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Marcoclicks Fine art photography that focuses on abstractions grounded in the natural world.

There’s one less Beech tree on Peters Hill. This one was a Cutleaf European Beech near that brick building toward the “t...
10/04/2026

There’s one less Beech tree on Peters Hill. This one was a Cutleaf European Beech near that brick building toward the “top” of the hill. Big. Old. And injured - probably a while ago, it looked like it was trying to heal a wound to its truck by ever so slowly regrowing the injured bark. I suspect that wasn’t the only problem, but clearly it didn’t make it.

I actually loved the other Beech tree right next to this one. It has lots of low limbs, forming a leafed shelter that could keep you sort-of dry in the rain or provide a little hiding place right along the path. I would walk by most mornings and appreciate this American Beech and then say hello to the other one, the one we lost..

Yes, it’s gone, I assume to protect the remaining, un-diseased beech trees. Smart move. Still makes me sad.

Oh, the shifting of seasons is just beginning, things are just starting to change. The days are noticeably shorter and t...
09/25/2026

Oh, the shifting of seasons is just beginning, things are just starting to change. The days are noticeably shorter and the temperature gently drops to long-sleeve weather. I notice it as I walk around Peters Hill. Yes, a bit of a chill, a bit of maybe I should have worn the hoodie. After how many trips around the sun, you’d think I’d be used to it.

Yet, it always seems to catch me unaware. Even though I can feel it in my body and see it in the landscape, still often it’s a surprise. And maybe that’s just fine and not the problem that I sometimes feel it is. After all, the contrast between late summer and early autumn can be subtle – more trees and shrubs setting fruit than leaves turning dramatic colors. The beginning of change.

Perhaps we can become more skilled at noticing this nuance as one thing ends and another begins. There’s some benefit at putting our attention on the subtleties that surround us, at becoming more astute observers of our everyday reality. Noticing the contrast, that’s a good spot for you to pay attention.

It’s almost too easy at this time of year when my morning walk coincides with night and day changing places. Not every m...
09/10/2026

It’s almost too easy at this time of year when my morning walk coincides with night and day changing places. Not every morning is colorful but many of them are. And my job is as much believing that I can keep the shockingly bright colors real in my image. We’re getting so used to over-manipulated images that we don’t trust that we are viewing reality.

When I took the image, I was attentive to the clouds, their light and shadow and how the sun’s color tinged the sky. It was a passing moment as the ground was still dark. It echoed how I was feeling – a bit out of sorts, a bit unclear. It wasn’t until I viewed the image in post-processing that I noticed the stronger feelings it evoked. It felt like sorrow and fear leavened with uncertainty.

That’s what my eyes saw, filtered through my heart. So much of what is happening in our country has that tone. I think we must stay focused on the struggle and remember light, justice, truth, compassion, beauty, connection. . Complicated time. Important work.

POSTED THE WRONG IMAGE
08/30/2026

POSTED THE WRONG IMAGE

I walk around Peters Hill most mornings, pretty much first thing. For me, that’s usually 5:30 or 5:45. I love that time ...
08/30/2026

I walk around Peters Hill most mornings, pretty much first thing. For me, that’s usually 5:30 or 5:45. I love that time of day when the world is still quiet and hasn’t yet decided what it will bring my way.

Even though the days start to shorten as we head toward the end of summer, my morning walk still happens at the same time. Creature of habit, I guess you’d say. And these late summer mornings, I am often walking near the orchard on Peters Hill in time to get a glimpse of the sun peaking over the ridge. This morning the color was joined by a gentle hint of mist, adding to the mystery.

Lately my morning walk has become a masterclass in gratitude, given the clear, non-humid air and the quiet. It isn’t always like this, heaven knows! So I’m particularly glad that I have noticed it in time to deeply appreciate and enjoy it!

It’s that lush, late summer time, when the infinite greens have become almost commonplace. Almost. It sometimes feels be...
08/20/2026

It’s that lush, late summer time, when the infinite greens have become almost commonplace. Almost. It sometimes feels beyond my eyes’ ability to discern the subtleties, the nuances of color. “Green” as a description seems inadequate.
But actually, it works fine.

After all, what’s the big deal about describing something that is really meant to be looked at. It isn’t as though I have to name all these distinct hues. (Thank heaven!) But I do get to look at them, to notice them, to pay attention to them. And it seems more likely at this time of year, at the risk of overwhelm from green, to be able to be comfortable in the abundance.

It doesn’t last that long. Few things do. So I’m pleased to have noticed it, come a bit closer to capturing it, but mostly just having my life enriched by being in its presence.

Perhaps because I was recently injured, I have been struck by this beech tree missing a significant section of bark. I h...
08/04/2026

Perhaps because I was recently injured, I have been struck by this beech tree missing a significant section of bark. I have no idea what losing this outer layer was like for the tree, but with the feeling of my injury being so fresh in my mind, I can’t imagine it was fun. I know, it’s dangerous to anthropomophize. But it seems to me it’s a useful exercise, a way to bring a bit more compassion to our interactions with the natural. world.

I walk by this tree most mornings and I’ve always been aware of the missing bark But since my injury, well, it’s had a very different, much more personal, feeling for me. So while I can enjoy this image as a topographic map or some other abstraction, I’m more inclined to just look and hope that the tree’s healing takes away some of the pain.

Perhaps you can tell that the right side of this image is dominated by a tree while the remainder is a boulder. With sim...
07/26/2026

Perhaps you can tell that the right side of this image is dominated by a tree while the remainder is a boulder. With similar coloration and texture, you’d be forgiven if that was not what came immediately to mind.

I’m surprised that, as attracted to texture as I am when I’m shooting, it’s never occurred to me before to put attention on rocks of all sizes as suitable subject matter. And yet, walking on Hemlock Hill, this boulder grabbed my attention..

As similar as these two objects are visually, they are very different, obviously. Right now, the difference is that trees are “flexible” while boulders are “stolid.” But when we shift from universal descriptions to more specific situations, we can see both their differences and their similarities.

It’s worth the effort to look, and closely.

We were staying near a lake, very near in fact. I walked down at sunrise hoping to see the clouds against the hillside w...
06/27/2026

We were staying near a lake, very near in fact. I walked down at sunrise hoping to see the clouds against the hillside with rising sun breaking through. But it wasn’t anything like that . The hills were far, the lake was a dull grey and the sun muted. I was disappointed. Still, I took some shots of the water reflecting the clouds. I wasn’t excited about this: the shrubs got in the way and I was, for some reason, feeling a bit cranky.

When I got home, I didn’t check out the images right away. There was lots going on, so it was a few days until I uploaded them to see what I’d gotten. Needless to say, my expectations were low. Then much to my surprise this image jumped out at me. The haze of cloud reflections behind the sharpness of the leaves made a startling juxtaposition, just about my favorite effect!

I won’t go too far in looking for a moral to this entry. But it’s clear that beautiful images can show up under virtually any circumstances. It helps if you’re open to that happening. But sometimes, it happens even if you’re not.

It’s striking that the leaves on some trees are fully out while others have barely begun to blossom. I guess that’s dive...
05/19/2026

It’s striking that the leaves on some trees are fully out while others have barely begun to blossom. I guess that’s diversity in the natural world (where it’s still acceptable?). It means we get to see the progression from bare branch to graceful leaf again and again, with trees of different species and even within the same species.

That’s a bit academic. What attracts me is the contrast that now focuses on color - the play of yellows and greens and everything in between. I love the way they play together, the light greens leaning toward the yellows and the dark greens speaking a bit of blue. Go figure!

Or just look!

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