Remembrance | Weekly Photo #75
I normally release my weekly photo stories every Monday morning but I’ve posted this week’s photo a day early as I wanted it to co-inside with Remembrance Sunday here in the UK and pay my own small tribute to this incredibly important day. I appreciate not all countries will observe Remembrance Day but hopefully everyone will appreciate it’s not about who did what and who’s cause was just, it is about remembering those that were lost to war and conflict throughout history regardless of the country they were from. It’s not political, it’s a mark of respect.
During World War One, most of the fighting took place in Western Europe and the previously picturesque countryside was turned into lakes of mud as they were repeatedly blasted by bombs and fought over. The landscape was bleak and nothing could grow with one notable exception, the bright, red Flanders poppy. This hardy flower managed to grow in in the thousands across the otherwise desolate landscape. In spring 1915, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired by this resilient flower and wrote the famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.
Fujifilm XT2 | XF55-200mm | 71mm | 1/6,000th Second | f/7.1 | ISO400
Back in June this year, I was on the hunt for locations to photograph a poppy field down here in the south east of England and I stumbled across this spot in Dover, beside the South Foreland Lighthouse. Located along the historic white cliffs, it’s a beautiful place with stunning views across the English Channel so along with another photographer buddy, we arranged to meet at sunrise to take some photos.
We arrived just before sunrise and quickly realised the sun would be rising in the direction we were shooting which was good in terms of getting some beautiful backlight on the poppies but it presented a challenge with photographing the lighthouse with so much dynamic range. We spent a bit of time wandering around the field, looking for some good compositions and once the sun had risen and moved a little over to the right, the dynamic range was a lot more manageable and I was able to get the scene exposed without the need for filters or exposure bracketing.
I took a number of shots while playing with the depth of field and as I reviewed the photos once back in Lightroom, I settled for this photo with the lighthouse rendered nice and sharp and the focus gradually dropping off as it got closer to the camera. Even though it’s clear what the flowers are, I just feel the out of focus foreground is easier on the eye and softens the overall scene.
Being such an iconic location along the white cliffs of Dover and such a recognisable symbol of remembrance and hope, I’m so pleased I was able to take it and share it on this important day.
In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' Fields.
~ John McCrae, 1915 ~
“Lest We Forget”
Trevor
This post is featured in my Weekly Photo series where I post a new photo every Monday. To have this delivered directly to your inbox, you can subscribe to the mailing list here.