Red is associated with love, power, passion and energy. The color red sure grabs our attention. It’s no accident many street signs are red as well as the traffic light for stop. When red is used as an accent color or subject color in photography, it grabs the viewer’s attention and draws them into the photo. At this time of year, even in southern California, there is a little extra red out and about – some of the trees have begun turning red. It is with red in my eye and camera in hand that I head out on my daily walk. The trees, on fire with different shades of red leaves, are real attention-grabbers.

With zoom lens at 300mm aiming up into this tree, I fill the frame with the signs of fall. Then looking down, I can’t ignore this lone one so beautiful in its solitude.

Walking along a pair of red shoes has been left on the curb – that doesn’t happen everyday. I am in luck, this “I spy red day”, to stumble upon such a find.

When I am consciously looking for red, I realize how easy it is to spot.

Even when the red is a small part of a larger whole. Something red in the sand gets my attention, from quite a distance away I can’t make out what it is. It is another gift…

rose petals are scattered about. I am beginning to think there is a little red elf going ahead of me planting these items in my path. I wonder, are there always so many random red objects on my walk that I just haven’t noticed before or was this red photo walk meant to be today? While down on the sand, I decide to include orange-red and capture the lifeguard flag.

The grape leaves right in my own yard are changing with the seasons too.

These flags stand out among a sea of green trees and gray roads.

After this walk, I am seeing red. It’s hard not to.

Try looking for the red around you this week and incorporate a splash of it or use a red object as your subject in your photos and see what direction your creativity takes you.

~ Susan