Canoe on the Banks of Blea Tarn
We were wild camping at Blea Tarn. The main aim of the trip was photographic, but the weather wasn't really playing ball at that time. The sunrise was a wa...
Read more
We were wild camping at Blea Tarn. The main aim of the trip was photographic, but the weather wasn't really playing ball at that time. The sunrise was a washout, but the sunset still made for some beautiful photos simply because of the stunning scenery. A few men were out on the tarn in a canoe, so once they had come to shore I approached and asked if I could use their vessel in my photograph. They kindly agreed, and this image was made.
Read less
Read less
Oct, 2015Views
846
Likes
Awards
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Top Ranks
Top 30 rank
Top 10 rank
Top 20 rank
Top 20 rank
Top 20 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken at Blea Tarn in the Lake District, UK. It's sort of a cult-hero type of location that many tourists overlook, but everybody who knows it love it.Time
Believe it or not this was about five minutes before sunset. The typically overcast sky thwarted any colour trying to come through but still made for some nice, soft light.Lighting
As previously mentioned the overcast sky and proximity to sunset made for some nice soft lighting. In an ideal world I would have liked some colour in the sky and some directional lighting across the fells, but you take what you're given.Equipment
This was taken fairly early in my photographic career so I was using my starter DSLR, a Nikon D3200, along with a Sigma 10-20mm lens. Tripod and remote release were also used.Inspiration
I had been inspired to try wild camping thanks to Thomas Heaton's vlogs, and this was actually my first ever wild camp. Me and my girlfriend drove up after work and set up camp at a beautiful little clearing over in the trees on the left hand side of the image. It was the middle of the summer holidays but there was barely anybody around. The only people were a few runners and two men out canoeing on the tarn. As I was scouting for some compositions around sunset I saw the two heading back towards the shore and approached them. I asked them if it would be okay to use the canoe in my composition and they kindly agreed. With an eight second exposure and high winds it took a few attempts to keep the canoe stationary during the exposure, but in the end it was definitely worth it and I've come away with an image that not many people have.Editing
There was some simple post-processing applied in Adobe Lightroom. I reduced the highlights around the top right where the sun was and then brought the shadows out of the canoe. No adjustment on saturation was made, which is surprising to many considering the vibrancy of the greens.I then brought out some detail in the Langdale Pikes and added a subtle vignette.In my camera bag
Right now I make sure to always have my Nikon D7100 in the bag. One lens I don't leave the house without is my Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G. It's light, fast, sharp, and incredibly versatile. After this I'm usually bringing along my Sigma 10-20mm for the wide angle perspective and my Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 OS. I find many people overlook the use of a telephoto lens in landscape photography, but I find the change of perspective and the creative use of depth of field opens up more possibilities. I usually pack my carbon fibre tripod and remote release as well, and I never leave the house without a bottle of water.Feedback
My main piece of advice would simply be to explore more. So many people get dragged into the honeypot locations and come away with images identical to those that many others have. The more you explore local knowledge the more unique your photography will turn out. I focus my photography in the Lake District and as such I know many locations like the back of my hand. This ensures that I capture some unique photographs that are a bit off the beaten track. Also, don't be afraid to ask people if you want to use them in your composition. The worst thing they can do is say no, and if they say yes you can come away with a shot that is truly unique.
