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The Great Wilderness by Alex Nail | My Photo Bookshelf
The Great Wilderness is a book by Alex Nail featuring some stunning pictures of Scotland’s most remote mountain area.
I’ve followed and admired Alex Nail’s mountain photography for a few years through his website, YouTube, and podcasts and although I missed out on Alex’s first book “Northwest” (still hope to own a copy one day), when The Great Wilderness was announced, I made sure to buy myself a copy.
Author’s synopsis
“The Great Wilderness” is a luxury hardback photography book of Scotland’s most remote mountain area. It shows the Highlands during ephemeral moments of light, weather, and seasonal change. The images were captured over a 4-year period backpacking through the mountain areas of Fisherfield, Dundonnell and Letterewe. Alongside the images are stories of adventure in the mountains.
The book is designed, printed and bound entirely in the UK and uses the finest materials and production processes throughout. Depicting spectacular scenery in exceptional conditions, this book is for anyone who loves the outdoors.
My thoughts about the book
As I mentioned above, I missed out on owning a copy of Alex’s previous book, Northwest which has a chapter dedicated to The Great Wilderness, but as Alex mentions in his introduction, with so much to see and photograph there, a single chapter wasn’t enough. The Great Wilderness book project was born.
For those unaware (as I was), The Great Wilderness is a mountainous region formed of a small number of privately owned estates and in 2019, Alex set off on his multi-year adventure to photograph them.
The book starts with a wonderfully written foreword by one of the UK’s finest landscape photographers, Joe Cornish. Then on to Alex’s introduction, explaining more about the area, the reason for starting the project and a little about his photographic/editing ethos.
The pictures in the book are typically printed big with some panoramic images spanning both pages and this design decision helps portray (to a book’s best ability) the impact one might feel being there with Alex as he took the photo. I’m typically not a fan of pictures spanning the spine but I’ve since come to learn that in some situations, and with certain book designs it can work and this is one of them.
The image sequencing flows well and the book is organised by chapters, each featuring incredible photography from a different part of the region with names I won’t even attempt to pronounce and with the photos taken in different conditions with a range of compositional techniques used, by the time I had finished, I felt I had been shown a true representation of this fascinating landscape.
What a labour of love this book is. I really mean that. Not only is this book full of stunning mountain photography that would have taken huge amounts of time, planning and effort to create, but the book itself has been designed with so much attention to detail such as the choice of cloth for the cover, the beautifully written “on-location” stories and the incredible maps and illustrations created by Alex himself.
A fantastic landscape photography photo book and if it’s still available when reading this, I encourage you to pop over to Alex Nail’s website to buy yourself a copy.
Book Details
Hardcover
Size: 240mm x 300mm
Pages: 136 Litho printed pages
Availability at the time of writing: Available from the author’s website: https://www.alexnail.com/great-wilderness-book/
New Photos | Summer 2024
A collection of photos taken during Summer 2024.
Like many landscape photographers, I struggle to take photos in the summer. I prefer to take my photos during the calmer, relaxing sunrise hours meaning some ridiculously early mornings which, along with the green, monotone colours summer provides, can take their toll on my enthusiasm to get up and head out in the morning. This year’s summer months may have been the most challenging yet. Of course, I know that with fuller foliage and the right conditions, the woodland can look incredibly beautiful. Still, throughout June, July and August, I felt I was constantly battling a general lack of motivation and my desire to find some of those early morning summer scenes I knew were out there.
The desire to head out and enjoy the summer woodland in the morning did win out a few times, and I was able to take a few new photos while revisiting some old friends.
Alongside some summertime woodland photography, I’ve also shared a few pictures I took while in Cornwall, London and the Sussex landscape.
June to August 2024 - Summer 2024 collection.
Below is the first of three collections I’ve shared from my woodland adventures in this post. This collection was taken early in the summer when the woodlands were still awash with bright, vivid green tones.
(You can click in the smaller photos to see a larger version)
Next up, I’ve shared some photos I took at my local forest towards the end of June. My local forest is largely made up of open heathland and every now and then, when the conditions are right, I can be greeted with some fantastic foggy conditions such as those I photographed below.
After I spent some time taking photos of London’s rooftops from the Garden at 120 back in July, I made my way down to Tower Bridge and experienced some of the best light I’d ever seen as the sun set across the city. I remember the weather couldn’t make its mind up. One minute it was sunny, the next it was raining and just as the sun set, the entire sky erupted in fiery reds, and I just happened to be at one of my favourite Thameside viewpoints to witness it.
Towards the end of summer, I was yet again blessed with some fantastic foggy conditions in my local forest. This time around the fog was thick enough to penetrate the woodland, so I left the open heathland and ventured in to seek out compositions amongst the trees.
In August. I spent a week in North Cornwall with my family and although this wasn’t a dedicated photography trip, I did manage to head out a few times on my own with my camera to take a few pictures. My first stop was The Rumps where I took a mixture of photos, both with my main camera at ground level and from above by sending my drone up and out to sea, pointing it back towards the coast.
Although happy with the photos I took from the ground, I love the photos I took with the drone. I’ve never seen The Rumps from this angle and with the waves crashing along the coast and dark clouds above, the resulting photos were packed full of drama and mood.
I visited a few other spots during the week, including Bedruthan and Trebarwith Beach. From here, I ended up taking a few black and white photos as I wanted to try something a little different (for me) and the rough, foamy water created some interesting contrast and dynamism in the pictures. With my recent fondness for the square crop, I decided to use it here to add a little consistency to the final set.
As I was staying only a few minutes down the road in Tintagel, I couldn’t leave without paying a visit to this well-known viewpoint in Boscastle. It was a cloudy morning and there was no chance of any sunrise colour but that didn’t put me off at all. With the heather in full bloom, it made up for the lack of colour in the sky and I spent a fantastic few hours photographing this fantastic coastal view.
The last photo of Cornwall below is a top-down drone photo I took at Bossiney Cove. A cute little beach just a few minutes’ drive from Tintagel.
Finishing off this collection of photos I took during the summer months are these more traditional landscape photos taken while out and about in Sussex. All of these landscapes are familiar to me, but all show off the vibrant colour summer can provide.
Until next time,
Trevor
Photographing the Aurora Borealis in Sussex
An unforgettable night of photography, capturing the northern lights above Bodiam Castle in East Sussex.
Just wow! What a night of photography that was.
I’ve done a little research (Wikipedia) and as I understand things, we are reaching peak activity in the sun’s 11-year solar cycle. The poles are soon to flip and during this time, there’s an increase in solar flares, sunspots and radiation. This means more solar particles spewing out into space, some of which interact with the earth’s magnetic field, increasing the likelihood of aurora borealis (northern lights) or aurora australis (southern lights).
I already knew we were reaching peak activity in the solar cycle but what I hadn’t anticipated was that we in the southern counties of England would also experience this spectacular celestial phenomenon.
As I finished work in London back on the 10th of October, I was heading out into the city to catch a sunset, but as I sat on the train, I spotted lots of people posting on their social stories about the possibility of northern lights across the UK later that night. Having missed the previous display back in May and clear skies predicted, there was no way I was going to let another chance to photograph the aurora pass me by. So, taking only a moment to decide, I made my way south and away from the bright lights of the city.
Having decided to give photographing the aurora a try, all I needed now was a location. I wanted an interesting subject, away from artificial lights and I needed to face north when taking the photo. It took me a minute as every place I could think of would leave me facing anything but north, but scanning my photo library for inspiration, I decided to head to Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, a familiar place I’ve photographed many times before. Leaving the train, I jumped in my car and made my way there.
I arrived on location around an hour later and it was already very dark. I said hi to a fellow photographer called Lee who was already set up and busy taking pictures before heading to my usual spot to compose this framed view of the castle. It’s not pointing directly to the north, it’s more of a north-westerly direction but I figured if the lights did kick off in the sky, it should still work.
Initially, I was feeling a little underwhelmed (and a bit anxious). As you can see in the first image below, there was a subtle magenta hue in the sky and a very pale green towards the horizon but nothing like the vivid colours I was hoping for. Was this all we would see tonight? The photo below is a blend of two images, one for the sky and foreground to capture those subtle aurora tones and another with the castle slightly illuminated with my head torch.
The conditions were ideal. Clear skies, hardly a breath of wind and with the water still, the reflections were perfect. After 30 minutes or so, another photographer hurried towards us pointing to activity happening behind us to the northeast. Looking the other way and with trees behind us, there was no way we would have spotted it from where we stood. Quickly, we grabbed the cameras and went to find a better vantage point.
Although this new position was facing directly north, the moat was a lot narrower and the castle too close. Even with my wide-angle lens, I still couldn’t include enough of the scene in a single frame, so I needed a different approach. The only way this was going to work was by mounting my camera vertically, levelling my tripod and panning the camera from left to right, taking a stitched panoramic image.
I took 6 vertical pictures, making sure I left plenty of space above the castle to showcase as much of the fantastic display nature was gifting us as I could. I stitched them together and edited the photo later in Lightroom to make the final image you can see above. It’s not my favourite composition of the castle and I would have loved for the aurora to be more evenly spread across the sky but I’m still really happy with the final image.
With the vibrant light most vivid directly above the right-hand turret, I also used one of the individual frames from the panoramic image above and edited it separately to help show off those amazing northern lights above the castle.
While standing face-on to the castle, I noticed that the small area of vivid light towards the right-hand side was very slowly making its way across the sky, meaning the framed composition of the castle I had originally set out to capture might be back on. Off I popped back over to the corner, composed the photo and waited. Towards the opposite side from where I stood, there were at least two other photographers taking pictures, so I decided once again not to throw some light onto the castle just in case it interrupted their shoot. Instead, I would try to bring a little of the castle’s detail back in post by recovering the shadows. In hindsight, I think this was a mistake on my part and I’ll expand on that at the end.
Thankfully, I got the light I was after. It did indeed move across the sky, and I clicked away, taking various photos as the light and colours changed. This is easily my favourite photo of the night. I assure you; those vivid colours have not been enhanced with saturation and vibrance sliders; apart from some basic editing most of the work was done using the white balance sliders by cooling off the temperature and bumping the tint a little.
Confident I had the photo I wanted; I made my way over to the far side of the castle to see how things were looking from there. As you can see, the aurora was still visible but as I was now looking towards the southeast it only partly covered the sky. I actually like the results as the brighter, colourful sky on the left balances nicely against the stronger, dominant castle on the right. Although I’m not sold on the bright blue light in the castle windows (they are growing on me though), I do really like the dim orange glow in the windows closer to the camera. Whatever you or I think of them, collectively they appear to bring life to the castle, giving the impression someone is still living there.
What an absolutely amazing night that was. I am blown away by the photos I was able to make, particularly as it was such a unique event to see the aurora borealis as far south as East Sussex. Who knows when that might happen again?
That being said, it was my first time photographing the northern lights and there were certainly lessons I can learn, most notably not taking more opportunity to cast a little light onto the castle like I did in the first photo above. With just a small amount of light pointed towards the castle, it brought out so much more detail and resulted in much less noise in the shadow areas. I mentioned that if I used my head torch more, I might ruin other photographer’s images but in reality, I’m sure I could have been a touch more selfish and used it a couple more times without causing too much upset.
All in all, it was a great experience, so much so, I’m now tempted to give astrophotography a go. Watch this space.
Until next time
Trevor
Photographs & Stories by Michael Kenna | My Photo Bookshelf
A special book looking back at 50 years of photography taken by Michael Kenna
I’ve long admired Michael Kenna’s pictures, but only recently since taking black and white photography more seriously in my own work did I start to study Michael’s photography more closely. I studied his work online and watched lots of video interviews, but I really wanted to see his work in print, so luck would have it that while I was looking into the books Kenna had published, he announced Photographs and Stories. This book caught my attention as it was a great opportunity to look back at his work spanning 50 years and I wasted no time popping it into my basket.
Author’s synopsis
In celebration of Michael Kenna’s fiftieth year as a photographer, we are thrilled to announce the publication of Michael Kenna: Photographs and Stories.
Kenna has selected one image for each year beginning 1973, when he enrolled in the Banbury School of Art, and for each subsequent year. Following the “Photographs” section is “Stories,” in which Kenna gives context to each image and considers how it connected to his own life at the time.
Michael Kenna is arguably the most influential landscape photographer of his generation. Often working at dawn or during the night, he has concentrated primarily on the interaction between the ephemeral atmospheric conditions of the natural landscape, and human-made structures and sculptural mass.
Over ninety books and catalogs have been published on his work. His exquisite, hand crafted, silver gelatin prints have been exhibited throughout the world and are included in such permanent museum collections as The National Gallery, Washington, D.C.; The Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai; and The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. In 2022, Mr. Kenna was made an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture.
My thoughts about the book
First off, I love how this book has been presented. It oozes class. The cloth cover, the stunning cover picture, the foil lettering and best thing of all, the Japanese Kasadaka paper inside. It’s a thick, warm matt paper that fits with Michael’s monotone work perfectly. It looks amazing and feels even better to touch.
The book opens with a foreword by Ann Jastrab, Executive Director, Centre for Photographic Art in CA and then flows straight into Michael’s pictures. As you can imagine the photos included are incredible and with them sequenced in chronological order, one thing that stands out to me is how Michael’s style has remained so consistent over the years. To stay true to one’s artistic vision, shrugging off contemporary trends and the lure of modern camera equipment must take significant amounts of self-belief. There was, however, one conspicuous shift in style and that came in 1989 when Kenna transitioned to the square format. From this point in the book, all of the photos were in a 1:1 aspect ratio.
While studying photobooks over time, I’ve started to learn what I think works and what doesn’t (for me) and one of those things I do like with regards to design is to keep the photo pages clean and uncluttered with minimal text and this book is a perfect example of that. Under each image is just a few words detailing where and when the picture was taken, but the stories behind each photo are printed toward the end of this fine book. This approach is fast becoming one I prefer the most when there is a story to be told about the image and is a great compromise between letting the pictures breathe on the page whilst still ensuring their stories can be told.
This book is special. While reading it I enjoyed a delightfully visual and tactile experience and because of that, it gets elevated right up there as one of my favourites.
Book Details
Hardcover
Size: 11.5 x 13 inches
Pages: 106
Photos: 51 duotone plates printed on Japanese Kasadaka paper
Availability at the time of writing: Back in print. Available from https://www.setantabooks.com
The square photo format
In this article, I delve into the square aspect ratio and explore the benefits it brings to my photography.
When I first embarked on my Timeless City photography project, I quickly decided that along with being black and white, all of the photos in the series would be presented as squares. Although I’m still certain this was the right thing to do, it was a snap decision at the time as I wanted to instil some consistency in how the work would be presented and avoid a mix of different aspect ratios.
If you want to learn a little more about why I started this Timeless City project, check out Timeless City: An Introduction.
Alongside the consistency aspect, I strongly believed that applying constraints to how my work is produced would encourage me to think (and in this case see) differently. I’ve been shooting with a 3:2 aspect ratio for years, and up until recently, I would only occasionally change this after the shoot, back in post. So, seeing and composing a square frame has forced me to think deeply about my compositional habits.
One final thought on composition: I believe there are no rigid rules in photography. You’ll hear about techniques like using the rule of thirds or leading lines, and while these can be valuable tools for learning, they should serve more as guides than strict rules. Whether you choose to follow or ignore them is entirely up to you, because ultimately, you're the one pressing the shutter. If your approach works and the image resonates, then you've succeeded in capturing something uniquely yours.
But why did I choose the square for this project?
I’ve been wanting to write this article for a while; not just to explain my decision to use the square crop, but also to help me better understand why I’m so drawn to it. As I mentioned earlier, choosing the square format was an instinctive decision that felt right for the project as a whole. However, it was only afterwards that I began to reflect on what it adds to each individual image. Ultimately, no matter how the work is presented, it's the strength of the photos themselves that will define the overall success of the project.
The points below are based on a combination of studying the photos I’ve taken for this project and researching the compositional techniques used by photographers I admire. While much of this may have been discussed before, I wanted to write this article as a way to process and understand it through my own work. These are my personal, evolving opinions, and I welcome you to share your own thoughts on the square crop in the comments at the end of the article.
With all that being said, let’s dive in.
The square creates a classic, timeless look to my photos
I want to start with this point because I feel it’s less about composition and more about style, yet it’s a key reason I chose the square format for this project. In a world dominated by 3:2 and 4:3 aspect ratios, I associate the square format with classic medium format cameras like the Rolleiflex or Hasselblad, used by legendary photographers of the past. To me, the square frame evokes a vintage, nostalgic feel. While I’m photographing the contemporary world and can’t (nor do I want to) eliminate all signs of modernity, I believe the square format helps them subtly fade into the background, if only a little, to help achieve a more timeless look.
Placing the subject anywhere in the frame with a square photo
One thing I quickly noticed when composing photos with a square crop is that I could place the subject almost anywhere in the frame without it feeling unbalanced. The square format offers more freedom, as traditional compositional guides seem to carry less weight. Whether I position the subject near the centre or closer to the edge, the image still feels balanced. This flexibility allows me to be more creative and simply have more fun when taking my photos.
A neutral shape which encourages the viewer to look around the image
Lacking a dominant direction, the square photo offers equal visual weight on all sides, encouraging the viewer to look around the frame as opposed to looking side to side or up and down. The symmetry helps prevent the viewer from feeling pulled in a particular direction, encouraging a more immersive exploration of the entire frame. This balanced approach prevents the eye from being directed by dominant shapes or lines, fostering a more comprehensive and immersive exploration of all elements within the image.
Square photos can often convey a sense of calm
Building on the point I made earlier about the square format lacking a dominant direction, I’ve noticed that square photos, both my own and those of other photographers, often convey a sense of calm. I touched on this in my project introduction, referencing the work of the great Michael Kenna and how his use of the square format contributes to the zen-like quality present in much of his photography.
Without the horizontal or vertical bias of a rectangular frame, the square format introduces a sense of stability and harmony. In the chaotic and busy environments I photograph, particularly in my London cityscape work, the square composition helps create a more peaceful, uncluttered feeling.
The square can enhance geometric shapes
Although visual tension in a photo can be a positive thing, it can sometimes detract from the feeling I’m trying to create with my images and when including strong geometric shapes in my photos like in those below, the neutrality of the square crop helps them to feel more centred and balanced within the frame.
Embrace the use of negative space and minimalism with square photos
I’ve already spoken about how the square can convey a sense of calm, but this also goes for instilling a minimalistic feeling in the photos by introducing a more balanced composition. Without the directional bias a rectangle brings to the image, it helps to make every element in the frame, including negative space, equally important, creating a harmonious visual experience.
A square photo can enhance diagonal lines
When I want to introduce visual tension in my photos, I often incorporate diagonal lines into the composition. The inherent stability of the square frame, with its equal sides, contrasts perfectly with the dynamic energy of diagonals. These lines not only add depth but also guide the viewer's eye through the image, creating a more engaging and visually compelling experience.
Symmetry with the square photo
With all sides being equal, the square aspect ratio is ideal for symmetrical compositions. It enhances both vertical and horizontal symmetry, creating a balanced frame that doesn’t favour one direction over the other. This allows symmetrical scenes to shine, amplifying their sense of order and precision. The square format also reinforces simplicity and calm, as the symmetry within the image offers a clean and visually satisfying composition. From architecture to reflections, the square format beautifully highlights the inherent harmony of symmetrical subjects.
A frame within the frame is enhanced with a square crop
I love incorporating frames within my compositions, particularly with a 1:1 aspect ratio. The equal dimensions allow the frame to be uniformly sized on all sides, enhancing the balance of the composition. This uniformity not only creates a sense of harmony but also contributes to the quieter, more relaxed atmosphere I try to portray in my work.
That being said, using frames within the frame doesn’t necessarily require a symmetrical composition. As I mentioned earlier, the square format offers compositional freedom, allowing you to place the subject or the frame itself off-centre. You can also experiment with the dynamic energy that diagonal lines can bring into the image, adding visual interest and movement while still maintaining balance.
Taking square photos and my thoughts about cropping
Before concluding this article, I want to discuss how I compose and capture square photos while out in the field. My Fujifilm XT5 allows me to set a 1:1 aspect ratio directly in-camera, and unlike some other brands, this setting is non-destructive, meaning I can adjust or remove the crop during post-production. Surprisingly, some cameras permanently discard the cropped-out portions of an image, so if that’s the case for you, consider adding compositional grid lines to your camera's display to guide your framing and apply the crop later when editing in your chosen software.
And please! Do not let anyone tell you cropping photos is bad. That’s just ridiculous. There is no right or wrong with photography.
This small study into square format photography and the compositional benefits it can bring has been a great opportunity to dive a little deeper into the work I’ve been creating and I hope that this newfound awareness of the impact a square crop can have on my pictures will help me in my continuous drive to develop my photographic eye. As I mentioned before, please feel free to leave any comments, sharing your own thoughts on the square photo below.
Until next time.
Trevor
My Favourite Photography YouTube Channels in 2024
An updated list of my most watched photography-related YouTube channels.
YouTube is fantastic. It was and remains a game-changer for those with something to say, wanting to pass on knowledge or simply showcase their creations, and as a free resource to learn or be inspired from, there’s not much better out there. The thing is, for all the good it provides, you sometimes have to wade through a lot of average, or even poor content to find it and having done a lot of that work already, I’ve cultivated a healthy list of photography-related YouTube channels. So, to help those also looking for good, high-quality content, I’ve created a list of the channels I enjoy the most. These are the channels that when a new video is released, go straight into my watch list, which is the best endorsement I can provide them.
Back in 2020, I posted a blog listing my Top 10 Landscape Photography YouTube channels and given a few years have passed, I thought I would post an updated list, but this time, I’ve decided not to limit it to landscape photography specifically, but to also include some other of my favourite photography related channels. The point is that although I might consider myself more of a landscape photographer, my interest in the craft spans many genres and regardless of the equipment used or the subject being photographed, I can learn or gain inspiration from pretty much anywhere.
The list is a little longer than my previous post in 2020, so I grouped a few of them by themes. You can jump directly to the list you want to browse by clicking the links below.
Contents
Before diving in, do remember to balance watching videos about photography with actually going out and practising it yourself. Try to use the videos you watch to inspire and motivate you and not replace your creative outlet entirely.
In the field photography YouTube channels
This list of channels features photographers who typically create their videos while taking photos in the field. I love that I can be instantly transported anywhere in the world and learn from the photographers who took the time to video and share their adventures with us.
Simon Baxter
Simon Baxter has been an inspiration to me since I started to take woodland photography more seriously. I have watched his channel for many years now and he really is the master of seeking out woodland compositions. He takes the time to get to know the environment he photographs and expertly walks you through the compositions he frames, helping you to make sense of the naturally chaotic environment the woodland can be.
Fototripper
Fototripper is a channel run by Gavin Hardcastle, a landscape photographer from the UK, now living in Canada. Gavin is a great landscape photographer, an excellent teacher, and a really funny guy. If you want a great mix of landscape photography and comedy, this is the channel for you.
Thomas Heaton
Thomas should not need any introduction. He’s a bit of a superstar amongst the YouTube landscape photography community and for good reason. He has a huge following, an honest and unpretentious manner, and makes fantastic videos from all over the world. Thomas seems to be able to find a photo out of nothing and even on those rare occasions when he can’t, he is content to go home empty-handed due to his “good shot or not shot” approach.
Courtney Victoria
Courtney Victoria spends a lot of time her time photographing the British woodland. A very capable photographer who likes to get nice and close, capturing the smaller scenes she finds there. If you’re not a fan of small woodland scenes, fear not, you will be a fan of Courtney’s woodland jigs. Check her videos to see what I mean.
Nigel Danson
Nigel is one of the best landscape photography teachers on YouTube. His videos provide a great mix of on-location photography and studio-based talks and tuition. He is particularly good at examining and critiquing his own work so others can learn the same lessons he does.
Andy Mumford
Apart from being a fellow Fujifilm shooter (I know, it’s not all about the gear.. blah blah), Andy is an incredibly talented travel and landscape photographer. Andy frequently visits the Dolomites and his photos and videos created there are both engaging and always polished. Andy doesn’t make videos as regularly as others but when he does, they go straight onto my watch list.
Alex Nail
Alex is full-time landscape photographer known for his mountain and wilderness images. You will typically see Alex photographing the landscape during longer trips and expeditions, so he may not upload every week, but when he does, the work he creates is usually pretty epic and worth waiting for.
James Popsys
What I like about James Popsys is how encourages his viewers to think differently, resist the conventional and just have fun with the camera. We landscape photographers will typically shiver at the thought of photographing a scene with a blown-out sky, but James certainly doesn’t and prefers a more high-key look to photos he takes, typically of landscapes influenced by humans. If you like interesting and entertaining YouTube videos (and a bit of gear talk), this is the channel for you.
Mali Davies Photography
What to say about Mali? An open, friendly creative Yorkshireman. Be it exploring the British countryside or pounding the city streets, whatever the subject, Mali’s photography and videos are really engaging, and his work is always top-notch. Well worth a watch. “Sithee”!
Michael Shainblum
A landscape photographer based in California. Michael produces some of the most stunning and original landscape photography out there. He has a calm, relaxing tone to his film making and comfortable photographing a wide range of subjects, from the wide, epic vista, down to close-up macro subjects. A must subscribe.
Simon Booth
If you like small-scene and intimate photography, Simon’s channel is for you. Simon’s knowledge of the environment he photographs is unrivalled in my opinion and along with some beautiful close-up work, his videos are full of educational titbits about the subjects he photographs.
AOWS
A channel by Spanish-American, black-and-white landscape photographer Adrian Vila. I’ve not historically taken a lot of black and white photos, but it is something I’ve started to do more of recently and I’ve become a big fan of Adrian’s mono work. He has a distinctive approach to the way he shoots and edits his work and I’ve spent many an hour following Adrian’s journeys around Europe and America, often sleeping in the back of his car as he searches for the next subject to photograph.
Nick Page
If I had to describe Nick’s landscape photography in one word, I think I would choose “EPIC”. Nick is an incredibly relatable and down-to-earth character and I thoroughly enjoy is “in the field” videos which usually result in yet another incredible landscape photo.
Photography online
Probably one of the most polished, photography shows on YouTube hosted by Ruth Taylor, Marcus McAdam along with the rest of the Photography Online Team. This no-nonsense show is packed full of useful information with features covering a breadth of topics including film, nature and landscape photography.
Murray Livingston
I haven’t followed Murray Livingston’s work for too long, but in that short time, I’ve started to really enjoy his photography and videos. Originally from South Africa and now residing in Scotland, Murray’s videos are quiet and contemplative, and his landscape photography is of an incredibly high quality.
Alan Schaller
Up until now, the YouTube channels I’ve listed have been broadly landscape photography-based, but I think it’s important to mix things up and be inspired by work from outside of your general wheelhouse. You can usually find Alan Schaller walking the streets of London taking incredible black and white street photos of the people and places he comes across and by having a slightly eccentric nature, it makes for some entertaining videos.
First Man Photography
First Man Photography is a channel hosted by Adam Karnacz; a landscape photographer based in Yorkshire. Besides being a talented photographer, Adam will frequently go above and beyond to bring his audience more interesting videos, for example, taking a printer up a mountain to take, edit and print a photo while on location. First Man Photography has been around for nearly 10 years, so I’d be surprised if you’ve not come across him yet, but for the one or two who haven’t, I recommend taking a look.
Adam Gibbs
Although Adam is originally from the UK, he has lived in Canada for a few decades and along with some regular travel further afield, he spends much of his time driving his small camper van to remote locations across Canada to photograph the landscape. Whether taking photos of wide vistas or small, intimate patterns in the rock, Adam’s work is typically subtle and calming and his videos have a similar feel (unless he gets together with Gavin Hardcastle, that is).
YouTube channels featuring film photographers
Although some of the photographers I’ve already mentioned will occasionally use film cameras, I decided to create a separate list of channels I follow where film cameras are their tools of trade. All of the channels that focus on film photography I follow have a familiar calm, quiet, methodical theme running through them, so if you’re looking to strip away some of the technology used in modern photography and get back to basics, these channels are well worth a look.
Ben Horne
If you are after a pure photography experience, look no further than Ben Horne. He shoots wilderness photography on large-format film at places like Zion and Death Valley National Park. Ben will regularly head out on a trip (usually four times a year) and document his journey as he seeks new and different compositions of the places he is already familiar with. After the trip Ben will release a series of videos from the trip, finishing up with an image review where he shares his thoughts about the pictures he took.
Kyle McDougall
Kyle McDougall's channel focuses on film photography, creative exploration, and personal growth through the many projects he undertakes. He clearly and articulately explains his thought process and reasoning for the trips he takes, projects he undertakes and gear he uses. Like the other film channels I watch, Kyle’s videos are incredibly relaxing and informative and even though I’ve not dabbled in film photography myself (yet), it hasn’t stopped me from learning a great deal from this channel.
Nick Carver
I’ve followed Nick Carver’s photographer for just a couple of years after Thomas Heaton mentioned him on one of his videos. Nick is an American film photographer, often found by the side of the road photographing former Taco Bell restaurants. Whether it’s an urban location or the middle of a desert, Nick is happy to make a project out of almost any subject and alongside his presenting style, having such an open mind to what makes a good photo is why I’m eager to watch his videos when a new one drops.
Jess Hobbs
Based in Montreal, Jess Hobs shoots predominantly with film, typically taking pictures of the natural spaces around her. There’s not been a video for a few months, and although I wouldn’t normally include dormant channels on this list, long pauses in video releases are not unusual for her and I think Jess’s videos good enough to stay subscribed for when the next one drops.
Chris Darnell
Chris Darnell is an American landscape photographer who takes his pictures on both film and digital cameras. Spending much of his time seeking fresh compositions in America’s western national parks such as Zion and Bryce Canyon, Chris uses large and medium format cameras, communicating his creative thought process as he goes.
Studio-based and interview-style photography YouTube channels
Here you will find some of the channels I regularly watch that are typically filmed indoors. Some might be a group video with standard webcams, others are filmed in a formal, studio setting but regardless of their style or equipment used, they are all great channels in their own right.
Glyn Dewis
I first came across Glyn Lewis when he presented the “He shoots, he draws” podcast with Dave Clayton a few years ago and continued to follow him as his YouTube channel started to gain a lot more traction. Here he interviews various people from the creative industry from photographers to animators who openly share a wealth of knowledge they’ve gained throughout their careers. For a one-man band, it’s a pretty slick show and if like me, you just love to hear the stories of anyone involved in a creativity, then this is a podcast well worth a look.
Brews n' Views
What’s not to like about a channel about photography and beer? Brews n’ Views has been going for about a year now and is essentially a few good friends who all enjoy an IPA (or five) and getting together to chat photography. The videos usually start with a quick chat about the beers they’ve brought, followed by presenting the work of guest photographers or those they’ve come across online. Some of the videos can be a little on the long side (2-3 hours!!) but it’s still a great way to see work from photographers you might never come across otherwise.
The Photography Pubcast
Like the Brews n’ Views channel I just mentioned, The Photography Pubcast follows a similar theme but is hosted by a few good friends mostly dotted around the UK, having a light-hearted chat about pretty much anything (with a bit of photography thrown in here and there). There are a few funny characters, with plenty of friendly banter and without too much in the way of photos being shown on screen, it’s the kind of video you can have on in the background while doing a bit of editing yourself.
Matt Payne
Matt Payne is a photographer based in Colorado and alongside being an experienced landscape and nature photographer himself, he has been interviewing other people from the photographic world since 2017. Originally an audio-only series, Matt started to film his conversations a little later and now boasts an impressive library of interviews spanning many photographic genres.
The Art of Photography
Ted Forbes and his Art of Photography channel should need no introduction. Ted has been presenting on his channel for years and if you’re looking for photobook hints, tips and inspiration, this is the channel for you. Ted gets sent a ton of photobooks from his viewers and regularly showcases them on his channel, offering subtle but constructive feedback as and when needed.
Sean Tucker
Photographically, I would say Sean is best known as a street and portrait photographer, but his videos are much more than that. Focusing on photography, creativity, and personal growth, Sean offers thoughtful tutorials and insights on photography techniques, gear, and editing while also delving into the deeper, philosophical aspects of being a creative person. A great channel for tackling self-doubt and seeking purpose in your work.
So, there’s my list of some of my favourite photography-related YouTube videos. I’m currently subscribed to around 160 YouTube channels and although many are now inactive, I still skip far more videos than I watch, but having a good selection of channels allows me to watch just the very best shows that peak my interest, so you can’t have too many in my opinion. With that in mind, please feel free to share your favourite channels in the comments.
Gathering Time by Simon Baxter | My Photo Bookshelf
A book featuring the work of woodland photographer Simon Baxter.
If you visit my website regularly, then it will be no secret that I love woodland photography and have been actively taking photos of trees for a few years now, so when Simon Baxter, one of the most talented woodland photographers out there releases a book, it automatically has a place on my bookshelf.
Author’s synopsis
‘Gathering Time’ is a photographic book by professional woodland photographer, Simon Baxter. It expresses the calm, quiet awe and emotion of woodland, as well as Simon’s unique connection to this beautifully complex world. Driven by the freely available therapeutic benefits of nature close to home, Simon has spent several years crafting woodland images to communicate his fascination with trees and appreciation for the sanctuary their home has provided.
My thoughts about the book
Gathering Time was released a few years ago and although I’ve just got around to posting about it here, it’s a book I’ve owned for some time and often flick through when in need of some inspiration. It’s one of those rare photography books where you will struggle to spot any filler images as every one in there is of such a high quality and very much deserves its place in the book (can you tell I’m a fan of his work yet?).
The book starts with a wonderfully written forward by Joe Cornish (another of my landscape photography heroes), followed by the book’s introduction. Simon’s introduction tells the story of what led him to photograph the woodland and the many benefits it brings. Amongst the beautiful woodland imagery are a scattering of essays, each telling a story, recalling memories or providing a window into Simon’s thought process. It’s a clever and insightful way to organise the book and group the photos together both visually with the sequencing and conceptually with the writing.
I’m a big proponent of using photography and nature to help improve mental well-being and Simon writes openly about his own, personal struggles both physically and mentally and how surrounding himself with the natural world went a long way to support his physical and mental healing.
I’ve spent many hours flicking through the pages of this beautifully crafted photography book and if you appreciate high-quality woodland imagery as I do, then Gathering Time should be at the very top of your photography book wishlist.
Book Details
Hardcover
Size: 300mm x 240mm
Pages: 128
Photos: 90
Availability at the time of writing: Still in print. Available from the author’s website: https://baxter.photos/shop/gathering-time
New Photos | Spring 2024
A collection of photos taken during spring 2024.
In early 2024, I decided that those who visit my website, read my blog or subscribe to my newsletter should be the first to see my most recent work. I want to ensure that those who actively follow my work can see my latest photos here, presented in a way I want them to be seen. I’ll be releasing new collections as and when I finish editing them and with so many of my photos taken in the woodland, a seasonal release schedule seems to make the most sense to me. This approach may not be limited to just seasonal collections as I will still post new photos with my “On-Location” stories or project-specific collections but, the important point is that they will be seen here or in my newsletter first.
I speak about it a bit more in the first Winter 2023 collection.
March to May 2024 - Spring 2024 collection.
Spring got off to an incredibly slow start in the woodland this year. It seemed to take an age for the new growth to appear and with so many cold, wet and windy days we had, I was eager to say goodbye to the bare, dormant woodlands and hello to fresh leaves and vibrant spring colour.
I’ve grouped the woodland collections below into three, each representing the different stages of springtime in my local woodlands. Many of the subjects are repeated but look distinctively different thanks to the changes introduced as spring took hold.
The first few images were taken in March when the woodland still had a wintery look and feel to it. There were early signs of growth around, but the trees and understory were predominantly bare.
I revisited the woodland again in April and the new growth was well on its way. The forest floor had come to life with new grass, fern shoots and a scattering of bluebells.
Finally, in May, the woodland was much fuller and was awash with vibrant lime greens. Along with finding a few new compositions, I also revisited many of my regular subjects as I find it interesting to document them as they change throughout the year.
Although I don’t send my drone up nearly as much as I should, I did take a few aerial images during my time visiting and photographing the South Downs National Park.
Apart from a few trees here and there, it’s difficult to get a sense of spring in my cityscape photos of London, especially with the cooler tones I tend to lean towards in my photos. Still, this image collection was taken between March and May this year. I can never get bored of exploring this fantastic city I’m lucky enough to live close to and even though it’s such a popular place to photograph, now and then, I find a new composition I’ve not seen before.
Finally, at the very end of May, I spent a week in Snowdonia and although not a dedicated photography trip, I did allocate a few hours here and there to get out with my camera for some landscape photography. I published an on-location blog post featuring more of the photos I took.
Until next time.
Trevor
Photographing Snowdonia in Late Spring
Landscape photography from my trip to Snowdonia in late spring
Since I made my first dedicated photography trip to Snowdonia back in January 2023, I’ve become a little obsessed and have returned a few times for a bit of landscape photography. Before now, I’d only visited during the colder months, so I could photograph a more wintry-looking landscape, but I also wanted to visit at other times of the year as there were certain locations I knew would look better between spring and autumn.
In May this year, I spent a week staying in Betws-y-Coed, a village on the edge of Snowdonia with my family. It wasn’t a dedicated photography trip, but I still made sure to carve out some time here and there to head out on my own to indulge in some landscape photography and in this blog post, you’ll find some of the photos I took during the trip.
Photographing Fairy Glen
Being late spring and with the woodland full of vibrant colour, Fairy Glen was at the top of my list of places to photograph during this visit. Located just a few minute’s drive from Betws-y-Coed, Fairy Gen is a narrow gorge along the River Conwy.
I’d seen countless photos taken at this spot and the ones I was drawn to the most were those that included plenty of foliage, which I feel brings this location to life. So, knowing that any time between late spring and autumn would be ideal, I set my alarm to arrive shortly after sunrise.
As you can see, I was not disappointed. It looked exactly how I’d hoped; better even. There was so much colour in the scene, helped by the fact that it was raining as I arrived, and the wet leaves were even more saturated.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 34mm | 10 Seconds | f/10 | ISO125
I started off with the classic view looking directly through the gorge. The rocks were wet and slippery so word of warning for anyone visiting in similar conditions. I made a feature of the bubbles created by the water cascading over the rocks by using an ND filter and a longer exposure to capture them as they made their way downstream towards me. Luckily there was no wind down there, so I didn’t have to worry about the leaves moving around while the picture was taken.
I tried a few different compositions and crops and took a few photos I liked but the one above is my favourite from that vantage point.
Moving off the slippery rocks and to the side of the river, I wanted to find a slightly different composition from those I’d seen before. Being such a small spot, I doubt I could find a unique photo but after a bit of trial and error, I found the composition seen below. Maybe not unique but certainly new to me. I purposely placed the green leaves towards the bottom left of the frame to add a little interest and to add some visual weight to balance the composition against the gorge on the right. Once again, I took a long exposure to emphasise the movement in the river which flows nicely towards the bottom right-hand side of the frame.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 21mm | 6.5 Seconds | f/8 | ISO125
Photographing Dinorwig Slate Quarry
During the trip, we visited Dinorwig (Dinorwic) slate quarry to spend a few hours exploring this heavily sculptured, industrial landscape. Situated close to Llanberis, Dinorwig quarry was the second largest slate quarry in Wales (and the world) and since closing in 1969 has since become a go-to place for hiking, rock climbing and even scuba diving. The place is oozing history with remnants of a highly active, industrial past scattered all over the quarry.
This isn’t the kind of landscape I would usually photograph, and the mid-afternoon light wasn’t particularly favourable but between the sunny periods I had some defused light to work with and came away with a few photos I liked.
Dali’s Hole is a pool of some of the most vibrant turquoise water I’ve ever seen and as I stood on the edge looking across to the other side, I spotted the small waterfalls cascading down. What I particularly liked about this scene was the colour and how the grey slate, turquoise water and lime green leaves worked so well together. I lined up a composition and waited patiently for the sun to be partly obscured by the passing cloud, defusing the light enough for the photo to work.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 48mm | 1/13th Second | f/14 | ISO125
For the following two pictures, I wanted to photograph the old industrial structures in the wider landscape. I found these two derelict buildings standing alone and spent a few minutes with each working on the composition and waiting for the ideal light before taking the photos.
Weatherwise, it was interesting as there was still some lovely defused light sneaking through the gaps in the thick clouds illuminating parts of the scene but directly behind the structures I was photographing were just mountains and clouds which II really liked as I wanted to avoid blue sky in the photos to get a better sense of the mood I was trying to create.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 23mm | 1/250th Second | f/8 | ISO125
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 40mm | 1/125th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Photographing Swallow Falls
With Swallow Falls just a few minutes up the road from where we were staying in Betws-y-Coed, I popped by one morning to look at these impressive falls. With so much rain falling in the UK around the time of our trip to Wales, there was a lot of water gushing down the river and although impressive to look at, taking a good photo of the entire scene was more difficult.
However much I tried, I couldn’t make a composition work of the wider view of these falls. The light was flat and there was just too much water making it look messy and cluttered. Not to be defeated, I used my telephoto lens to zoom in on the top section of the falls where there was a bit more balance between the rocks and water and took a few intimate landscape photos.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 50mm | 0.6 Seconds | f/9 | ISO125
I spent a minute or two fine-tuning the composition so that the images above and below were as balanced as they could be and with little colour in the scene, I decided these would work better in black and white. After converting them in post-production, I pushed the contrast by decreasing the exposure on the rocks and brightening up the water. I finished with some selective dodging and burning on the rocks to bring through some of the texture and on the water to tone down a few of the highlights.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 206mm | 1/8th Second | f/7.1 | ISO320
For this final photo from Swallow Falls, I zoomed in all the way to 300mm to photograph this hanging branch in front of falling water. I like the colour contrast with the vibrant greens against the cooler tones of the water and with the inevitable gusts created by the falling water directly behind, I had to be patient while I waited for the leaves to stop moving before I could take the shot.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm | 1/5th Second | f/10 | ISO320
Before continuing with the photos I took on this trip to Snowdonia, I wanted to link to a few other on-location blog posts that tell the story and showcase the photos I took on my previous trips to Snowdonia. So, if you get to the end of this post and are still eager to see more, feel free to pop by and give these a read.
Photographing the Ogwen Valley
I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the Ogwen Valley during previous, dedicated photography trips to Snowdonia and although I didn’t spend nearly the same amount of time there this time, I did manage to fit in a quick hike up along Afon Lloer to once again photograph this classic view of Tryfan.
Although it was late spring, the weather was predictably changeable and what I remember most about that morning was how often I had to put the camera away and turn my back against the bouts of driving rain coming in from across the valley. With the camera facing the direction of the driving rain, most of the photos I took ended up with raindrops all over the lens, so I had to work quickly with the cloth to keep the glass clear and take a clean picture of this scene.
Lining up this classic composition alongside this small waterfall, I waited for Tryfan’s peak to become visible in the distant clouds and in between the constant wiping of my lens I quickly took the photo as soon as it appeared.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/5th Second | f/5 | ISO125
During the stay I made two early morning trips to the Ogwen Valley and on my second trip I was greeted with thick, low-level clouds and almost zero visibility which put a halt to any chance of a grand vista featuring the lakes or mountains. Instead of waiting around too long for the cloud to lift, I had a rethink and decided to drive to another location I had wanted to visit but before I left, I took a short walk up to the bridge across the Afon Idwal Falls close to the Ogwen Cottage and took this photo of the cascading water below.
With the light levels low, there was no need for any ND filters when taking this photo; in fact, I had to bump the ISO up a little to quicken the shutter speed to achieve the optimal exposure of a 1/3rd of a second to get the look I wanted in the water.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 17mm | 1/3rd Second | f/6.4 | ISO400
Photographing the Roman Bridge at Penmachno
I mentioned above that with the fog so thick in the Ogwen Valley I ended up driving to another spot I had on my list and that was this beautiful location here at the old Roman bridge at Penmachno. According to articles I’ve read, the bridge was actually built in the Middle Ages (possibly the 15th century) and is not even close to being Roman but once connected an old Roman road that was part of the Cistercian Way. I had seen a few photos taken here and just like at Fairy Glen, it always looked better with leaves on the trees between spring and autumn, so after parking in a layby just a few minutes up the road, I found the path that took me down to this spot beside the Afon Machno.
Again, I was lucky that there was little wind, so I didn’t have to contend with too much movement in the trees but with a light rain falling and all the leaves wet, there was plenty of reflective light across the scene causing a lot of glare. I opted to use my CPL filter as not only did it help reduce some of the glare in the scene, but it also gave the lime-green spring leaves a slight bump in vividness. I didn’t turn the CPL all the way as it would have removed all the reflective light, leaving the scene flat and lifeless so I experimented a little before taking this final photo below.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 50mm | 0.8 Seconds | f/10 | ISO125
Photographing the Snowdon Massive at LLynnau Mymbyr
On our final night in Wales, we went for an evening hike near Capel Curig, finishing off here, beside LLynnau Mymbyr. This location offers uninterrupted views of Snowdon and offers compositions for both wide and telephoto lenses.
I’ve visited this spot before during winter but at sunrise and not sunset as in the winter months, the sun would set directly behind the distant peaks and I’m not a big fan of shooting towards the setting sun. I prefer to have it off to the side which is where it sets in the summer months. With the clouds as they were on this particular evening, there wasn’t any vivid sunset colour but there was a soft haze in the air and shortly after the sun was due to set, there were these pastel pink/blue light in the sky and with the lake almost completely flat, it was a beautiful scene to witness and of course, photograph.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 72mm | 1/8th Second | f/9 | ISO125 (7 image stitched pano)
Starting off with my telephoto lens, I decided to take a stitched panoramic photo of the scene in front of me. I switched to a vertical composition and while sweeping from left to right took 7 photos which I later stitched together in post-production to create this panoramic image of the scene you can see above.
The final pano is nearly 100 megapixels and although pixel count doesn’t usually matter too much these days, in this case, the advantage of having so much resolution in a photo is that you can creatively crop it down to make additional compositions from the same image, which is what I did to make the two pictures below.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 72mm | 1/8th Second | f/9 | ISO125
I love how the haze adds depth to the image, creating this layered look as the elements in the landscape become lighter as they get further away, and I’m particularly pleased that there was still enough definition around the edge of the mountains to provide a little separation between them.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 72mm | 1/8th Second | f/9 | ISO125
With the light now fading fast, for the final photo below, I opted for a wider composition. I wanted to include the rocks in the foreground and although they are predominately on the right of the frame, the dark reflections of the trees on the left helped to keep the composition somewhat balanced.
With enough interest already in the scene, I opted to take a longer 6.5-second exposure to flatten those subtle ripples in the water, creating this mirror-like surface across the lake.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 18mm | 6.5 Seconds | f/8 | ISO125
Given that that wasn’t a dedicated photography trip, I’m pleased with the photos I managed to take during the week-long visit and look forward to future trips at different times of the year in the future.
If you’ve not read them already, don’t forget to visit my other on-location stories covering my previous landscape photography trips to Snowdonia by clicking the links shared earlier in this article and as ever, if you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below or message me directly using the form on my contact page.
Until next time.
Trevor.
Manfrotto Befree Advanced tripod review
A landscape photographer’s review of the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Twist Carbon tripod.
As with the perfect camera bag, the perfect tripod is like the holy grail to us landscape photographers. No matter how many we buy, there is always some kind of compromise when it comes to weight, stability, hight, features, etc. As soon as I realised that there was no single tripod for all occasions, it became clear that just like the camera bag, I might need one specifically designed for the type of photography I intend to do.
Although I’m pretty happy with my bigger, heavier tripod I use for landscape photography (see my latest camera gear post here), for a few reasons, I’ve never really been fully content with any of the smaller, lightweight tripods I’ve owned. So, when Manfrotto reached out and asked me to review their Befree Advanced Twist Carbon tripod (MKBFRTC4-BH), I decided to take them up on their offer.
To clarify and be completely transparent, Manfrotto sent me this tripod for free in return for sharing my thoughts, but I’m under no obligation to say only positive things. I would not have accepted the offer if there was any expectation of me to be anything but honest and fair.
One final point before we get stuck in. This is not a scientific review but merely my thoughts and opinion about what I need from a tripod and how the Befree Advanced performed after spending some time with it while taking photos in the field. Other photographers may have different priorities and expectations regarding what they need from a tripod, and I always suggest doing your own research before deciding.
I don’t often travel with a tripod but one of the main reasons I need a smaller, lightweight tripod is for my photography in London. I spend a lot of time photographing the cityscape and carrying a large, heavy tripod around the city isn’t practical at all. So, to give this tripod a proper test out in the field, I brought it along on one of my London photography trips to take a few long exposure images for my black and white Timeless City project.
Befree Advanced twist carbon tripod specifications
Before we start, I’ll quickly list the technical specs from the Manfrotto website. I won’t list everything, but I have included the specs important to me and what I am looking for as a landscape photographer.
Maximum and minimum height
When it comes to design, the maximum and minimum height of a tripod is incredibly important to me when photographing in and around London. Where tripods are allowed, I still need to be mindful of other people and I’m often looking for ways to use the tripod for stability but remain out of the way as best I can. To avoid the tripod using too much floor space, I will often avoid extending the legs and rest it on a wall. In this scenario, the walls can often be narrow meaning I can’t lower the tripod too much by spreading its legs. With the Manfrotto Befree Advanced having a minimum height of 41cm, it means I can place the tripod on a wall without it being too high to use comfortably.
On the other hand, the maximum height is equally important, not because it has to be as high as possible but because it must strike the right balance. When using a lightweight tripod, I’m not looking for the highest possible vantage point, I’m looking to ensure I can extend the tripod high enough to be comfortable for me but not so high that I’m carrying access weight or bulk to achieve a height I don’t really need. The Befree Advanced strikes the right balance for me. I’m not a tall person but with only a slight upward tilt of my rear screen, I can comfortably use the tripod at its maximum height of 127cm (without the centre collum extended).
Weight and stability
At only 1.25 kg (head included) the Befree Advanced is light enough to hook to my camera bag and carry around comfortably all day, but without the weight, I was a little concerned it might not be stable enough when photographing in windy conditions.
While out in London testing the tripod, I stopped along the River Thames to take a long exposure photo of the O2 Arena (formally the Millennium Dome). The wind had picked up, making shake-free long-exposure photos a little tricky. So, this was a good opportunity to test the tripod’s stability. The wind was too strong for me to get sharp photos with the centre collum extended and to be fair, most tripods would have struggled in those conditions but keeping the centre column retracted (as I normally do), my long-exposure photos were perfectly sharp.
So overall, from a stability point of view, it performed well considering how light it is which is a big tick in the box for this tripod.
Opening and closing the tripod
It’s important to me that my tripods open and close with minimum effort and fuss and the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Twist Carbon Fiber tripod has a quick and comfortable twist lock mechanism which works well. It feels smooth, does not require too much effort and I could extend or close the tripod quickly and easily.
My only concern and recommendation for improvement here is that to extend the lower/smaller leg section, I had to untwist the lock and then pull on the rubber feet to extend the leg. Not a huge issue but the rubber feet don’t feel particularly solid and they do twist quite easily. So over time, I feel I could end up loosening or even pulling one of them out completely. I would prefer something a little more solid to grip as I pull the lower leg out and I feel the rubber feet could be better engineered so as not to give the impression I might eventually lose one.
It’s a small area for improvement in an overall positive experience with the twist lock leg mechanism.
Ball head and RC2 mount
Starting with the ball head, I was quite happy with how well this performed. In the description on Manfrotto’s website, they clearly state that this tripod is well-suited for mirrorless cameras, and I think that’s a fair statement. The Advanced 494 aluminium Centre Ball Head might not necessarily support a heavier SLR or medium format body and lens combo, but it’s clear to me that this is not the tripod for those photographers. This tripod is perfect for mirrorless cameras and supports my Fujifilm XT5 and lens with ease.
There are three knobs to use for adjusting the ball head. First, a panoramic knob which allows the head to pan 360 degrees while keeping the horizon flat. Although this is a feature I use often when taking panoramic landscape images, I haven’t taken any with this tripod yet, but I still used it to adjust my composition and it worked absolutely
fine.
The other two knobs are situated together with the smaller friction knob situated inside the main sphere lock. Ball heads can be tricky to use when trying to carefully fine-tune a composition by a millimetre here or there, but by including a separate friction lock, Manfrotto has made the life of a landscape photographer much easier. The main sphere lock felt solid and held the camera in place comfortably. I had no concerns and would trust my camera gear to stay put when the ball head is locked.
A small concern is the plastic used for the ball head knobs. I appreciate Manfrotto's need to find ways to keep weight down, but I’ve had plastic ball head knobs fail on me in the past so I’m hyper-sensitive to the materials used. Also, the plastic feel isn’t particularly comfortable to use and makes using the tripod feel a little on the cheap side. It’s far from the most expensive tripod out there and it certainly doesn’t position itself as such but for a £279 tripod, a small rubber grip on the ball head knobs would go a long way to improving the way it feels to use.
The Befree Advanced twist carbon tripod comes with Manfrotto’s RC2 quick-release plate system. The quick-release system works well and with the camera mounted, the camera felt safe and secure.
Like many landscape photographers who use a tripod, I have always used an Arca-Swiss tripod mount and along with that, I use an L-bracket to help me quickly switch between portrait and landscape orientation. This is where things got a little tricky with the RC2 system as it wasn’t compatible with my Arca-Swiss L-bracket and at time of writing, Manfrotto doesn’t seem to offer an L-bracket that works with their RC2 quick-release system.
The good news is Manfrotto offer a solution to my problem with their Arca-type compatible Top Lock Travel Quick Release Adaptor, the bad news is that anyone looking to use an Arca-Swiss L-bracket with this tripod will need to pay an additional £37 to buy the adapter. The adapter worked exactly as expected and once mounted, I had no issues integrating the tripod into my usual workflow.
So, at least Manfrotto has a solution and although I’m coming at this from a landscape photographer’s point of view, I do think it would make sense that Manfrotto included this adapter with the tripod or even offered the Arca-Swiss compatible head as an option when purchasing the Befree Advanced Twist.
Overall, the Manfrotto Befree Advanced twist carbon tripod feels good to use and performs very well. Any complaints or concerns I have are a bit nitpicky and easily solved in a future revision.
Below are two of the photos I took while out in London taking long-exposure, black-and-white photos using the Manfrotto Befree Advanced Twist Carbon tripod.
Would I recommend this tripod? Well, tripods are such a subjective bit of kit and what’s good for me might not be good for others. Having said that, if you want to travel light but still have a sturdy tripod on hand to take landscape, cityscape or travel photos, I recommend you take a good look at the Befree Advanced twist when choosing your next tripod. It may well be the tripod you’ve always needed.
I hope you found that useful and if you have any questions, leave a comment below or send me a message using the form on my contact page.
Until next time
Trevor
Fieldwork by Finn Hopson | My Photo Bookshelf
A landscape photography book by Finn Hopson featuring a collection of photos taken of the South Downs National Park in the southeast of England.
Being local to Brighton and the South Downs in the UK, I’ve long followed Finn Hopson’s landscape photography, admiring his photos of the Sussex Coast and the surrounding area both online, and when in the local area, visiting his gallery along the Brighton seafront to see his work in person.
It was during one of those visits to his Gallery when I picked up Fieldwork; the first of a trio of books Finn plans to release featuring the photos he has taken in and around Brighton and the South Downs.
Author’s synopsis
How many ways can you look at the same thing and see something different? How many times can you visit the same place and find something new?
“Fieldwork is the result of twelve years spent collecting different versions of the same thing. It’s a scrapbook of shapes, patterns, colours and light which define the South Downs. My approach is not about finding a singular ‘decisive moment’ but instead deciding to be there for as many moments as possible. This is a place that speaks to me more deeply than anywhere else, and this is my attempt to compile a kind of visual dialect to describe it.”
The book features more than 100 photographs of the South Downs, accompanied by a selection of words from the ancient Sussex dialect which evolved to describe some of the subtleties of this unique landscape.
”These pictures are not a definitive collection of iconic locations, or a compendium of must-see spots. Instead, my hope is that others who know the Downs will recognise something of their own experience, and those who are yet to visit may feel somewhat intrigued by the prospect.”
My thoughts about the book
As mentioned in the synopsis above, this isn’t a book full of iconic, recognisable views of Sussex, but a collection of well-crafted, photos of some of the many beautiful views of the South Downs taken during countless visits to this ancient landscape. In traditional style, the book starts with an introduction written by the author and in Fieldwork, Finn talks about his connection with this landscape, providing the perfect backstory to his book.
After the introduction, the book gets straight into the pictures of the South Downs, perfectly depicting the natural and man-made geometric shapes in the landscape. With only a scattering of words from the ancient Sussex dialect providing convenient places to pause throughout the book, the design is clean and uncluttered; just the way I like it.
Maybe it’s because I know this landscape well, but what I particularly like about the work in this book is how at first glance, it’s made up of a collection of impressive photos of the landscape but as you flick through the pages, you start to see a deeper story being told in the work. The South Downs is a hive of activity with walkers, workers, animals and various forms of agriculture and Finn has subtly included much of this activity throughout the book, which not only helps to portray the impressive scale of the landscape but tells a deeper story about how important the landscape is to so many.
This is a well-sequenced, high-quality photography book and even if you’ve never visited the South Downs before, this expertly crafted collection of photos is still able to take you on a journey through what is an incredibly unique and captivating landscape in the southeast of England.
Book Details
Hardcover
Size: 300mm x 240mm
Pages: 144
Photos: 105
Availability at the time of writing: Still in print. Available from the author’s website: https://www.finnhopson.com/photobook-products/fieldwork
Why I chose the Fujifilm X-T50 as a second camera
Thinking about buying the Fujifilm X-T50? Read about why I decided to buy this camera to use alongside my XT5.
Those who have read some of my “What’s in my camera bag” posts over the years will know that I shoot with Fujifilm’s X-series cameras and since owning the XT2 back in 2017, I’ve always had a second, “backup” camera. This was particularly useful when towards the end of 2022, my XT2 decided to die while out taking photos in my local woodland. It had taken a few knocks and had a fall when my tripod tipped over shortly before, so I wasn’t shocked it happened. But with the XT5 about to be released, I decided against having it repaired and used my X-T30 camera for a month or two while waiting for the XT5 to be delivered.
The good news is that accidents and camera malfunctions are pretty rare, but having a backup camera for those just-in-case moments can mean that most of the time, it’s sat on a shelf, unused and depreciating.
So, how can I ensure I have a second camera, both as an adequate backup, and at the same time ensuring it gets used regularly? I could simply buy the same model again and rotate the cameras, knowing that they are both used half the time, reducing the normal wear and tear they typically get. That would work just fine, but can I take it a little further?
For all five generations of Fujifilm’s XT series cameras, they have had a philosophy to have a bigger, more robust flagship model (the XT1-5 range) and a smaller, less feature-rich range being the X-T10 to the newly released X-T50.
My lightweight camera gear from early 2023 featuring my backup Fujifilm X-T30
The key differences between the two are size, weight, construction (weather resistance), memory card slots and tweaks to the control/buttons. But what I particularly like about the smaller, lighter X-TXX range is that they use exactly the same sensor and image processor as their bigger brother.
My primary camera for landscape photography is a Fujifilm XT5
In late 2022, shortly after my XT2 failed, I ordered the newly announced Fujifilm XT5 to use as my primary landscape photography workhorse and after around 6 months of regular use, I wrote a review from the point of view of a landscape photographer. So, if you want to know more about that camera, click the thumbnail below.
Why I chose the Fujifilm X-T50 as a second camera
I chose to use the phrase “second camera” on purpose as I don’t like the idea of just having a backup camera (as I mentioned already). I wanted a second camera that has its own unique role to play, to contribute positively to the work I create while at the same time being a backup to the XT5. This is where the X-TXX range and more specifically the X-T50 comes in.
I wrote this article to not only explain why I decided to own both the XT5 and X-T50, but to also provide help to anyone considering buying one of them but needs help deciding which. I also acknowledge that this is not a scientific gear review, and everyone will have their own reasons and opinions for the gear they buy, and these are mine. If I make an error with any of the technical features and specifications, then feel free to correct me but if you don’t agree with some or all the points I make, well,… then,… that’s ok. We can agree to disagree there.
The Fujifilm X-T50 is smaller and lighter than the XT5
The Fujifilm X-T50 and XT5 side by side
I spend a lot of my time walking the streets of London and even more so while I create work for my Timeless City project and when carrying a camera in your hand or around your neck for a few hours at a time, keeping the weight down is important. When I’m not lugging so much weight around with me (like I might on a landscape or woodland photography shoot), it feels more freeing, and I can manoeuvre faster to find those more interesting compositions by crouching low or climbing to get a higher vantage point.
Same sensor, same image processor, same quality
When selecting a camera from other brands, you often have to choose between the latest sensor in their flagship models or previous generation sensors with their lower-end models. In essence, the more you spend, the higher quality imaging capabilities. This seems pretty fair, but Fujifilm does it a little differently. For both their flagship XTX and less expensive X-TXX models, they have always used their latest sensor and image processor.
With the same 40.2MP sensor in each, I never have to compromise on image quality or resolution when deciding what camera to use for a given situation. This also applies to when I might have to use the X-T50 as a backup camera both exclusively or alongside the XT5. In truth, if they didn’t have the same sensor, I might have just bought another XT5 and rotated between them. So, this was a key point in my final decision.
The X-T50 uses the same X-mount lenses as the Fujifilm XT5
The advantage of a second camera being the same brand as my primary camera is that they use the same X-mount lens system. This means I can use any lens I own with both cameras and equally as important, I only have to invest in one set of lenses for all of my photography endeavours.
My current collection of Fujifilm x-mount lenses
The X-T50 now has in-body stabilisation
As I mentioned, the smaller and lighter body helps when using the camera in hand-held situations such as when photographing in the city, travelling and photographing my family. On top of the form factor, Fujifilm have now found a way to add up to 7-stops of in-body stabilisation (IBIS) which means sharper hand-held photos in low light situations.
Familiar Menus, design and button layout
A back of the camera shot of the Fujifilm X-T50’s menu system and buttons
I know I’m not alone when I say that I do not like replacing my cameras and will only do so if there is an obvious advantage to doing so, as even the slightest of changes between camera generations means there is some level of adapting to new button layouts or features. What Fujifilm do well is keep their camera designs and menus incredibly consistent and although there is always some level of adapting when picking up a new Fujifilm camera, it is kept to a minimum.
So, when I pick up either my XT5 or X-T50, I know I won’t have to spend any time relearning how to dial in my settings for any given shooting situation.
The X-T50 is a fun camera to use
I’m not sure if it’s psychological or not but with it being bigger, heavier and more robust, I see my XT5 as the workhorse in my kit. It’s my serious camera, one I use for my slower, more considered landscape photography work. On the other hand, I see the X-T50 (and previous generations I’ve owned) as the fun, everyday camera. It’s a strange thing to say on one hand, as the X-T50 is just as capable in terms of image quality as its bigger brother but whatever the reason, I just find it more fun to use.
The downsides of choosing the X-T50
It’s not all a bed of roses as from a landscape photography point of view, the Fujifilm XT5 is still a superior camera compared to the X-T50. So, what features and capabilities am I giving up? To clarify, these are not criticisms of the X-T50 as I researched the features in detail before I bought it and knew what I would be giving up. This is more to help those undecided and looking for a comparison between the Fujifilm XT5 and X-T50.
The X-T50 is not weather-resistant
Having a weather-sealed camera is a must for any serious landscape photographer as some of the best photos can be taken during inclement weather and I certainly considered the X-T50’s lack of weather resistance when making my decision to buy this camera. The weather-sealed XT5 is still my go-to camera for my landscape photography outings, so for those times I’m standing there in the rain taking photos, I will have that camera with me. If the XT5 is temporarily out of action and I need to rely on the X-T50 for landscape photography, for the odd time it might be raining, I will have both my ThinkTank rain cover and an umbrella with me just in case.
The Fujifilm X-T50 uses the smaller NP-W126S batteries
The NP-126S battery used in the Fujifilm X-T50
This means I have to buy and maintain 2 different sets of batteries. That’s not such a big issue for me as I already had a couple from when I owned the X-T30 but to some, it might be something to consider. Also, the battery is smaller and has less capacity than the NP-W235 used in the XT5. Sure, that might mean fewer images per charge but there is no way the camera would be as small if it was designed to use a bigger battery. So, I think Fujifilm made the right call there.
The X-T50 only has one memory card slot
The Fujifilm XT5 has dual memory card slots and I’ve configured the camera to write new images to both cards, meaning if one were to fail before I get around to backing them up, I still have all the images safe and sound on the other card. With only one memory card slot in the X-T50, I need to be mindful of how a card failure could result in the loss of images and if I were taking photos for a paid job or at a location I know I can’t return too, then I would be using my XT5 anyway. For the typical situations where I use the X-T50 and in the unlikely event my memory card was to fail before backing up the images, it would certainly be frustrating but not the end of the world.
Hopefully, you found that comparison and some of my rationale for buying the X-T50 useful. As I mentioned, this kind of article is quite subjective, with no right or wrong reasons for deciding what camera gear one decides to buy. The most important thing in my opinion is that we all make the most informed decisions we can as the investment we make in camera gear can be significant and the least we can do is help each other to make the right decision.
Until next time.
Trevor
How to get sharp photos when using a telephoto lens
My top tips for capturing sharp photos with a telephoto lens. Learn to avoid camera shake, use a tripod, and perfect focusing techniques for clear landscape shots
I receive many questions related to all sorts of photographic topics and when I’m asked the same question multiple times, it makes more sense for me to write a quick blog post and point people here when it comes up.
As the title suggests, this post is about how to get the sharpest photos possible when using a telephoto lens. Easier said than done on a telephoto lens as when zoomed in, even the smallest of movements are exaggerated and with a smaller depth of field, getting acceptably sharp photos can be tricky.
In this article, I’ll list some of the main causes of camera shake or out of focus photos and make some suggestions as to how you can overcome these challenges and get the tack-sharp photos you set out to take.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm | 1/100th Second | f/11 | ISO125
Blurry vs. out-of-focus photos. An important distinction.
Before I dive into it, I think it’s worth explaining what the difference is between blurry and out of focus photos as they are different, but it can be easy to confuse the two.
Out of focus simply means that the subject you intend to be in focus is not. Also sometimes called “missing focus”. You won’t get ghosting caused by camera or subject movement, instead, the subject will appear soft and lack clarity. Even when focus is missed, it’s rare that an entire image will be out of focus, particularly when taking landscape photos as we tend to use smaller apertures and have a larger depth of field. One way to check if you have missed focus is to scan the rest of the image to check if any of it is sharp. If objects in front of your subject are sharp, you’ve focused too close and when areas behind the subject are sharp, the focus is too far back.
Blurry photos are usually the result of camera or subject movement and the shutter speed not being fast enough to freeze it. The telltale sign that a photo is blurry caused by camera shake, is that it will be across the entire image and look more like ghosting than just soft. Alternatively, if the subject moves, this usually looks like camera shake, but only to specific parts of the image.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 1/8th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Tips for avoiding camera shake when using a telephoto lens
Small vibrations caused by subtle movements of the camera or lens is a common reason why photos can lack sharpness. As I mentioned, even the smallest vibrations are exaggerated when using a telephoto lens, making it even more important to ensure the camera stays completely still at the critical moment the image is taken. Here are a few tips or techniques to help avoid camera shake when using a telephoto lens.
Use a tripod
It's obvious for good reason. Having a solid base for your camera to rest will help ensure your images are free from movement, particularly in low-light situations. As a landscape photographer, I spend a lot of my time taking photos in low-light situations and having a tripod allows me to use the most optimal camera settings while still getting pin-sharp photos.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 1/20th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Use the built-in timer
You might not realise it, but pressing the shutter will move the camera and once pressed, it usually needs a second or two to settle before the photo is taken. This is why, in most situations when taking landscape photos, I use the built-in timer set to 2 seconds. When I fire the shutter, I will have a 2-second delay before the image is taken which is usually enough time for the camera to stop moving. If I’m zoomed in at 200-300mm, I might even use a 10-second timer to allow the camera even more time to settle.
Use a remote cable release or a mobile app
The problem when using a built-in timer to delay the shutter is that critical moments such as photographing wildlife in the landscape or waves crashing on the rocks can be easily missed. In those situations, you will want to take the photo at the precise moment you click the shutter, but how do you do this without re-introducing camera shake? For these situations, you can use a remote cable release. These are essentially a cable with a shutter button at the end, which will plug into your camera and allow you to take the photo at the precise moment you want without touching the camera at all.
Remote cable releases are incredibly useful but for those without one, then most modern cameras come with an accompanying smartphone app. These apps will typically connect wirelessly to the camera (using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) and have a built-in shutter button. Working in the same way as the remote cable release, they will allow you to take the photo at the precise moment you want to but once again, without touching the camera directly and avoiding any of the resulting camera shake usually introduced when firing the shutter.
Fujifilm X-T30 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 1/60th Second | f/8 | ISO160
Use OIS or IBIS
Not all situations will lend themselves to using a tripod, they can add some weight to your gear and some landscape photographers will avoid using one as they feel tripods “root” them to spot and prefer to take photos hand-held. There are of course certain poses to adopt when taking photos hand-held which limit the amount you move when pressing the shutter, but with the introduction of OIS (optical image stabilisation in the lens) or IBIS (in body image stabilisation) in modern cameras, this has made it even easier for photographers to avoid the impact of camera shake in their photos. So, in almost all cases, if you don’t use a tripod and have these features, they will go a long way to helping to avoid blurry photos.
Use a lens collar
Most higher-end telephoto lenses come with a lens collar which allow you to mount the camera and lens combo onto a tripod underneath the lens. With a more balanced setup, it will inevitably be more stable, and this will minimise the amount of camera or lens movement while taking the photo. The issue with less expensive/lighter telephoto lenses is that not only are they less likely to come with a lens collar, but they can often extend as they zoom, making them more sensitive to vibrations as well as pushing the centre of gravity further and further away from the tripod.
You can buy after-market lens collars that fit most telephoto lenses, so if this is something you suffer with, it’s worth considering, but the main reason I mention this is that it happened to me and it took me a while to release that the reason my photos were soft was down to the instability of the lens as it extended out while I zoomed.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 124mm | 1/15th Second | f/10 | ISO400
Avoid the lens hood in high winds
Lens hoods are great to help keep rain and glare from ruining your photos but that extra bulk can come at a cost when using telephoto lenses. Apart from adding further weight to the end of the lens, potentially destabilising it, they can also act as a sail when it’s windy. The bigger the lens hood, the more it can be affected by the wind, making it almost impossible to avoid vibrations at the end of the lens. So, my advice is to use them only if you absolutely have too, particularly in high wind and if you do, try to use some of the other tips in this post such as increasing your shutter speed if you can.
Use the electronic shutter
I remember the time when I was out taking photos and no matter what I did, I could not work out why my photos were soft. There was no wind, I was using a remote cable release, and my shutter speeds weren’t too long. I was scratching my head for a while before I realised it was the movement of the mechanical shutter causing small vibrations while the image was taken. When I changed the shutter to electronic, my photos were sharp again. Ever since that time, I exclusively shoot with an electronic shutter and having given it some thought, I can’t think of one reason why, for my photography specifically, I would ever need to use a mechanical shutter. It’s been three or four years since I stopped using a mechanical shutter and I have not once had a reason to switch back.
With modern cameras doing away with the mechanical shutter altogether, I guess I was just a bit ahead of my time!
Freeze the subject by using a fast shutter speed
Sometimes it won’t be camera shake causing a blurry image, instead, it could be subjects within the scene that are moving. Typically for me, this might be branches or leaves moving in the wind while photographing the woodland and this is where shutter speed becomes critical when trying to freeze moving subjects in the frame.
This section touches on something most photographers should know, and that’s the exposure triangle. Shutter speed, ISO and aperture; changing any of these settings will affect the exposure and can be used to your advantage when using a higher shutter speed while still letting in enough light onto the sensor to obtain the exposure you desire. I won’t deep-dive into the exposure triangle here, but if you’re reading this and you’re not familiar with it, I encourage you to add it to your list of things to look into.
Like many of the suggestions in this article, it’s worth noting that these can be used no matter what lens you use.
Fujifilm X-T30 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 0.5 Seconds | f/7.1 | ISO160
Increase the ISO to ensure the fastest possible shutter speed
In days gone by, you would be forgiven for being reluctant to increase your ISO due to the noise it could generate in the image, but times have changed, and modern cameras manage noise so much better than they used to. My advice is to be more confident in increasing the ISO to help you achieve a faster shutter speed as a photo with a little noise can still be used whereas a blurry photo usually cannot.
Not only are modern cameras far better at minimising noise at higher ISOs, but software makers have also introduced more advanced tools to reduce or even remove the noise from your photos in post-production. So, even if your camera does struggle in high ISO, low-light situations, the image can likely be cleaned up back in post-production.
Fujifilm X-T30 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 1/6th Second | f/8 | ISO160
Use a wide aperture to let in more light
Like increasing the ISO, increasing the aperture by using a lower f-number can also help achieve sharper images when the subject is moving. With a wider aperture, more light can reach the sensor, resulting in faster shutter speeds to achieve the correct exposure.
There are, however, things you need to be aware of when choosing to use a wide aperture to achieve a faster shutter speed. First off, the more you open the aperture, the shallower the depth of field will be. The depth of field is the area between the nearest and furthest points in the image that are acceptably sharp and the wider the aperture, the narrower that area gets. In landscape photography, the depth of field is typically a creative choice, so using the aperture to achieve a faster shutter can be useful depending on the look you are trying to achieve.
Secondly, another consideration when using a larger aperture is that most lenses will suffer from some degree of edge softness when at their widest due to optical aberrations. Granted, modern lenses suffer to a lesser degree and the higher-end lenses with superior construction less so, however, most photographers will experience this at some point when taking photos when using a wide aperture.
The important point to note here is that to freeze a moving subject, a faster shutter speed is needed, and you should be aware of how the ISO and aperture can help achieve this, but at the same time, be mindful of how changing these can affect the look of the resulting image.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm | 1/320th Second | f/6.4 | ISO125
Avoid missing focus when using a telephoto lens
Getting sharp images isn’t just about freezing the subject or avoiding camera shake, it’s also about ensuring parts of the image you wish to be sharp are in focus. I talked about the differences between motion blur and an image being soft before and this section of the post provides a few tips to help avoid missing focus when taking a photo.
Use a smaller aperture to increase your depth of field
OK, I know I’ve already talked about using a wide aperture to help get sharp photos but bear with me while I expand a little. I explained before that although using a wider aperture will let more light in, allowing you to use a faster shutter speed, there is a potential downside, that being a shallower depth of field, resulting in less of the photo being acceptably sharp.
It’s probably a good point to note at this stage that although the “depth-of-field” and the “focal plane” are similar, there is a subtle but important difference. The focal plane is the area of the scene in front of the lens where the sharpest focus is achieved. Depth-of-field is the area in front and behind the focal plane that is considered acceptably sharp and the smaller the aperture, the deeper this area of acceptable sharpness is.
So, if the light levels are good and you can achieve the shutter speed you desire while still using a smaller aperture, this will mean more of the image will appear in focus and acceptably sharp.
On top of a larger depth of field, a smaller aperture can limit or even eliminate the edge softness when using wider apertures, again, helping to achieve sharper photos.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 98mm | 1/60th Second | f/8 | ISO125
Check and then re-check your focus
I’ve been caught out by my cameras a few times in the past by relying solely on auto-focus but since adopting my current workflow when out taking photos, thankfully the days of missing focus are behind me.
Firstly, I assigned the autofocus function to another button on the back of my camera and then switched the camera to manual focus. This means the camera will no longer try to focus when the shutter button is pressed. This is often called “back button focus” or BBF and most cameras will have this option available.
With BBF enabled, I have the best of both worlds where I can manually focus and take the image, knowing the shutter button won’t try to refocus for me as well as having the option to autofocus as and when I need by pressing the assigned button on the back of the camera. It also means that when photographing a scene as the light changes, I can get my focus right and then fire the shutter as many times as I like, knowing the focus will remain locked on throughout.
When I feel I have the photo I’m after, the first thing I will do is zoom in on the back of my camera to check it is sharp. Even using the method I outlined above; things can still go wrong. If you come away from a shoot and you find you’ve missed focus, you can’t typically recover from that so do whatever it takes to make sure you know the image is sharp before you leave.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 1/5th Second | f/8 | ISO125
If you’re struggling with focus, particularly when using a telephoto lens then I hope this article goes someway to help you get consistently sharp photos and if you have any suggestions or techniques others might find useful, feel free to leave them on the comments.
Until next time
Trevor.
New Photos | Winter 2023
A collection of photos taken during winter 2023.
One of the many things I ponder regarding my photography is how to publish my work. How do I avoid randomly sharing photos on social media and be more deliberate with the work I release? How can I ensure that those who actively follow my work can see my latest photos presented in the way I want them to be seen? With social media algorithms deciding what photos of mine are seen by those who follow me, how do ensure those who want to see my new work actually can?
I applaud those who can shoot, edit and post photos in a day or two, but I don’t work that way and there are obvious ups and downs to that approach too. It can be weeks or even months before I finish processing some of my photos as I like to take my time, sit on them for a while and be in the right frame of mind to edit. This is particularly true for the more complex images, those I have to work a bit harder to pull the potential out from, to match what I remember witnessing as I stood there in the field taking the photo.
So, I’ve decided that those who visit my website, read my blog or subscribe to my newsletter should be the first to see my most recent work. I want to release new collections as and when I finish editing them and with so many of my photos taken in the woodland, a seasonal release schedule seems to make the most sense to me. This approach may not be limited to just seasonal collections as I will still post new photos with my “On-Location” stories or project-specific collections but, the important point is that they will be seen here or on my newsletter first.
It’s about taking the pressure off and being more deliberate. I’m not concerned about a strict release date or how many photos will make up a collection and I won’t worry too much about them being portfolio-worthy either. True, some will end up in the portfolio galleries here on my website but for these collections, it’s simply about sharing some of my favourite photos I took during those 3 months.
This approach to releasing photos in batches or as collections is not new. I know of a few other photographers who do the same and little by little over the last few months, it’s something I’ve thought more seriously about. I have already shared one or two of the photos below but going forward, unless for a good reason, I will release photos on my website and newsletter before sharing elsewhere.
December 2023 to February 2024 - Winter 2023 collection.
Winter 2023 was the warmest, wettest and windiest winter I’ve witnessed in a long time, certainly since I’ve been taking photos. There was very little in the way of frost, let alone snow! During these darker months, I spent most of my time photographing my local woodland and found a few new, more intimate compositions. I do like to revisit woodland scenes I connect with and photograph them as they change throughout the year. So, you may see some of these again in future collections.
Alongside my woodland work, I ventured into the landscape to photograph a few more recognisable spots in London, around Sussex and across to Snowdonia. Although my style is constantly changing and woodland photography is quickly becoming my most photographed subject, I still enjoy photographing a wide vista or iconic subject.
At The Edge Of Permanence by Gill Moon | My Photo Bookshelf
The Edge of Permanence is a photobook by Gill Moon, featuring a range of pictures from a week-long photographic study of Coigach, a peninsula in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland.
The Edge of Permanence is a photobook by Gill Moon, featuring a range of pictures from a week-long photographic study of Coigach, a peninsula in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Gill is a landscape photographer and author based in Suffolk, England. I’ve followed Gill’s work for quite some time and was pleased to be able to buy number 5 of this limited run of 50 photography books.
Author’s synopsis
Nothing in life or the landscape is permanent.
We live life in moments, ephemeral and transitory, happy and sad, difficult and rewarding. The same is true of the landscape – it changes all the time.
But there are locations that have a durability about them that makes them feel unchangeable and permanent. Coigach in the North West Highlands of Scotland is one such place.
Coigach lies about 20 miles north of Ullapool in the North West Highlands Geopark. The landscapes within the park contain some of the oldest rocks (3 billion years old) and some of the earliest evidence of life found anywhere in Europe.
But on a more local level the area is made up of habitats and wild places that are transient and vulnerable and which change on a daily basis. Set against the seemingly permanent mountains of Assynt This project explores life in the liminal zones. Those ever changing realms where no moments are the same.
Although I have been to Coigach several times, in both summer and winter, I felt it was important for the images to represent as short a time frame as possible. For me this gives the most intense feeling of change. All the images in this project were taken during the course of one week in June 2022. They come together to form my observations of an amazing place.
My thoughts about the book
One of the many things I like about Gill’s work is how varied her work can be, from wide, uncluttered coastal vistas to smaller, intimate scenes and this book is a great example of that. For me, it’s the varied body of work that sets this book apart as a photographic study rather than just a book of pretty photos. Not only has Gill photographed those epic landscapes which would draw the attention of most of us, but she has also looked much deeper into the landscape, isolating some of the unique subjects and textures one could easily overlook. Regardless of the subject, all the photos have what I consider to be Gill’s distinctive style, from carefully composed, uncluttered compositions to high quality and consistent post-production.
The book itself is well presented, with thoughtful image sequencing throughout. The subjects and tones across the various page spreads complement each other well and the flow throughout the book feels smooth and deliberate. The weighty, matt paper suits the work well and feels appropriately tactile while thumbing through the pages.
Gill also includes seven or eight poems in her book, each written to accompany the photo on the opposing page. I’ll assume Gill wrote these as I didn’t see anyone else credited. I’m no poem connoisseur but I know what I like, and I like that these poems were included. Not only did I enjoy reading them as they helped me connect further with the work, but their inclusion provided a nice opportunity to pause to consider the work.
I very much enjoyed reading this book and love the photos Gill has included. If there happens to be any left at the time of reading, do consider popping over to Gill’s website to buy yourself a copy.
Book Details
Hardcover
Pages: 80 pages printed on 200gsm matt paper
Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from Gill Moon’s website here: https://gillmoon.com/product/at-the-edge-of-permanence
On Location Photographing Snowdonia Part Two
Part two of an on-location article chronicling my recent landscape photography trip to Snowdonia.
Welcome to part two of my on-location blog post featuring more photos and stories from a trip I took to Snowdonia in February 2024.
If you didn’t catch part one, I encourage you to pop over by clicking on this thumbnail so you can start from the beginning of the trip. For those of you who have already read part one, we pick things up where we left off, as I finish up beside Lynnau Mymbyr after taking one of my favourite photos of the entire trip.
I packed up my camera gear on a bit of a high, jumped in the car and made my way to the Ogwen Valley.
Photographing the Ogwen Valley and the mighty Tryfan
Parking up again just a little further down the road here, I walked to Ogwen Cottage to finally get a coffee and have a spot of lunch. It was a pleasant afternoon, not too cold with the sun making regular appearances. As I sat there, sipping my coffee, I was drawn to the scene across the road, as I could see the old boathouse basking in the sun.
Photographing the Boathouse on Llyn Ogwen
Encouraged by the success I had taking that photo of Snowdon in similar conditions back at Lynnau Mymbyr, I finished my drink and crossed the road to photograph this popular view of Llyn Ogwen.
I used a 10mm focal length for this photo to avoid chopping off the top of the tree, while still leaving some grassed area at the base of the image to create a natural frame. Ordinarily, I may have lowered the camera, making the shrubbery more of a feature in the foreground, but I wanted to keep the boathouse isolated by the lake, and if I had got any lower, the top of it would start to overlap with the mountains.
It was now close to 2pm, but with it being February, the sun was still low in the sky and the light had a subtle warmth to it. So, although the photo I took below isn’t necessarily portfolio-worthy, I’m still quite pleased with how it turned out.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/80th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Looking down the valley from Y Garn
Seeing the light hitting the landscape as the sun was intermittently breaking through the clouds, I decided to climb part way up Y Garn, close to a location where I took a similar photo from the previous winter. This time, I climbed 150-200 metres higher to find a better vantage point and found a great spot, offering fantastic views of the Ogwen Valley.
With low, moody clouds working their way down the valley and the sun still breaking through over my right shoulder, the landscape in front of me was a sight to behold and I wasted no time setting up the camera to photograph it. The light was warm, making the landscape glow where it fell and with the cloud just about kissing the top of Tryfan, I took another of my favourite photos from the trip.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 15mm | 1/100th Second | f/8 | ISO125
The Sleeping Dragon’s Back
With the wider landscape photographed, I donned the 50-140mm lens and zoomed in tighter on Tryfan. With its vertical crags and jagged edges, this iconic Snowdonia mountain is also referred to by some as the Dragon’s Back. You can certainly see why from this angle.
Waiting patiently for the opportune moment when the clouds revealed Tryfan’s summit while illuminated by the sun, I took the two photos below at 50 and 140mm.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 50mm | 1/40th Second | f/11 | ISO125
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 140mm | 1/11th Second | f/11 | ISO125
Spotting some tiny figures on top of Tryfan in the distance, I mounted my 70-300mm lens and zoomed in to take one last photo. I could see someone climbing on the trig point/platform up at the top, so I held off taking the photo until the figure was standing upright.
For illustrative purposes, I’ve shared a couple of different versions of the same photo underneath, both zoomed in to 100%, but each focusing on a different part of the frame.
Looking again at the photo I took of the view down the valley and how far away from Tryfan I was, it’s quite astonishing that I can pick out so much detail from the photo I took.
Even though the sun had gone in while I took this photo, I still cooled the image down a little more when editing it as I liked the monochromatic look it gave.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm | 1/320th Second | f/6.4 | ISO125
The rugged face of Glyder Fawr
Happy with the photos I’d taken up on the slopes of Y Garn, I made my way back down towards Llyn Idwal. As I got close to the lake, Glyder Fawr came into view and even though the light was far from ideal, the dark clouds skimming the peaks of this rugged mountain caught my eye enough for me to grab the camera one more time and take this photo.
I love the detail in the rock face, the white slither of water as it tumbled down the mountain and the dark clouds hugging the ridge as they glide past.
The most challenging aspect when taking this photo was making the scene feel balanced as the ridge continues up on the left-hand side and works its way downwards on the right. To solve this dilemma, I opted for a square crop.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 25mm | 1/30th Second | f/8 | ISO125
With there being only an hour or so of light left in the day, I wandered to my car contemplating somewhere nearby to take one last photo before heading back to the hotel for the night.
When it comes to my landscape photography, two things I admit to being are both stubborn and a creature of habit. I’m the kind of photographer that, once I decide on a photo I want, I will keep returning to a location to try to capture it. This is as true for when photographing close to home as it is during photography trips further afield such as this. So, when all of a sudden, the cloud started to clear above me and being so close to Tryfan once more, I made a snap decision to take a walk back up to the waterfall along Afon Lloer and try to get the sunset photo of Tryfan I wanted.
Well, would you believe it, the clouds continued to thin to a clear blue sky. Far from ideal conditions for the photo I wanted to take. I sat alongside the waterfall questioning the decisions I make in life knowing that once again, this photo has eluded me.
I very thin layer of high cloud did eventually make its way into the scene over towards the setting sun, which gave me a little hope, and I was able to take a nice enough photo, but I guess I’ll need to come back once more at least to try again. Every cloud and all that.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/25th Second | f/14 | ISO125
With what I thought was the best photo of the evening taken, I set off back to the hotel to get some much-needed food and rest as I’d be up early again on my last morning in the national park before my 5-hour drive home later that afternoon.
Photographing a misty sunrise at Lynnau Mymbyr
Waking up and heading out into the dark the next morning, I made my way back to Lynnau Mymbyr. I decided to head back to the lake as very little wind was forecast and I was hoping to photograph the lake with the Snowdon Horseshoe reflected in the water.
It was pitch black when I arrived and I couldn’t see a thing, but as the light gently increased, I got an impression that the lack of visibility wasn’t just to do with the time of day. As it turns out, there was a thick cloud of fog between the lake and the mountains in the distance.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 55mm | 13 Seconds | f/10 | ISO125
Embracing the cool, pre-dawn light, I started by taking a long exposure of this tree sticking out partway across the water. Apart from the occasional car driving past me, everything was silent, and I felt a minimal-looking scene would work well and represent the feeling I had as I stood there on the edge of the lake.
Although I like the 3x2 ratio of the original photo, back at home during the edit, I went for a square crop. I feel the square provides a more balanced composition as it avoids the trees on the left creating too much visual weight.
The blanket of fog in the distance was shifting from left to right, seemingly rocking in the cradle of the valley and every now and then, Snowdon would appear in the distance for just a short while and I had to be ready to take a photo when it did.
Wanting to take a wider composition, allowing me to make a feature of the rocks in the foreground, I zoomed out and waited for the opportune time to click the shutter.
With Snowdon just about visible and the atmospheric mist across the lake, this is one of my favourite photos I took that morning.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 18mm | 1/4th Second | f/10 | ISO125
I wanted to photograph the wide vista but minimise the foreground and sky. One way I could achieve this is to choose a wider focal length and just crop the image into a panoramic. The issue with that approach is that the wider the focal length, the smaller the mountains will look in the frame.
What I tend to do in this situation is to create a stitched panoramic image using a longer focal length. This way, the mountains still retain their prominence, and I don’t have to crop the photo and essentially throw pixels away.
To get as much resolution as I could, I rotated the camera to a portrait orientation and zoomed in even further, pulling the mountains closer to me. Although this means I need to take more photos as I pan, the resulting image has a far higher resolution. I took the various photos while panning the camera from left to right, overlapping each one by around 50%. I made sure to start and finish the panoramic further to the left and right of the scene than I needed as this gave me more flexibility with the final crop back in post-production.
Taking multiple photos and stitching them together can be problematic if there’s movement in the scene, particularly in water as it can make them more difficult to line up. Thankfully, the water was still, and the clouds were moving slowly enough that Lightroom had no issues at all. After a creative crop, the resulting photo below is a respectable 115 megapixels and if I ever decide to print this photo, I’ll have no issues regardless of the size I want to make it.
It can be tricky to view panoramic photos properly when using a small phone screen. If you are using a phone to read this blog, try to view it on a larger screen or at least select the photo and rotate your screen to get a better view.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 74mm | 1/2 Second | f/11 | ISO125 (Stitched Pano)
With the telephoto lens still attached, Snowdon made its last appearance of the morning, and with the lake still offering up these fantastic reflections, I composed a landscape-oriented photo making more of a feature of the mist and mountains in the distance.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 50mm | 0.6 Seconds | f/11 | ISO125
Happy with the pre-dawn photos I’d taken, I stopped to take a break and just enjoy the scene unfolding in front of me. I was hoping some colour would appear in the sky but the very subtle hint of magenta you can see in the photo above was the best it got before thicker clouds started to roll in across the mountains. That was the last time I would see the Snowdon Horseshoe that morning.
As dawn turned to day, the sun, which was now rising over my left shoulder was lighting up the hills with a beautiful orange glow, so I grabbed the camera and made a few handheld photos of the scene. Having Snowdon visible in the background would have been the icing on the cake, but it was not to be.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 20mm | 1/50th Second | f/8 | ISO125
I also took a more simplified photo of the view across the lake, removing the foreground rocks to give the image more of a mirror-like look. The subtle ripples you can see in the water “ruining” my perfect reflection was not due to wind, but the effects of some early morning swimmers over to the left of me.
Of course, I jest about it ruining my photo, as I appreciate the lake is there for us all to share. I waited a while, but more swimmers started to arrive, this time to the right of me, so, all I could do was try to take the best photo possible at the time. I still really like the results.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 19mm | 1/50th Second | f/8 | ISO125
Getting on for mid-morning, the best of the light was gone and with only a few hours left before driving home, I went back to the Ogwen Valley as there were still a couple of photos that, for one reason or another, I hadn’t yet managed to take.
Photographing Cwm Idwal and the Ogwen Falls
Once again, I parked further up the road, beside Llyn Ogwen and walked up to Llyn Idwal as I wanted to take a photo of Cwm Idwal’s fantastic natural amphitheatre. It was a composition I had taken the year before and although I was happy with it, the lack of a wide-angle lens meant that I couldn’t include enough foreground or leave enough sky above the mountains.
Next to the bridge where Llyn Idwal feeds into Afon Idwal, I placed my tripod into the shallow water and mounted my camera about a foot above the surface. I used two of my Kase filters for this photo. The first was the CPL filter which helped to remove some of the glare from the water and wet rocks. The second was my three-stop ND filter which enabled me to set a shutter speed of 1/20th of a second and smooth the water a little as it rolled over the rocks in front of me.
Right in the middle of the image, at the top of the ridge is a big crack in the rock called Twll Du (Black Hole), also known as the Devil’s Kitchen. It’s called the Devil’s Kitchen because water flows into the crack at speed and the spray it causes appears like a plume of steam rising from within the rocks. It’s said, when steam can be seen rising from the chimney, the Devil is cooking.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 12mm | 1/20th Second | f/11 | ISO125
While sitting on a rock, having a snack, I decided to send the DJI Mini 3 Pro drone up to see what the view looked like from high above Llyn Idwal. The clouds continued to hug the top of the peaks with the sun breaking through from time to time. I flew towards the Devil’s Kitchen at the back of the lake, turned the drone around and framed up this familiar view of Pen yr Ole Wen with its peak lost in a layer of clouds.
While keeping half an eye on the drone’s battery levels, I waited for what seemed like an age for the clouds to become a little more central above the mountain and once in position, I was able to take this photo of Llyn Idwal and Pen yr Ole Wen across the valley.
With the drone safely landed, I made my way down to the Ogwen Falls to take my last photo of the trip.
DJI Mini 3 Pro | 24mm (effective) | 1/6,400th Second | f/1.7 | ISO100
Dark clouds over Tryfan at the Ogwen Falls
This is a view that escaped me when I visited a year before. On that day, the skies were blue, and the light was too strong to make a photo I was happy with, so, with another opportunity to photograph the scene, I scrambled back down to take in this popular view of the Ogwen Falls with a part covered Tryfan lurking menacingly the background.
The good news is that the sky wasn’t blue, and I had some moody clouds to use to add a touch of drama, but as good as those clouds were, unfortunately, they were also blocking Tryfan’s recognisable peak. Not to be deterred, up went the tripod and out came the camera for the very last time of the trip. Once again, I used the CPL and ND filters for this photo for the same reasons as before and then I waited in the hope that Tryfan would make an appearance.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 16mm | 1/5th Second | f/8 | ISO125
All I needed was a second or two to react and take the photo, but it was not to be. I even sent my drone up while I waited but still, the clouds wouldn’t release their firm grip of Tryfan’s peak.
Even with a lack of interesting light, I’m still happy with both the photos I took at this location as the dark clouds provided some contrast and mood I could work with. Tryfan’s summit never did make an appearance and after around an hour, it was time to pack up and head home.
DJI Mini 3 Pro | 24mm (effective) | 1/1,250th Second | f/1.7 | ISO100
As I embarked on the 5-hour drive home, I reflected on how I thought the trip went and what I might do differently next time. I was feeling optimistic about some of the photos I took, and it seems that optimism was well placed, as along with quite a few photos I was happy to share on this blog, I did manage to take one or two photos I especially like and may even make it into my portfolio. I’ll leave you to guess what ones they are.
When I return (and I will return), I plan to visit in Autumn as I want to capture a bit more of the Snowdonia woodland in my photos and maybe visit a few of the beautiful waterfalls found in the national park. I do have a family trip to Snowdonia planned for the end of May 2024, but it will be a busy week and I don’t expect to get too many landscape photos. I also plan to travel lighter on the next trip. I got away with it this time as I didn’t summit any mountains, but next time I plan to climb even higher to take in some new views to photograph. At the time of writing, I have already added a 16-80mm lens to my kit which means I can carry just the three, lighter lenses which will help me when I take on those more strenuous hikes.
I know these longer-form posts are not for everyone, so thanks for sticking with it and reaching the end of this rather long two-part blog post. I’m motivated to share more from my landscape photography trips, so stay tuned for more on-location blog posts soon.
Until next time,
Trevor.
If you enjoy these longer, on-location articles, I’ve posted a few more from some of my previous trips to Wales below. All the On-Location blog posts I’ve ever written can be found here.
Trees - A Photographic Exploration by Gary Turner | My Photo Bookshelf
An A5 zine celebrating the wonder of trees, featuring 40 captivating photos by photographer Gary Turner
After listening to Gary Turner speak about his photo book projects with Euan Ross on the In Discussion podcast over at https://biblioscapes.com, I popped over to Gary’s website and picked up both his Long Exposure zine and this one he calls Trees, A Photographic Exploration.
Author’s synopsis
A beautifully curated collection of black and white and colour photography of trees.
More than 40 photographs, carefully arranged across 24 pages, allowing you to explore the subtle details of trees and their setting in the British landscape.
My thoughts about the book
Let’s cut to the chase. I really like this book. Being just 24 pages and A5 in size, it seems a simple concept but when you start to read it, you quickly realise it goes far deeper than that. I admit, having a mutual admiration for trees means I approach this review somewhat biased, but something about this book connected with me.
There are 40 photos, all featuring trees and within the collection, so much is represented. The book starts by celebrating the form and composition of the tree with a collection of black and white photos transitioning to colour photos for the second part of the book with all of the seasonal tones represented. Throughout the book, there are portraits of trees, landscapes featuring trees and intimate photos with creative use of depth of field.
A particularly nice touch was to interweave extracts from Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “The way through the woods”. A fitting addition to such a lovely little book.
Book Details
Softcover
Size: 210mm x 148mm
Pages: 24 printed on 200gsm silk paper
Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from the author’s website here: https://www.shutterspot.co.uk/product/trees-a-photographic-exploration-zine/
On Location Photographing Snowdonia Part One
The first of two instalments of an on-location article chronicling my recent landscape photography trip to Snowdonia.
Snowdonia, where rugged peaks pierce the heavens and mist-clad valleys cradle the tranquil lakes as they reflect the ever-changing drama of the sky above.
Situated in North Wales, this breathtaking national park enchants both photographers and wanderers alike. Join me as I recount my recent trip to photograph the awe-inspiring beauty of this stunning landscape.
Back in January 2023, I made my first dedicated photography trip to Snowdonia. I spent a wonderful two days photographing the mountainous landscape and had the good fortune of timing my visit while there was a blanket of snow across the higher ground. After just a short 48 hours, I could see why this location was loved by so many. The views are simply spectacular and feeling incredibly inspired by the landscape as I drove home from that trip in 2023, I knew I would be back again soon enough.
Fast forward just over a year to February 2024 and with my bag packed and a tank full of fuel, I was off once again to immerse myself in this beautifully rugged landscape, exploring the mountains with my camera and with hope, coming away with a few keepers.
With so many photos to share, I split them into two posts for easier viewing, and if you can, I recommend reading them on a larger screen to get the full benefit of the photos I’ve included. This is part one and you'll find the link to part two at the end of this post.
With the UK experiencing such a mild winter, with plenty of wind and rain, I knew I wouldn’t be lucky enough to get the wintry conditions I had the previous year, but that didn’t bother me at all. Being someone who likes a sky full of clouds and soft, defused light; my biggest fear was having two days of clear blue skies with harsh directional light across the landscape. Those more predictable conditions are perfect to hike in but certainly not for my style of photography. As you will see from the photos I’ve shared below, the weather gods were again on my side.
If you’re interested in looking at some of the photos I took on my previous trip, you can jump into that blog by selecting the thumbnail here.
A quick note about the photography gear I took with me. Overall, it was similar to what was in my camera bag back in January 2023. I still have the same Fujifilm XT5 camera, DJI Mini 3 Pro drone, Kase magnetic filters and Benro Mach3 TMA37AL tripod with the Gd3Wh geared head.
The only changes I made were the additional lenses I took this time. On my last visit, the only regrets I had in terms of the gear I took was not being able to go wider than 16mm when trying to include a stronger foreground while still leaving plenty of space in the sky above the mountains and not being able to zoom in more, extracting extra detail when photographing the distant peaks. So, alongside my XF16-55mm standard zoom and 50-140mm telephoto, I added the XF10-24 wide angle and the XF70-300mm telephoto giving me a focal range of 10mm to 300mm or in full frame terms, 16 to 450mm. The obvious downside here is the extra weight in the bag but even with all this kit in the camera bag, it was still manageable even on the more strenuous hikes.
If you want to read more about the kit I use for my landscape photography, check out my latest camera gear blog post here: My Camera Gear for Landscape Photography in 2024
Landscape photography in the Ogwen Valley
I love to explore the Ogwen Valley, and this was the first of two visits I made during the 48 hours I spent in Snowdonia. Featuring so many stunning views in a relatively small area with opportunities for both leisurely walks and strenuous hikes on offer, it's no wonder the area is so popular.
Pen yr Ole Wen from above Llyn Idwal
Arriving after my 5-hour drive from southeast England, I headed straight for the Ogwen Valley and knowing how busy the car park could get at the Ogwen Cottage, I decided to walk the extra 5-10 minutes and parked further along Llyn Ogwen at this car park where there are typically more free spaces. I grabbed a quick coffee at the cafe and started to make my way up towards Cwm Idwal.
I’m the kind of photographer who works better after a little warming up and I will often try to take a photo or two early on a trip as it helps me get into the zone faster and see potential compositions more easily.
So, after walking just a few minutes up the trail and with some moody skies above Y Garn, out came the camera to photograph the cascades from the footbridge across Afon Idwal.
Along with the camera and lens, I used two filters to take this photo, the first being my circular polariser (CPL). Although there were some dark clouds above the peaks, it was still quite bright overhead as the sun was coming in and out to the left of the frame and using the CPL helped me by removing some of the reflective light from the water and rocks.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 15mm | 1/13th Second | f/8 | ISO125
Secondly, I used a 3-stop neutral density (ND) filter which allowed me to slow the shutter speed just enough to capture the movement and get the effect I wanted in the flowing water.
I’m happy with how the photo turned out and although I think I prefer this composition, I think the version I took with snow-capped peaks in the background a year before is the better of the two.
Following the trail that runs uphill alongside Afon Idwal for 10 or 15 minutes, I arrived at the banks of Llyn Idwal. From the north side of the lake, you can take in the breathtaking view of Cwm Idwal’s natural amphitheatre (you’ll see a photo of this in part two, it’s quite stunning).
With the sun to the south, behind the high ridge, Cwm Idwal was in the shade and to the north across the valley, I could see the winter light hitting the face of Pen yr Ole Wen. With the clouds kissing the peak as they passed by, I decided to head around to the south side of the lake and take a photo from there.
As I reached the other side of Llyn Idwal, I first took the lower path and found this composition below using some of the exposed jagged rocks to provide some interest in the foreground. I composed the frame so that the lake would snake in from the right, leading towards Pen yr Ole Wen and at the same time, offering some balance to the dominant rock features on the left. During this time, the clouds had started to break up a little behind me and I quite liked the dappled light hitting Pen yr Ole Wen in the distance.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 17mm | 1/200th Second | f/8 | ISO125
At this stage, I was still only a few metres higher than the lake and being curious to see how the view might look from a more elevated position, I climbed the upper path towards the crack in the rocks called the Devil’s Kitchen or Twll Du (black hole) as its also known. From this spot, around 550 metres up, I could include the entire lake and the slopes on either side of the scene helped to balance the composition and frame Pen yr Ole Wen which I once again placed in the centre of the image.
As the clouds rolled in from the left-hand side, I took a few photos, some with dappled light on the mountain, but of those I took, I like this photo below the most. The cooler tones are muted, and the clouds have drama but without being too distracting. I also like how the low, misty clouds on the left hug the side of the mountain as they travel east through the valley.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 21mm | 1/30th Second | f/8 | ISO125
The classic view of Tryfan from beside Afon Lloer
I get it, this view of Tryfan is probably one of the most photographed views in the Ogwen Valley and far from original, but that doesn’t matter to me in the slightest. Having tried and failed to get a photo of Tryfan I really like for a few years now, nothing was going to stop me from having another go.
One of the many things I’ve learned about photographing Snowdonia is that on a cloudy day, the weather can change significantly from one minute to the next, making the task of capturing some sunset colour even harder to predict. While heading down from Cwm Idwal I noticed the clouds were starting to thin, meaning there was a small chance of catching a sunset. Buoyed by the thought of getting that photo I’ve wanted for so long, I set off up the other side of the valley in a bid to be in the right place at the right time to get my shot of the mighty Tryfan.
There were two locations I wanted to take a photo from, both shown below. I made my way to the higher spot first, which features this old stone wall and a wooden stile. I absolutely love this composition. There is a similar, seemingly more popular composition on the other side of the stream, but I find the wall cuts across the scene more abruptly, appearing to slice the photo in half whereas, compared to this scene, the wall heads off into the distance but importantly disappears within the frame rather than leading the viewer off the edge of the photo.
As you can see, the cloud had rolled back in as I was making my way up the hill, so a sunset was looking less and less likely by the minute. I didn’t mind though; as I love the drama in the sky and although some evening light would have been great, I would take these moody clouds over a predominantly clear sky every single time.
This was hands-down my favourite photo I took that day.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 11mm | 1/15th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Feeling pretty happy with the photo I’d just taken, I made my way back down the hill, stopping about halfway down next to this small waterfall to make my final photo of the day. It’s another composition I’d love to photograph with some sunset light in the sky but the best I had was a slight thinning of the cloud you can see on the right side of the image.
With the light fading fast, I hurriedly set the camera up and while experimenting with various shutter speeds, took multiple photos of this composition. After looking at the photos properly later in Lightroom, I settled on this image below taken at 1/8th second as the water was moving incredibly fast and it captures that energy perfectly.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/8th Second | f/8 | ISO125
As I mentioned before the weather can change quickly in the mountains, so, being somewhat overly optimistic, I hung around for a short while after sunset just in case a gap in the clouds appeared. Alas, it was not to be, so I packed up my gear and walked back to the car.
Photographing the Nant Gwynant Valley
Waking up the next morning, I set off before sunrise towards the Nant Gwynant Valley, a location I’d tried and failed to photograph the year before. Parking my car here, instead of heading to the usual roadside viewpoint most people go to, I crossed the road, went through the gate and climbed around 300m to a spot I believe offers a much better view of the lakes and valley below.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 70mm | 1/25th Second | f/9 | ISO125
I arrived on location around 30 minutes before sunrise and as the landscape started to appear in front of me, I got a slight feeling of déjà vu and not in a good way! Rain was in the air; visibility was poor and there was no sign of any useful light appearing. Part of me wondered if I had wasted another sunrise up this hill.
With the daylight starting to brighten up the snow-capped Snowdon range across the valley, I mounted the 70-300mm telephoto lens for the first time on this trip and took some photos of the peaks as they momentarily appeared between gaps in the low-lying clouds. Being drawn to the textures created by the snow and rocks, the two below with a monochromatic pencil sketch look are my favourites from the set.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm | 1/20th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 198mm | 1/30th Second | f/9 | ISO125
Turning my attention back to the view down the valley, Llyn Gwynant and the area around it was still looking a bit hazy and subdued so I decided it was time to get the drone up and fly it around the valley to see what the view looked like from up high.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 39mm | 1/60th Second | f/7.1 | ISO125
DJI Mini 3 Pro | 24mm (effective) | 1/1,250th Second | f/1.7 | ISO100
While flying the drone and enjoying the views, the sun started to rise higher in the sky, illuminating the far side of the valley, and making for some interesting contrast between the light and shadow areas. Of the handful of photos I took while flying the drone, the two images above and below are those I kept.
DJI Mini 3 Pro | 24mm (effective) | 1/2,500th Second | f/1.7 | ISO100
With the drone still high above me, I noticed the sun was lighting up the far side of the valley. Llyn Gwynant was like a mirror and some low-lying clouds were working their way up the valley. Although there was still plenty of haze in the air, I was sure there was a photo to be had here.
As I landed the drone, the low-lying clouds were starting to surround the lake and with more of the scene basking in that glorious light, I managed to take my favourite photo of the morning. If I were being super picky, some of the higher peaks would be visible and not blocked by the clouds but I couldn’t wait for them to appear as the clouds around the lake were moving through the scene quickly and would have soon been out of the frame.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 40mm | 1/125th Second | f/7.1 | ISO125
Photographing reflections at Llyn Gwynant
While standing high above Llyn Gwynant, I couldn’t help but notice the mirror-like reflections on its surface. With my photo of the lake from this vantage point in the bag, I made my way back down the hill to the car and drove to the banks of Llyn Gwynant hoping to photograph some of those gorgeous reflections.
Thankfully, the winds held off for a while longer, allowing me the time to get into position beside the water and from this spot, the reflections looked even better! I was over the moon with the photos I took and have shared two of them below. With a bit more drama in the sky and the top of (I think) Bylchau Terfyn subtly peeking through the clouds on the right, I prefer the first photo.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 29mm | 1/60th Second | f/10 | ISO125
Fujifilm XT5 | XF16-55mm | 21mm | 1/50th Second | f/10 | ISO125
Once I was finished taking photos with the Fujifilm XT5, I sent the drone up again to see how the lake looked from the air. Thicker clouds had now rolled in over to the south, but as the sun was still casting its light over the scene from the east, it created a nice contrast between the darker clouds and the illuminated landscape.
DJI Mini 3 Pro | 24mm (effective) | 1/5000th Second | f/1.7 | ISO100
The Snowdon Range from across Lynnau Mymbyr
By now, it was getting close to midday and with the sun out, high up in the sky, these were not normally conditions I liked to photograph in. I packed up my gear and set off to find a place to grab a coffee. I didn’t make it far. As I drove towards Capel Curig, I parked up here to spend a few minutes beside Lynnau Mymbyr. I wasn’t particularly hopeful and only intended to stop momentarily to take in the view of the Snowdon Range from across the lake, but as I arrived, I got the feeling there might be a photo or two to be had here after all.
The wind had picked up just a bit, but in between gusts, the ripples settled down and the reflections on the lake were revealed. I started with the XF50-140 telephoto lens and took the slightly wider landscape image shown below. The clouds were hugging the peaks in the distance but above me, there were clear blue skies, and with the light a bit strong for my liking, I took this photo intending to illustrate the view I was witnessing rather than to bag a portfolio-worthy image.
That being said, I do like the photo. The reflections aren’t perfect, but still pretty good and I particularly like how the white clouds mimic the shapes of the mountains underneath. I’m not sure if that’s just a coincidence or if it’s the result of the clouds passing over, following the shape of the mountains.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 61mm | 1/40th Second | f/11 | ISO125
Zooming into the landscape a little more, I wanted to make more of a feature of the Snowdon peaks and reflections in the water, while at the same time removing some of that blue sky from the frame.
There’s quite a lot going on in this composition, with the diagonal lines, the symmetry created by the reflections and the central positioning of the mountain peaks.
While composing the image, I felt a square crop worked best as it helped balance these elements better. With a wider, landscape aspect ratio, it was too heavy on the right of the frame and going with the square helped me to eliminate parts of the scene I either found distracting or didn’t add anything to the overall image.
Given the time of day this photo was taken, I’m surprised how much I like it, as I wouldn’t typically consider getting the camera out in the middle of the day with the sun so high in the sky, casting such strong light on the landscape. I guess it proves that if you keep an open mind, there is always an opportunity for a photo, regardless of the conditions.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF50-140mm | 80mm | 1/40th Second | f/11 | ISO125
Photographing Yr Wyddfa
With Snowdon’s peak appearing now and then from behind the clouds, I mounted my 70-300mm lens onto the camera and zoomed right in to get a detailed photo of this much-loved mountain. Having to punch through so much atmosphere between my camera and subject, there was a lot of haze and the scene lacked clarity, so I used my CPL filter which helped bring some of the definition back.
I waited patiently, ready to press the shutter the moment Snowdon reappeared into view and after a few minutes, I got a brief glimpse and fired the shutter. As fast as Snowdon revealed itself, it was gone again and with so much cloud lingering above the mountains, there was no telling when it might reappear. No matter, I had the photo I wanted and after editing it back in Lightroom, It’s now one of my favourite photos of the entire trip.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm | 1/100th Second | f/11 | ISO125
There is so much detail in the photo. The XF70-300mm is not considered one of Fujifilm’s high-end lenses but it certainly delivered for me. The photo was nice and sharp and to get a real sense of the detail I was able to capture, I’ve also posted a cropped version of the same image below. The original is around 40 megapixels, and the one below has been cropped to around 6 megapixels.
Fujifilm XT5 | XF70-300mm | 300mm (significant crop) | 1/100th Second | f/11 | ISO125
How cool does that look? The detail is amazing! You can see the tiny figures of people who have climbed Snowdon and are now lining up to have their moment standing on its famous summit. It is bonkers what I can photograph with a range of 10mm to 300mm on the Fujifilm’s cropped sensor.
That’s it for part one of this on-location blog post. You can read part two by clicking on the thumbnail here to read how I got on during the second half of my trip.
Working The Light | My Photo Bookshelf
Published in 2006, Working the Light provides an invaluable insight into the thinking of three of the UK’s leading landscape photographers.
Alongside newly published books, I also enjoy picking up older, usually second-hand photography books. I like to look back and enjoy the earlier work of my favourite photographers and read about their approach to photography back in the day. Working the Light was first published in 2006 and features three of the UK’s most well-known landscape photographers; Joe Cornish, David Ward and Charlie Waite. I bought this book to feel inspired, to learn from their critiques, and to find out how they went about taking photos almost two decades ago.
Author’s synopsis
Working the Light offers readers a unique chance to participate in a masterclass with three of Britain’s leading practitioners and teachers of landscape photography. Alongside a portfolio of their latest work, Charlie Waite, Joe Cornish and David Ward write about the genre for which they are best known: how they came to it, what inspires them, their current projects and the directions in which they see their work developing - for example, what role might digital play for any of these lovers of film?
Each of the three section of the book explores the theme of ‘working the light’ - surely the most critical and challenging aspect of landscape photography - with Joe Cornish writing about Wilderness Landscapes, Charlie Waite discussing Inhabited Landscapes and David Ward concentrating on inner landscapes.
Each section also contains a Gallery Workshop in which the trio critique images submitted by clients of the renowned travel company Light & Land, offering the kind of constructive comment and positive advice that one would normally only expect to get in the field.
Working the Light gives its readers a real sense of taking part in a location workshop with Waite, Cornish or Ward while also preserving their wisdom in permanent form that can be referred to in the future. Follow-up volumes are already planned, with the next in the series looking to explore the concept of Developing Vision and Style.
My thoughts about the book
It’s an interesting concept and one I like quite a lot. The book is made up of three chapters, each dedicated to one of the three aforementioned masters of their craft and each focused on a sub-genre of landscape photography. Within each chapter, you are taken on a bit of a journey, starting with a collection of photos and writing from each photographer, followed by a gallery of images submitted by previous clients of the Light & Land workshops and at the end of each chapter, Joe, David and Charlie offer their thoughts on those photos.
What I like the most about the book is that it’s not just about showing successful photos, but the three photographers also share what they consider unsuccessful images and write about how they might have been improved. This is important, as it teaches us that even those we consider the pinnacle of landscape photography are always learning and still need to work hard on their craft to take the best photos possible.
This book includes some thought-provoking quotes and useful tips for taking better images, and the critique offered to the submitted photos is both fair and respectful.
Even based on today’s standards, this book still holds its own and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, drawing inspiration from the photos shared within.
Book Details
Hardcover
Size: 260mm x 234mm
Pages: 160
Availability at the time of writing: Unavailable from the usual UK booksellers. Consider buying a used copy.
Tips for Photographing the Woodland in Spring
In this article, I share some of my favourite tips for photographing the woodland in spring.
I think I’m starting to sound like a scratched record as I’ve said it so many times over the last few weeks, but I’ll say it one more time; thank goodness winter is coming to an end! It has been the worst winter for woodland photography since I first started to point my lens towards the trees. I prefer calm, relaxed conditions when I photograph the woodland and the high winds and relentless rain has meant I’ve lacked the motivation to pick up my camera and head to the woodlands over the last couple of months. Now winter is finally coming to an end and with spring just around the corner, I’m now looking forward and planning for another season of fresh green leaves and colourful carpets of woodland flowers.
So, in a bid to share some of the lessons I’ve learned over the last few years, I’ve listed a few tips that I feel can help anyone trying to get the most from their springtime woodland photography.
Get to know the woodland you plan to photograph
Starting with the big one. Scouting! This, in my opinion, is the most important thing any photographer can do when looking to photograph a spring woodland. Knowing where those colourful wildflowers will appear and having some compositions in mind means that when the time comes and conditions are right, you can head to the woodland prepared with some ideas as to what to photograph.
It’s worth noting that when all the fresh flowers and leaves appear, the woodland transforms and can look very different compared to its lifeless, wintry self. So, although it’s great to head into the woodland with some previously scouted compositions in mind, be prepared to change things up if the shot you planned is no longer on.
2. Be prepared to revisit your chosen woodlands
The thing about the woodland in spring is that it’s not always easy to tell when the colour will appear. It can happen in just a matter of days. So, when you’ve found the areas of woodland you plan to focus your attention on, be prepared to revisit a few times so you catch the growth at the perfect time. For this reason, it’s also worth thinking about trying to find local woodlands to photograph, that way you can keep a closer eye on how things are progressing.
Below are three photos of the same scene spanning just two weeks. Look how fast the woodland bloomed into life.
3. Embrace the woodland’s natural disorder
When I first started woodland photography, the number one springtime photo I wanted to take was the iconic uncluttered carpet of bluebells surrounding a bunch of perfectly straight beach trees. For some, it’s the holy grail of springtime woodland photography. Fast forward a few years, and as my woodland photography has progressed, I’ve learned to embrace the clutter and am now much happier seeking compositional order in a natural disorder. I am immeasurably more satisfied when I find a composition I like after working harder on the arrangement.
4. Learn to spot the telltale signs of a misty morning
Like 99% of all other woodland photographers, I love a misty woodland. Along with removing distracting backgrounds and defusing the light, having mist or fog while photographing the woodland can add atmosphere and a sense of mystery to the images.
Although it is never foolproof, it helps if you can identify the telltale signs of a foggy morning when checking your favourite weather app the night before a shoot. In a nutshell, the chances of encountering a misty forest significantly increase when there is little or no wind, humidity is in the high 90s, and the dew point matches the temperature. The weather being the weather means that even when all the signs are there, it doesn’t always work out the way you plan.
5. No mist, no problem
The thing about foggy or misty conditions is that even when all the signs are there, more often than not, it doesn’t happen. So, my advice to anyone photographing woodland is to embrace the woodland whatever the conditions.
Misty mornings aside, my ideal conditions for photographing woodland is in soft, defused light. Personally, I struggle when the light is strong and direct but the great thing about living in the UK is that there are plenty of cloudy days and even when the sun is out, it typically won’t be long before a cloud floats in and tempers the harsh light.
Another challenge when photographing woodland is that it can be quite dark and if there is any sky visible between the trees, it will likely be the brightest thing in the shot and appear very distracting. In foggy conditions, this is less of a problem as the light will be defused but when it’s clear, I will typically find a composition without any sky, using the thicker foliage or the undulations in the landscape as a backdrop to the image.
6. Use a polarising filter to give the colours a bit of punch
If like me, you enjoy photographing the woodland early in the morning or in damp, rainy conditions, you will almost certainly come across wet, reflective leaves in your scene. Reflective light can be very distracting in your woodland photos. This is where a circular polarising filter (CPL) can come to the rescue. A CPL filter works by blocking the reflective light from entering your lens, which means less glare and more punchy colours in your woodland images. This effect is practically impossible to replicate when processing your photos back at the computer, so, to get the very best quality pictures in these conditions, it’s definitely worth mounting a CPL onto the end of your lens.
Just a word of caution. A common mistake many photographers make is to automatically turn the CPL all the way; removing all reflective light from the image. This can result in flat, highly saturated pictures. My advice is to rotate the filter back and forth until there is a good balance between eliminating the distracting reflections and retaining some of the life in the scene. Taking it one step further, photograph the scene with and without the filter mounted so you can choose the picture you like best later.
7. Photograph the small scenes
When the woodland comes alive with new growth in spring, there can be an abundance of smaller scenes to photograph and one thing I’ve been trying to do more often is to get much closer and photograph the finer details. With so much texture and patterns on offer, once you get the camera up close to these smaller scenes, you will be able to tap into a wealth of photographic opportunities and although getting down that low can often be a little tough on the back, by slowing down and taking your time to compose the image properly, you will undoubtedly capture some beautiful, intimate woodland photos.
At the time of writing, I don’t own a macro lens as I don’t want to carry yet another piece of camera gear. Instead, I invested just a few pounds in a set of extension tubes which I mount between my camera and the lens. These allow me to focus much closer for a fraction of the price (they cost me about £30). Extension tubes may not be as good as a high-quality macro lens, and you typically lose a stop of light when using them, but they are the next best thing in my opinion and incredibly handy for the odd occasion where you want to get a little closer to your subject.
8. Embrace the vibrant greens
Photographing the plethora of beautiful colours can be a wonderful experience, however as quickly as they appear, they will be gone again, and you will be left with an abundance of vibrant green tones across the woodland. I love to include those fresh leaves in my images, but having a single colour across the entire frame can result in an image that lacks interest or dynamism. One approach I take to make more interesting photos is to use the strong lines created by the trees to break up the colour and add structure to the composition. This is the approach I took for the photos below and they remain some of my favourite springtime woodland photos I’ve taken.
9. Leave no trace
Over the last few years, so many people have rediscovered the beauty of their local woodlands, and I love to promote the benefits of woodland photography, but all this footfall is having a big impact on these important natural spaces. That’s why, through effective education and following a few simple principles, these popular places can still be visited and enjoyed, but remain protected for future generations to experience.
Our actions directly impact these natural spaces, and one key example is the English Bluebell. Bluebells are a protected species in the UK and picking or digging them up is illegal, but not many people know just how fragile they are. Bluebells can take years to recover from the damage caused by people trampling over them just to take a selfie, and if their leaves are crushed, they can be weakened (as they can no longer photosynthesis). This can all be avoided if everyone sticks to the woodland pathways.
Nature First is just one of many organisations trying to help us woodland photographers to keep these natural spaces safe and they have a few simple principles to follow. By doing so, we can all do our part to preserve our beautiful woodlands.
Prioritize the well-being of nature over photography.
Educate yourself about the places you photograph.
Reflect on the possible impact of your actions.
Use discretion if sharing locations.
Know and follow rules and regulations.
Always follow Leave No Trace principles and strive to leave places better than you found them.
Actively promote and educate others about these principles.
I hope you found that somewhat useful and if you’re looking for some more woodland photography-related articles to read, check out these three I’ve posted below.
Until next time.
Trevor