When I think of photographic backdrops, I tend to visualize a studio with assorted lights and muted fabrics serving as settings for portraiture or product photography.  But backdrops are almost endless, particularly in New Mexico, where they can range from our seemingly endless blue skies, to sand, and to adobe and rock walls, as well as vegetation.  Given the abundance of fall color this year, I spent a windy day working with background possibilities and aspen leaves.

The first example, below, was shot with my 70-200 mm lens against a wood balustrade painted white.  The short depth of field keeps the detail in the wood at a minimum to bring full attention to the leaf colors and shape.

aspen closeups 3

The green of other aspen leaves as well as a touch of blue sky provide the backdrop for this branch of aspen leaves, in varying shades and conditions.

aspen closeups 4

The off-white of trunks and green leaves let the color in this shot come to the fore.

aspen closeups 2

As backdrop, muted tones of soil, adobe, and sandstone give a slightly different feel to this branch. 

aspen closeups 1

As artist and photographer Sam Taylor once said to me (I am paraphrasing) "If you consider yourself an artist, you have to work at your art every day."  Every day, I either use my cameras or work with photographs in Lightroom, or look at other works of art, and each time I do, I learn something.  The world is an enormous and endless photography school, and I want to make the most of it. 

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@