It had been a while since I had taken my IR-converted Panasonic G1 out to explore the local scenery. So last Saturday, after closing the gallery, I loaded a freshly charged battery in the Panny and headed out for a stroll.

Only a hundred yards from my front door is the entrance to the Giacomini Wetlands, a natural area with trails and steam-side access of the Lagunitas Creek. I was there in less than a minute and began wandering in the riparian area. I slowed down to look at the dream-like light and shapes that projected on my camera’s viewing screen. I love the way that sunlit foliage turns a radiant white, while the blue of water and sky goes dark.
I left any expectation behind as I wandered along the trails. I’ve found this “no expectation” way of photographing not only therapeutic, but  also very creative as the subconscious comes into play and sometimes leads me into a naturally creative space. An area beside the trail was back-lit by the late afternoon sun. It caught my eye.

After a while, I went down to the creek and found these trees aglow against the darkening sky. This is just the kind of scene that infrared photography can render into a dreamlike vision.