Monday 1 November 2010

autumnwatching

 Not another Autumn post, where I go on about the beauty and the colours!!
Okay..lets talk photography.
I am not a professional and this is not a
blow my own trumpet post!
I appreciate a good a snap that's all.

Firstly I think the most important part of taking great pictures is having great light.
These pictures were taken Saturday morning thankfully before the grey moved in.
Without the sun, well I probably wouldn't have bothered.
 Be creative.
The beauty of digital is having the choice to make mistakes.
Don't always go for the obvious.
In the past I have taken many shots of this tree, 
generally slap bang in the middle,
which makes a great photo, 
but can get a little boring.

 Of course there is always one exception to the rule!
Especially when its a lovely steaming New Forest pony.

 Sometimes in the middle works when the subject is the most important feature.
Here I wasn't working with the light, 
I loved how these trees are standing in a queue.
Looking at it now I could probably crouch down to achieve more sky, 
like I said I am not a professional.
Mainly I just snap away.

 Get in amongst it!
Taking a different route on your usual walk
can gift you with some super tranquil scenes.
You may even get lucky and surprise a sleeping deer,
like we did.
It did make us jump when it sprang into life!
No photos this time.
I love observing nature for real, not always behind the lens of a camera!
I did kick myself for a while after though.

 Here I was bouncing the sun off the water,
 which gives a bit of life to an otherwise average shot.

Horizon
The best way to create a dramatic scene is to move the horizon line.
The ratio that works well here is
two thirds land and one third sky,
it gives a great perspective
and the allows the eye to travel up.
This works equally as well the other way round, 
especially when there is a beautiful sky.
I quite often think of the impressionist painters when I use these ratios...
...something I might try soon.

I hope you enjoyed my little ditty?
I shall leave you with the second most important aspect of taking great photos..
the subject matter
  which sometimes just speaks for itself!

In the words of Sir Christopher Packham 
  'get off your sofa, get out there and enjoy the great British outdoors. ...'

... and don't forget your camera! 

edited* yes I was wearing my scarf 
thankyou Julia

8 comments:

Terrie said...

What a great post and a gorgeous part of the country you live in. We stayed in the New Forest earlier this year and I was amazed by it's beauty and of course the ponies! You lucky girl!

Anonymous said...

Lovely Clare, just lovely.
How fortunate to able to photograph those beautiful ponies.
The colours this autumn seem to be so much better!
Vivienne x

Dawn said...

I love your autumn photos - its an irresistable time of year for taking pictures, isn't it?

Juliab said...

Beautiful shots and such fantastic weather. Were you wearing your new scarf? I will definitely be taking your advice the next time I get my camera out. x

Peeriemoot said...

Lovely pictures :-) - completely with you about the light. It was sunny here this morning so I went out and took some photos. Glad I did because it's turned grey and wet now!

Snowcatcher said...

There's NEVER any such thing as too many autumn photos! Autumn doesn't last long enough! So good that you captured these jewels, and those are some great tips.

Little stitch and me said...

Beautiful pictures the new forest looks so peaceful and tranquil. My imagination runs away with and I half imagine the ponies to be unicorns in a mysterious forest, very magical.

Diane said...

Digital photography has changed my life - I love just snapping like you do. I would love to treat myself to a better camera and a few lessons - one day. Great photos - I loved them all. xxxx