I’ve mentioned that I’ve been able to be more present for the spectacular fall season we’ve had this year. One of those moments was an hour that I set aside from a busy day to enjoy the light and colors with a photographer friend. We met in a very special garden and arboretum on the campus of Hamilton College. The Root Glen is a very unique place and if you ever find yourself in this part of the world, you really should visit. If you can’t visit, read more about it here. The college website states that “the glen contains some 65 species of trees, dozens of shrubs and scores of varieties of flowers.” It is beautiful at any time of the year and I really don’t make it a point to get there enough.
One of the things that caught my eye, were the leaves on the Beech trees. Beech trees are very prevalent in this part of NY state, are tall and stately, and have some of the last leaves to drop. I loved the way the light filtered through the golden canopy of beech leaves and thought, just maybe, they might make some interesting mandalas. I was so glad that I made the time to experience the Glen even for a few minutes.
What’s interesting is that you seem to be capturing the essence of the beech tree via the mandala, and I have to admit, I never thought of the mandalas this way. For me, the mandala represented a total transformation of the original image. But in this case, it is remains a beech, but a beech in all it’s massive and magical glory. How wonderful is that?
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh . . . My very favorite color!
When I was working with a consultant, we had a copper beech tree outside our windows and the boss was very fond of that beech. I photographed it in every season. There are a number of copper beeches in Rochester—a magnificent, inviting, and enveloping tree indeed! One of my very first shoots, so very long ago (when I knew not what I was doing), took place under a spreading beech canopy.