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_DSC3269There are lots of things to photograph in Spring other than wildflowers (even though I Love to photograph flowers!). One of my other favorite things to photograph is usually overlooked- the first tree leaves of Spring.

I like to do portraits of the very first little tree leaves when they first come out- they are so soft and velvety- they are beautifully delicate. Use a longer lens to control the background keeping out the distracting sky. And wait for the soft light of early morning- soft, delicate light for soft delicate first leaves.

I also like to photograph big hunks of the forest when all the various first leaves come out. Again, the soft light of early morning on a lightly cloudy day works best. Sunlight is too harsh and will kill the delicateness of the scene.

When you are processing the images try adding a wee touch of exposure to subtly brighten the image. You can also lighten the shadows a wee bit to get a pleasing result when you are processing your shots.

So don’t always look down for the wildflowers of Spring, look up too. You just might find a different kind of shot.

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