In a recent YouTube video renowned landscape photographer Mads Peter Iversen talks about what he believes is the one thing you always need in a great landscape photo – in his view, it needs to be about something. Iversen compares the landscape to a theatre stage and says that it’s one thing to take a photo of a stage but you want to have some actors on the stage, for something to go on, and for the audience to not be in doubt as to what they are looking at. There needs to be subject or concept or story to make the stage interesting. It is the same in photography. A beautiful vista will make a decent snapshot image, but it will be an empty stage; it will lack something that a photograph needs. It will lack a specific subject and a story or concept. It will not be about anything, and a photograph needs to be about something. It needs to have a reason for being. For a photograph to succeed, the elements must be thought about. They should all have a reason for being included in the frame, a way in which they contribute to the story. What kind of stories do landscape elements tell in an image? The story might be about: - Size - including a person or an object of familiar size can give a sense of scale in the image and therefore tells a story. - How the elements change when the light shines on them. Photography is all about capturing great light so including light in our image adds to the story we want to tell. The way you use the available light will have an influence on the story you want to tell. - Their relationship to other elements in the natural world. Trees standing together, stones, rocks, water all work as subjects or focal points and they may be used to tell the story in our image. The line up. Conversations in the forest. The story might: - Arise from the position of elements in the frame - The stone is a main player in the story - it is as though it is watching proceedings from the shore. - Tell a story in terms of the weather or the season- - Be a suggestion of something - Waiting for Daybreak - Allow the viewer to imagine the story - Dancing Trees A leading line will suggest mystery and invite wonder as to where it leads. Some photographers don’t consider sunrises or sunsets to be subjects in themselves, yet in some ways they do tell a story of what happened in the sky on the particular morning or evening that the image was taken. Photographer Henry Turner, in his eBook on composition, suggests that composition is what helps us tell the story in our images and he says that all subjects within a frame should generally have a connection or at least a reason for being there. I try to ask myself these questions when I am taking a photograph - What am I taking a photograph of? What is my photograph about? Does everything in my image have a reason for being there? Answering these questions helps me to define my subject and ensures that my photograph has a definite reason for being. My photograph can have more than one subject but there should be a reason for anything I include in the frame. If nothing else, with my images I try to tell the story of a place, a location, and of how I felt when I was there. I hope these ideas will help you to ensure that your images have a subject, a concept or a story, the essentials for a great photograph. Further reading If you would like to read more of Henry Turner's guide to composition, you can download his eBook here at a small cost.

I recently had a conversation with a photographer friend who remarked that he had noticed how I was including more woodland images in my blog posts. He was interested in what had motivated me to take an interest in woodland photography. I have re-formed our conversation as a Q&A session as it gives some background to an area of photography for which I have discovered a real passion. Q. I notice that you are including a lot of woodland photographs in your blog posts recently. Is this a new interest or something you have always been interested in? A. A bit of both really. I love trees and have taken many photographs of trees during different seasons. Since childhood I have had a love for woodlands, but I didn’t think I could make good woodland images so it wasn’t something I considered previously. Q. What happened to change your mind? A. A few things. Firstly, the lockdowns happened and travel outside my immediate area suddenly became something I could no longer do, so I had to stay close to home. I happen to have a few woodland areas near my home, and I love to go there at different times of day to see the changing woodland environment, so it made sense to try and do some photography there. Initially I was uncertain if I could make any images in such ‘busy’ environments, so I decided to do some research on the work of woodland photographers and get some tips for my own photography. Q. Which photographers have you been inspired by? A. There are several landscape photographers who include woodland photography in their portfolio, and others whose work is almost exclusively in woodland photography. I am drawn to those who have a real love for woodland, who display their passion through their images. These photographers show a great respect and reverence for the woodland environment in which they work, and as such are inspirational to others. I am thinking of names such as Nigel Danson, Mads Peter Iversen and Simon Baxter, among others. More recently I have discovered the work of Paul Thomson, a photographer who simplifies the process of woodland photography, making his vlogs helpful to those who are new to this form of photography. Q. What have you learned from the work of these photographers? A. What I have been interested in is how to compose in the ‘chaotic’ environment that some woodlands can be. To compose properly you have to try to separate the subject in some way from the background. Each of these photographers explains their process of finding and composing a good image, and I try to follow their guidance. I also spend time looking for interesting subjects and learning what to include in an image and what to leave out. Trying to separate the subject from the background can be a challenge in woodland photography. Q. For a photographer, what is the most important quality needed to make a success of woodland photography? A. I think that, regardless of what type of photography you choose to do, having a passion for that form of photography is the most important ingredient for success. If you have a real passion for the environments in which you make your images, you will be able to express yourself more fully through these images. When you invest part of yourself – your energy and passion – you give an essential quality to your images that may be lacking if you concentrate only on technical excellence. I think this is particularly true for amateurs as it’s important to feel a connection to your images, even if they are less than perfect. I love this image, and I don't quite know why. Q. Have you always had a connection to the environment? A. I think so. I grew up in a small village in the countryside, so the rural landscape was part of my life as a child. We lived close to a woodland area, which was my favourite place to play as a child. We built dens, climbed trees, found secret hiding places, and generally enjoyed a wonderful freedom. Those memories have stayed with me into adulthood, and I still love rambling through a woodland, although today what I most enjoy is the peace and quiet and being close to the abundance of nature which a woodland offers. And of course, making images. Q. Do you have any favourite woodland images? A. I think these are some of my favourites from the past year. I like when my images tell a story. In some of these scenes the trees almost take on a character of their own. Q. What are your plans for your photography for the coming year? A. I hope to improve at woodland photography, and indeed at landscape photography in general. I know I need to work on composition and on getting the light right, so those are my first priorities. I also intend to write some blog posts charting my progress. My other plan is to take on some photography challenges throughout the year so that I don’t allow myself to get into a rut. There are many challenges outlined online to choose from. I also like the idea of doing a short photography project where I focus on one aspect of photography. Something like shooting the woodland in black and white comes to mind. During the latter part of last year, I was introduced to Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) , which I would like to pursue further. It’s something that can ideally be practised in a woodland setting, and it doesn’t need any particular weather conditions. I think it has the potential to help me improve at my photography, since it involves a lot of experimentation with camera settings, as well as being a new creative outlet. I am interested in seeing where it leads. Q. Can I ask you a question about your blog - is it successful? A. In terms of readership, and reader engagement, no. In terms of personal development, motivation and self-fulfilment, it is very successful. It gives me an outlet for my ideas and a vehicle in which to organise my thoughts and evaluate my progress, not just in photography but in many areas of personal development. To give you an example, in my recent exploration of ICM I have watched videos explaining this technique and tried out some of the techniques in the field. I am beginning to learn about the challenges and issues to be solved. By writing about my experiences I can clarify my thoughts and get a clearer idea of what I might need to do next. This has been the case with every step of my photography journey. Q. Do you think you will continue blogging? A. I think I benefit from writing, I'm enjoying it, and I do have a small amount of readers who seem to come back to the blog from time to time, so I have no plans to stop blogging right now. I recently wrote a post to celebrate three years of blogging, which I link to here . Interview conducted on January 5th, 2022.

I love trees. Trees are an essential part of our human existence. It is true that trees can live without humans, but humans can’t live without trees. In his book, The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, author Peter Wohlleben ’draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers.’ https://www.bookdepository.com/author/Peter-Wohlleben. Although these are lofty claims, they could well be true, and whether they are or not, I love trees and I think they make a fascinating photography subject. Despite not being a human subject, they are a great example of diversity with their numerous varieties, always growing, changing, adapting to their environment; majestic in their summer fullness, beautiful with their colourful autumn foliage or standing stately in the silent frostiness of winter. Trees can be a main subject or used to frame another subject in a composition. Trees can be photographed in twos or threes, in a group of woodland or forest trees, or as lone trees. Trees can be photographed in full or provide images from their many parts. Branches, leaves, trunk and roots can all give strong subjects for our compositions. Each tree is as unique as each person and they each create unique photos. Trees give us a never-ending array of interesting subjects due to the sheer variety of tree species we find, and, alternatively, we can also photograph the same tree from different perspectives and in different conditions. We can capture a distant tree or trees, adding foreground interest to our shot, we can use our tree as a natural frame to frame our subject or we can use the tree as a sole subject, the central part of our composition. Here are some tips for photographing trees: 1. Look for a lone tree, they often make a striking image 2. Find trees that stand in threes 3. Photograph a part of a tree as a close-up photograph 4. Use a wide aperture to capture a close-up aspect of a chosen tree, creating a blurry background 5. Frame a scene with a tree 6. Capture tree silhouettes; trees at sunrise or sunset 7. Use any camera, even your smartphone. Each camera and lens choice will give a different result. You can keep going back to the same tree, or trees, with different lenses, at different times of day, in different seasons. Unlike human or animal subjects, trees will wait patiently for your return 8. Use trees as a leading line, particularly on tree lined streets or paths. They can serve to draw the viewer into the frame 9. Shoot from different perspectives: Shooting high up into the branches will yield beautiful patterns Shooting low will introduce the amazing detail to be found at the bottom of a tree We can use a wide-angle lens and give a sense of distance Filling the frame can focus closely on fine details such as leaf patterns or leaf colour, bark patterns, interesting roots, and so on Shooting high from below will show us trees in a way we don't normally see them Trees are everywhere, keep on constant lookout for that great tree photograph! Autumn Images Autumn is the most popular time for photographing trees. We can fill the frame with autumn colours, focus on colour as a topic for our images or even create abstract images of autumn foliage Backlit photos look good during autumn months Winter images Winter trees reveal strong shapes and patterns and often produce stark images. Winter trees also yield high contrast images. Bare branches set against an eye-catching sky create patterns that provide interest in our photographs, as the intricate shapes help the tree to stand out against the sky. In winter we see the tree in a way we don’t see it when it is covered in leaves. Winter trees often make good black and white images because of their strong shape and form Adding people, buildings or other structures give the image a sense of scale Including a foreground adds a sense of depth to the image In this image the trees create a middle layer in the photograph and form a pathway leading our eye to the mountain in the background A lone tree can break up a long, flat horizon, adding interest and scale. A dark, foreboding sky might add a feeling of isolation to the shot Further Reading Wise Trees Leading landscape photographers Diane Cook and Len Jenshel spent 2 years documenting trees. Their book ‘Wise Trees’ is described as a ‘stunning photography book’ containing more than 50 historical trees. The photographers travelled to fifty nine sites over a period of two years, and they captured images of the world’s most historical and inspirational trees. They spent about 2 days photographing each tree. See some more tree images in The Tree Gallery, https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/the-tree-gallery

Below I have outlined 6 main areas in which I have found useful resources for getting started as a mobile photographer and/or discovering how to make the most of your mobile phone camera, which I hope you will find useful. Online course iPhone Academy offers an online course which starts with basic, but sometimes unknown, tips for getting started with mobile photography and moves gradually to more advanced techniques. Each video lesson is explained clearly and there is an opportunity to comment or ask questions after each module. While the lessons are applicable to all smartphones, the Facebook group, where participants can post their photos in response to each challenge, is confined to iPhone users. The blurb for the course promises that, “within a few hours, you’ll be taking better photos with your iPhone than most people can take with their big cameras!” It may seem like a lofty claim, but the comprehensive set of lessons do deliver what they promise. https://iphonephotographyschool.com/online-courses/ Improving the composition of your phone camera images is a strong focus on this course. The first lesson is on using layers What I like The course is a great introduction to mobile photography. It covers the main aspects of photography such as composition techniques, different photography genres, becoming a creative photographer with iPhone, advanced tips for using the iPhone camera and other camera apps, an introduction to editing on iPhone using the Snapseed app, as well as giving several bonus modules including one in which the instructor Emil looks at participants’ images and does a photo analysis, which I found to be very useful. The course was recorded a few years ago but has been updated to include the new features on the latest iPhone models, and the comments section is up-to-date and is moderated daily. Emil’s teaching style is easy to follow and he explains each technique in detail while not appearing patronising. iPhone Academy is part of iPhone Photography School, www.iphonephotographyschool.com, a site full of tips and techniques related to iPhone photography, ranging from tutorials on getting started with mobile phone photography to more advanced techniques. Almost every aspect of iPhone photography is covered, and the site really is a one-stop-shop for anyone wishing to develop their phone photography skills. Video course How can we improve our image just a little bit more? This is the question that photographer Clifford Pickett constantly asks in his new course, iPhone Landscape Mastery, which consists of a series of videos in which Clifford demonstrates simple yet effective techniques for improving your iPhone landscape photography. In the video below Clifford reveals the ‘simple trick’ that completely changes the composition of a landscape photograph. Find out what it is here What I like Each of the videos in this course are short yet highly informative and they motivate the viewer to go out and try out the techniques demonstrated. Although the videos are shot in stunning locations all over the Italian Alps, Clifford emphasises that each of the techniques and suggestions can be adapted to suit your own location. In each video, Clifford builds on the previous lesson and reinforces his main lesson points without becoming repetitive. You feel that you are looking over the shoulder of your personal instructor as he chooses location and viewpoint from which to shoot, composes his shots and then evaluates the result to see if it can be improved. You get a close-up view of the camera and what Clifford is doing, which aids understanding of the process, and Clifford also reinforces everything he does to ensure that the viewer follows his meaning. I like Clifford’s easy style, his enthusiasm for his subject and his sense of humour. He also continually emphasizes the need to not just concern ourselves with taking the photo, but to also be in the moment and take in the sights, sounds, smells and breathe in the air of the place you are in. If you are interested in doing landscape photography with your mobile phone, be sure to check out this course! Tips and tutorials site A valuable resource for photographers of all kinds – beginners, improvers and advanced photographers – is Digital Photography School (https://digital-photography-school.com). Described as ‘your ultimate resource for practical photography tutorials, ideas and advice for every photographer’, this is my go-to site for photography advice. There are tips and tutorials on all aspects of photography, on post-processing and camera gear as well as several courses and eBooks. When you subscribe to the site you will receive a weekly email with information on the latest articles as well as an invitation to participate in the weekly challenge. What I like This site has everything you need as a photographer. I have not yet looked for information on any aspect of photography that I haven’t found here. The numerous articles containing tutorials, tips and reviews are all written in easy-to-follow language and are well illustrated. While the site is mainly focused on general photography, the principles are the same regardless of the tool we use so are easily applicable to smartphone cameras. There are also several articles dedicated to smartphone camera use. A simple search for smartphone photography will bring up all the smartphone related articles, or just follow this link Book Books are not the first resource you go to for information on smartphone photography, but the book Smart Phone Smart Photography by Jo Bradford is worth dipping into as a coffee table reference guide. While the information in the book has been overtaken by advances in mobile camera technology, this is not as big a problem as you might think as all the suggestions for composition and subject matter are possible on older camera phones and newer phones alike. To quote the author, ‘I firmly believe that the key to taking a good photograph has far more to do with understanding how to use your camera and has far less to do with having all the most expensive kit’. Her aim is to help the reader tap into the potential of their portable digital camera, and this is where the book succeeds. The book is divided into short chapters (mostly a two-page spread) each with a conversational style and illustrated with the author’s own photos taken on smartphones. She covers every aspect of smartphone photography that you would want to know about, including a section on editing your images. What I like I like the user-friendly layout of the book and the wealth of easy to digest information it provides. If you would like one book to dip into as a quick reference guide, to my mind this is the one. Update Smart Phone Smart Photo Editing is a follow up to Smart Phone Smart Photography and it focuses on editing photos on your phone. Described as 'A complete workflow for editing on any phone or tablet using Snapseed', author Jo Bradford uses the same readable style to take the reader step by step through all the editing possibilities offered by this free app which can be used on Android and Apple phones and on tablets. I have just downloaded my copy of this book and I expect it to show me how to improve my photographs without having to spend hours on my computer. Magazine (online) While many of the regular photography magazines cover some aspects of mobile photography, Mobiography is a digital magazine exclusively dealing with mobile photography. It caters to both Apple and Android systems. Describing itself as ‘a leading go-to resource for those looking to make the most of the camera in their pocket – the smartphone’, the magazine’s aim is ‘to showcase, teach and inspire others how to take better photos with their smartphones’. The magazine covers all aspects of mobile photography and is an excellent learning resource. The magazine is subscription based, with some back issues available free. What I like The magazine has a great variety of informative articles and useful advice and it is supplemented by www.mobiography.net which also has a range of excellent articles, tutorials, reviews and interviews. Mobiography also offers regular mobile phone challenges on Instagram. Mobiography is also on YouTube and has some interesting podcasts, including this interview with Jo Bradford: Mobiography Podcast / Episode 3: Smart Phone Smart Photo Editing with Jo Bradford Snapseed Editing app While I look forward to learning more about the advanced features of Snapseed, I will say that I have used its basic tools often to edit my phone images and find it to be a quick and easy way to enhance my photos. Snapseed is available for iPhone and android phones and is free to download. I include Snapseed in my list of resources as it is my go-to app for improving my mobile photography. There are many other apps available for use with your phone camera. I have not investigated all of these but Clifford Pickett has a section on his website which covers most of the best apps available https://www.cliffordpickett.com/resourcesor you can check out https://www.mobiography.net/apps/ for further recommendations. What I like Editing with Snapseed can be as simple or as complex as you wish to make it. You can do a quick edit, such as adjusting white balance, cropping or straightening using basic tools, or you can use the Tools Menu to perform more complex edits. You can convert a photo to black and white or remove an unwanted object. In fact, most of the edits you want to make can be made using Snapseed. There are even tutorials to help you achieve more creative effects. As the app is free, it is a great edition to your set of tools and will help you create amazing smartphone images. https://www.mobiography.net (mentioned above) gives an excellent Snapseed tutorial https://www.mobiography.net/apps/snapseed-app-tutorial/ Jo Bradford's book Smart Phone Smart Photo Editing is another welcome addition to the Snapseed suite of learning resources. If you are interested in making the most of your smartphone photography please check out some of these resources, share this post or share some of your own resources in the comments section. Updated January 2022

One danger of having some experience in photography is that you can find yourself in a rut. You can begin to feel that there is nothing left to photograph. These are the times when you need some inspiration; when you need a new challenge to get you out of your comfort zone. In the world of photography writing there is always someone to pose a challenge. It could be a challenge to create a series of images based on a certain theme, a challenge to post a photo a day , a competition-based photography challenge or a challenge to photograph with just one lens, or with just a phone camera. How does taking a challenge help our photography? Challenges are often posed at the beginning of a new year to get us off to a good start, or during a year to serve as an inspiration when we may have hit a creative rut or simply to help us shake things up and look at our photography from a new perspective. Taking a challenge is useful to our photography in that it encourages us to plan and take action. It gives us a purpose for getting out with our camera, particularly in winter months, and it can be more productive to have a specific aim in mind rather than just going for a walk with our camera. A good challenge tests our photography skills and abilities, often requiring us to think differently, make different decisions, become adaptable and work within certain limitations. First Challenge – Using Only a Kit Lens Recently I took on the challenge of going out with only my kit lens to see what images I could capture. I was pleasantly surprised at how much this humble lens could do and it has now returned to its place in my camera bag after a brief absence. See post here . I must admit that in the case of the kit lens, the fault was with the photographer (yours truly!) who thought she had outgrown a kit lens. I was thankful to eat humble pie when I re-discovered how versatile this lens can be. However, the biggest advantage of going out on a few occasions with just my kit lens was that it helped my photography. First, I was able to get into the flow of what I was doing because there was no stopping to change lenses, no wondering if I would get a better shot with a longer or shorter lens. All I had to do was stop at a subject that I was drawn to and experiment with composition based on the focal lengths at my disposal – 18-55mm. Second Challenge – Using Only a Prime Lens My next challenge to myself was to go out with only a prime lens. I packed my camera and 50mm lens and set off for my local woodland. This time I was more limited in what I could shoot as I had a fixed focal length, but the experience helped me to learn about the lens, about different choices for compositions and about the possibilities still available to me with limited variables. Since I was shooting on a dull winter's day, I decided to compensate for the lack of light by doing a black and white conversion on these two images. Using this lens helped me to think differently. It gave me fewer options so I had to be more creative. When you are using a fixed focal length you are forced to make images close to where you are, as opposed to being able to zoom to a subject further away. This means that you focus more closely on what is near you, often seeing details that you might otherwise overlook. Having a fixed focal length also forces you to work harder, which is a good way to get yourself out of your creative comfort zone. One outing with my 50mm lens was not enough to make a marked difference to my photography so I have decided to do this exercise regularly. I would highly recommend that you go out at least once with only one lens and savour the experience. Third Challenge – Using Only a Phone Camera In this instance I took a photography walk and challenged myself to take some images using only my phone camera. I often take photographs with my phone camera, but usually in addition to using my main camera so that I can use a telephoto lens if required or work with aperture priority. During this challenge I worked solely with the capabilities and shortcomings of a phone camera. I was lucky to be out early enough to catch a beautiful sunrise. On this occasion I turned around and saw the amazing colour in the sky. One of the obvious advantages of deciding to use only a phone camera is that you can take a spontaneous picture, especially when the light is so fleeting. Another advantage is the fact that you can download various apps to handle some photography situations. On this occasion I used the app slow shutter speed as well as the three lenses of the native camera app. A phone camera can get close to the ground for a reflection image. Apart from the small sensor size and lack of decent optical zoom on a phone camera, to me one of the biggest disadvantages is that the lack of manual control means that the art of taking a photo - the time spent and the intent which we bring to creating an image - are not always a feature of mobile photography and this diminishes the photography experience to some extent. It can feel more like taking a series of snapshots rather than doing photography, yet learning to use the phone camera to do more than just take snapshots does in itself help to improve our photography. *** Above I have described three of the challenges I have tried but they are just some of many challenges available to us. I was recently inspired by this video from Nigel Danson to try his photography challenge. It involves finding a good location, setting up a tripod and taking all images from the same spot while being allowed to rotate the camera. Check out the video to see some fantastic images. You might also like to check out the One Focal Length Challenge from James Popsys - *** I have just watched Nature Photography and the 24 Metre Challenge from nature photographer Simon Booth. You might like to check it out. I intend to give it a try next. I hope you have been inspired to try some photography challenges for yourself. Why not post some of the results on Instagram using the hashtag #wildwillowways

I like the early days of January; they seem to suggest change, newness, getting rid of ideas or habits that are not working for us and taking on new ones. Whether it’s getting better at taking exercise, eating more healthily or getting out in the fresh air more, January, with its traditional time for resolutions, seems the perfect month in which to at least get started. When I first published this post I had just taken early retirement from my lifetime career. I enjoyed my work and could have happily continued for another few years so I had to do a lot of soul-searching before I made my decision. My chief concern was whether I would have enough to keep myself occupied with all this newfound leisure time after a lifetime of meaningful work. On the other hand there was a pull towards leading a simpler life, savouring the moments, learning to be a ‘human being’ rather than a ‘human doing’. I believe that we all need to withdraw from the rat race at times and make space for ourselves. I think it’s the reason mindfulness and meditation practices have become so popular. Yet it’s hard to create that space in the midst of the 'hurly burly' of life. For me, the practice of photography, a passion which I have now re-kindled, has given me that space apart and allowed me to become more fully present in life. “Taking pictures is savouring life intensely, every hundredth of a second”. Marc Riboud, French photojournalist. This is one of my earliest images, taken with my phone camera. Sugarloaf Mountain, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Hillwalking has become another love, and it's always great to come home with a few images. In many ways photography can be considered to be a spiritual pursuit. It encourages patience, appreciation, wonder, being in the moment, marveling at the unexpected and surrendering to the inevitability of lost opportunities with good grace. Photography is a celebration of the visual beauty in our midst. It is about pausing to notice what is around us, seeing colour, shape, lines, light and shadow, texture. It is about responding to what draws our attention, to its sense of mystery, its possibilities, and realising that our view is only one view, not the only view. Photography has taught me to see, even without a camera. I believe that photography has heightened my awareness of the little things in life, that it has helped me to pay more attention in life. To quote Dorothea Lange, documentary photographer and photo journalist who was known for her empathetic photographs of the lives of others: “The camera is an instrument that teaches people to see without a camera”. While I don’t make New Year Resolutions as such, I do like the idea of re-evaluating my life, of making small adjustments for the better with the hope that these will continue beyond the first few days of the New Year. Essentially, photography has taught me three main life lessons which I try to incorporate into my daily routine. Lesson 1: Pay More Attention Photography is about becoming more mindful. Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzz word in recent years but there is no denying its effectiveness in terms of improving mental well-being. It is so easy to rush along from one thing to another without stopping to notice what is around us. Taking time to slow down and pay attention to the present moment can help relieve stress and increase our enjoyment of life. It has other benefits too – mindful driving is much safer driving; mindful eating keeps us from gulping down food and causing digestive problems; mindful walking allows us to stop and stare, to savour life’s precious moments. Mindful photography can be seen as ‘mindfulness applied to the process of creating a photograph’ but it can also refer to the development of mindfulness through photography, to being more present to what is around us as we capture our scenes, to immersing ourselves more fully into the experience of seeing what the world is offering us. Some proponents of mindful photography will say that it is in these moments, when we let go of expectations and are fully open to the unexpected, that the photograph finds us. I have often looked through my window as the evening sky changes dramatically outside. Sometimes my thoughts can go to, “shame I'm not out with my camera”, but that can be quickly followed by a real appreciation of the changing vista unfolding before my eyes. Not being a professional photographer I don’t always have a camera with me, and I have consciously begun to leave my phone in my bag so that I can appreciate moments without having to ‘do’ something with them or to them. It is important not to become obsessed with shooting that amazing scene but to at times travel without a camera and just be, all the time using the teachings of photography to enhance the moments. So whether I have a camera or not, I am learning to see in a new way, to appreciate moments and beauty and life as it comes along on a daily basis. Lesson 2: Accept Imperfection I have taken many photos, most of which I have considered to be a disappointment. It is a humbling experience to realise that my efforts are not perfect and that I need to be content with gradual small improvements. I will probably never hold a photographic exhibition or sell any of my images, but that’s okay. Yet every time I go out to take photographs I can make small adjustments to my craft. Sometimes I can stop trying to shoot something interesting and look for beauty in the simple things around me. I can forget about the perfect composition and concentrate on really seeing colours and texture and the different effects of light. I can take photographs regularly and come to know my creations and how to improve them. By accepting my imperfect creations I can channel my energy into appreciating those images that do work, rather than lamenting those that don’t, and into valuing the creative journey. That journey can be as long or as short as I want it to be, yet it is a journey that has the potential to go on indefinitely. I will never reach perfection; there will always be more to learn. In the words of Vincent Van Gogh, Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together. Which leads me to my third lesson… Lesson 3: Enjoy the Journey Improvement in photography is about becoming more creative, developing our own style, adding our unique view of the world to the already large bank of photography work that exists. Creativity is a very personal thing and we each pursue it in our own way. For some it is writing a story or poem, for others it is creating a picture or movie or dance. In photography, creativity is about more than developing skills or mastering camera controls. It is about using these tools to more effectively say something about the world; to tell a story, to express a feeling or to share a moment. It is an act of creation which adds to life’s meaning. To capture a truthful image there has to be a relationship with the subject; it has to mean something to the photographer, to speak to the photographer in some way. A photographer’s subject is something which is valued, which caught the imagination and feeling and which begs to be shared. It is in that relationship between photographer and subject that creativity is born, and the creative journey is there to be enjoyed. I love to photograph paths, not just as leading lines in an image but also because they represent the creative path - ever-changing but always leading on. Over the last few years, since beginning my blog site, I have charted my progress from 'newbie' photographer learning basic techniques to 'improver'. I have achieved some degree of satisfaction with my work, all the time knowing that there is still a long road to travel. Over the last few years I have continued to update my blog regularly with relevant posts as I pick up new ideas, find inspirations and generally improve in this exciting craft. My hope for 2022 is to experiment a bit more with woodland photography and with my newest discovery - Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). Both woodland photography and ICM photography will present new challenges. I want to continue to develop my own style, concentrate on what I love most in terms of photography and to get involved in projects and photography challenges that I can share in the hope that they will have relevance to someone else who may be on a similar path. Obviously the difficulty with a blog post is how to keep it relevant and of interest to others. My approach has been to respond to what comes naturally to me, to do further research into areas of particular interest and to share these findings, insights and new learnings in the hope that someone will be interested enough to stop and read. To those who do, my hope is that 2022 will be the year in which at least one of your dreams is realised. Happy New Year. Updated January 2nd 2022

This image was taken in Co. Sligo, Ireland, a place that is very dear to me. I recently came across an article called Landscape Photography and the Meaning of Life. The author, Kas Stone, did admit that the title is “wildly pretentious,” yet eye-catching. It certainly caught my eye as I wondered how someone would make such a lofty connection. I have now read the article a few times as it is a weighty essay on the relationship between being a landscape photographer and our sense of self. Fueled by her own passion for 'wild scenery and moody weather', the author delves deeply into why photographers might choose landscape photography above other forms of photography, and, within that, why photographers choose particular types of landscape over others. It may not be the depth of reading that we would normally veer towards when looking for tips to improve our landscape photography, but I found that the article prompted me to look at why I feel drawn to landscape photography and to certain types of landscape photography in particular. First off, I can say that the pull towards landscape photography is not because I have top of the range landscape photography equipment, because I don’t. Neither is it because landscape photography is easy to do, because it is not always easy to achieve something unique in landscape photography in the way that might be possible in street photography or portrait photography. The draw of landscape photography is not even because it tends to be a common genre in snapshot, or tourist photography (if there is such a thing!) as I want more from my photography than just to take snapshots, however amazing the landscapes might be. If these are not my reasons for choosing landscape photography, then why is it a form of photography to which I feel more and more drawn? Landscape photography is a form of photography to which I am becoming more and more attracted Stone’s article has inspired me to think more deeply about the relationship between what I photograph and who I am. It has prompted me to ask these questions in relation to landscape photography – Why do I keep coming back to landscape photography? Why do certain landscapes attract me rather than others? If you ask yourself these questions the answers will tell you a lot, not just about your photography, but about yourself. In my case, I think that the answers to some of the questions may go right back to my childhood. The pull of the landscape I grew up in a small, rural village in the northern part of Ireland, a village surrounded by lakes and mountains and only 40 miles from the wild Atlantic coast. Many of my peers lived on the mountain which loomed over the village, their families having eked out a living from the harsh landscape for many generations. During heavy winter snows, they were often isolated from the rest of the village for days. While as children we loved to walk through the mountainous landscape during fine summer weather, for many of the inhabitants it was often seen as a bleak existence. It was no surprise that young people wanted a better life than that of their ancestors, therefore a change in the local landscape, which saw the emergence of sand and stone quarries bringing new employment opportunities, was seen as progress by many even though these quarries created a blight on a beautiful landscape. The proximity of my village to the coast meant that I frequently travelled there as a child, particularly during summers (which always seemed long back then). It was there that I discovered my love for the sea, for crashing waves, for cliffs and rocks, for small shingle coves and windswept cliff paths. As I got older, I loved to travel there at all times of year, and I particularly loved to be on a cliff in winter with the sea howling around me. Taking time to think about my own relationship to the landscape in which I grew up has helped me understand why landscape means so much to me as an adult, and why I want to make images involving the variety of landscape elements in my country. In her article, Kas Stone outlines a difference between our external motivation for making the images we make, and an internal motivation. We may be externally motivated when we are making our images for others, possibly as a commercial project or for a competition. According to Stone, our motivation is internal when our personal thoughts and feelings about the landscape guide our image making, when the experience of making the image is as important as the image itself. “Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.” — Don McCullin I love ancient trees. To me they symbolise strength and continuity. They are a symbol of the past, often having stood in their place for centuries. They have grown and changed and weathered, yet they live on, part of our environment, an important feature of our landscape and a valuable part of our lives today. In all types of photography, and certainly in landscape photography, the best photographs are photographs that have feeling in them. We are not likely to be able to put feeling into our images unless we feel something about our subject. Most of my landscape images are made in places that I know and love. They are places off the beaten track, places not visited by professional landscape photographers, but they are special to me. Because I choose these places, I have the internal motivation for making the images I make, but to produce good images also requires the photographic skill to translate what we see into images that will give us joy. Conversely, photographic skills alone will not result in good images. Photography also needs passion and love for the things we shoot. When we see beauty and have the skills to compose that beauty into a compelling image, we are doing the type of photography that can make our heart soar. For me, that is the heart of landscape photography. “Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.” — Matt Hardy I visit this place often, in all weathers. Often the sky is a dull grey but on this occasion I managed to get some light in the sky reflected in the water. Do you have a particular type of photography to which you are drawn? Is there a reason why you are drawn to this type of photography in particular? Please share a comment below.

I recently read that there are over one billion photographs taken every day around the world. Most of these will appear briefly on some social media platform, garner a few likes, then disappear into oblivion. I often wonder, How many of these photographs will be printed? How many of them will even be kept digitally to be viewed again? Not too many, I think. So, what is the point of this type of photography? I believe this type of photography has many reasons for existence but most of them do not relate to the art of making images for their own sake. When we are making images for their own sake, we are engaging in the type of photography that produces enjoyment and fulfilment, the type that increases our powers of observation, supports our mental and physical health and inspires in us a sense of awe and wonder at what we can create with a camera. Three years ago, I began to delve into this type of photography. I took on the challenge of learning more about this craft, getting out regularly with my camera to practise what I was learning, studying the work of passionate photographers, following the adventures of those for whom photography is a way of life as well as a means of earning a living, and generally reaping the huge rewards of this exciting pursuit. In the past year I have added to my enjoyment of photography by experimenting, by exploring new ways to become more creative in my image-making and by taking inspiration from those whose approach to photography resonates with me. Here are the top ten things I will take from the past year: 3 photographers who inspired me, and why I regularly watch YouTube videos from professional photographers, many of whom are award winners and whose channels have many thousands of followers. Some of these channels are entertaining as well as giving useful photography tips for those learning or improving their photography. Others concentrate on a particular niche and give more detailed presentations on specific topics. From all the photographers that I follow on YouTube I have picked 3 whose channels I most enjoyed during the year. All of them are understanding of the needs of the non-professional photographer, they are humble and grateful for the support they get from their viewers, and they try to give value in terms of their content. Each of them willingly admits to making mistakes and to using mistakes, or days when things go wrong, as part of their own learning process. Nigel Danson Nigel Danson’s channel is a great mixture of photography tips (particularly on composition) fantastic woodland and landscape images and Lightroom tutorials on how to edit your own images. Nigel is a great lover of nature and he never fails to appreciate the beauty around him. He has a very engaging manner and a simple teaching style, great for beginners. https://www.youtube.com/c/NigelDanson Kim Grant Kim Grant is a Scottish photographer whose channel, Visualising Scotland, blends photography with an appreciation of the Scottish landscape. Her connection to the natural world, her commitment to conservation and her love for Scotland are very evident from her photography work. Kim is inspirational in her approach, always encouraging her viewers to be unique in the practise of their craft and to photograph what they love. You can visit Kim's website here Thomas Heaton Thomas Heaton’s channel is focused on the adventure of photography. He brings us along on his van trips and hikes, all the while chatting about photography and making suggestions for his viewers. He has built a huge following, and deservedly so as his channel is entertaining as well as informative, and it is very inspiring just to watch how he captures his beautiful images. https://www.youtube.com/c/ThomasHeatonPhoto I also highly recommend the channels of Henry Turner, James Popsys and Mads Peter Iversen and enjoy what each of them brings to my photography journey. For a photographic flavour of Ireland, Darren J. Spoonley's channel gives great inspiration as he travels around the south and west coast with his camera. Darren's latest vlog may be of interest too as he gives a mention to 5 Outdoor Photographers to watch out for in the coming year. 3 new approaches I have taken to my photography Mindful photography I spent a lot of time during the early part of the year practising mindful photography and this has informed most of my photography since then. I have slowed down, become more accepting of my own limits and more appreciative of my achievements. Above all, I have become more observant, more in tune with my surroundings and more open to all the opportunities that present themselves to me. Here are some of my posts on the topic: https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/how-to-become-a-more-mindful-photographer https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/3-powerful-reasons-to-embrace-mindful-photography https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/how-embracing-mindful-photography-has-the-power-to-transform-your-life https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/10-benefits-of-taking-a-mindful-approach-to-photography More experimentation At times when I have felt that my photography is becoming stale or when I feel that there is nothing that I want to photograph, I have shaken things up by experimenting with something new, by going to a new location or doing something completely different with my photography. During the year this approach led me to experimenting with woodland photography, and discovering that I really enjoy it, and that in turn led me to trying ICM (intentional camera movement), something which was entirely different for me and which I intend to continue to develop. It is an enjoyable aspect of photography which has many avid followers and is something which can be practised on those dull days that are not entirely suitable for other types of photography. Woodland I have begun to enjoy woodland photography although I realise that it is a difficult genre to master. Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) ICM involves a lot of experimentation but it is an interesting and unique way to express your creativity. ICM photography is something I want to pursue further in the future. Shoot the things I want to shoot. The third important approach I have worked on this year is training myself to shoot the things that I enjoy shooting and not to become overly concerned about whether my photography appeals to others. It can be easy to become deflated when you post an image that you are proud of and someone else tears it to shreds, so I decided to continue to improve for myself, not for likes from others. 3 new things I have learned that improve my photography The importance of working on composition This was undoubtedly my number one lesson of the year. A good composition makes the difference between a good and a not-so-good image. While an interesting subject is important in our images, subject alone will not translate our image into a compelling one if the image is not composed in such a way that it leads the viewer’s eye into and around the frame to properly see the subject. There is much to be learned about composition, yet nothing improves our composition skills quite like getting out regularly with our camera and composing! Shoot what you love, what gives you passion This already came up in my new approaches for the year and it has also been one of the top learnings that I will take away from this year. I have come to realise that if I shoot what I love and take pride in those images, I have a greater sense of enjoyment and fulfilment from my photography, and for me, that’s what it’s all about. Related post The value of your local environment Since this past year was another in which travel opportunities were somewhat limited, I concentrated on discovering what my own local area could offer in terms of photographic opportunities and I soon discovered that there is a wealth of potential for image-making right on my doorstep. In this post I outlined why I believe that your local area could in fact become your dream photography location. Finally... One big takeaway from the past year Be yourself - your photography will benefit. There is a saying displayed on the wall in my local coffee shop which says, Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken. This applies in photography as well as generally in life. There are many role models in photography – people whose philosophy and approach to photography we admire, in addition to being drawn to their images. Yet it is still important to be ourselves, to find subjects that we are drawn to and to make our images in ways that are pleasing to us. The best images will develop out of a passion for what we do rather than trying to model ourselves on someone else. Each one of us is unique so it follows that our images will be uniquely ours. Embrace that fact and shoot the things you love. Bring a passion for what you shoot into your photography. Don’t compare your images with those of someone else and consider yours to be inferior. Show your images with pride. Own them. Love your images and you will love your photography, and you will be rewarded in terms of satisfaction in your achievements and a sense of joy every time you go out with your camera. *********** Thank you for reading my posts. I hope you have found them useful. If you would like to begin your own photography journey, I hope you will find some tips here to get you started. Please keep reading and here’s to another year of enjoyable photography!

In the days before I started to develop photography as a creative pursuit, I was very focused on capturing well known landmarks or iconic images wherever I travelled. Invariably I got a few (pre-Instagram) likes when I showed them to friends and family, but they soon lost their relevance to anyone, myself included. As I become more interested in learning photography as an art form, my approach to subject matter has changed. While I would undoubtedly love to travel to a country such as Iceland, which has an abundance of photography opportunities, I no longer pursue iconic images on a regular basis. Instead, I try to focus on images which mean something to me, which are more unique to me and to my photography vision. After all, photography is a personal journey and the more we can please ourselves by the images we make, the more our images will improve. What is ‘unique’ in photography? We often talk of creating unique images. Most photographers would like to think that their images are unique, and in many ways they are, as no one else will make the same image from the same location at the same time as you do. But does being unique necessarily mean good? In fact, can’t anyone, without any photography training, make a unique image? What we need to do is make images that are uniquely ours, and in that sense, we will want to make the best possible images; images to be proud of that have our individual mark on them. What matters most is the process of making the images, the learning involved and being able to see our own progress and achievement. How do we make images that are uniquely ours? There are a few ways that we can begin to make images to be proud of, without relying on being too influenced by other photographers or by needing to go to iconic locations. Here are 4 tips that work for me. 1. Change your mindset. This might be the most vital step of all, because if we think we should be making certain kinds of images that we are not making we won’t be happy with those we do make. It is important not to make images for others. If we only capture certain subjects or shoot in certain locations because that is what other photographers do, we won’t be authentic about our photography, and we probably won’t please anyone. Learn to love your own images. Study them, see what you like about them, edit them in different ways, think about what inspired you to make those images. What is it that puts the passion into your photography? I love to find a composition within a cluttered space and use it to make order out of chaos. My preference is for simple images; snapshots of nature, a captured moment in time. 2. Shoot local. The best way to capture your own unique images is to shoot in areas that you know well. This gives you the opportunity to scout a variety of locations, to experiment with a range of compositions, to avail of different weather conditions and to easily return to your subject at various intervals or in another season to improve and perfect your composition. In terms of improving our photography, this is preferable to capturing a rushed image at an iconic location because we invest time, patience, perseverance and commitment to the image-making process, and the rewards are great. There is an added advantage to shooting in our local area which is that it becomes very familiar to us. We come to know the area intimately and we gradually find more and more subjects for our photography. In my case, it is my local area that constantly inspires me, not a grand vista that I might come across occasionally. It is exploring my local area, discovering new photo opportunities and being present as the landscape reveals its hidden gems, that contributes to the passion I feel for my photography. My local woodland area provides an abundance of photographic opportunities. 3. Find new perspectives. From time to time we will find ourselves in new locations, possibly in places where there are well known landmarks or iconic vistas where many photographers gather with their cameras. We might even plan our own photo shoot in these locations. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that we will make a better image in these locations than those already made, but often unexpected opportunities to make our own unique images in the same locations will present themselves. There may be unknown places in the vicinity which provide us with photo opportunities, images that will never be exactly replicated by other photographers. Or maybe we can photograph an iconic landmark at a different angle from the one we usually see. Be open to what the world presents and those photos you take, while not being iconic, will be uniquely yours; they will be a unique record of what you saw at that time, in that location. During the summer I went to a well-known and much visited location to capture the sunset over the sea. I wanted an image that would be uniquely mine so I went to a less popular part of the location and took this image. 4. Discover the power of editing. Editing, or post-processing,is necessary to some extent with most images, as they are not ready for viewing straight out of camera. At the very least they will need to be given a little ‘punch’ in a program such as Lightroom. In my view, image editing also has a part to play in developing the uniqueness of our photographs. As has often been demonstrated, when the same image is given to several different photographers, no two of them will interpret the edit in the same way. Some prefer a dark, moody image, while others like to add some light to the scene. One photographer might go for a subtle edit, keeping close to the original and what was seen while shooting, while another may prefer a highly saturated, almost overly processed, effect. None of these approaches is wrong, they are all down to individual preferences. I spent some time getting this image to look how I wanted it to look. This is part of the joy of editing and it gives me a greater interest in some of my images that I might initially reject. The art of cropping can be a creative choice. We are seeing a scene within a scene and, coupled with the way in which we choose to edit the image, this helps to make the image a more unique creation. In the images below I kept the shadows dark as I love the silhouette created as the daylight fades. Others might disagree with this approach, but it appeals to me. How you edit an image says something about your approach to photography, what you want to emphasise in your images, your vision for the final look that you want to achieve. In my experience it can often take several edits to achieve this result, but that is part of the enjoyment of the process and the final outcome means something to me in that it is my unique creation. Conclusion As beginners in photography, we need to learn from experienced photographers. We need to listen to their advice and guidance and be inspired by their images. Many of these images will be taken in epic locations that we may never get a chance to visit. It is good to be inspired by these photographers, to learn from them and allow their guidance to inform our own photography. But there is a thin line between taking advice and feeling that we must do everything in the way a certain photographer does it. There comes a time when we need to branch out and make our own way in photography. We all need to begin to make photos for ourselves. We need to become aware of what and where we like to photograph and start to make those images. By taking this risk for our photography we will grow in confidence and begin to make better, more meaningful images, which are unique to us.

Is perfectionism preventing you from enjoying your photography? Does perfectionism prevent you from loving the moment you captured because it wasn’t as good as you thought it would be? Perfectionism is something that can affect a lot of people, and photographers are no exception. This is hardly surprising considering the number of critics and ‘experts’ there are in the field, constantly telling you how your image should look and why this or that doesn’t look good. Obviously, there are a few definite ‘no-no’s that everyone will agree on, such as a skewed horizon or a tree coming out of someone’s head, but I’m generally in favour of some creative licence otherwise photography becomes a pressure rather than a pleasure. WHAT DO I MEAN WHEN I SAY THAT I VALUE IMPERFECTIONISM IN PHOTOGRAPHY? I don’t mean that it’s okay to take a careless photo and expect people to like it. What I do mean is that we shouldn’t always aim for perfection and refuse to accept anything less. Strive for perfection, settle for excellence. I like this image. It's not perfect, it's not even anything special, but it reminds me of a particular place and time and that is its appeal for me. There are how-to materials, tips, videos, tutorials and experts galore in photography always urging us to strive for the perfect shot. We are encouraged to find a perfect location, set up a perfect composition, shoot in perfect light and achieve a perfect result. Anything less often seems to be unacceptable. The trouble with having a perfectionist approach is that it is unachievable for most regular photographers. Even professional photographers feel under pressure to capture a perfect image at every shoot, and many are speaking out against the trend to push for perfect images. The professional photographers that I most admire are those who are willing to admit that they don't get everything perfect. Thomas Heaton is one of those photographers and in a recent YouTube video he describes what he calls a 'comedy of errors' on one of his photo outings. WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN PHOTOGRAPHY? As beginners, we can read all the materials, watch the training videos, take on board the guidance of experts, and still come away from a shoot disappointed that we didn’t get the result we were looking for. I think this is where we need to step back and realise that what is important is not the final product, but the process involved. What matters is that we put our learning into practice to the best of our ability, that we shoot what catches our eye, that we enjoy our photography and embrace our mistakes as part of our own learning curve. What matters is that we use the skills and techniques we learn to create interesting and beautiful photographs. What matters is not that we look at what is wrong with our photos, but that we look at what is right about them, how they demonstrate how far we have progressed. EMBRACING IMPERFECTION I find it refreshing to come across photographers who do things differently, who step out of line and make their own rules. I’m thinking of the photographer who breaks the rule of thirds and places a subject centrally in the frame, or the photographer who uses a high ISO because he or she likes a grainy look to their photos. I’m thinking of the photographer who continues to shoot hand-held even though “professionals use a tripod”, or the photographer who shows a photo publicly despite its imperfection because he or she knows that photography is never perfect. If you are aiming to have your photographs commended by judges in a competition or praised by other photographers in a camera club, then you may feel under pressure to produce the technically correct, perfect picture. But it’s not for me. I want to be spontaneous with my photography, to enjoy making images, to feel the delight of being in the right place at the right time and getting lucky with an image. I want to bring home photos that I love, that speak to me, that I would be happy to hang on my wall. I want to shoot those things that catch my attention, things that make me want to stop, take off the lens cap, and raise the camera to my eye. I want to love the images I capture, not endure the frustration of seeking perfection that I will never achieve. I want to look past what others might consider to be errors and see my own special moments captured on camera. I want to see each photo as part of my unique view of the world, not as something to be discarded because it doesn’t fit into someone else’s view of perfection. Shot in my local park, filters applied HOW DO WE OVERCOME PERFECTIONISM? Perfectionism can stifle our unique photography voice. It can make us want to be like other photographers. But if we become like other photographers, we are no longer ourselves. It is only when we drop the need for perfection and embrace the imperfections in our photography that we are truly able to connect with our subjects, with our unique voice and with ourselves as the photographer we are meant to be. So, how do we let go of perfectionism? Here are 5 ideas that might help you. 1. BECOME AWARE OF THE PERFRECTION TRIGGERS. If you are constantly seeking likes on social media, expecting everyone in your camera club to praise your images, or always striving to receive a positive comment on a photography forum, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment and disillusionment. There are groups where members will give genuine feedback, and these can be useful to our development as photographers, but I tend to avoid those where everyone is a critic. All I get from these groups is a sense that my photographs are not quite good enough, and I don’t need that. 2. USE IMPERFECTIONS AS LEARNING OPPORTINITIES. We can use those images that do not live up to our perfectionist standards to inform our future photography. Instead of beating ourselves up for failing, we can build ourselves up by learning. 3. ASK YOURSELF WHO YOU ARE PHOTOGRAPHING FOR. When you look back at your photographs from a year ago, or two years ago, do you want to remember where you were and how you felt when you made the image, or do you want to focus on the mistakes? I like my photographs to be reminders of places I’ve been and remember how and why I created the image. If this is your aim with your photography, then make images for yourself. Photograph the things you like, take risks, be creative. You’ll have much more fun this way. 4. AIM FOR IMPROVEMENT – LEARN BY TAKING SMALL STEPS. Practice brings progress, not perfection. Instead of trying to take perfect photos each time you go out, you can aim for improvement on each photo outing. When you aim for progress, you are likely to reach your goal, whereas aiming for perfectionism is an impossible goal to reach. 5. FOCUS ON THE PROCESS RATHER THAN THE RESULT (AND DON’T MISS ALL THE FUN!). Perfectionists are more concerned with the outcome than the process involved in getting there. The desired outcome might be a perfect photograph yet in focusing only on this outcome we miss out on all the fun of experimenting, discovering, making mistakes, learning something new, taking a different approach and all the important steppingstones in the process of becoming a competent photographer who can produce decent results. Sometimes an image just appeals to you and its worth capturing! CONCLUSION In some ways this post is a follow up to my last post in the sense that I don’t believe you can reveal your true voice in photography if you tend towards perfectionism. If you are aiming for perfection in your photography, you are more likely to be concerned about whether other people like your work than about whether it is pleasing to you. By becoming aware of your perfectionism triggers, using your mistakes as learning opportunities and aiming for improvement you will start to photograph what you love and enjoy the process rather than constantly seek perfect results. If you liked this post, please share it.

When we think of doing photography in winter we usually bring to mind beautiful snowy scenes, wonderful frost covered landscapes or mysterious foggy woodlands. Yet we are seldom presented with these ideal weather conditions. Often, winters can bring a lot of rain, wind and overall drab conditions. Gone are the amazing colours of autumn and replacing them are short days and dark cloudy skies. It can be hard to find interesting compositions in this type of winter weather, yet there is something about winter photography that I love. I have always been drawn to winter trees and the beautiful lacy patterns which they make when viewed against a moody sky. I recently took a photography walk to capture some tree images. Images shot on iPhone with minimum edits using Snapseed Winter also provides opportunities for capturing dramatic colours in the evening sky or finding images of dark moody clouds. In the images below I stopped at a lake just after sunset and enjoyed watching the changing colours of the sky as it moved from day to night. In these images I deliberately left the shadows dark to accentuate the sky. While snow, frost and fog provide great opportunities to get out and make some images, winter weather is usually less dramatic so it is important to find ways to make the most of this (often long) season. Without travelling too far we can find drama around us in the sky, in trees, in woodlands, and by the sea if we are lucky enough to be able to do winter coastal photography. We can capture wide vistas that show off dramatic, colourful skies, or move closer to our subject and pick out smaller details such as parts of trees, individual trees in a woodland or random splashes of colour in an otherwise drab environment. We can allow winter to prevent us from doing photography, or we can get out with our camera and find out what photo opportunities winter has to offer. How do you do winter photography? Share your ideas below. You might also like a previous post I wrote called Why I Think Trees Make a Great Photography Subject.

Photography is all about capturing moments. Whether it’s a moment in time on a street scene, a ‘wow’ moment in a beautiful landscape, a candid moment of children at play or an image showing amazing light before it changes a moment later. As well as capturing moments, however, we are also living them, and it is important that we cherish each moment as well as capture it on camera. I was reminded of this post by a friend, who told me recently that she felt that when we are taking photographs we are missing the moment. It is true that sometimes in photography we tend to concentrate on making the image and not on being in the moment. Life is full of precious moments and rather than encourage us to miss these moments in the act of taking a photograph, photography can do the opposite and encourage us to embrace each moment and truly experience it. How does photography help us to appreciate life’s moments? This question might be answered in different ways depending on the type of photography we are doing. In landscape photography, when you are photographing a particular landscape you will connect with it in some way, it will mean something to you, and this will give you a deeper appreciation of the scene and the moment you have chosen to capture. For example, before I took this image I was drawn by the colour of the sky, the tranquil atmosphere. I spent some time absorbing the scene, becoming at one with it, feeling an intimate connection with every part of the vista in front of me – the vegetation, the water, the distant houses and trees. I took in all the sights, the sounds, the smells of the place. I took my time, walked along the shoreline of the lake and considered different views of the scene in front of me. I didn’t rush to take my image but let the image speak to me. I enjoyed the moments and when I pressed the shutter to take my picture, I felt it was an intimate photo of a time and place that was special to me. This is a place I have visited many times; in different seasons, at different times of day, when various events were happening in my life. Yet I don’t need the image to remind me of the place; I have my memories through having absorbed the moments while there making my images. I have many images of this place, from different viewpoints and perspectives, and it represents more than just a photography location Other forms of photography also give us opportunities to become more observant, more in tune with our surroundings. In seascape photography we can become one with the coastal landscape, smelling the salt in the sea air, feeling the sun or wind on our skin, hearing the sounds around us - crashing waves, gentle lapping sounds, seagulls screeching overhead. When making images of skyscapes we are aware of the changing world above us; grey skies, blue skies; cloudy skies, clear skies; stormy skies, calm skies. Street photography gives us untold opportunities to tune in to the present moment, to observe what is around us, to become aware of body language, gesture and emotion in our subjects. We become students of human behaviour as we move around engaging in this candid photography style. Macro or close-up photography requires us to notice little things that would normally go unnoticed and helps us to become more acutely aware of things that are all around us but to which we scarcely pay any attention. It is easy to see how photography offers the potential for us to really experience life to the fullest, but does this bear out in practice? To really appreciate what is unfolding around us as we hold our camera ready to take a shot, my advice is to go where other photographers don’t go, to create our own moments and make our own unique images. On a trip to Italy two years ago, I took a bus tour around Lake Garda, stopping at little villages along the way. The guide pointed out the best vantage points for photographs and the photographers lined up with their cameras to capture that perfect shot. I found myself wandering down laneways, up hillsides, always taking different routes, moving away from the crowd. I may not have got the usual iconic images, but I did experience the places I visited, and I have vivid memories of those experiences, as well as images to jog my memory and my emotions connected with what I saw. I believe that if I had spent time queuing for a spot on the viewing point, I would have missed the real experiences, so I was happy to trade the popular, tourist shot for the unique shot. Sometimes that involved immersing myself in the life of the place and taking candid shots of everyday happenings, other times I managed to get a vantage point away from the village and took shots from outside, looking in. I broke most of the rules here by taking the shot when the sun was high in the sky, but I was in this place at this time, and something drew me to the scene, so I made the image. I like the reflections in the water, and the sun helps to achieve this. It might be frowned upon by 'real' photographers, but fortunately, I am only answerable to myself Join the debate! There does appear to be a sort of tension between being an observer who looks and experiences fully each moment of life and a photographer whose main intent is on capturing a beautiful image of that moment. Does the photographer miss the moment? Or does he or she become so fully engrossed in observation of the scene - being acutely aware of light, beauty, emotion - that the moment of pressing the shutter becomes part of the overall experience? I believe that when photography forces us to observe more closely, to appreciate beauty, to notice little things, it is actively encouraging us to live more fully in the moment. What do you think? Leave a comment below. Related post: How Photography Has Become My Gateway To MIndfulness Updated Dec 2021