPoet. I keep meaning to choose an image or two to print out and frame, but haven't so far. Thanks for the reminder! ;)

• Thanks, thanks, thank, Pat! That's a highly-valued sentiment coming from David.. and from you. :)

• Aww thanks, Sandra. You're too kind. :)

• Thanks so much, Steviewren. It's the perfect time of day, for sure. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks very much, Reb. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)

• Thanks, Tink. Much appreciated. :)

• Thanks so much, Louise. Your kind words mean a lot to me. :)

• Thank you, Photowannabe. That means a great deal to me. :)

• Thanks for your kind words, Jennifer. It's always a treat to have that creek in view. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, Addhumorandfaith. I'm sure you'll learn a lot in that class and have a great time applying it. Thanks for the visit.

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I could have taken some natural photography of things I gazed outside my front door......like the landscaper across the street showing his brown butt crack......or maybe my crispy lawn that the HOA sent me a letter about calling it "unattractive."

elasticwaistbandlady said...

Great pictures as usual!

Kerri Farley said...

Wow Hilary...these are AWESOME! That heron in flight takes my breath away!

Kappa no He said...

Wow! Canadian grasshoppers are different than American grasshoppers which are different than Japanese grasshoppers. Really!

That red beetle looked BIG.

They are gorgeous

Dianne said...

the lone daisy is amazing - I can't stop looking at it.

the blurred brown leaf (I assume it's a leaf) to the right of the daisy looks like a hand. A big wonderful working man's hand that is gently reaching out to the daisy.

How do you do this!?

abb said...

Two thoughts: Can you see the question mark in your first photo? It's wonderful!

Second - Is that really a Bachelor's Button in that other picture? They look almost identical, but I'd swear that a pic of common chickory.

Whatever, your pics and blog are just the best! Glad I finally stumbled upon you!

Jo said...

Omigosh, just when I see a photo that I thinkis myfavorite, I look at the next one, and *boom*. You're an amazing photographer.

I think my favorite one is the lone daisy. ...or maybe it's the baby ducks. ...no, I think it's the bachelor buttons. Or perhaps it's the lilies.

Wonderful...!

david mcmahon said...

Hope you're having a great weekend.

I've just realised I don't have your email address. If you don't mind, could you leave it as a comment on my blog - and then delete it yourself a couple of seconds later?

That way, it'll still come to me as an email ....

Indrani said...

All the shots are SO beautiful, difficult to decide which is better than the other, Hilary.
Have another great week ahead so that we get yet another round of visual treat. :)

Hilary said...

* Thanks, EWBL! You could take photos of those things and no doubt they, and your commentary would be great. Your blog posts are always a treat. Thanks for stopping by. :)

* Thanks, Kappa. Ya know, I don't know bugs.. or flowers by name, for the most part. So it was grasshopperish.. but it might have been a different bug, especially since it's pretty early for hoppers. Thanks for the visit. :)

* Thanks so much Dianne. I think the brown blur on the right is just a twig or bit of dried grass. The daisy was growing all by itself and looked so inviting. Thanks for your kind words. :)

* Thanks and welcome, Tsannie! I did not see the question mark at all in the first photo. I'm guessing you mean the path the flower tops take along the shore? You have quite the eye! You are also probably quite right about the blue flowers. I assumed bachelor buttons but they could well be hickory. As I said above (to Kappa), I really don't know bugs and flowers. Thanks for the enlightenment.. and for your kind words. Please visit again soon. :)

* Thanks so much Jo. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. Your always-kind words mean a lot to me. :)

* Will do, David, but my email address is on the right sidebar, if you like. :)

* Thanks so much, Indrani. I have a few shots in reserve but they might still have to wait for a bit. I'm away from home right now and might not post again for another few days. Thanks for your kind words. :)

gary rith said...

oh my, what a collection!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh wow, I love that daisy shot and totally agree that the golden hour is THEE hour to take shots - the kelvin is PERFECT lighting at that time! :)

Maddy said...

I envy you not only for the place where you live but also for the eyes that capture these wonderful shots!

the Bag Lady said...

Hey, where did my comment go?! Sheesh, I know I left one here....

Great photos, Hilary. Hard to pick a favourite - they are all so good. The ferns are stunning.

Cath said...

Absolutely breathtaking shots. What a veritable Paradise you live in. I would love to walk by that creek. It seems so peaceful yet so full of life.

The shot of the heron is fantastic and I love the lone daisy. I love all of them really, they are just beautiful.

(There's an update at the bottom of my post now - long story short - got another camera while waiting for this one to be repaired!)

Anonymous said...

"This isn't the first, and probably won't be the last time I've posted photos which were taken late in the afternoon."

What about first light? The dawning of anew day full of so much promise and hope. The light is still soft and the temperature still cool.

Hilary said...

* Thanks for stopping by, Gary. :)

* Thanks very much, MG. I'm glad you agree! :)

* Thanks so much for your kind words, Maddy. Much appreciated. :)

* Thanks muchly, Baggie. I'm glad you liked it. :)

* Thanks Cath. I fully agree with your assessment about the creek and surrounding area. If you're ever this way, we'll walk along its banks together for sure. I'm glad to hear that you're not without a camera right now. You're hooked! ;)

* Hi John. You're absolutely right about first light.. except it's up and doing its wonderful thing awfully early, and I'm not! ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)

Cedar said...

Favorite Shot, Blue Heron, but I loved them, all just my favorite. I like it here, can I stay?

G said...

You have left me gobsmacked once more. What gorgeous shots of your walk... thanks for sharing! :)

rebecca said...

you make me want to take up photography... your photos are breathtaking! you have such an eye...

i have to tell you that when i first saw that rock, i did not see a rock! i thought it was a cat behind the leaves resting with his back towards the camera!

love coming here....

Hilary said...

* Cedar, the door is always unlocked. Stay as long as you like - just clean up after yourself. ;) Thanks for the kind words.

* Thanks so much, Blog Princess G. Very much appreciated.. gobsmacked, eh? I like that word! :)

* Thanks for your kind words, Rebecca. I can see how you'd think it was a cat. The sun had warmed the colours of the rock so nicely, it could be mistaken for a furry critter. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Ishat's Fire and Ice said...

Lovely Heron.

I love the fern, too.

Sweet and Salty said...

Wow! Those were all lovely pictures! You are amazing with the camera, girl!

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Ishat's Fire. I'm glad you stopped by. :)

• Thank you, Pavel. Much appreciated. :)

debra said...

Lovely photos. I also love late afternoon-early evening light, when it begins to get quiet, and when the quality of the light is exquisite.

Frank Baron said...

Ah! You know how I feel about the heron. I love the silhouetted shot. I think he likes you. :)

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Debra. I couldn't agree more about that time of day. It's perfect! Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Yup Frank, I do know how you feel. I think the Heron might have been looking for you.. kinda.. sorta.. ish. ;)