Looking for Complementary Colors in Nature Photography - Visualize the Potential

 The other day I was watching one of those Create programs that featured a landscape painter. In this particular episode, the painter was in Venice and spoke at length about some of the old masters whose paintings effectively used what is called Complementary Colors. 

The concept of Complementary Colors is rather simple and involves two colors that fall on opposite ends of a color scale. Yellow and purple, Red and Green, are two common ones but the combinations range across the entire spectrum of colors and they do not necessarily require them to be directly opposite of each other, just within the color range being used, like shades of yellow and blue, or shades of orange and green.

After watching this informative program, I began to wonder how this concept applies to photography. As I browsed through a few recent photos I started to notice a common thread between many of them. It was obvious that complementary colors were a major part of the appeal to the images. I did not realize it at the time the photos were taken, but my eye naturally seemed to navigate toward the appealing nature of this concept.

Digging deeper into the phenomena, more and more images began to materialize with the prevailing theme of complementary colors. Some were bold and bright, others more subtle. For some, one major color dominated with only a hint of its opposite being there, while with others the distribution of the color was more evenly divided.In some instances a progressive layering of color flowed across the image shifting from one extreme to another, but fully encompassing the complementary elements.  In some cases, there were subtle variation like deep browns taking their place within the color realm of red while its opposite complementary color varied in various shades of green and pale yellow. 

It became apparent that nature is filled with complimentary colors and our eyes are naturally drawn to those combinations. What this revelation accomplishes is to open your mindset boldly enough to generate a desire to actively seek out these kinds of combinations while photographing nature.

Many times when I am out attempting to capture a unique image, I find myself struggling to see the moment. When this happens, and it does happen a lot, I slow down and simply ask myself, "What is it I'm seeing that is catching my eye...what is drawing me to itself?" 

Before long, I begin to notice small subtle compositions and more often than not, there is an element of complementary color to it.

The Moon Rise photo taken at the National Corvette Museum is an example of very bold color variations that not so subtly adhere to the complementary color theme. Within it you see the bold, redish-orange glow and reflection of the SkyDome and even the moon's glow, which are set against the bluish, purple backdrop of a dusky sky.

Although this not a nature photograph per se, it is a strong example of how the natural blend of complementary colors projects a powerful influence on our ability to recognize and see such things within our world.

A more subtle use of complementary colors can be seen in the image of yellow blooms set against a shadowy, bluish backdrop. Taken around the perimeter of a pond on an overcast day, the soft color variation blends well to create a mystique that fully uses the influence complementary colors has on our senses. 

An even more subtle use of this influence can be found in the image of a Ring-Billed Gull backlit against the shadowy bluff in the background. The shadowy bluff provides the contrasting bluish purple tone, and the gull's natural buff and white tonal shades provides a soft yellowish glowing complement to the background shade.

 There is even a bluish gray tonal value across the length of the wings. The combinations are very subtle, but they do exist and offers an interesting blend of contrasty backlight.

Even the banner page on this blog is filled with eye popping complementary colors.

Complementary colors in nature are nature's attempt at creating beautiful combinations of light.

 Many times, as photographers we are naturally drawn toward those combinations, but just as many times we may not even realize why we are attracted to such lighting effects. When we consciously make an effort to recognize how powerful and even how subtle these combinations are, you may find yourself taking another step toward being able to visualize the potential even before you ever snap the photo.

Behind the Scenes - How the Photo was Made: Canoe Sunrise on Shanty Hollow

 If I were to choose my top five photos, this one would certainly be included in that list; Canoe Sunrise on Shanty Hollow. The story behind how this photo was captured always takes me back to one of the most memorable moments lived while exploring one of my favorite places, Shanty Hollow.

Shanty Hollow is about a 120 acre lake situated in northern Warren County in Kentucky. Surrounded by woodland rustic hills, covered in cedar, pine, and hardwoods, it retains a northern boundary waters atmosphere. There are hiking trails and a 60 foot waterfall tucked into the apex of a rock-walled ravine. 

Considering how relatively small the area, it is perhaps the most scenic of locations I've ever photographed. Year round it possesses a charm and exotic flavor to it that many much larger and expansive locations lack.

The canoe sunrise photo was made during a year long project I was exploring back in 2010-2011. Back then I was shooting with my old, but venerable Sony A100 camera. By today's standards, it is obsolete, but some of the best photos I've ever made were taken using that camera...many of them using a basic 18-50mm kit lense, Canoe Sunrise being one of them. How it came about required a great deal of forethought and a willingness to rise very early.

Shanty Hollow is about a 45 minute drive from my home. To position myself in the best location required I have my canoe gear pre-loaded on my Jeep and camera gear ready to go. That morning, I arose several hours before daylight, made the drive, off loaded the canoe, loaded the camera gear, and paddled in the dark the half mile or so to the far end of the lake where it opened up into a wider expanse with an unobstructed view of the sun rising above the eastern side of the lake. 

Paddling a canoe across a lake in the dark is a surreal experience for there is no sensation of movement. Above, the sky cast a faint star-lit glow across the lake and I could just barely make out the shape of the hills on either side. The lake was perfectly calm, no wind, no breeze, no sound except for the slight swirl from the paddle as it propelled me forward. A few bats still dipped and darted across the lake searching for a last meal before retiring into their lairs. A few of them whizzed by so close I could hear their wings whooshing through the air.

I arrived at the far end of the lake and turned to the west and drifted toward the dam. Only a very slight glow outlined the eastern side. Some fog drifted across the water barely moving in the calm air. Before long, that distant glow grew stronger and I tried to take a quick photo, but the light was just to faint, so I simply waited and enjoyed the moment. As the ridgeline grew more distinct with the backlit glow, the fog began to rise almost straight up. One mass of fog hovered a few yards above the water across the far side and the sunrise glow began to illuminate it from within which outlined the ridge line by its warm glow and was reflected on the calm surface of the lake.

I needed the canoe to be perfectly still and pointed directly at the sunrise. Using the paddle I gently nudged the canoe into position and waited for the ripples to dissipate. With no breeze, it remained motionless. I raised the camera, adjusted the composition by aligning the bow of the canoe to be perfectly centered, and fired off a couple of quick shots. What I saw on the view screen was encouraging, and I spent the next hour or so shooting numerous photos of that magical morning. 

Later that morning I returned home and loaded the images. Only a small amount of tweaking was required, a little contrast, a little brightness, a point or two of saturation. The photo pretty much stood on its own merits and, as an image, it became one of my favorites. As an experience, well, that morning was second to none.

A Backpack, a Canoe, and a Jeep - On the Edge of Adventure

The sickening crack happened so fast I had no time to react. The sequence of events that followed became one of those memorable and quite frankly, potentially serious, backcountry drama's I've often read about, but never dreamed would happen to me...but it did.

I found myself at the bottom of a steep, snow covered ledge, groaning as I thought I had broken my ankle by the tumbling slide and sudden jolting stop at the bottom. A moment before I had been safely standing on the edge of ridge that extended across the steep terrain for a good ways through the steep wilderness country contemplating whether I should just backtrack and follow my steps through the snow back to the trail. I was good mile or more off the trail inside the Rawah Wilderness in northern Colorado, hoping to find a shortcut to a series of mountain lakes I wanted to hike into and spend a day or two fishing. That shortcut proved itself unfollowable. I was just about ready to turn around when, CRACK!  In an instant I was at the bottom of the ridge. Apparently, I was standing on a root or stick or something buried in the snow and the combined weight of me and the backpack proved to much for it and it gave way causing me to fall to the bottom. I landed on one foot and the pressure jolted my ankle so much, I really thought I had broken it. If so, I was in serious trouble.

As it turned out, I only sprained it. It hurt something fierce, but I had another potentially bigger problem. There was no way to climb back to the top of that ridge. Even after checking my inadequate topo map, I realized the ridge extended way to far and too deep into the wilderness to follow it until I might find a way back to the top. Doing so would only put me into deeper trouble.

I did try to climb back up, but there was no way as too much snow and ice covered the ridge face and it was too high and too steep. With my mind racing and my ankle hurting I began to recognize early elements of panic setting in, so I simply sat down and fix something to eat with a hot drink. My backpack weighed in somewhere around 35 pounds or so and I knew I had plenty of gear; sleeping bag, tent, food, enough to survive for several days if I needed to. The problem was, how do I get out of this situation. Before taking off helter skelter, I finished my warm meal and hot drink which served to calm me down and I began to think through the problem. Looking at the topo map I realized if I moved down the slope I would eventually, probably, cross the hiking trail. I wasn't sure where I was, actually I was sort of lost and I wasn't sure how far down it was to the trail or even if I would cross it, but I couldn't stay where I was and the day was coming to an end in a few hours.

I hobbled to my feet gingerly testing my now swollen ankle. It hurt but I could walk, so I made my way down the slope hoping I wasn't digging myself deeper into trouble. After what seemed like a very long ways, there it was...the trail. Instantly, I felt a great deal of relief and managed to hobble the several miles back to my old truck before dark.

That is only one in a series of outdoor adventures my backpack, my canoe, and my Jeep (along with other vehicles) and I managed to experience over the years. Certainly, it was one of the more adventurous of adventures, and yes, I did eventually make it up to the mountain lakes about a month or so later.

Over the years I've approached my outdoor adventures from a minimalist perspective keeping my gear and effort to the basics for the most part. It's helped me to refine skills and build self reliance and confidence. Those three elements, backpack, canoe, and Jeep, have become the symbols really of my attempts at adventure. Without them, there would be few if any stories I can tell and retell about those days. 

My canoe(s) has/have provided a means to explore areas of adventure I could never have attempted without them. I've witness amazing sunsets, incredible sunrises, been caught out in storms, pelted by sleet and snow, blown off the water, and caught the reflections of a starry night on the mirrored surface of a lake. I have run rapids I thought too big to take in an open canoe, and watched Bald Eagles soar across the heights of breathless ridges. I've experienced perfect weather, high winds, freezing rain and sleet, and rising waters all on one five day trip. Most of those things one tries to avoid, but I've grown to look forward to them as they provide the avenues along the edge of adventure where the most memorable rewards are discovered.

One of the most enjoyable kinds of moments is when I am able to paddle my canoe early of morning after a night or two camping, across a calm lake with fog drifting across the surface. There is a magical feel to those times,  only discovered while slowly and silently making way through the fog while paddling a canoe. Not enough of those moments over the years, but when they do occur, I lock them into the memory banks of my heart to be recalled when I need them most.

My Jeep has discovered over 300,000 miles and is, after some improvements, still discovering. It may very well out live me. With it, I've been transported through snow packed roads, up washed out backroads, across hundreds of miles of open country, and witnessed amazing adventures through its ability. It has served me well and has developed a personality all its own. It needs a new paint job, but the way it looks actually adds character to its charms. The driver's seat has patches applied, but that simply shows just how much it has been used. The old canoe rack on top, scarred with a few rusty spots, has transported not only my canoe, but other friends kayaks and canoes, lumber, odds and ends, and even an old couch. 

I find myself drawn to the edges of the outdoors along with the challenges and rewards offered there. Being fully retired now, I for the most part have the time to seek out such adventures in spite of limited resources. It's the memories I cherish most of all. Being able to share them with others, well that's what this channel is all about, Beyond the Campfire. Yet, it's mostly for me so I can relive the memories and document some of the defining moments of my life hopefully for family and friends someday when my days are over. I keep much of it locked inside my heart but choose to leave some of it behind through the adventures found with a backpack, canoe, and a Jeep.

Those three elements have provided a great deal of practical applications, but most of all, they have been a part of, and contributed to, amazing memories discovered on the Edge of Adventure.