Golden Hour in the Field of Dreams

“To love beauty is to see light.”
– Victor Hugo

As I type these words, the rays of setting sun are finding their way through the strands of blinds on my floor-to-ceiling window, drawing long golden lines across everything in the room. This is the time of transition and change, light into darkness. Another day is coming to an end, bringing calmness and satisfaction of the day well lived, and a promise of well-earned rest.

But until the sun dips way below the horizon line, I feel restless, fidgety, and not able to focus on anything that is going on around me. Except for the light. I can only focus on the light. Everything else is a distraction from the glory that is unfolding in front of my eyes. I just sit and watch how the light colours everything in our living room yellow, then orange, then soft pink, or how the sun peeks from behind the clouds and sends the rays streaming down to the ground, creating the most spectacular display, or how pretty the back-lit tall grass looks on the hill in front of our windows. To me the whole world simply stops during those thirty minutes. Which is ironic, as it is one of those times of the day when you do feel the Earth spinning, rolling the day over, carrying us into tomorrow.

When I have my camera in hand during the golden hour, I shoot like crazy. It’s the most precious light of the day, and I live for it. If I am to photograph your wedding, I will make sure we sneak outside of your reception venue and photograph just the two of you in that luminous golden haze – it’s pure magic.

That light makes me believe in my dreams.

Golden Hour, Sunset, field, wide open spaceGolden Hour, Sunset, field, wide open space

Julia Down Under - March 26, 2013 - 8:55 pm

Beautiful text ! This moment of the day is even more delightful in Australia, light is very special Down Under. Very different to Europe.

Do you have any photography tips to capture the beauty of this golden light?

Anastasia - March 26, 2013 - 10:42 pm

Thanks Julia x Shooting in your camera’s manual mode helps a lot when taking portraits in light like this so the face is exposed correctly, plus the very best light for it is half an hour before sunset!

Monica - May 16, 2013 - 1:26 pm

Lovely photos! Loved it! :)
Where is this location? I’m dying to know!

[…] did not yet know, but you were with us already.  I was taking my monthly self-portrait, which, as it turned out, was the last one for the year – I had no energy to keep up with […]

[…] did not yet know, but you were with us already.  I was taking my monthly self-portrait, which, as it turned out, was the last one for the year – I had no energy to keep up with […]

Baby Love

“Every child begins the world again”

– Henry David Thoreau

Perfection. New life that is created by the magic of love and the force of nature. What more can be as life-assuring, heart-stopping, awe-inspiring as a newborn baby?

The softest, flaky skin, the tiny fingers and wrinkly toes, the midway-through-my-endless-nap pout, and the adorable smiles. The precious moments that are so fleeting but oh so powerful.

What are your dreams, baby dear?

Mary - March 14, 2013 - 8:49 pm

Just gorgeous Anastasia x

That Feeling of Content

“Life is a big canvas; throw all the paint on it you can.”

– Danny Kaye

It’s February – the last few weeks of summer, the time of crazy weather, and my birthday month. As for the weird weather conditions – seriously, this was the first year in the last I can’t remember how many that the weather was actually very pleasant on the day. All the previous birthdays were the parade of extremes – either torrential downpour and 100% humidity, or 15 degrees and cold and miserable rain, or 45 in the shade. That 45-degree weather forced us to book last-minute tickets to Tassie for my birthday a couple of years ago, where we spent an amazing weekend of wine tasting, photography, and enjoying refreshing 9 degrees at sunrise. Ah, the sweet memories of spontaneous trips – we should all get away on a whim more often!

But this year Sydney just sparkled. I spent the afternoon wandering around The Rocks, attended the exhibition of mind-bending, mega-inspirational work of Anish Kapoor at MCA, then sat on the grass and enjoyed the view of the Opera House across Sydney Cove, and the gentle warmth of setting sun.  Feeling blessed and content. And then I photographed my happy face to etch that feeling into my memory.  Here it is, that photo from three weeks ago, on the day I turned another year older, surrounded by the dazzling waters of the harbour and my favourite soft late afternoon light.

That quote at the top of the post is something I try to remind myself of daily. Because life is a work of art indeed. And you are the one with buckets of paint and brushes in your hands.

Here are few more pictures from that day. Hope you all had a beautiful summer. And I am so looking forward to what autumn will bring.

Mel Riddell - February 26, 2013 - 8:19 pm

Beautiful! I love your self-portrait, it’s gorgeous. Hope you had a wonderful day!! xxx

Cindy Habel - March 8, 2013 - 9:09 am

Love this Anastasia! Happy birthday xx
It’s so nice to spend your special day just doing happy things :)

Anastasia - March 9, 2013 - 8:19 pm

Thank you so much Cindy xxx It was an absolutely lovely day. Great to just wander around with camera for the whole day.

Pure

“Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel. You are unique.
In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you.”

– Pablo Casals

Welcome to this world, little one. I was blessed to meet you when you were only seven days old, a  whole week of being here, the beautiful beginning of a new life.

Oh what joy it is to see you in your mother’s arms, cradling you gently, rocking you to sleep, loving you.

You are everything.

Belinda Radalj - February 20, 2013 - 4:38 pm

Beautiful as always Anastasia. I long for the day when I can take photos as good as yours xoxo

Cindy Habel - March 8, 2013 - 8:48 am

These images are beautiful…they evoke such a sense of peace. Just perfect xo