Reflections: 3

As I have now completed most of the course work and have a large portfolio of images to select from for my first assignment, it is time to reflect on how I feel I am progressing - although to a certain extent I shall have more of a feel for this when I receive comments on my first assignment from my tutor. I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying the course so far and I am enjoying making landscape images as a change from my normal wildlife work, although I am also keeping my hand in here too. There is a link to my own website and also my flickr page in the about me section should anyone wish to view my wildlife work.

Project 1:

I found this project straightforward. I always keep in my mind to place the horizon in an pleasing way depending on the interest in sky and foreground. However it is surprising how often I look at an image on the computer and find that I have inadvertently placed the horizon in the centre of the picture. I know that on occasions it is good to break the rules, but only if that is the intention. I need to remember to spend a little more time when framing the shot to ensure that I have placed the horizon where I really want it.

Project 2:

I find that I have a leaning towards the vertical format when shooting most subjects, including landscapes. I usually shoot both formats and make a selection later. It is interesting how this preference is very subjective when showing images to others.

Project 3 and 4:

I enjoyed this and also project 4 where I stitched images together to make panoramas. I did find the post processing problematic though and I must make time to practise this technique more.

Project 5:

Another enjoyable project , but one where it came home to me how lazy we become with zoom lenses. When using a fixed focus lens it it vital to ensure correct positioning of oneself in order to achieve the desired framing. In one image from this exercise I realised too late that I would have framed the image better if I had moved forward a few feet. I could have cropped in Lightroom but decided to leave it as I shot it to maintain the authenticity of the exercise and to remind myself to be more careful in future.

Project 6:

I must remember to complete this exercise.

Project 7:

I think that placing a figure in a landscape image can often enhance the shot. I feel that this is the case in at least two of the images that I have taken. The one in the fog is one such case. The two figures give scale, perspective and context. In a similar way the shot of my brother on a pinnacle in Mallorca gives scale to the surrounding mountains. If the aim were to take images for an interest magazine, the inclusion of people would be essential.

Project 8:

Linear perspective is by far the easiest to employ and in my area of Lincolnshire, where I have decided to shoot images for both assignment 1 and my portfolio, there are many opportunities and in order to inject variety into my photography I need to look for every chance to employ other methods to give my pictures depth.

Project 9:

I have yet to complete this exercise. Winter makes it very difficult to show a wide range of greens. I have, though, identified several locations where this should be possible in the summer months.

Project 10:

The foggy weather we enjoyed (endured?) during the recent snow gave ample opportunity to record pictures with a muted palette. As well as the two shots from my archives that I included in the project, I recently went out on an overcast day with disappointingly flat light. I took some photographs in a local woodland and the light and late winter colours provided just the opportunity to record soft muted colours and I have now included these in my blog write up. Interestingly, instead of holding his hands up in horror on a day of flat misty lighting, Galen Rowell would rub his hands with glee as it allowed him to take shots that he wanted that were impossible in more dramatic lighting conditions. It brings to mind a quote I once read (although I cannot remember the source), that there is no such thing as good light and bad light - just light. Mind I have also heard it said that good light is everything. I certainly find dramatic lighting more exciting to work with. Having said that, when photographing flowers overcast lighting is more sympathetic the who;le sky acting as a giant soft box, again to quote Galen Rowell.

I have now reached the point where I need to organise and edit the potential images for my first assignment. I was conscious that, when I started the course in January, I only had half of the winter to work with, although I had been taking some shots in December knowing what was coming up. I worried that with the mild winter Spring would overtake me. I am pleased to say that not only did I have ample time to secure the shots we also had snow which added to the drama of winter and also allowed me to complete Project 25. I find editing my pictures one of the greatest challenges in photography. In order to help with the process I shall print a series of A5s of the potential shots on draft paper and leave them spread out to mull over and move around. Then I shall print the final selection at A4.

Having watched Jose's videos on image submissions on the student website I have endeavoured to make sure that my prints are of a high quality. I intend to use high quality pearl paper and I have invested in a Spyder and calibrated my monitor. I also intend to acquire the printer profiles for the paper I use. I am not sure how this is going to go - there may well yet be a cry for help!!!

During the last few weeks I have also enjoyed getting to grips with the work of some of the featured photographers for Assignment 4: Ansel Adams, Fay Godwin and Galen Rowell. I thoroughly enjoyed Godwin's book Land and also the exhibition at the National Media Museum 'Land Revisited' which I went to last year. I am currently reading Galen Rowell's 'Mountain Light'. As a lover of mountains and an avid mountain walker and one time (long ago) rock climber, his work is particularly attractive to me. Although only part way through I love his images taken during the golden hours just after sunrise and before sunset.

I have been fortunate to visit a photography exhibition at The Ropewalk in Barton-on-Humber entitled 'A Sense of Time'. Whilst some images were not landscapes others were and all were fascinating. I have made notes on this elsewhere in my blog.

We take the Saturday Guardian every week and this is always a mine of good photography. Each week are featured readers' pictures, the current week's being the theme of Transport. Also in the current week's magazine there is an article entitled 'Ins and Outs' in which Robert Macfarlane marvels at Michael Marten's photographs of British beaches at high and low tide.

All in all a satisfying start to this module.