We were at the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver last Thursday with friends Jan and Dave. Dave is also an avid photographer, and very good at this craft. It is always interesting to go out others especially when someone in the our group is a photographer as it inspires me to see thing “in a new light” no pun intended! Through our discussion about what we are seeing and experiencing gives me pause for thought and can open my eyes in a new way.
The Capilano Suspension Bridge has a rich history, and with the suspension bridge, cliff walk, and treetop walk, there is so much to see. I would recommend that if you are in the Vancouver area that you make time for a visit it.
The photo also makes me more conscious of the light; the dynamic range of most cameras is 5 to 7 stops, while the dynamic range of our eyes is 10 -14 stops. While this might not mean a lot to most people, this photo is a good example; here the camera records the light on the tree leaves, almost as I viewed them – iridescent green glowing among the trees. That is where the similarities end. When I looked at the leaves as they were Thursday afternoon I could see the beautiful light on the leaves, but I could also see the warm browns of the forest floor, the grey of the tree trunks, all was visible to my eye only the leaves were recorded by the camera. Understanding what my camera might record in a given situation and how to manage the dynamic range to show people what I find interesting has been one of my greatest challenge, one I hope I have started to master.
