Saturday, January 10, 2009

Saturday Sfumato

Sometimes it happens here in the late day, if conditions are right - a bit of natural sfumato. I blogged about it last May, when smoke still hung in the sky from the Sierra Madre fire.

Our sky seemed clear enough yesterday, though I woke up to fog in the early morning. This photo was taken as the sun began to set. Perhaps what I captured was late day moisture caught in the lateral rays. What I love is the gradations of sharpness, the muted colors. (You've got to enlarge this one.) I've pointed my camera at this same field before and gotten purples and pinks.

Somewhere in this picture are coyotes, rabbits, snakes, bats, bugs, squirrels and a couple of bobcats. It is very tough getting them to pose like this.

19 comments:

USelaine said...

That is so lovely. The light across that fringe of grass in the foreground just pops against the shadow behind. And your hills...

Keith said...

Looks like we were on the same wavelength with our photo's. You're much more eloquent though.

Anonymous said...

It does add that element to the scene that makes it look like an ancient Italian painting.

Abe Lincoln Blogs
Abraham Lincoln's Blog

magiceye said...

the composition is such that its like being there for the viewer... beautiful

Anonymous said...

Petrea, that's gorgeous. And now I must bandy that term at cocktail parties.

Petrea Burchard said...

We'll share the hills with you Elaine. I like your hills, too.

As I said on your blog, Keith, your photos are eloquent. I was disappointed to discover it was only smog, though. Takes all the romance out of it. Since we had fog in the morning I was hoping.

Good morning, Abe. Always nice to see you. Thanks for your visit. You, too, magiceye, and for the compliments.

Altadenahiker, I'm going to bandy "bandy." Do you really go to cocktail parties?

John Sandel said...

Wait, I don't see the ancient Italian. Is he by the bobcats? Confused ...

Cafe Observer said...

A beautiful application of the Phoumato method!

Vanda said...

It was odd yesterday. Whitish substance obscuring the mountains, didn't smell like smoke, was too warm for fog, wasn't pink enough for smog. I'm confused.

marley said...

Great photo. I like all the layers in the distance.

HearkenCreative said...

Confusing or no, I was thinking Monet. This is beautiful.

The weather has been interesting the last few days: early morning and dusk (and even midnight) have all had unique characteristics to them. The (almost) full moon last night at midnight was so bright I could have read "The Year of Magical Thinking" in my driveway if it weren't for the family of possums sharing space with me. Maybe weather patterns preceding this weekend's Santa Ana's? Maybe January in SoCal? I dunno, but makes for beautiful scenery.

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

Really different terrain, Petrea.

John Sandel said...

"… beautiful to reminded of blending, and layers, and the wait between layers to blend …"

Whoa.

Katie said...

Amazing photo; very autumnal. Hard to believe that you live in such a densely-populated part of CA, yet you still have views like this. I'm glad all the bobcats and other critters can call Pasadena home too!

Christie said...

Interesting photo! I love the backdrop of the trees and the mist between the hills. Lovely!

Virginia said...

Just lovely. Dark but for me perfectly captured.
V

Petrea Burchard said...

Thank you for the compliments, everyone. This one was nature's work, of course. I like the way Miss Havisham put it, and Bernie emphasized it. I believe Miss Havisham's a painter.

Chuck Pefley said...

Very nice. And I can see the bugs smiling for your camera:)

I recognized smoke in the italian root of fumo but appreciate your adding the Wiki link to the word.

Ms M said...

Simply wonderful!