Back to basics -- Chasing light and shadow with the X-Pro1

After a week of rain and clouds, we finally had one of those crisp, late autumn sunny days with a low, bright light causing deep, sharp-edged shadows. Not having any definite plan, I dusted off my X-Pro1, recently dressed up with a new Tap & Dye leather strap, put on the original 18-55mm zoom and headed out for a walk. The X-Pro1 is one of my favorite cameras. I don't use it much anymore because of the advancements in the X-T1 model, but today I had nothing specific planned and though the X-Pro1 would add to the fun of discovery. I didn't get very far before I began playing with black & white square compositions of light and shadow.

With the leaves now completely fallen from the trees the silhouetted branches lend themselves to intricate compositions, especially when the trees are in deep shadow and stark black with no detail. Exposing for the brightly lit steeple of the Empire State Building allowed the foreground shadows to go completely black.

For this view of the top of the Flatiron Building taken from Madison Square Park I moved into the side of the park that was in shadow so the trees would go completely black.  I wanted to have detail only in the building and use the black trees as abstract forms

With the sun so low on the horizon as we approach the first day of winter the shadows are quite long even in mid-day, and I used them to compose an abstract composition.with the chairs and gravel.