I‘ve always liked drawing feathers. Attempting to capture their delicacy and weightlessness with graphite. Here I’ve included a little drawing of feathers from my sketchbook with a series of photographic studies, again playing with light and shadows. *Hope you’re not bored with all my monochromatic posts of late, I actually do love colour! *
(click on images to enlarge)
(I ♥ the creamy, thick drawing paper in a Moleskin sketchbook, it feels incredibly luxurious.)
All images © Karen McRae
art
Peaceful
A serene late afternoon by the water, and even some sun! It’s been scarce lately. The water was so calm the reflections really stood out. Some of the trees are almost bare and others are still hanging on making for lots of different shapes and form.
All images © Karen McRae
Moody
October is in this kind of mood: 
All images © Karen McRae
Flight of the Maple Keys
The lacy propellers of the maple keys have always reminded me of insect wings. When I started photographing them with shadows they kind of took on a life of their own with the wings doubling up and the stems turning into little antennae. Sometimes things come together in a way you don’t expect. (Click on the images to enlarge.)
All images © Karen McRae
Phalaenopsis
This is a Phalaenopsis Orchid or Moth Orchid as they are sometimes called. It had been blooming for well over 6 months and I’ve been watching the bloom age because it’s just getting better all the time. Thin and papery with delicate veining and lovely subtle colours. Some things age ever so gracefully.
All images © Karen McRae
Grainy Black and White in Infrared
Awhile ago I posted some photographs that were taken with infrared film. The images below were also made with infrared. If you like black and white with lots of grain this type of film will give you just that. As this film sees different light than the eye does you get a mysterious, ethereal quality to a landscape photograph. You can see the previous post here – Seeing (Infra)Red. 
All images © Karen McRae
Abstract Friday
I took these photographs yesterday after the morning rain. I love the muted colours of fall foliage. The top three photographs were taken with a shallow depth of field and a gentle breeze blurring all but a few details.
All images © Karen McRae
Skeleton Trees
I used to drive by here often and always loved this landscape of skeleton trees. They are mostly gone now. The road has grown wider and the trees were knocked down. I liked how at certain angles the trees stood in the field like Roman Numerals. They must have known their days were numbered…
All images © Karen McRae
Flock
I am always in awe when watching the migrating flocks of birds in the Fall. It amazes me how they seem to move as a single organic organism lifting and turning as though somehow connected. As if they are being directed by a conductor visible only to them. Moving like a breath across the sky.
All images © Karen McRae
draw and shoot 