Just do it
Why getting out with the camera is always worthwhile.
Hello, I’m Gill and I write a photography blog inspired by the landscapes of Suffolk and beyond. Please subscribe to read more of my writing and visit my website to view my images.
I have been waiting for the perfect time to get out with the camera this week, but the trouble with ‘perfect times’ is that they never seem to arrive. The weather has been largely dull with plenty of grey skies and lots of rain but not much in the way of ‘optimum conditions.’
Tuesday morning broke slowly, with the inky blackness of night seeping away to be replaced by the insipid dullness of a grey dawn. There was not much to inspire me outside so I headed to my computer to do some work. A couple of hours later and a casual glance out of the window revealed almost nothing! A blanket of fog had descended from nowhere sometime during the morning and I had only just noticed. I carried on working, but the fog kept calling and in the end I abandoned the article I was writing, grabbed my camera bag and headed out to the woods.
When I arrived the fog was still there but it wasn’t as thick as it had appeared at home. I began walking, heading for my favourite trees but by the time I had reached them the fog had vanished and it had started to rain, very hard. It felt like the weather gods were playing with me, conspiring against me to get any good photographs.
Undeterred I slipped my camera inside its rain cover and carried on. I had come this far and I wasn’t going home without an image!
By this time I had made it down to some ponds on the far side of the woods. Ahead of me I could see the white trunks of some silver birch trees gleaming brightly in the rain. Behind them was a willow tree, whose bare orange branches gave the scene some lovely warming tones. I was struck by the colour contrast between the warm orange of the branches and the cool blue of the surrounding water.
The heavy rain created its own misty conditions and despite feeling very damp and a bit cold I knew the scene was worth photographing.
So why do I like this image and why has it become the subject of this post?
Firstly I like the subject matter and the painterly feel that the conditions have created and I love the colour contrast between the warm branches of the willow tree and the cool blue tones of the water.
I love the fact that the image was hard won because the conditions were so awful, but at the same time they were actually perfect for this shot. On the big screen you can see the rain falling and the water drops bouncing off the surface of the pond which I feel adds so much atmosphere.
I also love the fact that I was able to see something beautiful in a day when most people wouldn’t have ventured out. For me this is the best bit - there are always opportunities for photography we just have to get out there and make the most of them. If I hadn't been chasing fog, I wouldn’t have been out in the rain and I would have missed this shot. It might not be the best image I have made from this location, but it speaks to me and it is very different to all the other images I have from this area. But more importantly despite the soaking that I got, the experience was uplifting and fun. What more could I want from a photographic outing?
So if I have a take away from this post it is to get out there and take pictures -whatever the conditions. As the saying goes there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices.
It is possible to see the beauty in less than optimum conditions and sometimes the hard won images are the ones that mean the most. If I have a ‘photography problem’ it is that I analyse my chances of getting a good image before venturing outside and if I feel the conditions aren’t good I rarely go. However I have never regretted any photography session - there is always something to photograph and I might not come home with a good image but the experience of being out in nature always makes the session worthwhile.
So if you are questioning whether you should go out with the camera, my advice would be to stop hesitating and just do it. You may just come home with an image you love.
Introducing my WinterProject Cohort
Many of us feel challenged with our winter photography and inspiration can sometimes feel a bit thin on the ground.
This February and March I will be running my first project cohort. This will be an 8 week challenge to produce a triptych of images for a specific theme. The theme for this session is Thresholds.
Each week for 6 weeks I will host a 1 hour zoom session where I will give you a photographic challenge for the week. Each weekly challenge will be related to the overall theme. Each challenge will give you a direction for your photography and will hopefully help you see the world in a different way.
At the end of the 6 weeks you will be encouraged to choose three images that best represent your interpretation of the overall theme and write a shot artist statement to accompany your images. The 7th zoom session will be given over to choosing images and writing your artist statement.
At the end of week 8 I will put all the images and artist statements into a zine which will be published and each of you will receive your own copy to keep.
Aims of the cohort:
To create a small inclusive group to encourage your creativity
To help you understand how to tackle a small project
Weekly challenges to get you thinking
To provide a direction and purpose for your winter photography.
The group size for each cohort is 10 and I only have 4 spaces left on this session, so if you would like to join me for some winter photography inspiration then please see my website for more details.
Thank you very much for reading and until next time enjoy your photography.
Gill
I love the image, the cool and warm tones, the sense of a very particular place. The story of what it took to get the shot makes for a great post!
A beautiful image Gill. They also say bad weather makes for good images! One advantage I have with a full time job and busy family is that I have few opportunities to go out - so every Sunday morning I am out the door regardless of conditions.