It can be difficult to motivate ourselves to do photography during the winter months. Dull, drab days are often not conducive to good photography, and even on bright days it can be cold and uninviting outside. Despite this, it might seem strange to say that I have had some of my most enjoyable days of photography on crisp winter mornings and for me it is important to keep getting out and making the most of all that nature has to offer in winter. Last year I wrote a post about making the most of winter photo opportunities when the weather is dull and drab, with no dramatic conditions such as frost, fog or snow to add interest to our photographs. In that post I shared some photos that I took of beautiful winter sunsets and also photos of winter trees which I think make great subjects, and I suggested that we can get out and make the most of what winter has to offer, despite the lack of ideal winter conditions. But there is a limit to what we can do in photography when the light is poor and the sky is a boring grey. This year has brought some more interesting winter conditions so I felt it was important to make the most of any photo opportunities that presented themselves. Below are some images that I captured on a recent cold frosty day in and around my local park. I hope you like them. Days like this don't come often and conditions can change very quickly. Making these images on this beautiful winter day was both enjoyable and memorable and that is why I think it is important to make the most of all that winter has to offer to photographers. I hope this winter brings you lots of opportunities to make great photographs. I am looking forward to more exciting winter photo opportunities before the season ends. Happy Holidays.

I recently heard this question asked on a photography channel and realised that asking photographers if they shoot for the sale or for the soul does not refer to making money from photography but asks: Do you shoot for other people’s approval, for social media likes, or to gain followers? Do you post your photos into photography groups and ask for opinions on them, or seek the judgement of others on which of two styles of edit looks best? Or do you shoot for yourself, take the photographs you like, experiment and explore to discover your tastes and preferences, take chances even when you have no guarantees of success, broaden your horizons because it is good for you, and for your development as a photographer? I would like to think that I shoot for the soul. I want my photography to be enjoyable and meaningful and I don’t want to experience the feelings of frustration and failure that can become a reality when we rely on others for affirmation. There is nothing like capturing an epic shot, but these are not easy to achieve, and it can be time consuming and frustrating to get the exact shot we are looking for. It can also lead to perfectionism as we continually aim to achieve that elusive shot. For me, this is not the most rewarding aspect of photography. I get the most from my photography when I am exploring, when I am discovering new places and new things to shoot. Sometimes this will simply mean going out with a camera and an idea in mind, and just enjoying the shoot and the images I create. On this occasion I went out to photograph shape and lines in the built environment. I thoroughly enjoyed this topic which I had not explored before, and it was the experience, rather than the resulting images, that meant the most to me. On this photography outing I just took random images of things that interested me. Photography is something that gives me great joy, a fact that I have referred to in other posts. However, on my photography journey I have often fallen into the trap of wondering if my images will be liked by others and by asking this, I am inviting feelings of not being good enough. I am beginning to realise that I must do photography for myself – I must shoot for the soul rather than shoot for the sale.

My first camera was a point and shoot film camera, and that’s exactly what I did. I pointed the camera at my subject and took the shot. My images were not always successful! I often had images with a branch sticking out of someone’s head or limbs cut off. I had images where all the interest was concentrated on one side, images with wonky horizons or images that were over or under exposed. After receiving many disappointing images back from the photo lab, I began to realise that I needed to be more careful with my compositions. And because making these types of mistakes was expensive, my first photography lessons were to learn some basic composition techniques. When I progressed from a basic camera to my first SLR camera I tried to get to grips with all the wheels and dials and to understand ISO, aperture and shutter speed, but this was a steep learning curve at the time, and I didn’t have a lot of success. Fast forward to four years ago when I started re-learning photography with a DSLR camera and I began to realise that there is so much to learn, so much improvement to be made all the time, that it really does take a serious commitment of time and interest. Thankfully, with digital photography we don’t have the expense of having film developed but there are still considerable costs in starting photography as a hobby. Apart from the camera and lenses there are extras such as camera bag, lens filters, tripod, possibly a subscription to an editing programme. The costs mount up. But there is one way that you can learn photography without these costs and that is by learning with your phone camera. Firstly, it is a camera that you always have with you. Secondly, it is much more capable than the old point and shoot cameras. There is a view that the top range mobile phone cameras can even equal cheaper DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Thirdly, there are no extras to buy such as camera bag, tripod and lenses, unless you want these to enhance your experience. I am not talking here about investing in the ‘latest and greatest’ phone camera. In fact, having the latest phone camera might prove to be a disadvantage as you may find it difficult to move to a real camera, and in my view, we don’t gain a real photography experience by just using a phone. What I am talking about is using a phone to learn about photography rather than worrying about quality of images. So, any phone with a camera will do the job. Here are 7 ways in which you can learn photography without buying expensive camera equipment. 1. Composition – learning the fundamentals In my view, getting the composition right is one of the most important skills in photography. We can know all the technical jargon but if we fail to nail the composition, we fail to capture a good image. Our mobile phone is invaluable for learning composition. A simple first step is to turn on the grid which will help keep horizons straight and encourage use of one of the most popular composition strategies – the rule of thirds. Good composition involves getting different perspectives, using a variety of angles from which to shoot, constantly moving to get the best vantage point, and working with the best available light. Having a small, handheld device makes this easy to do and encourages us to constantly experiment with composition. Nothing beats learning by doing and by having lots of opportunities to practise, we naturally teach ourselves better composition skills. I am always on the lookout for interesting leading lines which lead the viewer into the frame. Having my phone camera on hand helps me find these when least expected. 2. Subject – learning about focus and exposure Finding an interesting subject is key to having a good composition. Photographer James Popsys claims that the best photographs are those that are about something rather than of something. A beautiful scene will not always translate into a beautiful image but when we focus on a subject, on an interesting aspect of the scene, we can elevate the image into something more. Focus is easy with our phone cameras. We just tap on the screen where we want our focus to be, and the camera does the rest. We can lock focus to ensure that we are still focused on our subject even if we move, and from our focal point we can slide our finger up or down to control exposure. This quickly becomes highly intuitive. 3. Working with lenses – learning about lens choice and how focal lengths work One of the important lessons in photography is learning about focal length and the effect that changing focal length has on an image. To do this properly with a camera we would need to have a range of different lenses or at least a standard telephoto lens with a good focal range, and both these options can be expensive. Working with a mobile phone camera gives us easy access to a choice of several lenses, all within the one device. Mobile phone cameras vary considerably regarding lenses. Entry level phones will at least have a wide-angle and an ultra-wide-angle lens, while many recent phones have a triple lens setup consisting of a wide-angle lens, an ultra-wide-angle and a telephoto lens. Phone camera lenses are developing all the time and some now have the addition of a macro lens for close-up photography. Having this range of lenses at our disposal, without having to physically change lenses, means we can easily experiment with the effect of changing focal length, with choosing which focal length is best in each situation and with being creative with focal length. The images below give some examples of using three different mobile camera lenses. 2x lens 1x lens 0.5 lens 4. Editing – learning about improving our images Most images, even those captured on an expensive camera, need at least some editing. This is another aspect of photography that can be mastered using a mobile phone. Most online photo storage spaces have their own editing suites. Social media sites used for displaying photographs also have editing capabilities as well as a range of filters. Additionally, there are many editing apps such as Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed which can give excellent results. One of the main advantages of these editing options is that we can do our editing on the go. We instantly upload our images, edit as required, and easily save the edited images to our phone storage. The results may not equal those of a full editing programme, but they do give a taste of how to edit and help us refine our editing style. 5. Get Creative - make more of your photography Light trails, macro, abstract, ICM, use of creative filters and editing techniques, blurring background with Live Focus and use of third-party apps are all options available to us on our phone cameras and give us the opportunity to get creative with our photography. 6. Apps – learning advanced skills While some modern phones have a manual option which can be accessed through the camera settings, for those that don’t there are many third-party apps available to download onto any smartphone which will enhance the camera capabilities of our phone and give us some aspects of a more professional camera. Slow Shutter Cam allows us to easily change shutter speed for creative effect, such as creating ICM images. Editing apps such as Snapseed allow us to make creative choices, as well as regular editing Apps such as Lightroom Mobile, ProCam and Reeflex allow us to shoot in manual mode with the option of adjusting ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Having this capability on our phone encourages us to experiment with these professional settings, and helps us understand the terms, what they mean and what they do. 7. Continuity – life-long learning Photography is one of those subjects where there is always more to learn and where you never reach perfection. The phone camera can be our constant learning companion in that we can use it at any time and for any purpose. It can help us perfect a skill or try out a technique when the right opportunity arises. Phones themselves will continue to advance and develop and give us continuous opportunities to upskill and keep abreast of new technologies. With our phone camera by our side, we can be life-long learners in the art of photography. Conclusion Learning photography is challenging and rewarding. It has given me endless hours of pleasure; it has kept my mind active and fed my soul. And learning photography doesn’t have to be expensive. We have an effective learning tool with us all the time – our phone camera. With our phone camera we can: · Learn the basics of composition and editing without investing in expensive cameras, lenses, filters, tripod and camera bag. Our phone camera travels light. · Get creative with our photography Learning to be creative with our camera is where the real joy of photography lies. Once we have mastered the basic skills our photography journey becomes a journey of discovery. · Develop more advanced skills and continue our learning Whatever we need to learn to improve our photography skills, our phone camera, by being an increasingly capable and ever-present device, will support and accelerate the learning process. Why not unlock the learning potential of your mobile phone camera?

It is early morning in the second week of November. The light is flat and there is no sign of any early morning sunshine appearing in the woodland. I am out for a walk with an hour to spare. I have come to an area that I passed through a few days earlier when I didn’t have my camera with me. On that occasion I had seen a possible woodland composition and I took a quick shot with my phone, promising myself that I would come back with my camera. This seemed to be the perfect opportunity. I used an 18-200mm telephoto lens and a 50mm lens and took a set of images at different focal lengths. When I had taken what I needed I took some more images in the immediate area, and some more on my walk back to my car. These are some of the images I captured: If you have a short time to spare and want to make the most of your photo shoot I recommend going to a location and staying within a short radius of your starting point. You will often be surprised that you will find images that you might have missed by moving on too soon. I sometimes make this very mistake. I keep walking, thinking I should cover as much ground as possible to find the best compositions. Today I discovered that the best images were indeed right beside me and I came away feeling that I had made the best use of the short photography shoot. You might like to read Part 1 of this post.

In photography we often answer the questions what and how rather than why. We think about what we will photograph and how to best achieve the capture, but we don’t often ask ourselves why we are taking photographs in the first place. That question might not seem as important to our photography as the other two, but in my view, giving time to considering why we take photos can go a long way to improving our practice. It gives us an increased awareness of our inner motivation, and this is what can keep us going in times when getting out and taking photographs is proving difficult. Sometimes, to really find the answer to why we photograph we can go back to when we first got interested in photography and discover what it was about this pursuit that fired our imagination and kept us coming back to it, even if we have abandoned it for a while. When I look back to where my photography journey started, I think about one photograph in particular, a photograph that stands out in my memory. My first camera was a relatively inexpensive film camera, and most of my first photographs were black and white photos of people posing for the camera. The photograph below was different. It was a spontaneous capture, a moment, a look between two people that was caught on camera, and It was the first time that I felt I had done something slightly more creative with my camera. That photograph marked a turning point for me; it was the beginning of branching away from staged family portraits and trying to use my camera in a more creative way. Connected to this change in my perspective was a visit to the studio of a local photographer. I remember entering an Aladdin’s cave of interesting smells and a visual feast of amazing landscape images of local locations. Seeing what was possible in photography gave me the inspiration to upgrade my camera and begin to capture my own visual interpretations in local places. I believe that my early photography experiences moulded my love for making images and for creative photography in particular. When I reflect on the why of my photography, I understand the drive to make photographs that I have today, and this knowledge continues to motivate and inspire me. I particularly love to experiment and try out different techniques. I am often surprised by the results. Today I can still ask myself the question, why do I take photographs? What is it that motivates me to go out, often early in the morning or in inclement weather, to capture a sunrise? What is it that inspires me to wait around when I see the possibility that the sun will come out and light up the scene in front of me? What is it that encourages me to take a camera in my hand and go out in search of a pleasing composition even though I may be the only one who sees the final image? I do this because: Taking a photo makes me feel something, something I can’t explain, something deep inside me. When I take a camera in my hand and go out to make an image, I feel alive, connected, engaged with the world around me. There is an empathy with nature that comes with being out among the natural elements - discovering what lies among woodland trees, strolling on deserted beaches, hiking across hills and valleys or exploring country lanes and byways - an empathy that brings an immense sense of oneness and connectedness that encourages me to want to share my passion with others. Photography is a way of expressing myself. Through my photography I can convey my ideas, thoughts and feelings in a creative, visual way. It is a visual language which helps me to express emotions that I find hard to put into words. Photography challenges me. The drive to get better at photography is a strong motivating factor. I might shoot 100 photos and among them discover one that I really like, one that has turned out exactly as I wanted it to. It is that photo that keeps me going out, trying something new, building on what I like. Photography motivates me to experience more in life. When I capture the beauty and wonder of the world around me, I immerse myself in the richness of that beauty. Photography helps me to slow down, to see more, to feel more and to appreciate more. Spending time with my camera, intentionally choosing a subject and composing an image, brings a feeling of joy and contentment that is hard to rival. Conclusion In photography, what we photograph and how we photograph are important considerations, but asking ourselves why we photograph is also a valid question, one that can have an important influence on our craft. How would you answer the question, Why Do I Take Photographs? Further reading You might like to read these related posts. 10 Proven Ways That Photography Can Enrich Your Life Why Photography Is Good For Your Wellbeing Why I Think Photography Is a Great Hobby or check out this video outlining reasons why it’s good to reflect on why we take photographs in the first place https://youtu.be/1ibEx4iHigw

It can be difficult to maintain focus in street photography. By its very nature it is a random pursuit, and not easy to plan for. The resulting images can be less than satisfactory as they may not seem connected or part of a whole, other than that they were taken in roughly the same place. This might work well when we are exploring a new location, particularly one that is in sharp contrast to where we live, but if we constantly photograph the same locations, we will be expecting interesting moments to elevate our images, and these moments don’t come along very often. Having a project in mind before going out into the street gives us some advantages: (a) We can have at least a rough idea of what we want to capture. (b) Our focus for our photography shoot will be improved. (c) Our images will have a purpose, a cohesion, a connection that might not otherwise be achieved. I happened to be in a small seaside village in Co. Sligo, Ireland, when the annual triathlon was taking place. I decide to go out with a focus on telling the story of the day through some images. What did I learn from this mini project? · By taking photographs I became part of the action rather than merely an onlooker, which increased my interest in the event. · I witnessed many interactions and conversations which were a great example of community action and support. · I felt that my images gave a flavour of the day and gave me a reason to be out taking photographs in an area which is more remarkable for its scenery than its street images. ☆ I really enjoyed my mini project and I see how it can inspire and give more direction to a street photography outing. FOR FURTHER LEARNING You might like to watch this video from well-known street photographer Brian Duckett - STREET PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS - And How They Can Help Improve Your Skills As A Street Photographer

Mindful photography is an opportunity to "open yourself up to new perceptions and to understand your own vision." 21 Days of Mindful Photography Alexandria Searls (2019) Many of us today are looking for ways to slow down, to become less stressed, to live a healthier lifestyle and to form more healthy habits. If you are one of those people and you also like photography, you may be interested in exploring mindful photography. I have written some blog posts in which I have considered some aspects of mindful photography and suggested some of the benefits which this practice can bring to our lives. Mindful photography is not about getting a technically perfect shot, it is not about getting lots of likes on social media, it is not about comparing ourselves to other photographers or always needing to capture an image. Mindful photography is about being, it is about slowing down and becoming more aware of what is around us, it is about observing more closely. Mindful photography is about bringing a consciousness to our practice; it is about watching and waiting, not frantically trying to grab the next shot. So, how do you become a more mindful photographer? Here are some suggestions: Cultivate a habit of being more mindful in everyday activities, whether it is cooking, eating, walking or even driving. This will help you to slow down a little and lessen your stress. Taking time to become more aware of your breathing is also an effective technique to encourage a more mindful approach to living. You might like to download the free app Breathing which can alert you to stop and deepen your breathing, particularly if you are not used to doing this. Take more purposeful mindfulness walks. Walk slowly, feel the sun on your face, the breeze in your hair (or on your head if you don't have hair). Listen to the sounds around you, especially the nature sounds. Take in the scent of flowers, newly mown grass, vegetation after the rain. Taste the salt in the sea air; touch something and feel its texture. Don’t rush - take time to see, feel, hear and smell. Resist the temptation to always take a photo. It is even said that when we are mindfully aware of our surroundings, we are doing photography, even when we don’t have a camera with us. The more time you spend without using a camera the more you’ll begin to really see, and your photographs will improve as you sharpen your powers of observation. “I’m always mentally photographing everything as practice” ~ Minor White* When you do go out to take photographs don’t always look for a finished product. Look for shape, texture, form. Look for light and shade and the mingling of the two. Take lots of images just for you. Walk in the woods, in the forest, by the sea, near a river. Climb a mountain or hill, overlook a town or city. Look up at the trees, at the sky, at the moving clouds. Look down, find something tiny, something you haven’t noticed before. Look at something ordinary, something mundane, and see the beauty there. Experiment, discover, ‘be’ with your camera and allow each subject to speak to you and call you to make an image. Make your image as technically perfect as you can, but don’t feel pressured. If it’s not perfect, don’t worry. It is as it’s meant to be. Enjoy the journey, savour the experience. This is an image of an old door handle. But it is more than that. It is a way into a room. It is worn, well-used, full of fingerprints that cannot be seen, a teller of numerous stories. “One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are” ~ Minor White Does 'gear' matter? Most serious photographers will favour a dedicated camera for all types of photography rather than a phone camera, and I agree that the versatility of a camera, with its choice of lenses and myriad of settings to achieve different results, means it is generally preferable to a phone camera which is essentially a ‘point and shoot’ camera, albeit an ever improving one. I do not wish to suggest that mindful photography is not serious photography, but this is an area where the saying, ‘the best camera is the one you have with you’, really does apply. We can of course do mindful photography on a planned photography shoot, when the focus is on perfecting technique and getting the best image, since practising photography mindfully is a mindset which we can use at any time. Yet much of mindful photography is spontaneous, it is often a result of something catching our eye, drawing us, speaking to us as we walk along, and it is at this time that the camera in our pocket, the phone camera, has a role to play. We become more mindful photographers when 'gear' is less important than connecting with our subject. Photographer Paul Sanders, who is passionate about becoming more mindful in his photography, urges us not to think of our subject in terms of a photo, just to enjoy the simple beauty presented. "Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field." -Peter Adams (Commercial photographer) Follow where your inspiration leads you At its very heart, mindful photography is spontaneous. Allow yourself time to notice the beauty that is around you. Open yourself to possibilities and opportunities. Connect with your subject, notice how you feel and be aware of what is drawing your eye. Experiment, follow where your inspiration leads you and above all enjoy the wonderful experience that is mindful photography. *** This is one in a series of blog posts relating to mindful photography. If you are interested in this topic, you might like to read some of my previous blogs How Trying Mindful Photography Really Changed My Perspective Does Photography Support A Mindfulness Experience Or Take From It How Embracing Mindful Photography Has The Power To Transform Your Life 3 Powerful Reasons To Embrace MIndful Photography How Can We Harness the Power of Gratitude Through Photography? 10 Benefits of Taking a Mindful Approach To Photography If you know anyone who might enjoy this post, please feel free to share the link. *** FOOTNOTE *Minor White (1908-1976) was an American photographer whose interest in Zen philosophy and mysticism influenced his photography. Before becoming a serious photographer, White studied botany and, later, poetry. He became a serious photographer in 1937 and through his mystical approach to photography he became one of the most influential photographers in the mid twentieth century.

The Fire Challenge is the third challenge posed by Kim Grant on her YouTube channel, Visualising Scotland. The aim of these challenges is not to just take a regular photograph of the topic, but rather to think around the subject, use the subject as a springboard for something different, something creative and interesting. Kim constantly reminds her viewers that the aim of the challenges is to get people to go out with their camera and to see the world in a different way. With all of this in mind I began to think of the latest challenge – Fire. I don’t have a fire in my house, which might have given me the option of photographing a real flame, so I tried to think around the subject and decided to use colour and shape to simulate fire, and to use intentional camera movement and abstract photography to create some fire effects. Autumn provided an abundance of reds, oranges and yellows so I went out with my camera to see what I could create. Theses are some of the results. The creeping plant, with it's autumn colours of red, orange and yellow, gives the impression of flames creeping up a wall. This was a hanging branch. I rotated it to give the impression of flames jumping up. Autumn leaves sufficiently blurred to represent the colours of fire. Intentional Camera Movement gives the image a wavy feel, like flames dancing in a fire. This abstract image, with its strong red and yellow and hint of blue, suggests the intensity of fire. In post-processing I was able to change the colour of these grasses to fire colours. I live near Marlay Park, an area in which I do a lot of my photography. On a recent walk on a cold November morning I came across a pile of fire logs ready to be used in the log fires of the 18th century Marlay House. They provided an ideal subject for my fire photography challenge! Why not take the challenge? The Fire challenge is not an easy challenge. I was tempted to photograph a real flame but I felt that it would defeat the purpose of a creative challenge. Finding ways to represent fire or create images associated with fire provided a welcome opportunity to do something different with my camera. If you would like to try out some creative images on the theme of fire, why not take part in the challenge for yourself. There are no winners or losers, just an opportunity to see some creative thinking among photographers and a chance to pick up some useful ideas for your own photography.

I ask this question because I really don’t know the answer. I am interested in street photography, I have taken street photographs in many different places, but I have yet to capture what I would call a good street image. To my eye, most of my street images are boring; they are mainly images of random people in random locations doing nothing. In some ways I know what doesn’t make a good street image; it is harder to know when a street photograph succeeds. I have studied many street photographers, and success still eludes me. I know when an image appeals to me, when it has that something extra that makes it stand out from the crowd. But that something extra is hard to achieve. So, what makes a good street photography image? I have come up with some possibilities. A moment – I think that capturing the perfect moment is key to successful street photography. It might be a look, an expression, an interaction or an action that encourages the viewer to look at the image, ask a question, wonder what is happening or what is being said, or guess at what might happen next. This moment captured on camera will encourage the viewer to engage with the image for a while, rather than just give it a fleeting glance. An interesting play on words - An interesting play on words is often found on signs in the street. This can provide an interesting subject for a photograph especially if it is something uncommon. This is one I just spotted in Dublin when I got off a train - a Chinese take away called Wok On Inn. It was difficult to capture without being knocked down by an oncoming bicycle! Something out of place, funny or incongruous - like this pedestrian sign and nowhere to walk. or reading something without a comma Something just screaming to be photographed - like this row of pink buses! Or a question mark in the street. An event – something out of the ordinary, where people are gathered for a single purpose or there is some sort of action going on. An interesting juxtaposition - A girl selling newspapers and magazines who is more interested in reading her phone! A story – A story image invites questions - Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing? or even Where have they gone? A humorous incident – Seagulls crossing Street photography is not easy. I don't have many examples of photographs in each of the categories above. But there is something to aim for in this genre. In future I will try not to go out and just capture random images. I will try to keep the points above in mind and hopefully will return from each street photography outing with more interesting and effective street images. ****** Although I am always trying to improve at photography and take better images no matter what type of photography I am doing, my overall priority is to enjoy my photography. Coming home with some good images helps but sometimes it's the experience of just being out taking shots that gives us joy. And if that's the case for you, then just ignore what I've said above and go out and shoot. If you find a gem among your images, great. If not, at least you'll have had some fun doing what you love.

During summer 2022 I found myself being drawn back to urban/street photography. There are a few reasons for this. 1. It is difficult to do landscape photography in harsh light so this summer's long hot spell, plus a visit to Portugal and Spain, which were both experiencing a heatwave while I was there, meant that the best option for photography was street and urban photography. 2. I have been doing landscape photography over the last 9-10 months, trying out woodland photography through the changing seasons, experimenting with ICM and abstract photography as well as doing general landscape photography. By way of change and keeping things fresh I have been concentrating on street photography and coastal photography over the summer months. Although street photography is different in many ways to landscape photography, being a faster, more spontaneous way of shooting, it has nevertheless taught me a few lessons that I can apply to landscape photography, and indeed to many other types of photography. Here are the 5 most relevant lessons that I have learned from doing street photography this summer. #1 To be curious Street photography is all about expecting the unexpected. We can’t plan what we will shoot due to the candid nature of this type of photography. We don’t know who will be on the street, what they’ll be doing or what activities and interactions we will come across. We need to have an open mind and a curiosity to seek out good images, to wander along streets and down alleyways, to amble through markets and other places that people gather, to watch and wait for that perfect moment to capture on camera. It is only by being curious, by keeping a constant lookout for images, that we will recognise those moments when they come along. I shot this from a distance with my phone so the image is grainy, but I like the moment when the dog peeped out from behind the pole and took the place of the man's head. #2 To experiment I have watched some YouTube videos made by photographers who are skilled in the art of street photography. They differ in style but one thing they all advocate is that we get out there with our camera and experiment. It is by experimenting that we will find the things that we like to shoot, and it is by experimenting that we will come to know and develop our own unique style. Recently I began experimenting with shooting through glass. I haven’t got any good images yet but I know from others’ work that it is possible to get them so I will keep trying, keep experimenting. #3 To be patient Sometimes we might stand on a street corner with a perfect contrast of light and shade and realise that there is no subject. It is then that we wait, and wait, and wait for the perfect subject to come along and then try to capture that subject in just the right position. Sometimes a burst of colour will brighten up a scene, on other occasions it might be something unusual happening in the right place at the right time. Often I waited in what I thought was a good location and I still missed the shot! On this occasion I was in the right place to capture this young man delighted with his catch! #4 To grab opportunities when they present themselves No photograph is perfect. There will always be conditions that are not quite right. With landscape photography we can always return to our composition at another time when conditions are better and the scene will still be there. With street photography it’s often a case of shoot now or lose the opportunity forever. The chances of the same people or interactions lining up again are slim so we need to take our opportunities when they arise. I still have images in my head that I should have taken and didn’t so the lesson I have learned is to grab these opportunities when they come along. Even if the image is not perfect, it will be better than no image at all. Every image we capture is a learning opportunity, a stepping stone on our photography journey. If an image is not worth keeping, it is worth learning from. The images we don’t capture teach us nothing. In this image I have good light on an interesting corner of the building. But there is nothing of interest to see. There is no subject, nothing to tell a story. Yet keeping the image is a reminder that I need to watch and wait for something interesting to happen or a good subject to walk into the frame if I want to make a decent street image. #5 To seek good light Every photography teacher stresses the importance of good light. Having the right kind of light can make the difference between a mediocre image and a good image, or even between a good image and a great one. Summer time in a city or town gives great contrasts of light and shade and if we seek out these conditions we will improve our images immensely. This is a snapshot of a day in Vila Real, Portugal. The image itself is a bit cluttered but I do like the light. Seeing how light improves my street images has taught me a valuable lesson about the primacy of good light in photography, regardless of what type of photography we do, and this is a lesson I will try to apply in all situations. Now I just need to add a good subject and composition! To Sum Up I once read a comment by a photographer who said he had no interest in doing street photography because he didn’t want photos of random people he didn’t know clogging up his photo library. I guess he has a point. It is probably preferable to have a library full of rather nice landscapes even if they don’t translate into good photographs. On the other hand, who wouldn’t do street photography if they thought they could one day capture that one iconic image - the next Behind the Gare Saint Lazare! We can but dream… …and keep improving our photography so that one day that dream may come true. I don't believe I have succeeded at street photography. My images are not by any means good examples of the genre. But I do love taking candid images in the street and they are everlasting reminders of the places I've been. In my next post I will try to discover what it is that makes a good street photography image.

I have done a lot of coastal photography over the last few months, and tried to improve at street photography, but autumn draws me back to the woodland. Woodland photography is not an easy genre of photography in which to succeed. By their very nature woodlands and forests are messy and chaotic, often with masses of tangled branches, too many trees growing together blocking a clear view of any of them, and fallen trees or branches scattered over the ground. In these circumstances a photograph can become difficult to compose and you can be frustrated and disappointed with your efforts. Yet if you are interested in woodland photography you will want to overcome these challenges and find some ways to compose a pleasing image. To do this you will need to find some order in the chaos, some way of looking at the woodland so that instead of seeing chaos you see potential. How do you do this? As this has been my personal challenge since starting woodland photography I will outline some of the solutions I have found. They may not have resulted in amazing images, but they do help me to improve at woodland photography and to feel less frustrated with this photography genre. EXPLORE One of the first suggestions I offer is to get out and explore your local woodland area. Go often and get to know the area well. This will make it easier to find subjects that pique your interest. Get to know the trees and how they relate to each other; get to know the unusual features of the woods; discover the little things that make this woodland special and unique. As you visit a woodland often you will get to know its mood at different times and in different seasons and you will become familiar with all the possibilities it offers for photography. SIMPLIFY THE SCENE As in any type of photography, the way you choose to compose your image is important in woodland photography, if a little more challenging. What you don’t want is a shot of a great subject that is undistinguishable from a cluttered background. To make order out of the chaos in a woodland scene you need to simplify the scene in some way and isolate your subject so that it becomes prominent in the image. Shooting when there is fog or mist is one obvious way of doing this and these weather conditions are ideal for separating elements in a scene. Unfortunately, we are not always lucky enough to have misty conditions, so we must work with what we have. One of the problems I have encountered is that when I try to isolate my subject my eye tends to filter out the background, but the camera does not. When I look at my image on the computer it is then that I see the cluttered background. I have learned that in the woodland I have to see differently. Since it is difficult to single out an individual tree, one thing I have tried is to photograph a group of trees together, often where I see a connection among the trees in the group. This can also create a story in the image. An alternative is to try to pick out an unusual feature of a tree or to use a telephoto lens to focus on a small part of a tree, for example a pattern in its branches or an interesting trunk. A shallow depth of field can also serve to separate a subject from the background and give it some prominence in the image. It can be done by focusing on smaller details. While a shallow depth of field does allow us to exclude the clutter in the background it is not suitable for every photograph. But a sense of depth can be achieved in other ways. USE COMPOSITIONAL RULES Leading lines T he compositional technique of using leading lines is relatively easy to use in a woodland and this can help to avoid the chaotic woodland landscapes to some degree. Leading lines serve to create depth in your image and add a sense of mystery but the technique cannot be overused or your images will appear repetitive and lacking in creativity. Pathways are relatively easy to find in most woodlands and they can create a sense of depth in the image. Another way to achieve a sense of depth in your image is to get down low and include some foreground. This can create the effect of looking into the distant forest, into the unknown. Rule of Thirds Using the Rule of Thirds can also be an effective technique to give prominence to your subject in a woodland scene. By moving the subject to one side you can include some background to show context but still be clear about what is the main subject. Natural Framing This compositional tool also has a place in woodland photography. Shooting between trees can achieve this effect, as well as using the myriad of over-reaching branches as natural frames. Use contrast Normally in photography you will want to draw as much attention as possible to your subject. If the subject is to attract the eye of the viewer it needs to stand out from its surroundings. This can be difficult to achieve in a messy woodland scene. One way to help the subject stand out is to provide as much contrast as possible between the subject and background. Use colour, shape and pattern to provide contrast in the image. Sometimes the sun will play its part! As well as employing a range of compositional techniques to help you achieve captivating images in a busy woodland environment, there are some compositional mistakes to watch out for. Including a lot of sky in your image can provide too much contrast, while unintentional overlapping of trees is not pleasing to the eye. Distractions in the frame can also be an issue. In a woodland it is very easy to come away with an image that has unwanted twigs or branches protruding from the edges so it is important to check the edges of the frame as you compose your image and move your camera to produce the cleanest possible image. FOCUS ON THE SMALL WOODLAND WORLD A woodland or forest is more than just large trees. It has a whole world going on at our feet, with potential for macro or close-up images. You can focus on these tiny details using a macro lens, make a composition using a telephoto lens or focus in on a leaf or forest vegetation. BE ADVENTUROUS Veer off the beaten path to find new compositions. Look for unique details, things that stand out; for example, a red leaf among greens or a splash of bright colour in a dark environment. Seek out a little pool or waterfall and experiment with different shutter speeds. Look up and capture some gnarly branches. Find interesting places to stand, such as in the middle of a pool or under a bridge. Get down low to include more interesting foreground elements. INCLUDE A HUMAN ELEMENT Sometimes including people in your images gives a sense of scale to the image, provides an element of story or adds interest to an otherwise boring scene. Often if you stay in one spot and wait you can capture a person walking past and position them in the frame in exactly the way you want. I like to capture the person walking into the frame, rather than out of the frame, or capture a spontaneous moment. Not everyone likes to include a human element in a landscape image - its ultimately a matter of personal choice. GET CREATIVE There are countless opportunities to discover patterns around us in woodlands. You can find patterns in trees, leaves and plants, patterns created by the sunlight shining through the trees, or you can create your own abstract patterns from the woodland elements. Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is a technique that can be readily applied in a woodland setting with interesting results. *** These are just a few ideas to help you overcome the difficulty of getting a good image in a chaotic and busy woodland setting. Composition in photography is a complex issue, comprising of many dos and don'ts. Yet composition is what makes the difference between a good and a bad image, and this is no different in woodland photography. So pay attention to composition. Compose intentionally to accentuate your woodland subjects, find as many unique ways to compose as you can, and you will come away with images to be proud of. CONCLUSION Woodland photography can be tricky and challenging. It may be difficult to get a good composition amid the chaos that is a typical woodland. But woodland photography is a type of photography like no other. Being in a woodland is relaxing and enjoyable as you connect with the elements of nature all around you. Photography in a woodland is exciting and hugely rewarding, and with a bit of effort you can capture great images in a busy woodland environment. All that is needed is a bit of extra thought and a little imagination!

I am currently taking part in a photography challenge, the second of four being presented by photographer Kim Grant. The challenges are based on the four elements, this one being Earth. The criteria for participation in the challenge are: (1) The image must have something to do with earth. (2) The image should be as creative as possible. In the first challenge, Water, I visited three locations – a seashore, a lakeshore and a riverbank – and in each of the locations I had a look for compositions that might make for a creative image. Since earth is such a huge topic, and open to interpretation in many ways, I decided to take a different approach with this challenge. I opted to concentrate on the creative aspect of the challenge, and I divided my topic into four creative themes: · Abstract · Close-up · Ancient earth · ICM Another consideration is how to define ‘earth’ in the context of the challenge. While earth may be all around us, it’s not the same as landscape or environment as these can both include human-made elements. For the purposes of the challenge, I am choosing to define earth as purely naturally occurring elements such as stone, trees, grass, sand, rock, soil, plants, hedges, mud, in fact anything that occurs in nature and is not made or built by human hand. The real challenge was to use these earth elements to produce a creative image, so I set out to capture some images under each of the headings above. Abstract Close-up Ancient earth ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) The Earth Challenge is open until October 18th and all details are available on Kim Grant's YouTube channel.