Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing. Joanne Raptis I love trees, in particular I love to enjoy their majesty as they stretch skywards, witness their dark silhouettes against the evening sky, marvel at their changing form as seasons change around them or listen to the soft rustle of their leaves swaying in a summer breeze. I love their individuality, their strength and their diversity. Many people remember a favourite tree from childhood. My favourite was a tall oak which provided a perfect hiding place for secret childhood meetings and which even had its own swing – a branch which we children grabbed ‘Tarzan-like’ and used to propel ourselves across a small pond. At the time I wasn’t aware of the unique and important role that trees play in our human existence, and indeed the role they have played in the history of mankind. An awareness of the real significance of trees as habitats and life givers was brought home to me years later when a drive to ‘develop' land saw the felling of hundreds of native trees in my local area, including my beloved oak. I think this action was the beginning of my desire to support tree life in all its various forms and while I may not exactly consider myself to be a ‘tree hugger’ I have taken an interest, throughout my career, in raising awareness of the importance of protecting our trees. I have regularly taken groups of students to study and support biodiversity in an effort to understand the importance of trees in our world ecosystem, and have encouraged tree planting and care of the trees around us. To read that eighty per cent of the Koala habitat has been destroyed in the recent Australian Bushfires brings home very clearly once more how important trees are to the survival of our planet. Tree Planting Day 2020 It is heart-warming to know that groups of concerned volunteers are gathering in different places this weekend as part of tree planting day (Feb 15), when hundreds of native Irish tree species will be planted in an effort to rebuild our stock of native trees and thereby restore a valuable aspect of our biodiversity. Far from being a hindrance to making land more productive, the growing of native trees can support soil improvement, provide shelter for animals and become a thriving habitat for many living creatures as well as supplying an important part of the food chain. Below are just two links to events happening on the day. https://www.treesontheland.com/plant-trees https://www.glencullenfarm.ie/event/tree-planting-day-2020 Photographing Trees Although it is far from their main purpose, trees do make great photography subjects. They look good singly or in groups, they evoke the mood of a particular season and they lend themselves to being shot from different perspectives, happy to allow their trunk, their branches or their leaves to tell their story and reveal their essence. After all, when taking a portrait of a person we don’t always take the whole person; sometimes we focus on the upper body or sometimes the face and it is the same with a tree. “Let’s take our hearts for a walk in the woods and listen to the magic whispers of old trees.” ― unknown Whenever I walk in a wooded area I just have to take another tree image even though I may have dozens of such images already. They just seem to call out to have their portrait taken! However, a National Geographic article warns: “Trees are willing subjects but don’t be fooled - to create a compelling photograph you need to take time to get to know them”. I feel lucky to live in a country that has beautiful native trees plus many imported species that add their own particular beauty to our landscape. As subjects for photography they provide an unending source of inspiration, yet as I begin to photograph more trees I realise that it is not as easy as it might appear to get a good photograph that does justice to my subjects. One photography writer talks of seeing trees as characters in a play, with one being the leading actor while the others play supporting roles or act as interesting props. Thinking of trees in this way can improve the composition of the image as it encourages us to think carefully about the scene rather than just snapping randomly. When we decide which tree is the leading actor we place that tree centre stage with the other trees placed around it. Other supporting actors can be shadows or sunlight coming through the branches. Sometimes trees can be used to frame another subject or to 'shoot through'. They make great subjects for reflection photographs Sometimes we might want to draw attention to certain features of a tree Light and the way it hits the tree is also an important consideration And of course tree silhouettes can really reveal the majesty of trees “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” ― Chinese proverb

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right ~ Oprah Winfrey Last year I wrote a blog entitled ‘Turning the Page-Thoughts for a New Year’. https://www.wildwillowways.com/post/turning-the-page-thoughts-for-a-new-year It was one of my most-read blogs and it is good to re-read that blog at the turn of another year to see whether I have achieved any of the goals I set for myself in terms of photography. At the time I stated my intention to update my blog regularly and, despite the fact that I am often disappointed at the lack of readers, I still try to post at least every two-three weeks. The discipline of doing this is good for me as it forces me to keep learning and reflecting on what I have learned. I have also responded to others who are getting started in this field and shared any tips which I found useful. I have found most interactions with others in the blogging community to be helpful and supportive. Writing my blog has indeed given me the impetus to find new inspiration and to keep developing as a photographer. It has ensured against becoming stale or giving in to times when I have lacked motivation. I am still in the process of identifying my own particular style and preferences, but I am not in any hurry to do so as I am enjoying the journey of discovery. I have found photography teachers, both online and in photography workshops, whose style of teaching I admire and from whom I have learned a lot. I have also learned from casual conversations with other enthusiasts. I have taken myself out of my comfort zone and embarked on some street photography sessions, I have used travel as an opportunity to experience something new in terms of my photography and I have taken some time to study the photography of professionals and ‘masters’. It is often a good idea at the end of one year and the beginning of another to reflect on our accomplishments in an area of particular relevance to us, whether this is work related or a personal project. In my case I think it is worth reflecting on the photos I have taken during the last year, particularly to pick out those I was happy with. This exercise has the added benefit of helping me to think back over the year just gone, to remember the places visited and the adventures undertaken in photography terms. My goal at all times was self-improvement so I want to evaluate my images in terms of composition, interesting subjects, good use of light, unusual angles, and find the ones where I have succeeded, to some degree, in creating the image I set out to create. These are some of my ‘favourite’ images of the year with a short explanation as to why I think they succeed. Foggy morning This was an unexpected shot on a foggy morning in April. I was driving past a lake and decided to see what I could capture. I particularly like this one as it has a minimalist feel and the drops of water on the branches are in contrast to the dense fog in the background. To me it conveys a feeling of loneliness, which might not appeal to everyone, but it does create a mood of sorts. Mid-flight This particular photo was a personal victory as I waited for a long time to capture the girl in mid-flight as she jumped into the water. If I had had more confidence I would have moved closer but it still speaks of the possibilities that await in photography with more practice. Castle by night I love taking silhouette pictures and this was a perfect opportunity from a boat on Lake Garda at sunset. Reflection on the lake Another favourite of mine is capturing reflections, and this is something I would like to improve in the future. This image was taken on a still December day and I like the reflection in the water coming from the side of the picture as well as from the centre. In the frame I have tried some natural framing of subjects. I took this one with my phone camera and I like the composition of the branches framing the background. On the streets I have made some inroads into the world of street photography, again something that I wish to continue to improve in the coming year. One of the things I look for on the streets is human interaction so this shot appeals to me in that way. It's not a great shot (I think I missed the best moment of this particular interaction) but it does show me the potential that this genre holds. In the coming year my hope is to improve my vision and to begin to shoot more creatively than I have been doing as a learner. It’s time to take what I know out ‘into the field’ and use my skills to create more interesting compositions. I want to continually train my eyes, using my smartphone or my ‘inner vision’ when I don’t have my camera available, for any future projects that I might undertake. And I would like to try my hand at architectural photography, an area that I haven’t yet explored, as it offers the potential to shoot from different angles and perspectives, and it provides a challenge in terms of composition. My hope for my blog post so far has been that I would create something that would be of relevance and interest to others by taking the approach of responding to what comes naturally to me, doing further exploration into areas of particular interest and sharing these findings online. I am aware that all new ventures take time to become established and that some of these succeed while many do not. Although my blog has not been attracting as many readers as I might like, I am still sufficiently interested in the journey to continue travelling down new avenues (even what may ultimately be cul-de-sacs) in search of inspiration and motivation, and to continue sharing as I progress. New Year’s Day isn’t all about leaving the past behind – it’s about carrying on the good to make it even better; it’s about looking forward to facing fresh challenges with a new perspective. Above all, a new year is about making new mistakes, because making mistakes means we are trying new things, learning, improving, pushing ourselves to grow and change, not just ourselves but hopefully also a little part of our world. My new year’s wish is to make mistakes, plenty of them, to embrace them and learn from them as I look forward to another year of blogging and another year with my camera. Happy New Year. Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can install in us. - Hal Borland

As I was looking through my images for my last blog I realised that I have a lot of images that are parts of things rather than images being made up of whole objects. Photographing subjects in this way is a semi-minimalist approach, but one to which, judging by my backlog of images, I seem to be drawn. I have compiled a gallery of images which I call ‘Bits ‘n’ Pieces’. “Art is anything you can get away with.” – Marshal McLuhan

Leonardo de Vinci is sometimes credited with saying, 'simplicity is the ultimate sophistication', but whether he did actually say this or not is debated. Even if he didn’t say these words, the sentiment is a good one – whatever it is, keep it simple! My study of photography is about trying to become proficient in the art of photography, trying to learn as much as I can so that I will be pleased with the photos I take and be motivated to continue. This blog, on the other hand, is more about what photography is teaching me – the lessons I am learning about photography and about life through the pursuit of photography. In that sense the blog is not strictly photography, but yet I can credit photography for bringing me many new insights. I have referred to some of the life lessons offered by photography in earlier blogs, but a main goal that keeps cropping up in life, and in photography, is to ‘keep it simple’. According to American poet Walt Whitman, “Simplicity is the glory of expression”. As a life skill, keeping it simple is a very positive, life enhancing skill. It urges us to stay in the moment, to appreciate the little things but also not to sweat the small (irrelevant) stuff! It encourages us not to over complicate life or create unnecessary drama and to have gratitude for what we have. In art too, simple can be best, but it is not always easy, nor always successful. To quote Steve Jobs, “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains”. Minimalism in photography In everyday life the term minimalism has become popular in recent years. Minimalism is really the act of cherishing what is of most value to us, and discarding the rest. Many people nowadays are embracing minimalism in their lives, whether in de-cluttering, simplifying daily routines or trying to reduce consumption of material things for environmental reasons. The mantra ‘less is more’ has become a popular one in many sections of society. If minimalism in general is about cherishing what we value and leaving the rest, minimalist photography is about composing images that focus on a simple subject, leaving out all other distractions. This style of photography is popular on platforms like Instagram, particularly as it works on small screens. In my photography practice my preferred style is simplicity in images. While it is sometimes good to take a sweeping landscape (assuming you have the right equipment for that) I find that I tend to prefer shooting small parts of a scene, finding something unusual or something that might normally be missed. Having looked back over my image collection of the last year I realise that I have a lot of images that are simple in composition and, although I don’t think I would like to shoot entirely in this way, I have found myself embracing minimalist photography techniques on many occasions. However, taking a minimalist approach has to be a creative choice otherwise we simply end up with a boring photograph with too much empty space, as I have done on a few occasions! To this end, how we compose our images is very important in minimalist photography and the challenge is in choosing a strong subject and deciding what to leave out of the frame. I try to make this decision while I am shooting rather than cropping unwanted parts of the image afterwards. I like to try and think in a minimalist way when doing this type of photography. Using a shallow depth of field can help in isolating a subject from the background. It is important in all types of photography to know what it is we want to say through our images; to be clear as to the message that we would like to convey to the viewer. I love to watch birds in flight, to admire their grace and the freedom that their flight conveys. In this image I focused on capturing just the bird in flight, nothing else was of value to the image. Composition In employing a minimalist style in art or photography the subject in an image is kept simple, but simple should not mean boring. As already said, the subject choice is important as it will be the strongest element of the shot, even though it does not take up most space in the shot. The ‘negative space’ itself will also be significant; this can have blurred colours through the use of a wide aperture or have a background colour that accentuates the subject (e.gs) At times, shooting against a blue sky provides a good contrast to the subject. Colour and Texture Colour can provide a focus for our photography and can give us a way of keeping images simple while providing a sense of mood. Concentrating on one colour helps concentrate our minds as to how that colour speaks to us. Strong colours, complimentary colours and contrasting colours are all useful tools in minimalist photography Texture too often provides a good subject for minimalist photography. I often like to capture the textures on walls and door handles, rather than always capturing entire buildings. Angle and Perspective Finding the right angle from which to shoot is important from a minimalist standpoint – do I shoot straight on or do I shoot high or low? Each of these choices will have a different impact on the final image. I often find that shooting high and capturing the highest part of a building makes an interesting minimalist shot. A minimalist approach can be employed to good effect in nature photography. It is relatively easy to isolate a good subject in nature – flower, leaf, twig – and again, angle of shot and depth of field will make a difference. There could be a tendency to assume that any subject in nature will be a good one and this is not necessarily always going to be the case. As in every area of photography, a subject in nature must be a strong visual image, particularly in minimalist photography where it needs to ‘speak’ to the viewer. Visual Storytelling Minimalist photography can be used in visual storytelling in that a simple image can speak to the viewer’s emotions. When there is not a lot of clutter in the frame the viewer has the space to think about what is happening in the image – the story! These three beach images, although simple in content, each has its story to tell. Sometimes a leading line can be the entire image, and this is full of suggestion as to where it is leading. Minimalist photography can be a very subjective form of photography, and what may appeal to one person may not be appreciated by another, but for those who enjoy this type of photography it can be very rewarding and can lead to some very interesting shooting. Below is a link to 50+ examples of minimalist photography, many of which I admire greatly. When I compare my efforts to these images I realise that my own are lacking in similar visual appeal, but these examples do set a bar for me to aim towards. https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/less-is-more-50-examples-of-minimalist-photography--photo-3914 Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. Charles Mingus

I recently passed the year mark in my blogging ‘career’. Although it’s no big deal to anyone else, I congratulated myself on the fact that I have kept going, even when I thought I was only talking to myself, and that I still enjoy posting my blogs. At this juncture I realise that the success of my blog is not measured by the number of people who ‘like’, read or comment on my blog, although those are always lovely bonuses. Rather, I measure success by the fact that I enjoy blogging and that it helps me to order both my thoughts and my photography. Without the blog I would have hundreds of random images without any apparent structure, but the demands of producing a blog post every 2-3 weeks means that I need to arrange my photographs into relevant themes, and even reorder them when necessary for another blog topic. Blogging provides a sense of purpose to my photography and gives me the encouragement to keep improving. During the year I have enjoyed being part of the blogging community and have discovered some amazingly passionate bloggers whose blogs I enjoy immensely. I have joined some social media photography communities which has given me an idea of what is going on in the world of photography, although some of these groups are better than others. I tend to know immediately if I like the ‘feel' of a group and that decides whether I stay or not. The last thing I need is to compare myself unfavourably to others or to become disheartened because my efforts are criticized harshly (it has happened!). On the other hand there are some very supportive groups, and these have often provided valuable and useful information and links to follow. Finding my ’niche’ One question that I have been asked numerous times by those who know I have rekindled my interest in photography, and one to which I do not appear to have a satisfactory answer, is, ‘what type of photography do you like best?’ In addition, many online discussions often talk about finding our style in photography. It is a question I have pondered for myself and I have often wondered: How do I find my style? There are numerous genres in photography – landscape, street, travel, nature, (including macro as a sub genre), portrait, architectural. We have all heard photographers described according to a particular specialism, for example, wedding photographer, street photographer, landscape photographer, portrait photographer, even black and white photographer. As a learner in photography I was determined not to confine myself to one or two genres and made a decision to give each genre a fair chance before deciding which I preferred. Changing the emphasis of my photography helps to keep me motivated, and when I get tired of shooting in one genre, or feel that I have exhausted the possibilities, I can change to another genre to shake things up a bit! No matter which genre I am exploring, there are always lots of variations from which to shoot – different angles and perspectives, different focus, different composition of images. Sometimes, though, I don’t worry about the genre, I feel drawn to take a photograph just because… Not having a preferred photography genre or genres can be liberating in a way, leaving you with the freedom to shoot in any genre that takes your fancy, but it may also be true that an endless choice of subjects, in lots of different genres, can be overwhelming, leaving you without a clear focus or creative direction and prey to the old saying, ‘jack of all trades and master of none’. However, what I have discovered is that, whatever the genre, the reason I take photographs is to experience and celebrate life in all its diverse forms. Showcasing the diversity of place is obviously achieved through shooting landscapes; nature photography can document the natural environment of a place in all its rich uniqueness. Diversity can also be revealed through street photography, where candid photography will celebrate the rich dimensions of diversity contained within an area, its people and its culture, while showcasing diversity of culture and landscape is the very bread and butter of travel photography. Architectural photography, in turn, can reveal the many and varied types of built environment. The choices we make regarding composition, use of light or adding impact to our images, and our decisions about whether to shoot in colour or black and white, whether to shoot wide angle or macro, are all ways to try to enhance the final images in our chosen genre. By examining my work from time to time, and looking for patterns in the type of images that appeal to me when I shoot, I realise that all the photographs I take are attempts to capture and celebrate diversity. I have discovered a theme that runs through my photography, which can encompass all genres and which motivates and inspires my photography in all situations, a theme that can evolve as my photography evolves. So, in response to the question, what type of photography do you like best? I can honestly reply that the genre itself is not as important to me as how the image speaks to me, how it fits into the overall theme of my photography, that of celebrating diversity and documenting unique moments, places and interactions as best as I can. Below is a random set of images that don’t fit neatly into a particular category, but I believe each of them reveals a sense of the diversity of life…people going about their daily business, an object left in a particular place, a built feature on the landscape created by humans for humans, and water, wherever I might find it! I love to capture images with reflections Creativity is an endless well and you can always pull from it – Anthony Epes

https://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/parks-outdoors/parks/marlay-park I live near Marlay Park in the Rathfarnham area of South Dublin, at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains, and this is where I have done a lot of my photography practice. To many people this park is synonymous with the Longitude festival and Marlay Park concerts during the summer, but for those living in close proximity to the park it is alternatively a year round oasis of calm in the middle of the city, a hive of sports and culinary activity, and a venue for a host of special events throughout the year. To me, this park is an inspirational location for my photo shoots as it offers almost every photography opportunity that I require. It works for shooting landscape, wildlife, nature and people. It provides opportunities to shoot in aperture priority, shutter priority and to do macro photography. It yields different results depending on the time of day, the season or the weather. It has all of life within its expansive grounds and gives me no excuse not to improve my photography. I am confident that I could shoot an image there every day for a year if required. Here are some of the images which I have made in these beautiful surroundings. Capturing and freezing motion Marlay's numerous waterfalls provide great opportunities to experiment with shutter speed Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. -Albert Einstein

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Anonymous Wherever we might travel to, whether it is near or far, we are enriched by experiencing new cultures, meeting new people and discovering a way of life that is different from our own. Travelling offers many opportunities for photography also and it allows us to encompass numerous different aspects of photography – landscape, street, urban, portrait – while documenting a place, its people, its culture and traditions, as well as capturing captivating sights. Travel photography takes place in many different locations, from the viewpoints of magnificent landscapes to the busy streets, alleyways, cafes and markets which are home to local people. For each of us, travelling offers a chance to produce unique images. It can allow us to capture the beauty and character of a place; the ‘feel’ of the surroundings. It can provide us with a record of precious moments as well as the capture of well-known landmarks and landscapes from unusual or interesting perspectives. Travel photography can document a people in their natural environment and can also capture emotions and interactions as they happen. Photographing well known landmarks Famous tourist landmarks are well documented by photographers, amateur and professional alike. It is highly unlikely that I will take a better image than those who have gone before me, so for my own photography I like to look for a different or unusual viewpoint that creates an image that is original to me. These are all aspects of the same landmark castle, in Sirmione, Italy, taken at different times. One of the great advantages of travel photography is the opportunity it gives to capture images that are uniquely ours. Travelling with others Unlike other photography shoots, travelling usually involves other people (unless we happen to be highly paid travel photographers on assignment!!) Previously many of my photos taken when travelling were simply the making of memories, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but travel photography as a specific genre of photography has to have an added dimension. Family and travelling companions like to be included in travel pictures so, rather than taking over the image as in a ‘holiday snapshot’, or alternatively becoming nothing more than a distant dot when a landscape has occupied all the focus in the shot, they can often provide a focal point to enhance a composition. Treating our travelling companions or people we meet on our travels as focal points in our images can enhance these images and give them added dimension. Capturing the spirit of a place The principles of street photography – photography taken of people in public places, often termed ‘candid photography’ – can give an added value to our images, in particular to what might be otherwise dull landscape images. Similarly, capturing people when they are not posing for photographs (below) can relay emotions and add a story element to our photography. Engaging with the subject One of the difficulties with travel photography can be not engaging with the subject. It can be daunting to approach someone in a ‘foreign’ place and ask to take their photograph. On a visit to Lake Garda I had been watching with interest the number of dogs being wheeled in buggies. I took a few shots but none of them were at a good angle. I then gestured to this dog’s owner my desire to take a photograph. She was delighted and did everything possible to help me get a good shot! I spotted this man early one morning feeding the ducks on the lake. I took his photograph from a distance (a poor attempt!) but then decided to approach him and ask if it was okay to take his picture. We ended up having a chat and established a connection that taught me a valuable lesson – it is well worth taking a risk and approaching a person to end up with a better image than a distant shot will provide. He ended up asking me to take some photos of himself and his partner with his camera, which I was happy to do. Some of us collect souvenirs to serve as reminders of the places we visit. Others take photographs, collecting beautiful images of where we have been. Setting out on each day of our travels with a camera in our bag can ensure that we become more observant, that we capture the essence of the place we are visiting and that we don't miss those unexpected moments or magical spots that we come across. “Don’t pack up your camera until you’ve left the location” – Joe McNally

My 6 tips for making better close up photos Following from my last blog I have tried to pay more attention to the little things around me that often go unnoticed and to try and discover what makes a better close up photograph. Here are my 6 tips for achieving better close up photography: 1. Choosing where to focus Too often I forget to decide where I want my focus to be and end up with a different image to the one I intended to get. When photographing close up I need to ask myself a few questions about focusing – Do I focus on the closest part of the subject or place my focus somewhere else? Should I focus on the background and leave the foreground blurry or have a blurry background with an in-focus subject in the foreground? Do I want to have the whole subject or just part of the subject in focus? Do I want to include other elements of the scene or just focus on my subject? In making decisions such as these we are each forced to consider all aspects of the scene and to notice all the elements that might often go unseen. 2. Light Paying attention to how light is falling on the subject helps us to become more observant. Sometimes it is a good idea to focus on light rather than on a subject. That will encourage us to look all around for the best light or come back another time if the light is not good. Good light can make the world of difference to a subject and when we are photographing close ups we become more aware of what light is doing and how we want to capture it. In these images of a butterfly I am not sure whether I prefer the close up - which gives a good view of the beautiful butterfly - or the image that makes the most of the light and includes the butterfly's shadow 3. Background What do we want to have as a background? Are we shooting part of a plant against the sky? Do we want a background of colour provided by surrounding plants or maybe a dark background to emphasize our subject? At times we may want to fill the frame with our subject so background is not necessary. I like to make different background choices at different times. 4. Angle Shooting from different angles is a good idea in all types of photography and it is a particularly good technique for close up photography. Shooting upwards will give us a different image from shooting downwards. Sometimes I try to get as low as possible and shoot plants from the ground up, which gives an unusual perspective that is not always seen. Crouching down with my phone camera gives the impression that these flowers are very tall. 5. Look around the scene When taking close up photographs it can be a good idea to include lots of the elements that surround our chosen subject. Sometimes the subject that we think will make the best image is actually not the best and if we have several images from a scene we can choose the best shot later. I often shoot flowers and when I don’t try to pick the best image at the scene but take lots of images to pick from later I often discover something that I don't even remember taking! 6. Look out for something unusual Many plants grow in abundance and are hardly noticed, yet when singled out they provide an unusual and unique subject matter. I find that when I take my camera into an ordinary hedgerow I invariably discover something that I have never noticed before, and this, for me, is one of the joys of close up photography. It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. ~ Henry David Thoreau

Learning to see, or learning to see in a deeper way, is the journey that every photographer should be on - Anthony Epes Sometimes it is not easy to see the wonder of our own country. We often have difficulty in seeing a view in a different way as we feel we have seen that view so many times before. But the reality is that we only ever see a fraction of what is around us so it is always worth challenging ourselves to become better at observing our world and finding something interesting wherever we are, even if that place is so familiar that we think it has nothing new to offer. Taking on board this challenge during summer 2019 I looked for different views in familiar places, tried to capture well known scenes in different light or from a different vantage point, and tried to notice something different in a place that is so familiar that I think there is nothing new to notice. These are some of my memories of summer 2019. Goodbye Summer 2019!

It’s almost a year since I started out on my photography journey and my first dilemma at that time was which camera to buy. I did a lot of research and opted for an entry level Nikon DSLR, mainly because of the generally good reviews and because it seemed best suited to my needs. During the year I have supplemented the kit lens with a zoom lens, a prime lens and a more general type lens, which turned out to be very heavy! These have served me well and, in addition to my smartphone camera, have managed to do all I have needed to do. I know we don’t improve as photographers simply by investing in better cameras, and I have no illusions on that score. However, it is also true that the best camera is the one we have with us, so a DSLR with its heavy lenses is not a portable solution for making the most of daily photo opportunities. For this reason I have started to think about getting a camera that I could carry everywhere with me but would still give me acceptable images. In other words, I wanted something that could match the image quality of the larger sensor DSLR but without the bulk, and something that would give more creative choice than the smartphone camera, which is OK to take advantage of the unexpected opportunity for a shot but doesn’t give much in terms of creativity and improving at photography. So I went back into research mode to look for the ’perfect’ travel camera. I should say first off – the perfect camera doesn’t exist, or at least not at my price point! However, I did narrow down my choice by making a list of my requirements: 1. Portability If I was going to take a second camera with me it needed to be lightweight and portable, otherwise it would have no advantage over the DSLR 2. Viewfinder One of the disadvantages of the phone camera is the difficulty in seeing the screen in bright sunlight. I didn’t want to invest in a camera only to be faced with the same problem, and since it is primarily intended to be a travel camera a viewfinder was a must! 3. Price As I am still essentially a novice photographer, and certainly not making any money from my craft, I was reluctant to spend a lot of money on a very advanced compact camera, despite all the bells and whistles they claim to offer! My main aim is to improve in the art of photography and to become more creative, rather than investing in a camera that will take most of the creative control away from me 4. Image quality Although I don’t print at large sizes I do still like to capture a fairly good photograph that can be enlarged without becoming pixelated. I have encountered this problem with phone camera images and wanted a camera that would produce at least something better than my phone camera can produce, otherwise why bother getting an extra camera to carry around? 5. Ability to shoot in RAW One of the aspects of photography that I have particularly enjoyed recently is post-production, therefore I have started shooting in RAW and working on my images in Photoshop or Lightroom to bring out the very best image. While smartphone camera images can be edited to some degree, the editing that can be done is very limited so on my wish list was a camera that can shoot in RAW, which, I discovered, only tends to be a feature of more advanced compact cameras. Research and outcome By doing this research I received some unexpected bonuses in terms of photography development. I learned a lot about the significance of sensor size, about the value of in-camera stabilization on a travel camera (since I won't be carrying a tripod!) and about the various features offered by different camera types. I also learned about matching camera features to particular photography styles. For example, while I admire the amazing zoom feature offered by many bridge cameras this is not what I generally look for in a camera so the large zoom does not compensate for the smaller sensor in these cameras, in my opinion. Similarly, the regular point and shoot cameras with small sensors did not appear to offer any real advantage over my phone camera. My research then led me to advanced compact cameras. These generally have a one inch sensor which will most likely produce better images than the phone camera but there tend to be trade-offs in terms of features in the lower price range. To find a camera with the features that I was looking for, particularly a viewfinder, was bringing me beyond my budget. I was drawn back several times to the Panasonic Lumix LX100, which seems to meet many of my requirements and has generally good reviews. One drawback, however, is that reviews repeatedly refer to the fact that this camera is now quite old and has been superseded by the Lumix LX100 Mark 2, which is quite a lot more advanced but with a correspondingly high price tag. Eventually my search took me to Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras where I found some fairly feature-rich compact cameras with interchangeable lenses which are still quite portable. The main attraction with these cameras was the possibility of adding lenses in the future while still having a competent portable device for daily photography, one which also gives creative possibilities rather than simply being a point and shoot. The compromise made for now is that the kit lenses are not the greatest lenses but I can live with that. After much deliberation I came down to two camera makes, Olympus and Panasonic. Since they share lenses I reckoned either would be a good choice. The Panasonics offered more in the way of features – 'nice to haves' rather than 'must haves' – but tended to be more expensive as well. In the end I opted for a July offer on an Olympus OM-D EM-10 Mark 2 with two lenses. Hopefully it will meet my needs and become my travel camera of choice well into the future. Time will tell! Images from Cuilcagh Mountain Trail, Co. Fermanagh, taken with Samsung Galaxy S9+ I look forward to having an everyday camera to take with me on mountain walks, although I have been glad of my phone camera when a DSLR would have been too heavy to carry. #personal #lifestyle #photography #creators

One of the best aspects of photography is capturing interesting and unique images while away from home, whether these are candid photographs of people which give a glimpse of a different culture or unusual views of landmarks and scenery. It is essential to have the best tool for the job that we can have, yet carrying a bulky DSLR camera around at all times can spoil the enjoyment of a relaxing trip, not to mention contribute to back strain! So, we use the camera that is always at our disposal – the smartphone camera. But is it up to the task? Or will we end up with images that are not quite satisfying because we couldn’t see what we were doing in bright sunlight or because we zoomed too far to get that closer view and ended up with a grainy image? It is true that smartphone cameras are becoming more and more sophisticated all the time, and with every new phone launch there is greater and greater emphasis on the camera part of the phone. All of the high end models take good, sharp images that rival those of many dedicated cameras. They have all but replaced the lower end point and shoot camera, with an added bonus being that they are always with us, ready to snap that unexpected moment. Undoubtedly, they are the camera of choice for many people as they are the ultimate in convenience, but the danger is that we will end up just taking snapshots, allowing the camera software to make all the choices, or, if we are more serious about photography, we will bemoan the fact that we missed a super photo opportunity by ‘just’ having our phone camera with us. However, with a little bit of creative thinking smartphone cameras can in fact become an effective tool for the serious photographer. Making the most of the camera that is always with us. Unless I am unique in this area, which I very much doubt, there are many out there who, like me, are not making the most of their phone cameras. I am not even talking about adding extra filters or lenses because, while there are undoubtedly options to add filters and lenses to phone cameras, they are first and foremost phones and most people don’t tend to carry extra paraphernalia with them on a daily basis. Indeed, most camera phones are really kept on auto mode to capture those unexpected moments, and that’s really where their strength lies. That is not to say, however, that there is not a lot we can do with our phone cameras other than taking snaps on auto mode. In fact, most of us only realise a fraction of the potential offered by our phone cameras. I have been doing some research into the technology behind the latest phone cameras (although it is hard to stay bang up to date, things change so quickly in this world!), and in this blog I will share some of the tips and tricks I have discovered that will make phone photography more creative and interesting and that will allow those of us who are serious about photography to feel that we have a good alternative to our dedicated camera always on hand, rather than just seeing it as a poor substitute simply used to grab an image when we have no other camera available. Composition One of the main ways in which we can become more creative with our phone cameras is in paying attention to composition. Whether we take our photos with a camera or smartphone, there are well composed photographs and badly composed photographs. By paying attention to some of the ‘rules’ of composition, such as using rule of thirds, leading lines or natural framing, by looking for symmetry or reflections and by ensuring we have a clear subject, we can immediately produce images that are more pleasing to the eye, and this can be done regardless of the camera we use. Leading lines Leading lines is a familiar photography technique which can be used on a phone camera just as easily as on a dedicated camera. Keeping this technique in mind can help us make the most of these opportunities when they present themselves. I also love images that show reflections. Natural framing Again, natural framing is a technique that is easy to use with a smartphone camera and is all about being aware of the surroundings, perhaps moving position to ‘frame’ the image in a certain way. Rule of thirds This photography ‘rule’ suggests that images can be more pleasing to the eye if the subject is not dead centre but is rather placed at intersecting lines of a nine square grid. Often, when there are two subjects, placing them diagonally can be a pleasing composition. Sometimes being in the centre of the image is just the right place for the subject! Unfortunately the signpost is an unwanted element but this can be removed in Photoshop. Clear subject Landscapes can be beautiful to the eye but often don’t make good photographs. The addition of a subject such as this man looking out to sea adds a bit of interest to the image. Getting down low and shooting or 'shooting through' something can give a different perspective to our image, or we can shoot high and portray a subject in a way that it is not normally seen. This image was taken through a second floor window and gives a clear image of the interesting rooftops nearby. Using our smartphone and taking advantage of a photo opportunity can result in an image that may have otherwise been lost, but it pays to add a bit of creativity rather than just ‘snapping’ aimlessly. I was passing this lake on a foggy morning in April. I took some photos with my phone camera as well as my DSLR. The phone camera produced some decent images which captured the atmosphere. Some photographers suggest that shooting odd numbers can add more interest to an image than having an even number of subjects in an image. I like to shoot in threes and it is often possible to come across three objects unexpectedly. While being able to adjust depth of field is a significant advantage of dedicated cameras, it is possible to do this to some extent on the phone camera using portrait (iPhone) or live focus (Android) mode and we can blur backgrounds to produce a more ‘professional’ looking photograph. These images were taken with regular photo mode and live focus mode. The live focus mode does give some background blur. One technique I particularly like in the phone camera is burst mode, where we can take a quick burst to (hopefully) capture the action in a shot. I need to practice this technique some more as my image is not clear, but it is worth working on the technique. One of the things I have learned is that the quality of an image is significantly reduced when we use digital zoom on our phone cameras, so for this reason I have begun to make more use of the telephoto lens, and I find that this gives a good close up view of my subject in many cases. Maybe one of the most important advantages of learning to become more competent with our smartphones is that we can begin to pay attention to photo opportunities all around us, and in so doing develop our photographer’s eye, knowing that we can take an acceptable image with the phone in our pocket if the opportunity arises. Our images are instantly available to view and can even be enhanced using mobile photo editing apps. One of my favourites is Snapseed, which can be used to make subtle improvements to my images, particularly to colour which can at times look a little artificial straight out of camera. Photo editing can give us some creative control by fine-tuning our images to our own preferences or by using filters to experiment with different effects. The following images are examples of before and after Snapseed editing: So, what’s the verdict? My question at the start of this blog was whether the smartphone camera can rival the dedicated camera for our everyday photography needs. Obviously, because of its small sensor the phone camera won’t deliver the same high quality images as a DSLR with a much larger sensor. However, I found the image quality to be very acceptable although the colours were more artificial than those produced by my camera. A few sliders in Snapseed helped to give more realistic colours. One drawback was shooting in sunshine, where the lack of a viewfinder was a real disadvantage. I found the inability to see the screen in the glare of the sun to be very frustrating, although shooting in full sunshine is not optimal for photography in any case. Prior to taking part in what I call my ‘smartphone project’ my attitude towards my phone camera was rather dismissive and I often missed what could have been a good photo opportunity because of assuming that my phone would capture an inferior image. By changing my attitude I have opened myself up to new opportunities. I found that I did have some degree of creative control while using my phone camera and that it was possible to overcome the difficulties and use my phone camera as another photography learning tool. For my purposes the smartphone camera works. I won’t get professional standard photographs from either phone or real camera as I am not a professional photographer. What I do get is learning opportunities, a chance to experiment with composition, with framing a scene or subject properly to get the best result and a chance to improve my photography skills on a daily basis, which is my overall aim. My advice to anyone learning photography is not to rely exclusively on the smartphone camera but not to dismiss it either. Someday it might capture that image which will make you very proud! “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” — Karl Lagerfeld (German creative director and photographer) I have never regretted taking a photograph, but I have regretted the ones I didn’t take. And the only moment we have in which to take that photograph is the one right now.

"Photography has never been so popular, but it's getting destroyed. There have never been so many photographs taken, but photography is dying." These are the words of Antonio Olmos, award winning London based Mexican photographer. He is not alone in his views. There have been many newspaper articles and YouTube videos lamenting the death of photography due to the rise of smartphones. In recent times renowned German film director and photographer Wim Wenders has suggested strongly that ‘phone photography’ is killing photography as we know it. Smartphone cameras have become very sophisticated in recent years and all of the high end models take good, sharp images that rival those of many dedicated cameras. They have all but replaced the lower end point and shoot camera, with an added bonus being that they are always with us, ready to snap that unexpected moment. But convenience isn't everything, especially for those who engage in photography as an art form, those who like to make pictures rather than just take pictures and those for whom photography is more than just the equipment we use but is a creative pursuit that engages the whole person in the art of creation. Recently there have been claims that, although we are taking more photographs than ever before (it is reckoned that 1 trillion photos are taken every year!), no-one is really looking at them. It could be true that most of the photographs posted on social media are not given more than a cursory glance, but this is not to say that photography as an art form, which is a very different thing to snapshots on social media, is being destroyed. There will always be those who want to bring their photography to a further level, who will become frustrated with the creative limitations of snapshot photography and want to do more with this art form than just take pictures. Whether this is done with a phone camera or with a dedicated interchangeable lens camera may not be as relevant as the fact that many photographers want to use the best equipment that they have to hand, and at times the camera at hand might be a smartphone camera. Although there are arguments claiming that smartphones are ruining photography there is also the counter argument that because of smartphones we see a lot of people, who otherwise may not have taken pictures, capturing and sharing images. When pictures turn out well they may be printed or enlarged to be framed. All in all this interest in photography has to be good for the business of photography. In my own case I would actually credit the smartphone camera for getting me back into ‘real’ photography. I owned my first camera when I was around ten years old. It was a Kodak and was my pride and joy for many years as I took photos in all kinds of situations. From that film camera I learned about the importance of not allowing light to touch my film and of using the available light correctly when shooting to avoid over or under exposure. After all, every failure cost me money! My second camera was a Polaroid Instamatic, and I enjoyed being able to instantly produce a photo and show it to friends. Perhaps Polaroid anticipated the ‘sharing’ culture to come! Although I always had a love for photography, unfortunately for many years, due to the demands of job and family life, I abandoned the ‘craft’ of photography and my camera of choice became the latest smartphone camera. Indeed, I invariably found myself buying a new phone on the strength of its camera capabilities. Over the years the phone camera has been readily available for family events and holidays, and as the cameras improved so too did my appreciation of the photographs they could take. I thought, why would I want anything else? Recently, however, I decided to re-kindle my dormant passion for photography, knowing that I can get so much more from this art form than just snapshots, and, after much research and deliberation, invested in a Nikon DSLR camera. From my first handling of the camera it felt like a ‘real’ camera that could produce ‘real’ photographs and through learning about the camera controls, experimenting with new techniques, investigating lenses and filters, I have discovered the potential offered by a dedicated camera. While I enjoy learning about the technical aspects of photography and experimenting with different techniques, the most important aspect of photography for me is the creativity aspect. In my view, creativity, the ability to express ourselves artistically and creatively through our images, is what makes the difference between photography as an art form and ‘taking pictures’. That is not to say that this has to involve an expensive camera system and there are certainly those who are aiming to become more creative with smartphone photography. Numerous courses are being offered to meet this demand, including online courses, and in my view this bodes well for photography as a craft. Many of these courses give information on composition, lighting and so on that apply equally to camera and smartphone. I recently had my camera with me when I unexpectedly came across a waterfall. I decided to experiment with different shutter speeds and spent some enjoyable time finding out about the effects of fast shutter speeds and slow shutter speeds, freezing motion and capturing motion, which speeds worked well, which speeds were too fast or too slow, and so on. To me this is where the strength of the dedicated camera lies, as well as the ability to interchange the lenses to suit different scenarios or requirements. However, with some experimentation it is possible to get creative effects from the phone camera also, and there is a case for using both, or using the best equipment to suit the particular situation. Creative photography is about making choices in terms of our craft, always experimenting, discovering, and trying new things. Smartphone cameras can give us some choices about how we take our shots, whether we will shoot high or low, near or far, and about subject matter and composition, and they are becoming more sophisticated all the time. However, we do eventually reach the limit of our choices with smartphones, in large part due to their small sensors, which are obviously limited in what they can achieve. I also find that they can be pretty frustrating in bright sunlight when the absence of a viewfinder is a big drawback! The dedicated camera, on the other hand, works fairly well under most conditions. It challenges us to get the right exposure and the proper focus; it gives us options such as variations in depth of field using different apertures or the ability to control speed through adjustments in shutter priority; it gives us the option of interchangeable lenses to suit different types of photography. It encourages us to take shots that other people might not normally take, or even think of taking, to keep learning and continually hone our craft. Carrying a camera and several lenses, and possibly a tripod and other equipment, deciding on our venue, waiting for the right light, the right moment in which to take our shot, is more challenging in terms of planning and effort than simply taking out our phone camera when we see something worth shooting, but it is also more rewarding in terms of creativity. In other words, it helps us to become photographers rather than merely people with cameras. So, is the smartphone destroying photography? I think not, but in my own case I’m learning about photography from a ‘real’ camera and that learning extends to using a phone camera more creatively. Recently I have taken some photographs with both smartphone camera and my Nikon DSLR and I tried to be as creative as possible with each. Foggy morning The next photo was taken with my smartphone. I was walking along by a canal when I looked behind and saw this tree and its reflection. The picture quality is not great as I used the digital zoom but I am glad I got the image. I am not a purist when it comes to camera equipment therefore I'm happy that Samsung or Apple or Google are perfecting their phone cameras. It's not what the camera can do that concerns me most but what I, the person with the camera, can do. For that reason I believe that there is a definite role for the smartphone camera in every photographer’s ‘toolbox', and as phone cameras become more sophisticated they offer more and more in terms of creativity also. I like to have my smartphone camera with me to capture those unexpected moments and because I like good photographs I do a lot of research on smartphone cameras before buying the best that I can afford. However, despite the fact that it can produce sharp images that look well when compared to many dedicated camera images, for me the smartphone will never replace the camera in terms of honing my craft, growing and developing as a photographer and in terms of ‘making’ rather than ‘taking’ photographs. Dedicated cameras are more technically superior to phone cameras but phone cameras do have a lot to offer the serious photographer and I think it would be a mistake to dismiss the phone camera as being totally inferior or to feel threatened by this type of photography. Instead, I think what photographers need to do is to embrace this technology, accept that it has a place in photography and utilize it to reveal its potential. When I take this attitude I find that my phone camera can enhance my photography experience and I begin to learn more and more about how to use these very portable devices in creative ways. I don’t think that smartphones will destroy photography as long as there are photographers who want to engage with their craft, but is up to those photographers not to become ‘lazy’ about photography, not to become satisfied with the nice image produced on auto by the smartphone camera into which they have very little input. For me, the smartphone camera is just another part of my photography equipment, and I want to learn as much about how it works as I can. Conclusion Is it easier to take a photograph with the phone camera that is already in my bag than to carry a dedicated camera and its various lenses with me for those unexpected photo opportunities? Yes it is! Do I get as much satisfaction from taking these photographs? No, unfortunately I don’t, but as my knowledge of photography as a craft improves I realise that whatever camera I may have, it is merely a tool! In the end, it really is up to the photographer to reclaim photography; it is what we achieve for ourselves, with the aid of whatever equipment we have, through all the ups and downs involved in becoming better photographers, which brings out the best in us, both as photographers and as people. “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” – Ansel Adams