We are fast approaching the last week of August here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Whether you associate Labor Day weekend with the end of summer or hold out until the autumnal equinox later in September, there is one thing that can’t be denied.
The air and the light are changing. It’s not like July.
There are clues about what is coming. The temperatures are starting to drop slightly, and the air just feels different. Sunset is now happening before 8:00. The light begins to take on a different quality as the atmosphere changes.
And as I gradually notice these changes, I start to feel like I’m not ready to let go. The season is thinking about moving on, but I still have summer things to do. I start trying to get a few more plans made. Another camping trip, maybe a hike. Outdoor things. And I start to feel an almost imperceptible sadness, wishing I had done more.
There is a Japanese word for the feeling I begin to get this time of year, as I start to pay attention to the lingering traces of the season as it begins to fade.
Nagori oshii.
I have always felt this way as summer slips away. The traditional time for family vacations is coming to an end. The kids are going back to school. And winter will inevitably be here before much longer.
Despite the feelings the season brings, what is coming is one of my favorite times of year photographically. The textures of autumn begin to replace the colors of summer. Flowers start to move on. Here and there, trees begin to turn. The humid haze of summer slowly gives way to a cooler, crisper sky.
At the end of August, these changes are subtle at first.
But they are there.
Eventually I’ll enjoy the fall weather.
But for now, that feeling of nagori oshii settles in, just beneath the surface. And we load up the camper to enjoy one more summer weekend outdoors.
✅ Where to Find Me
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