Photo of the Week: Nov. 13, 2013

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: Sometimes a story is best told with several small details as opposed to a single, wide brush stroke of commentary. Walking through the wilds of Israel at the height of fall, I am amazed by the diversity of trees and plants flashing their autumnal fashion. I lived for many years in New England, arguably the grandest place on Earth for fall color, but it wasn’t until I became a student of photography that I learned to really appreciate this season. Now, fall is ever more vibrant and alive because I see it so much better. Learning the language of photography taught me to see at all times, whether I have a camera in hand or not.

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I encourage my students to start a collection – of anything that interests them – so that as it grows, their creativity will also grow alongside it. It seemed impossible to share just a single image from my substantial collection of fall close ups, So here are four gems I found in three different corners of the country, all shot with a close-up lens:
Upper left: A fig leaf growing in the Galilee near Rosh Pina, about to take leave of its branch.
Upper right: A pear leaf dangles from a branch in the Judean Mountains of Gush Etzion.
Lower right: A grape leaf seemingly on fire in a vineyard in the Ela Valley near Beit Shemesh.
Lower left: A pair of plum leaves in an orchard on the Golan.

It takes focus and concentration to locate the best subjects amongst thousands of candidates and yet, it is a skill easily accessed and frequently employed in the most common places, such as the vegetable bin at your local supermarket. The difference, however, is that out in nature, I immerse myself in the environment (cell phone off is rule no. 1), clear my mind and hone my vision to isolate those beauties destined to become my next photograph (or salad, as the case may be). I’ll leave it up to you to decide which one you like best!