In the early morning I pass this tree on the way out of my community. On a sunny day, the sun just illuminates the tree, making it look almost two dimensional–but only in the morning. By the afternoon, it is just the one shade. I decided to capture this beautiful transformation one day, waking up early just to get the light just right. It is amazing the things you see by paying attention. This composition captures the serene beauty of a natural landscape.
Shoe Shine
I had a pair of leather boots in my closet just sitting there. I had not worn them in quite a while and the thought occurred to me that they would look a lot better if they had a shoe shine. I had not shined any shoes in many years, so I thought I’d have to purchase everything. But, then I vaguely remembered that I had a box containing shoe polish, saddle soap, buffing brushes, and rags somewhere in my closet. I found the box right away, just waiting for me to finally polish my shoes. The thought came to me that these shoe care items would make a great image. So, I set out arranging the boots, polish, and brushes on a sheet of newspaper, which is what I would use to protect the floor. I photographed this interesting scene in the studio. I was pleased that I was able to turn such mundane materials into a lovely vision.