While grand vistas draw me out to the mountains, there are times when I try to focus on the intricate details of the scene, especially in places whose aesthetic shines. Japanese gardens exude such aesthetics with a unique sense of design that highlight the natural landscape. And in fall, these intricate gardens are saturated with warm colors, which, when combined with architectural elements such as pagodas, teahouses and stone lanterns, form colorful subjects to photograph.
During a fall visit to the famous Portland Japanese garden early in the morning, I found many such scenes waiting to be photographed. I found one such scene where these architectural elements were juxtaposed against the green needles of Red Pines and the vibrant Japanese Maples in the soft morning light. Hopefully the smoke this year hasn't had too much of an impact on the garden this year.
Portland
OR USA
Underneath the Bonsai
The Autumn equinox heralds the arrival of Fall in the northern hemisphere, a season of crisp weather that transforms foliage from green to a vibrant orange, leading to perhaps one of the most beautiful synchronized show of colors in nature. Where I grew up, seasons like these didn't really exist; it was either hot and humid summers or a mildly warm winter. And hence, when I first encountered these autumnal colors (in the hilly Appalachians), I could not help but stare in wonder at it.
Since then, I look forward to fall every year. Despite the fact that it heralds the upcoming dreary winter (in the Pacific Northwest), I try to make the most of the short time when nature puts out her best colors. One such place where I seek these colors out are the Japanese Gardens in the PNW. The combination of the beautiful aesthetics, along with a microclimate that mirrors Japan, these gardens are a visual spectacle in autumn. This composition reflects the contorted trunk of a dwarf Japanese maple tree that attracts thousands to the Portland Japanese Gardens
Portland
OR USA
The Red Dragon
I remember this very special tree, with its gnarled trunk twisting and turning like veins on a human body and ending onto thousands of tiny leaves, donning its beautiful fall coat, appearing very many times on my photo-stream. Every time I came across it, I remember making a pledge to visit the place the following year; but those grand plans never came to fruition.
Until now.
The tree was a Japanese maple tree growing with the confines of the Japanese garden in Portland. And like any other maple tree, its takes on a different form in each of the seasons. But its fall coat is undoubtedly its most prettiest form - its leaves turn a deep red, contrasting beautifully with the moss on its trunk and the surrounding vegetation, a vibrant red dragon dancing in a lush green forest. I decided to squeeze in a day trip from Seattle just to capture this dancing beauty.
Naturally, a tree this popular comes with its own paparazzi (myself included). As the sun slowly crested the trees in the horizon on that late morning, I had to squeeze amidst the swarm of photographers, cameras and tripods to line my camera just right to capture the light filtering through the reddish brown fronds that were slightly past its prime, resulting in this image. I shot this at F18 (for the starburst effect), 1/2s and at ISO 200
Portland
OR USA