Snow Berries

Snow Berries

I have been making a lot of "re-imagined" images lately...photographs that I manipulate using computer software. However, this image is a "real" photograph. I am thrilled with it.

How did it come about?

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, at the beginning of January, Helen, an oil painter from Arkansas,and I set up a monthly plan to provide us both with some additional inspiration for our hobbies. Here's how the project came about...

We realized we both needed a boost in our creative processes. I wanted to add more color to my photographs and get out and about more with my "good" camera. Helen wanted new and different subjects to paint. We decided to collaborate and look to each other's work for inspiration. As our plan began to take shape, we realized that our creative friends might like to join us so we set up "Inspiration Collaboration". (instagram: @inspirationcollaboration)

We each provided two images - two paintings from Helen and two photographs from me. Participants were encouraged to pick one image to use as inspiration and submit their creations before the end of January.

This is the image I used for my inspiration: Helen Eaton's "Snow Cardinal" painting

Snow Cardinal by Helen Eaton

I love photographing birds and trees, they are my favourite things to capture with my camera. It was to my great surprise that Helen's painting "Snow Cardinal" inspired me to work with the colour red rather than the subject of birds. I spent a couple of weeks taking photographs of different red subjects (a difficult task in a grey Nova Scotia winter) and experimenting with my photo library on my computer. In the end, I settled on the simple, but beautiful, subject of winterberry branches. Nova Scotia winters aren't so dull after all.