Bursting with Light – Fall Leaves

It wouldn’t be fall without some photos of the changing leaves.

In color:

In black and white:

End of July on the Ocean

The height of summer mid-day in the pine dunes evokes drab colors and high contrast images. The digital grain adds some grit back to the elemental qualities. Although jovial, even the slice of a dolphin fin cuts and slashes. Light becomes dark, almost infrared. This is the end of July.




© 2015 Nate Metz

Winter Weather

Normally white balance is a challenge shooting winter weather weather and landscapes. But, I embrace the casts and hues on the sensor because my eye sees them too. Here is about 6″ of powder in the woods with indigo and golden natural filters.If you want extend the life of the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, you can pop over here.



All Images © 2015 NATE METZ

Late Spring

A nice hike led me along these frames this late spring:

Pemberton EDIT

I recently submitted work, while not selected for exhibition, that I still want to share. You may remember last year I posted photos from the Pemberton Tract of the Nature Conservancy. Here is a set of black and white conversions that you may recognize a processing technique I am working on. I think the images in the high contrast black and white really create greater impact for the pine tree in winter!

prints available upon request © 2014 NATE METZ
8×10 $20, 11×14 $45, custom sizes also available

Skaneateles Lake

The below freezing temperatures were not conducive to photo-taking around the lake. As you can see, it was frozen over quite a ways out and the cloud of mist marked the end of the ice. Warm (er) water was able to evaporate and the microclimate at the water level made the clouds. It was very beautiful!

I believe this is the coldest weather I have used my dSLR, so I was very cautious to keep it in the bag to reduce exposure times to the brutest cold. And also to protect the battery and prevent condensation inside the lens! After walking about 20 minutes in one direction, my feet started to get cold and it was time to come back. Next time snow boots are definitely in order!

The other two photos are straight forward–I love looking at the blue sky through branches!

Skaneateles Lake, NY © 2014 NATE METZ


#179: Centered

My last challenge entry was in September. Our category was Centered Composition. Per usual, I went one step further with my entry to include a subtext of having a centered mind by stacking rocks along their center of gravity, a zen meditation practice.

Center of Gravity © 2013 NATE METZ
Center of Gravity © 2013 NATE METZ

rank: 7th
1/183 sec, f2, ISO 50
pp: resize, USM, export

On the same day, I shot a second contender. I opted for the above shot because of the multiple interpretations of the challenge theme. I still really like the minimalist approach to the second shot here that also has some of my favorite elements of macro and texture.

Center © 2013 NATE METZ
Center © 2013 NATE METZ

As I see it…

Seeking a respite from Summer Streets, I took a summer stroll through the state parklands. I brisk walk can at first seem monotonous in a dancing of green light as I breathe in the forest smells and be in a walking meditation. I stopped though because on top of a picnic area moss grows on some weathered shingles roof. I climb up to look down, and from my perch I gaze up higher still. This is what I saw:

Mosshingle © 2013 NATE METZ

Magnolia Dream

Bored one afternoon this spring, I pulled out my 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR that I haven’t used since I first bought it 5+ (?!) years ago to test it out. I thought, erroneously, that it would only be good when out scouting birds or taking tourist type shots that I could zoom up onto monuments and so forth. And that is precisely why I hadn’t been using it, focusing instead on my prime lens to capture a nice bokeh and shallow DOF for my translucent light studies. I have had a lot of micromovements in some of my throwaways, so I decided to play with the VR by standing 7-10 feet away. These are the shots I came up with:

Magnolia Dream © 2013 NATE METZ

Crystal Vision


Crystal Vision © 2013 NATE METZ

Winter has finally relaxed its tight grip. Most mornings I’d find my car frozen over with frost, so I used the few moments waiting for the defroster to capture these Crystal Visions.