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oing back in time, as I mentioned in a previous newsletter, our autumn was spectacular. But I couldn't resist interpreting the photograph above in black and white. The leaves were bright yellow, draped over the foreground, and flecked on the rock walls after falling. Water flowed gently over the scene. 
The image, left, is of Looking Glass Falls (iPhone image!); the image right was taken at Rocky Fork (Tennessee). As the temperatures fluctuate, I'm hoping for more cold weather to produce those icy scenes to explore!
I look forward to sharing the details with you soon — including pricing — on my website! Stay tuned! In the meantime, if you have questions, feel free to email me at
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 Icy Weather at Looking Glass Falls |
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At this time of year hothouse flower photography, whether at home or in a conservatory, is a good way to keep camera and seeing skills sharp. I'm also discovering "street photography," through a course being taught my one of my former students! In spite of being a landscape photographer at heart, I've been intrigued by that genre of photography. I hope to have some decent shots to share with you in the near future! 
I am excited to share with you that I'll be teaching a three-day Waterfalls & Wildflowers Workshop, April 27-28-29th, with my good friend Mike Matthews. He is an amazing close-up photographer of both reptiles and wildflowers. We'll be based in the Asheville area and will
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What a strange year it’s been weather-wise. Autumn still isn’t here. I’ve lived in the mountains of North Carolina for 25 years and have never experienced the heat that continues to visit us. The prediction for tomorrow is 91 degrees! But, they are predicting cooler weather soon. So color should begin to dot the landscape and eventually decorate our 
It has been a wonderfully busy six weeks. The show at the NC Arboretum, “Nature in Abstract,” has been a success. It comes down on October 14, so if you if you’re in the Asheville area and haven’t had a chance to see it, I hope you’ll be able to do so before then. 
And, if you’d like to learn abstract photography techniques (including Intentional Camera Movement, Multiple Exposures, Compositing, etc.) be sure to check out the information on my November 7-8-9-10th workshop at 
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The Visitor
You may have seen infrared landscape photographs—ones in which you see the familiar forms of a landscape, but which have an other-worldly, surreal appearance. They are usually more black and white or sepia in appearance and leave one with the question of How in the world did the photographer get it to look like that?
Yes, there are presets that claim to create an infrared effect. But, really? Presets and plug-ins can do a lot, but they can’t simulate true infrared.
Sir Frederick William Hershel
Infrared (IR) light — light that humans can't see, with wavelengths longer than those of visible light — was first discovered by Sir Frederick William Herschel, an astronomer, in 1800. (image: Sir Frederick William Hershel)
Not to be confused with Far Infrared, or what we commonly see in X-Rays (thermal imaging), in photography the lightwave lengths we use are called Near Infrared, and range from 680nm (or nanometers, the metric used to measure light) to 900nm.
The first Infrared photographs were taken in 1910 by Robert Williams Wood using photographic plates. Beginning in the 1930s film became available.
The digital cameras of today must have the light-blocking internal filter, located in front of the sensor (or digital "film"), converted to allow Infrared light to pass through. This allows the camera to capture the infrared light radiating off a subject.
When
Fern Dance
converting a camera, study the range of options that are available. At the lower end, some color will appear and from there, at the high end, all color will be eliminated and the image will appear as black & white. The images with this article were captured with infrared cameras set to 720nm, with just a hint of color. I usually convert the images to black & white, but not always. I have seen some incredibly creative work done with a camera converted to 680nm. That will be my next conversion.
Smoky Mountain Stream
In the images you’ll see that in nature leaves or grass, which are throwing off radiation, appear white (Fern Dance); while pine trees or tree trunks, both cool in temperature, appear as one would expect, more true to life, as in the Smoky Mountain Stream or Spanish Moss Tree images.
Spanish Moss Tree
It's a fascinating photographic genre that if you like to range into more abstract image creation, you will enjoy. If
Here are some resources to explore:
http://www.lifepixel.com — LifePixel is the leader in the industry. They have extensive information on their website about infrared, and offer conversions for a wide of cameras.
https://kolarivision.com — As with LifePixel, Kolari Vision offers a range of Infrared services including glass filters for full-spectrum. They have limited tutorials.
If you're interested in learning more about Infrared Photography, check out my workshop being held July 13-14-15, 2018!
Beyond the Visible:
An Intensive in Infrared Landscape Photography
at Mountain Lens Retreat, Hendersonville, NC
The “magic hours” of early morning or late evening are often preferred by landscape photographers. Between these times many pack their cameras away until the next round. But, once the sun is up, and Infrared radiation — or “light beyond the visible” — reflects from surfaces, one may switch to an Infrared-converted camera and shoot all day!
For details of this workshop, go to http://www.susannaeustonphotography.com/artistry-workshops
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Right now, I’m continuing to add to my life-long portfolio of water images and went to Big Creek this week to work on that project. (Some of my waterfall images will be seen in a show, Contemplative Art in an Age of Distraction, that I’m curating for the Asheville Area Arts Council. The opening reception will be on July 6th.) But, even though I went to Big Creek to work on water images, the abstract snuck in as it usually does! An example can be seen in this image of a dogwood off the parking area at Big Creek. (right).
I love abstract art, especially the nineteenth century’s Impressionists. And I love abstract photography, especially Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) and other motion techniques, which can create a beautiful, painterly look in an image. ICM can evoke a sense of the energy in a scene, a tree, or a flower; or perhaps its movement in the breeze. They can range from sunny and vibrant to moody and contemplative. (left)
As images, they are beautifully unique, painterly and, just plain fun to create! The really cool thing is that one can shoot them in overcast (see page two, top right) or sun! Bright sun, in particular, can create some stunning effects. So, it can be an all-day technique in-between the “magic hours.” (left)
And ICM and other motion techniques aren’t limited to just landscape photography—they can transform street scenes into collages of elements and color that challenge the viewer. (right)
My upcoming Photographic Artistry Workshop, The Art of Abstract Photography, June 1-2-3, 2018, will inspire your vision and give you a pallet of tools to expand your creative options.
We’ll explore camera and lens movement, the effects and control of aperture and shutter speed, the importance of using color and light distribution in composition—and more, including compositing techniques, or the combination of images for yet more creative effects. Click here for details.
]]>But my favorite photographer of all time is Eliot Porter. As a young photographer myself, I was captivated by the beauty of his lovely landscapes, which honed in on the intricacies of nature. To this day, I continue to enjoy and be inspired by the images in his beautiful books.
Porter began shooting black and white in 1912 at the age of 11, then became a pioneer in color photography beginning around 1930. Over the years he gradually evolved his visual expression using both.
His work ranged from captivating images of nesting birds to wide-angle views of the landscape and, finally, to intimate views of nature that celebrated textures, patterns, colors, value ranges, abstract qualities and other details of a scene—a much smaller scene. These images resided somewhere between the wide-angle scenic and the close-up details of a flower and became known as Intimate Landscapes.
Although color photography was not embraced as a true art form until the 50s or 60s, he continued working with it—perfecting it—over the years. He became a master of the dye transfer print, which made his images “jump off the page”; their impressiveness could not be denied.
The Sierra Club, on whose Board of Directors both he and Ansel Adams served, published his first book of color images, In Wilderness is the Preservation of the World, in 1962. This book and his work, in general, were influential in passing the Wilderness Act in 1964. In 1972, his book Birds of North America: A Personal Selection was published, again by Sierra Club, and in 1979 the Metropolitan Museum of Art published his book, Intimate Landscapes.
For most of my photographic life—before digital—I shot black and white film. In spite of the influence of Eliot Porter, as I continued on my photographic journey I did not switch over to color photography since black and white was my first love. But I did evolve my own interpretations of the Intimate Landscape. I loved the detail and value ranges that emerged in black and white. I still do.
When the digital revolution emerged, it was a “no-brainer” for me to switch over to the new technology, even though it took digital quite a while to catch up to (and surpass?) film quality. But, an allergy to darkroom chemicals made it a timely transition.
Initially, it presented the challenge of switching my photo mind from black and white to color, but I did and have for some time now captured images with both in mind. While color sometimes provides the best expression of a scene, other times black and white is preferred. Or infrared. But, as a friend says, I “live in the Intimate Landscape,” regardless of technique. That’s where I’m comfortable. Capturing wide-angle scenics has never been my forté.
Because of my love of Eliot Porter’s nuanced images, I’m pleased to present my upcoming workshop, “Photographing the Intimate Landscape: An Intensive In Vision and Craft,” which will explore this beautiful genre.
We'll study Porter's and others' works that exemplify this very personal, more focused way of seeing. We'll delve into what goes into the making of an Intimate Landscape image—story, vision, composition (which is critical), lenses, filters, light and light control, and camera settings for optimum exposures. And we’ll get outside to explore and capture the landscape in our own interpretations of the Intimate Landscape.
Join me to learn and to express your vision with this beautiful genre! For more information go to http://www.susannaeustonphotography.com/artistry-workshops
For more information on Eliot Porter:
http://www.cartermuseum.org/collections/porter/about.php
© 2018 Susanna Euston. All Rights Reserved.
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Coming Soon! 
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Musings on The Blog
Greetings!
The goal of this blog is, from time-to-time, to put into words aspects of my experience, past and present. It's good for me to read my own words as a reminder to stay grounded and focused — and positive. I hope it will provide you with "food for thought," and a little inspiration while on your journey.
I've been "at" photography for many years. It is my passion and is central in my life, especially now that I have a little more time to focus on it. But, the way to "here" proved a bit circuitous with detours, distractions and at times dejection. It took many years — and hindsight! — to realize that my process, as rambling as it seemed was, well, MY process. It was okay. And necessary.
Initially, I operated under the childish idea that artists spring fully formed into their chosen genre (photography, painting, sculpture...whatever). That particular myth couldn't be more divergent from the truth. It led, in fact, to an enormous setback in my growth as a photographer. I somehow clung to the undercurrent of the fantasy even though, on a conscious level, I knew it wasn't true. So, I was slow to learn — and accept — the items in the next paragraph.
My truth now, after all these years: I know that photography, like any art, requires a lot of study — both artistic and technical. It requires endless practice, ceaseless patience, unfaltering openness to feedback. It requires failure; yes, failure! We learn through failure. Most importantly, it demands belief in my journey and to know that it's ever-changing, at-times-confusing-nature was and is an important part of it.
I'm finally at peace with my bumpy ride. I've moved from representational images to creative, from head to heart. It feels good, like I've "arrived." And, yet, I know it's just another step on my journey, which I hope will be long and fruitful.
Spring has finally arrived in this part of the world! I can now move from my winter shooting in a large greenhouse to the great outdoors. I hope you are doing the same.
Happy Shooting!
Susanna
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Capturing Forest Cycles
Multi-hues of Spring green blanket the scene below.
From my birds-eye view, I spot splashes of white and pink jewels in its midst.
Cloud mists dance, curl.
Early morning light refracts into a magical glow.
I sense nature’s spirit flowing through this ethereal landscape.
In awe, I stop, take a deep breath, smile, compose, snap.
Brown ribbon weaves ahead and behind me, over hill, through dale.
The leaves, like green confetti, appear suspended in mid-air.
Textured gray and brown vertical streamers descend from sky to earth.
Baubles of white, pink, and blaze orange sprinkle the scene.
A hawk swoops down, lifts rapidly aloft, prey secure in its claws as it disappears into the light.
I stop, take a deep breath, smile, compose, snap.
As the river of time flows on, the greens deepen to a darker, more uniform shade.
Other colors, closer to the ground, subtly emerge in this magical place.
Yellows, pinks, whites, and lavenders of solitary flowers dot the forest floor.
Wispy fronds of green find quiet comfort under the awning of the canopy.
Gatherings of veiled color gently sway and dance in sunlit spots; a butterfly alights nearby.
As I walk the brown ribbon I immerse myself in the scents of the forest.
I stop, take a deep breath, smile, compose, snap.
As the continuum advances, I notice Nature’s ever changing features.
The crisp air of Autumn now works its magic on the landscape.
Warm days, cool nights tease the flora of late Summer, letting it know it’s time is ending.
Red, orange, and gold confetti leaves flutter through the air.
From above, the once green blanket appears as a multi-hued quilt of brilliant color.
The brown ribbon shows slightly through the colorful covering, still guiding me on my way.
I stop, take a deep breath, smile, compose, snap.
Nature completes its cycle to finally take a well-earned rest.
The confetti, now faded in color, covers the forest floor, rests, breaks down, goes back to earth.
The vertical streamers of gray and brown reveal more complex structures, etched against the sky.
I laughingly think that the mountains appear to have crew cuts.
Soon, a blanket of white spans below and above me; brown ribbon invisible.
Mists from lingering clouds dance, curl.
Glittering crystals appear suspended in the air. Light refracts into a magical glow.
I stop, take a deep breath, smile, compose, snap.
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What is Infrared Photography?
Infrared (IR) light — light that humans can't see, with wavelengths longer than those of visible light — was first discovered by Sir Frederick William Herschel in 1800.
Not to be confused with Far Infrared, or what we commonly see in X-Rays (thermal imaging), the lightwave lengths we use in photography are In the range from 700nm to 900nm, or Near Infrared.
The first Infrared photographs were taken in 1910 by Robert Williams Wood using photographic plates. Beginning in the 1930s film became available.
Today's digital camera internal filters, located in front of the sensor (digital "film"), are converted to block visible light to varying degrees (depending upon the range) and pass through infrared, basically capturing the heat of a subject.
So, for instance, in nature the leaves of deciduous trees or grass, which are throwing off heat, appear white; while pine trees or tree trunks, both cool in temperature, appear as one would expect, more true to life. It's a fascinating photographic genre that we'll explore more in the future.
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Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway — Northern Section
Imagine a check mark, one that hooks at the lower left then runs on a diagonal to the upper right. The Blue Ridge Parkway does just that as it crawls inland, up the mountain chain that parallels the southeast coast of the United States. (Click here for maps and information: http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/index.htm)
At 469 miles in length, this treasured "All American Road" reaches from its southern-most anchor in North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains National Park, northeast along the spine of the Blue Ridge range of the Appalachian Mountains, where it joins Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive at Rockfish Gap, Virginia. From there, the route continues to meander 105 miles to Front Royal, Virginia, situated 75 miles west of Washington, DC.
As you motor or bike along this homage to nature and history, the road seems to turn somersaults at times. One may be heading due south, then suddenly turn northeast, then west, then south again, covering every point on the compass. Although its multi-directional personality teases a GPS compass, in spite of appearances the Parkway persists in reliably delivering travelers north to south, or vice versa.
The road follows the contours of the land; about 2,000 feet at its lowest point; 6,054 feet at its highest. It drills through inconveniently placed mountains; tunnels of varying lengths dot the way. Turnouts and overlooks provide access to views of mountain vistas, hiking trails, campgrounds, historic sites and more. The traveler never lacks from a variety of diverse experiences.
Wildflowers bloom in abundance late March through early October. Autumns are colorful and winters frequently white. The Parkway's changing seasonal appearance renders the trip always fresh. One will never cease to be surprised by its beauty.
Usually shielded from travelers' views by thick walls of trees, "gateway" towns such as Roanoke, Boone, Asheville, or Cherokee, offer abundant restaurants and hotels, or bed and breakfasts, as well as evening activities such as theater or music performances.
There is much to see and experience on and off the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, our focus here is photography. So, fanning out from Asheville, NC (exits roughly located between Mile Markers 380 and 400), we'll explore a few of my favorite photo-ops north of the city:
- Heading up the Parkway, we come to Craggy Gardens, a popular area with several pull-offs including the Picnic Area (Mile Marker 367.6, with tables, grills, and bathrooms), the Visitor Center (Mile Marker 364.5), and the Craggy Dome Parking Overlook turnout with trail-head to the top of the mountain (Mile Marker 364). Craggy is well known for its not-to-be-missed late spring, early summer rhododendron blooms, which are just emerging now.
- Continuing on to Mile Marker 355, Mt. Mitchell State Park at 6,684 feet above sea level, is the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard. There are a number of wonderful views from the top as well as a trail to a viewing tower. The road from the Parkway to the top is lined with rhododendron and other wildflowers. Sadly, dying hemlocks — casualties of the acid rain generated by pollution from Tennessee’s coal-burning plants to the west — dot the mountain. With systems weakened by the acid rain, the wooly adelgid infests and kills many.
- From there, travel 16 miles north to Crabtree Falls at Mile Marker 339. Here you'll find a 2.5-mile loop trail to the waterfall (which is well worth the visit). The Park Service rates the trail as moderate/strenuous and recommends that you allow 2 1/2 hours for the hike. Be sure to figure in extra time for your photography!
- After your hike, you may welcome a break for food and/drink. One of my favorite stops is the cafe in Little Switzerland, Rt. 226A, at about Mile Marker 335 just south of Spruce Pine. There are also a little general store and used bookshop, if you feel like browsing.
- Moving on, Linville Falls at roughly Mile Marker 316.5, provides two hiking trails to views of the falls. This is a popular stop for photography.
This is a mere sampling of what you'll find as you travel this extraordinary national treasure. We'll head south from Asheville next post to explore other areas awaiting you.
Enjoy!
Susanna
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