Among the Barley 2
Sep, 2019Views
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Awards
2020 Choice Award
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
We live in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, I'm so very lucky to have all this wonderful scenery on my doorstep. We are surrounded by farms growing a wide variety of crops, the barley was looking particularly wonderful.Time
I take my dog out for daily walks along the country footpaths that wend their way through the landscape. On this occasion it was high summer and very hot, too hot to take our fluffy dog out during the heat of the day, so we were doing an early morning walk before breakfast.Lighting
The early morning sun was out but gave a more gentle warmth to the scene which made both barley and dog glow beautifully without harsh contrasts.Equipment
I always carry my camera with me, currently I have a Panasonic FZ2000 bridge camera. It is a good all-rounder that enables me to shoot most things without the need of specialist equipment and heavy lenses. It was a casual hand-held shot taken with the cooperation of a very obliging Rough Collie.Inspiration
The barley was nearly ripe. It had reached the stage when the ripening heads have gently tipped over like Knights bowing to their King. With a gently breeze, the whole field moved like waves upon the sea. It was a perfect occasion to capture the golden crop and my dog seemed to match the tones so well. He's very happy to sit and pose, especially when there's a treat to be earned.Editing
On this occasion I did very little editing apart from cropping and warming the tones slightly. I resisted any sharpening as the gentle focus suited the scene so well.In my camera bag
I don't carry extra equipment apart from a cleaning cloth and spare battery, but I always have dog treats in my pocket :) I like to travel light but I do have a tripod and a selection of filters to call on when I need them.Feedback
Over the years the most important thing I have learned is to be responsive to my surroundings. It's so easy to rush through life at a fast pace, barely having time to appreciate the things around us. Now I make myself look with fresh eyes and most importantly I find the time to 'stop and stare' because photo opportunities are there, just waiting for you to see, appreciate and capture them.
