In early November I started a 90 day photo project – where every day I head out the front door and take at least 30 photos of what I’m seeing. I’m more than halfway through my 90 days. So far the project has been amazing. At the workshop I took in October, George DeWolfe suggested I undertake a 90 project. I’m really glad I decided to take on the challenge. I’ve been photographing in weather I don’t usually photograph in (rain, wind, cold). I’m noticing fascinating details and textures everywhere in nature – not just when I’m out photographing for my project – but whenever I’m out walking. I’m also learning to identify some of the trees and shrubs in my area. I’ve also met neighbors I’ve lived up the street from for years – lots of people have been asking what am I taking photos of!
I’ve been posting photos from the project on both Facebook and Google+. I’ve decided it’s time to start sharing groups of photos here on the blog. I’ve been commenting on what I’ve been seeing/thinking along with the photos on the other social media sites and I’ll be including the comments here on the blog.
Most of this first set of photos are from the beginning weeks of my 90 day photo project – when there were lots of colorful leaves on the trees!
Day 2 – Colors of Fall
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 3
Japanese Maple
I was fascinated by all the shades of red, orange and yellow in the leaves of one of the Japanese Maples trees down the street. What I’m not so wild about in this hpoto is the blown out highlights. I tried toning them down – but I think they’re still pretty distracting. I may head back to the same tree tomorrow to see if i can do something I like a little more
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 4
Japanese Maple
I headed back to the same Japanese Maple tree that I photographed yesterday. The light was wonderful on the tree this morning – beautiful diffuse light since it’s pretty cloudy today. I’m much happier with today’s photo – I think it better shows all the amazing shades of reds, oranges & yellows in the leaves
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 5
Dancing in the Wind
It was pretty windy when I headed out to photograph this morning. So rather than trying to capture a moment when the leaves were still – I decided to try to photograph the movement of the leaves in the wind. I wanted to capture enough movement that the leaves were blurred – but not so much that you can’t tell it’s a photo of leaves. This was my favorite of the photos I took this morning.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 7
More colors of fall
While most of the trees in my neighborhood are dropping (or have dropped) their leaves – there’s still one (maple???) that still has most of its leaves. In this one section of the tree – there were so many shades of color in the leaves.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 8
Oak Leaf Hydrangea
Lots of colors in this patch of Oak Leaf Hydrangea. I like the contrast of all the colors in the leaves and the pale brown of the dried flowers. There were some neat textures in the flowers – I may head back with my macro lens in the next few days and see what I can do with them in.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 9
More Colorful Leaves
It was nice and overcast this morning – so great diffuse light for photographing leaves. I suspect I’m getting close to the end of the leaves on the trees photos – while there are still colorful leaves on a few of the trees – most have dropped their leaves – and the remaining leaves aren’t in great shape. But who knows what I’ll find tomorrow!
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 11
Last few leaves on the tree
After yesterday’s rain – there aren’t many leaves left on the trees in my neighborhood. There are still a few on this Japanese Maple – it won’t be long until the ones on the branch join the rest of the leaves on the ground
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 12
More Oakleaf Hydrangea Leaves
What a difference a few cold days make! Just a few days ago (day 8) the leaves on the oakleaf hydrangeas were shades of green, yellow & orange. This morning I found lots of incredible shades of red and purple!!!
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 23
Oak Leaf Hydrangea
I was really surprised to see so much color left in the Oak Leaf Hydrangea leaves. Just about all the other trees and shrubs in the area have either dropped their leaves – or are full of brown leaves. Lots of great reds and purples in the leaves – not sure how much longer this will last.
While I was out photographing this morning I saw lots of robins and other birds eating the berries off some of the trees. Not sure if I’ll try to photograph them or not in the next few days – I do a much better job photographing non-moving subjects than moving ones 
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Day 39
Red and Yellow
I found a few bushes full of colorful small leaves. Some leaves were shades of red and yellow – others were yellow & green. Not sure what they are – but they do add a nice splash of color to the neighborhood – and all the shades of gray and brown I’ve been photographing lately
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Prairie Smoke © 2011 Patty Hankins
