Morning Walk 2
Nov, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the beautiful county of Surrey in the UK. Where I lived, I was spolied for choice, so many beautiful locations but the woodlands were stunning through all the seasons. On daily walks with my dog, I got to know the area really well and had favourite woodlands and pathways that I would take. This photo was taken at a 'Black Pond'.Time
Early morning, I woke early and noticed the fog, so I grabbed my dog (my faithful assistant) and my camera bag, jumped in the car and drove to the nearest woods. It was quiet, I don't remember seeing anyone else around and I remember the damp, sweet smell. As the dog dashed around chasing early morning squirrels, I looked over and saw the sun shining through the trees, the bark was blackened by the night's rainfall.Lighting
I desperately wanted to capture the colours of the ferns in the sunlight and the shadows at the base of the trees. Being self taught there's always that moment of decision as to the settings for this I was really worried that I would lose the detail in the foreground as I was shooting into the light. It was such a stunning sight, I just wanted to capture it as I could see it.Equipment
It was taken on the 21st January 2014 with my Canon 60D, which I love, I find it so easy to handle. I didn't use a tripod but did lean up against a tree to steady my hand! It was taken with my 70 - 300 lens, in Aperture mode F5.6, Focal length 70 mm.Inspiration
The woods are where I walk my dog every day, and every day the same view can look totally different given the season, the lighting, the weather or time of day. This was one of those images that you catch with your eyes, you just know the composition is right, the lighting in particular was spectacular and for me it sums up the woodlands of Surrey in the winter - a cherished view that will stay with me forever. I took a series of photos that morning, one of which won photograph of the month and was published in the local County Magazine - total thrill for me.Editing
It was one of those lovely images that needed very little post processing, I simply sharpened it a little and converted it to jpeg from RAW.In my camera bag
I would love to give you a long list of wonderful, impressive equipment that I own, unfortunately that isn't the case. I have my Canon 60D with the standard 18 - 55, and I have two Tamron lenses a 18 - 200 (my everyday lens) and a 70 - 300 which is fun to use. I have a lovely Manfrotto tripod (my 33rd wedding anniversary present from my husband!) and that's it. I have to work to a small budget so I play around and see what I can produce using what I have.Feedback
Getting up early, when the light is so interesting, foggy days give the most interesting of filters to the rising sun. As for going out and finding the shot, it's really up to Mother Nature to provide the image, it's up to us to find it and capture it. I find that the more familiar I am with certain places I tend to look beyond what is in front of me, it's surprising what you notice when you can do that. Another simple tip, is to wear the correct clothing for the weather conditions, there's nothing more miserable than standing and waiting for the right moment and being cold, wet or both!
