Spring Season - The Hardest Season to Photograph

 Of all the attempts I've made over the years to capture the Spring season photographically, I've only managed to take one image that I truly like, and it's a black and white photograph. For some reason, I've never felt satisfied with the results of those attempts and I've struggle to figure out why. By all rights Spring should be one of the best times for a photographer with all the color exploding across the landscape. However, there is a gap between what my camera should be able to create and what I typically end up with. Let's take a moment to review this one image and why it seems to work, at least from my personal taste.

Dogwoods tend to bloom a bit later in Spring than other trees, but when they do, they create eye catching splashes of white scattered across the landscape. On this particular morning I returned to a location where I knew a row of dogwoods grew along the length of an old split rail fence. I, most likely like other photographers, have a habit of trying to capture the entire scene, in this case the trees and fence all in one image, with the result following a similar pattern where the images are simply ordinary with not much depth to the subject. 

The morning light filtered through a background of clutter to eventually encounter the dogwoods. I saw something in the moment and, as I often do, moved in a bit closer to frame a group of the blooms hovering above a portion of the split rail fence.  I allowed my eyes to find the composition and fired off a couple of quick shots. Taking a quick glance at the images I felt like at least one just might work and later on, after I applied some basic post processing the image began to develop a unique personality. It was only after I converted it into a black and white image with a small amount of sepia applied that the image leaped off the screen.

Spring photography is usually a time for color, but on this occasion, black and white worked its magic. To further enhance the image, I applied some Gaussian blur and using the eraser tool removed the blur on the front few blooms. Doing this added an element of depth and magic to the image. 

I've never been able to truly duplicate this process in other Spring photographs. I suppose it is because no two moments of light are ever the same and each one offers a unique opportunity. The difficulty lies in being able to recognize how any given moment of light wraps itself around a subject, and understanding that each one requires a unique perspective photographically. The Spring season by far demands more intense scrutiny from a photographer in order to capture the amazing opportunity it presents. I guess I'll keep trying and maybe someday discover how to capture this wonderful time of year.