Page 23 - Amateur Photographer - August 5, 2017

‘It’s all about the
mood, story and the
feelings of solitude’
connection with the landscape.
With this in mind, I returned to
this spot on my own in the early
hours of the following morning
with my fingers crossed and a
vision in my mind. What
transpired was far better than
I could have ever hoped for.
My 55mm f/1.8 prime was my
lens of choice. Primes are great
fun to use in woodland as the
constant shuffling around and
repositioning slows the process
down and helps you to nail the
composition. Set up with my
Sony A7 II, a tripod and a cable
release, I took a series of
images as the light slowly
moved from left to right, until
it eventually filled the centre of
the image and created magical
rays. The thin mist also adds to
the depth, mystery and mood. I
used large pine trees to the left
and right to create a natural
and dark frame. The intention
was to show off the wonderful
character and shape of the oaks
and then be invited underneath
their arch and into the light.
Wait for the light
I spend many months or
longer hoping and waiting for
conditions like this in my local
area, so for this to happen on
my second visit to this scene
felt incredibly rewarding. It is a
real privilege to witness and be
absorbed into the atmosphere
and uniqueness of moments
such as this. Was I thinking
or worrying about pain at the
time? Absolutely not.
My need to venture out on
a regular basis means that
I continue to explore any small
pockets of woodland I can find
tucked away in my local area.
The standout images are very
few and far between, but the
process is therapeutic and
enriching, and serves as a
reminder of how landscape
photography is about far more
than a photograph.
It was with great surprise and
pleasure that this image was
commended in the Take a View,
Landscape Photographer of the
Year competition. It then went
on to be featured in the 10-year
anniversary edition of
their awards book.

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