Oh for Autumn

I've always been fascinated by the way tree branches resemble the branching veins in a human body, or the way rivers and streams branch and intertwine like tree branches. A friend once, in the course of explaining fractals to me, told me that the similarities were not a coincidence: there are only so many ways a course can diverge, so rivers resemble veins, and veins resemble trees.



I took these photos at One North Park, which has finally opened to the public (well, at least someone has taken down the hoarding that blocked access - no doubt there'll be an "official" opening sometime later). Friday is the one day of the week that I get off work at 5.30pm, rather than 6pm, which means half an hour more of the best light in the day to shoot.

If only we had autumn. I remember autumn in the 3 years I spent in England - the light all low and golden and slanting, the trees every shade of colour you could want. Perfect for photography. Down here in the tropics, we're clinging one degree above the equator, and the only really beautiful light is at sunset.

I always thought autumn was one gigantic, prolonged sunset that took several months to complete. I don't miss much from the time I spent abroad: I'm too much of a homebody, I value familiar and familial comforts, and I frankly hate the cold. Loved the snow, hated the cold. Loved having seasons, but wanted a constant temperature. Enjoyed the long days of summer, but wanted 8 full hours of darkness to sleep in. I just too demanding.

But I do miss autumn, especially at this time of the year. I have an old-shirt from the RSC that says it all with a line from The Tempest: "Were I in England now, as once I was ..."

tags:photography,infrared,IR,trees