As the days grow longer we anxiously anticipate the coming season. Spring? No!

Life Cycle of a Maple Tree

Sugaring season! For a few short weeks when the days are above forty degrees and the nights still below freezing the maple sap begins to run. And when will this happen? We can only wait and see. The farmers get the sap buckets and the sap lines prepared, tap the trees in the sugarbush and stock the sugarhouse with firewood. Then they will wait until those first few drops of sap start to collect. We will have to wait in suspense until we see the sweet steam rising from the sugarhouse to know that it is here.

Shadows

Tapping for Sap

Clarity

My idea was to capture the tension and anticipation of the thick syrup pouring. I also wanted to capture the light coming through the golden sweet liquid, and possibly to highlight the differences in grades of syrup. I employed the tool of the tension vs. resolution in the cold winter tree in the snow and the eventual product of warm maple syrup. I wanted to capture the life cycle of the sugar maple (mature tree, dead stump, sap bucket, pitcher of syrup, spring snow.) I really wanted to capture something artistic about the spring sun and the translucence of the syrup (warm syrup on a warm maple plank). I also played with cropping and telescopic shots. The resolution is, of course, the waffles!

The Sweet Reward

Originally published February 11, 2013.