Sometime in January, L and I started noticing light. Yes, light. Just light! Nothing fancy, just the everyday patterns. Mostly natural light in regular moments. We noticed some really neat angles a couple of times and it began to be something we looked for. Reflection, shadow, light dispersing into colours, Tyndall effect, patterns – all things that seemed to jump out at us. We’re not knowledgeable photographers -yet;) – but we enjoyed snapping what we could catch here and there and noticed all kinds of moments that we didn’t bother capturing but just pointed out to each other.
We noticed moments when there were beams of light and we could see the colour spectrum, sometimes distinctly, other times less so.
The convenient thing about sunlight is that we get a chance to see it emerge or fade twice a day, all year long. Even on fairly cloudy days, we’ve sometimes seen some really beautiful light from sunsets or bits of reflection.
It’s interesting that in the months leading up to these very unique times right now, I’ve been drawn to slowing down and noticing what’s already around us here, here and here – oh, and here. The timing was good, considering that now circumstances dictate that we spend more time with what is simple and right in front of us.
One time we saw light in the form of a bird.
Another time, the word dark was in the shadow and the word light was becoming illuminated.
And this sunrise gave us colour, shadow and a reflection of the snowy pine tree outside our window, right off of the picture of Old Quebec City.
We noticed shadows and then the mixture of streaks of light and shadowed patterns.
A couple of Christmases ago, I received my annual calendar from my family. Each year I enjoy receiving a calendar of nature photography by Leslie Abram, most of it taken at some of my favourite spots within kilometres of where I grew up (This is a great blog for kids, or anybody really, to have a look at a range of wild animals up close). Normally, it’s been wildlife photography but a couple of years ago, it was all about the magic of water and ice. Beautiful… I loved looking at the different ways that light made itself known in these photos.
Just in case any one of you or yours is interested in thinking about light or looking at some beautiful photographs, there are a few lovely books I’ve found as well.
The title and cover say it all really. Dawn to Dark Photographs: The Magic of Light is truly an awesome exploration by National Geographic.
Windows is a lovely book that inspires us to think about the things around us. Helping the kids with their newspaper routes when they were younger, we often noticed lights in people’s homes suddenly pop on during the autumn or wintry times when it would become dark so early. It was a cosy feeling to realize you’d returned home surrounded by lights.
A book with text likely working best for little ones, The House in the Night is beautifully illustrated for any age as they move through pictures of different illuminated areas and feel a sense of home.
You Are Light is not a big book but there is a whole lot there – beautiful colour to look at and a poetic and scientific exploration of what light gives.
Is there anything simple that you’re having fun noticing these days?
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