magical trails
Nov, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Tasmania, Australia. At the Port Arthur Historic site. For being a place with such a violent history, the surroundings are beautiful and that is what I wanted to capture. Natural beauty that persists in spite of everything.Time
We had gone travelling in Tasmania and most of that travelling was done with a tourbus. So this photo was taken at daytime, sometime just after noon. I don't remember the exact time as I was so busy taking in the beauty that surrounded me. After all we only had a few hours to take everything in. Normally, this part of Port Arthur is very pleasant to take a walk and many people like to do so. I saw a window when no one was in the way and I clicked before somebody came onto the path.Lighting
I took many photos that day but this one stood out from the start. That is the reason I wanted to share it. The daylight was beautiful in this part. Due to the foliage, the harsh sunlight was tempered and made gentle. The subtle play of light and shadows along the path draws the eye to the middle of the path that seems to go on forever. The trees stand like sentinels, witness to the history of the place. Every time I see this photo, it seems peaceful, like how it is now in that place.Equipment
I used my Canon EOS Rebel T2i camera with the kit lens 18-55mm. Since it was broad daylight, and I was travelling light, I did not have or need any tripod and did not use any flash.Inspiration
I love landscape photography but I do not like to get interruptions in my photo. I do not like people in my landscapes and no moving objects unless they are supposed to be there. I know they can be fixed in post processing but if I can't take the right shot it usually leaves me unsettled. So most times when I take photos, I am usually waiting for the perfect moment to take photos. Due to this I take many photos in the same area from many different viewpoints and angles. This was one of them. I loved the place as soon as I saw and knew I wanted to remember the feeling that I got when I saw this walkway. I framed my shot and waited for a few minutes until the walkway was just clear for me to take a shot. You can't see it in the picture, but there was a person walking and I took the shot just as they walked behind a tree. And as soon as I finished taking a couple of quick shots another group walked onto the path.Editing
I know landscape photography usually requires much post processing but really, I did not do any for this shot. I liked how it looked and it reminds me of the feelings that I got when I took the shot. I am a photographer that strongly associates my memories and feelings with the photos. This photo reminds me of the peacefulness, the sound of the birds, the breeze through the leaves and other little perceptions of that time. It works for me to not edit it so I did not.In my camera bag
I am an amateur photographer and as such do not own too many fancy equipment. Normally, I have, in my camera bag, my Canon EOS Rebel T2i, a 18-55mm or 18-135mm lens, a 50mm prime lens and a hot-shoe flash. I do carry my Manfrotto tripod when I am travelling but do not take it around with me during daytime. Although it serves me very nicely for early morning and after sunset shots. Normally during daytime, if I need to stabilise my camera, I usually find other options in my surrounding.Feedback
The weather plays a big role in any landscape photography. I have had trips where I did not have a single day of sunlight to take bright shots. I guess the most important thing for landscape photography when travelling, is to be flexible. If the weather gives me clouds and rain I make moody shots. If the weather gives me sun, I make bright shots. I might have an image in my mind from seeing other photographers' work in the same area or similar photos but if on the day I do not have the right conditions then I reimagine my shot. If I have the time and opportunity to wait for the right conditions I do so, but I always take a shot no matter what the conditions. I remember taking a photo of the stormy sea with dark clouds in Port Macquarie that I absolutely love and it is posted on my Viewbug profile. I was expecting to take photos of a pretty and cloudy sunset by the sea but it started raining and it was getting very windy. The sea looked rough and choppy and it made for a very moody shot. I love to take sunrise and sunset photos but I take photos in every light condition. I have collected a few really interesting and intense shots by following this. In case of this photo, it was bright sunlight and no clouds. It was a very easy shot. The only thing I had to keep in mind was to gentle the harsh sunlight which was taken care of by the trees. And of course I wanted to wait till the walkway was empty. But I believe that this walkway will yield beautiful shots in every weather condition, be it calm and peaceful or stormy and intense. My advice for others would be to always keep your eyes and mind open. It is great to follow others' work and aspire to take similar shots but if at the time you are not given similar conditions then open your mind and imagine what you can make of what is in front of you. You should only be disappointed when you cannot take a shot at all. Another advice would be to not limit yourself to your equipment. Many of the photos that I have taken and uploaded on Viewbug have been taken with my Smartphone, and they have been liked by many. Waiting to get my camera in those instances would have made me miss the opportunity for those shots so I took them with what I had handy. One more advice, which I have received from many others and believe it to be one of the best, is to keep studying other photographers' work. It is the best way to learn to imagine your shots. Not only that, you get to see many different points of views and this helps you grow as a person and broaden your mind as well. Keep shooting.
