Thursday, August 01, 2013

July 2013 Photo-Heart Connection and 2BD23

Sunlight through the Aspens in Banff, Alberta, Canada

Kat Sloma hosts a wonderful practice each month called Photo Heart Connection.
Deepen the connection between your photos and your heart and soul by participating in this monthly review of your images, to find the one that best connects to your heart.

This summer, I had the great good fortune to take a trip to Banff in the Canadian Rockies.  It's been on my bucket list for years, and I finally got to see it with a very close friend of 30+ years duration (Yes J-- I'm talking about you!).  ;-)   This picture comes from a short walk through the Cave and Basin historic site in Banff, where a natural hot spring was discovered.  Banff became Canada's first National Park, created shortly after Yellowstone in the US.  They say Banff is THE most visited national park in North America.  It is certainly beautiful!

I started working up this image for a 2BD23 lesson, but decided I liked it so much, I wanted to make it the Photo-Heart Connection pick/pic for July.   The sun is different in the mountains--I'm not sure how to explain it--thinner, more fragile?  Closer?  In many of the pictures I took there, I got these lovely sun flares.

The guide we had for this part of the tour is very passionate about his job as Parks Interpreter, the park, the wildlife, the plants, the hot spring, the ecology of the place.  He spends much of his free time hiking and taking photographs.  Visit Banff Moments for some of Amar's beautiful work.

My friend Janna had just asked me to do something with some hand-dyed wool yarn she acquired.   She doesn't do that kind of handwork, so I offered to crochet her a scarf if she sent me the yarn ...  While I was thinking about what kind of pattern to use, this beautiful scene came into my view ...  and I thought a lacy scarf inspired by this photo of sun through aspen leaves would be lovely ...  We'll see if it actually works out that way! Ask me again in 2 years ...

The quote is one of my favorites from Rumi.  "Let the Beauty we love, be what we do."  To me, it means, Life is short : Make your passion your life's work ; Bring Beauty to this world.   As I listened to Amar talk, and I thought about my own developing love of photography, and making this scarf for J, these words seemed like the most appropriate match for the photo. 

The simple processing on this image :
1) Background Photo
2) In Lightroom 5, Kim Klassen's Summer Haze Preset
3) In PhotoShop Elements, Text - Windsong Font; Soft Light blend mode, 100% opacity
Font color chosen from one of the aspen leaves.
4) Copy Layer 3

 Here's the cropped version with more focus on the light.   



Beyond Layers
 

12 comments:

Kathryn Dyche said...

I remember visiting Banff several years ago with my husband. We drove from Vancouver through Whistler, Wells Gray National Park, Jasper Banff and then finished in Calgary. I loved Canada. The people there are so friendly and the scenery and animals were just magical. Beautiful capture for this months PHC.

Anonymous said...

Nice photo this week. It really gives that feeling of bright
mountain light in the summer. --CL

The Idaho Beauty said...

Lovely. I know what you mean about the quality of the sun. I think it may be the altitude, the thinness of the air itself or its purity. Glad you got a chance to experience it.

Prairie Jill said...

Beautiful shot! I love the light. It's been a while since I last went to Banff, but it is a spectacular place. Glad you were able to get there!

Kat Sloma said...

There is something about the sun coming through the trees that touches the heart! I think it's the thinner air in the mountains that makes the sun seem different... along with the trees that aren't as dense as the lush growth you find in lower climes. There is a fragility of life you see. Wonderful image and Photo-Heart connection this month. Thanks os much for participating!

Simon said...

I've not heard of this park-must be lovely. I like the way you talk about the light being more fragile. How intriguing.
Your processing is gorgeous as well and highlights those glorious soft beams of light.

Miriam said...

This is just so very beautiful. I love the way you tell the story of the trees and the light. And of course your image is wonderful. Good luck with the scarf! it won't matter how long it takes because every time you pick up your needle you will think of the park.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. I've been to Banff twice, once in the winter and once in the summer. Oh my, I so understand why it has been on the bucket list!

rakusribut said...

love your PoV here with the diagonal white bark of the tree on the left, the canopy of leaves hanging down and the sunflare entering in the top right corner. beautiful shot and great processing

seabluelee said...

Michele, this is a gorgeous image. I know what you mean about the sun being different in the mountains. Perhaps it's because the sky is thinner there? Your processing really brings out that special quality of light.

Cathy H. said...

Beautiful capture of light! I can feel your love for this area in your image and words.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Shot indeed. love the story too. takes me there.