“Taking photos is more than just pressing a shutter…an artist is something we all are inside and photography is our journey/path in finding that inner artist.” - Anthony Epes, photographer and teacher. Most of us, even experienced photographers, rarely get a good photograph on the first try, or even the second or third try. Many of us might not get a good photograph on the fiftieth try. I have learned this the hard way. Too often I have seen something that I would like to shoot, taken my photograph and come home only to realise that the picture was rubbish. I have now realised that one of my greatest mistakes in photography is taking too few shots. I can be guilty of spotting something I want to photograph, pressing the shutter and moving on to the next thing. But invariably, these images have not been great. So I had to ask myself, what am I doing wrong? One of the most useful pieces of advice which I have picked up from my reading is the encouragement to ‘explore the scene’. That has brought the realisation that no matter where I initially stand in relation to a subject, there is always a better place to stand, a better angle from which to shoot, a better viewpoint to be found. Exploring the scene 1 When I was young I loved exploring around the scene of an old building. I loved looking at the materials from which it was built, particularly if they were crumbling, I loved finding clues as to how the building had been used, and I particularly enjoyed building a scenario in my head of the type of people who lived or worked there and what their lives might have been like. When I came to photograph this building in my local park I did so with the same interest in looking at it from different angles to try and build a picture of the building and its purpose. In short, as I took these images as an adult with photography in mind, I decided, rather than just take one shot, to explore the scene to see what evolved. For my next set of images I took some shots through the window. In some shots the window was in focus with the people passing by on the other side of the building visible but not in focus, whereas in some shots I placed the focus on the people in the distance and blurred the foreground. These are two examples. I took some shots from different perspectives I went around to the front of the building and noticed this plaque. I discovered that it is a working craft workshop, with what is obviously a type of storeroom at the back. This is not great as an image but it is an example of how a scene can be worked from all possible perspectives and how, when we take the time to explore a scene, all sorts of photographic possibilities emerge. For my final image I moved sideways to an adjacent building and took a shot of these three windows on the side wall of that building. I like the balance here and the simplicity of the shot. Going away from the scene I felt that I had made a few discoveries about the building, its former and current uses and, indeed, its photographic potential. Exploring the scene 2 My normal position in this next scenario would have been to take a photograph from the viewpoint of a standing adult, hopefully with some people in the image. The first image below is nothing more than a snapshot of a garden decking and it is nothing special. Normally, I would most likely have walked away but on this occasion I decided to experiment and explore the scene a bit. One of the subjects that pops out at me from the image is the stone ball, so I first of all decided to do a close up photograph of that. Then I took the ball and its shadow, as I thought that might provide some interest in the photograph. The image was still not great so I took another with a blurred background. I then decided to change my position and shoot from the other side of the decking, with the decking boards providing leading lines. Later I saw that the sun was casting a stronger shadow so I tried again for a shot of the ball and its shadow. As I looked around the scene I felt that I could make more detailed images by going close up to some of the elements in the scene, particularly the plants. The lights on the decking suggested that I might get some nice shots in low light so I decided to come back later. These are some of the results. Exploring the scene 3 In former times when passing a location such as the one below I might have just taken one or two images, and invariably all would be from the same position, most likely as in the first image. Again, I decided to explore the scene a bit more than usual and I was pleased with some of the shots I got. Working a scene like this can help us develop creatively; it can urge us not to be content with what we see initially but to keep looking for something better, which to me is the essence of creativity. In every scene there is a possibility for a better image than the first one we see. If I don’t just snap and leave, but stop and look around, I might find that there is something more interesting to be found just 'over there'.

Dorothea Lange was an American documentary photographer who took portraits of displaced and migrant workers during the Great Depression. Her black and white images of men, women and children, which are full of poignancy and emotion, had a major influence on later documentary and journalistic photography. To my mind, Lange was a master observer of people. She is often quoted as saying, “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera”. I feel that these words are urging us to become more observant through our pursuit of photography, always on the lookout for interesting subjects, even when we don’t have a camera available to make the most of the opportunity. Renewing my passion for photography has led me to become more observant. As I have spent more time seeking out beauty in the world around me so that I can capture it in an image, I have begun to recognise and appreciate that beauty, even when I don’t have a camera to hand. This has helped me to ‘be’ rather than always having to ‘do’. It is good to know that this is equally as important in photography as the times when I have my camera and am busy shooting. It is the reflective time, the time that helps me see what is around me in a new way. A direct by-product of becoming more observant is being able to find more photography opportunities, more ways to translate what I see into images so that others can experience the beauty that I see. The secret to this is to try to find new things to photograph, new ways of seeing, new angles from which to shoot that are not what people normally see. There are always opportunities for a photograph – we just have to recognise them. One of the biggest complaints that I have heard from people new to photography, or those just getting back into photography after a lapse, is that they have taken all the usual things and they don’t know what to photograph any more. They have exhausted their locations and don’t know where to go next to shoot the ‘perfect’ photograph. I know, because I have been there! I consider that many of my photographs are boring and not worth showing to anyone, but I have recently realised that this is often due to the fact that I mostly shoot from the viewpoint of a standing adult. Rather than give up on my photographs, I began to adjust my thinking a little and I am making an effort to shoot from different angles and perspectives. I have also taken the advice of more experienced photographers to look for opportunities to make photographs wherever I am. I listened to those who said, “Beauty is all around you – you just have to recognise it”, rather than use the excuse, “there’s nothing to photograph”. I began to look more closely, see more deeply, and move in to see small things rather than look out at the vastness of our world which cannot be captured accurately with my tiny camera sensor anyway. And what I have found is that my excuse is just that, an excuse. The prolific novelist, Jodi Picoult, is quoted as saying, You can always edit a bad page, you can’t edit a blank page. So what is this saying? To get out and take photographs – even if they are not great photographs, at least they are photographs and they might be the very photographs that will teach me something important about my craft. “It is not enough to photograph the obviously picturesque” - Dorothea Lange I came across this as I walked along a working pier. The object itself could not be described as being picturesque but it does cast a nice shadow and it represents something that I would normally just pass without even noticing it. Yet, this too has its use. Another spin off of becoming more observant is that I am becoming more confident as a photographer. I am not so focused on getting amazing landscape images anymore and am more focused on finding new angles from which to shoot my images. I am developing my own vision and becoming more accustomed to the learning involved in taking photographs; analysing the images, adjusting some elements, shooting again, analysing again, and so on. It has become an enjoyable process as I become more comfortable pursuing this art form. I have discovered that being myself in my photography – taking the photographs I like, of subjects I engage with - is more important than posting images to gain ‘likes’ on social media. I realise that, while for any of us our photographs may not be photographs that are popular with others, we are who we are, and who we are goes into the art that we make, so we need to be true to that. Our images may be of strange or unusual things, but they are the things we like to shoot, they have meaning to us, and we should be proud to show them. Photographer and writer Kent DuFault says, When you create a shot, and in looking at it you feel a glow inside, something in that image is part of your ‘art of seeing’. I read a lot of photography blogs and I appreciate those writers who urge us to get out there and see the world in our own way, to pay attention to what is around us and to make our own images rather than simply imitate the images of others. Each of us sees the world differently. Two people can stand in the same place and see very different things. When we make images of what we see, and share them, we are allowing others into our world and perhaps inspiring someone else to look beyond the obvious and to see differently too. On a foggy morning in April I was driving along a country road outside Ballinamore in Co. Leitrim when I was drawn to this lakeside. I wanted to capture the atmosphere, the silence of the morning, the feeling of the place before the sun burst through and changed everything. I took these images. Our photographs have the potential to open up the mind’s eye of our viewer. We can transform the way viewers think of people, a situation, a place. We can introduce them to the heart-breaking beauty of the world - right here on our doorstep – Anthony Epes, photographer and teacher.

Before I started to study photography I had the idea that if I found a beautiful view and took a snap of it, the result would be a beautiful photograph. If I was lucky, it was a pleasing image, but, more often than not, the result was nothing like I had imagined and I had to learn the lesson that beautiful scenes don’t automatically translate into beautiful photographs! What I wasn’t paying attention to then was composition, the fact that good photographs have to be ‘made’ by the photographer, they don’t just happen! What I had been taking were snapshots, not photographs. At an earlier stage in my photographic journey I took a look at the area of composition and began to incorporate some ideas on the topic when making my own images. Composition refers to how the elements are placed or arranged in the frame, as distinct from the subject itself. The particular way in which the image is composed will affect how the viewer sees or feels about the image, therefore we should try to arrange the visual elements in such a way that we create as dynamic an image as possible. Composition is important in smartphone photography as well as in camera photography. In fact, it is almost more important in smartphone photography as almost everything will be in focus therefore it is essential to place all the elements to the best possible advantage and to make careful choices as to what to include and what to exclude. As good composition is widely considered to be one of the key elements required in order to produce good photographs, almost every photography book or online tutorial that I read tells me how to better compose my shots, and there is general agreement as to what works in terms of composition. At the same time there are some differing opinions on the subject, with some writers suggesting that we follow rules such as the Rule of Thirds or achieving Diagonal Balance, while others will suggest intentionally breaking the rules once in a while. My fear of the latter is that in amateur hands such as mine the result will not be as intended, but nonetheless I decided to have a go at improving my composition by incorporating some of the suggestions. Each of the following photographs was taken with the aim of applying one or more of these composition techniques to my images. Some were taken with my phone camera. Having a clear focal point I think it is important to focus on a particular subject otherwise the point of the photograph will be unclear and the viewer will be unsure of what to look at. Before framing the shot we need to ask, ‘What is the focal point of the shot’? In this photograph the focus was the dog and the aim was to capture him jumping in the water. I used my phone camera on burst mode. Change the point of view Most people tend to shoot from eye level which gives a similarity to many images. When we change viewpoint we can add interest to the image by showing the subject in a way that people don’t usually see. Getting down low can provide a more unique viewpoint, as can shooting from above. This could mean sitting down, kneeling or even lying down to take the shot, or finding a higher vantage point from which to shoot. Filling the frame Filling the frame with an image is another technique recommended to give images a greater impact. This approach can focus on detail or patterns and eliminate distracting elements in the background. Including a foreground interest In this composition technique, the foreground interest leads the eye from the front to the back of the image, thereby giving a sense of depth. It can also add visual interest to the overall photograph. Framing the subject An approach that I try to use as often as possible is to ‘frame’ my subject by using objects in the foreground, for example an overhanging branch. I think this can give greater emphasis to the subject and draw the viewer into the frame. We can get creative with our frames and look around for various ways to frame our subject. A variation on this is to shoot through something. Leading lines Using leading lines is suggested as a good way of leading the eye into the image. Our eyes will usually follow a line to its end. Leading lines can be roads, railway tracks, paths, rivers, coastline, anything that leads the viewer’s eye, ideally towards the main subject. In some images there may simply be a suggestion as to where the lines are leading, for example, a railway track leading to the railway station ahead. Using symmetry, reflections, shadows to aid composition Negative space I like simplicity in images, which often results in having negative space. These images have an uncluttered feel and can give a sense of calm to the photo. A simple image from nature isolated in this way can emphasise the uniqueness of the subject in a way that seeing it in its cluttered surroundings may not convey. Follow guidelines, not rules! As we become more creative with our photography we need to pay attention to guidelines but also take risks, be bold with our shots, follow our own instincts so that we produce our own individual style of photography rather than slavishly follow the style of others. If an image is purposefully brimming with elements, chosen carefully, that too can provide interest. The image above may appear cluttered but I wanted to capture the houseboat yet lead the eye towards it using the leading line of the towpath. I could have cropped the image but felt that the other boat put it into context and provided a contrast. There is no real negative space in the image yet I like the fact that it is full of detail. The houseboat was my main focus yet I don't feel that the other elements are competing for the viewer’s attention, rather they give an overall sense of the scene. The image below is taken in the same location but the subject is pared down to reveal greater detail and less of an overview of the scene. One location can give lots of opportunities for different compositions. There are many suggestions for improving composition, and not all of them are relevant in every situation, but by experimenting with these techniques we come away with a ‘toolkit’ of ideas to try out and which will hopefully strengthen the composition of our images, leading to more pleasing photographs. #creatorsie #photography

I recently took my camera to a spot where I thought I would get some interesting landscape pictures. Unfortunately, on this occasion all I could see before me was an uninteresting expanse of grey - grey sky, grey lake, trees and hedges without a hint of colour, which would have added up to very dull images lacking any kind of contrast. On this occasion I had to pack away my camera and travel on, as no amount of post-production would have salvaged any images taken. However, the experience did set me thinking about the importance of contrast in photography. In reality, without contrast we really wouldn’t have an image – we would have completely dark or completely bright or, if we’re lucky, a dull shade of grey. Looking at the contrast in the scene before I take my shots is something I think I do sub-consciously and I seem to reject images that lack contrast. That's not to say that I always get the best contrast in my photographs and it is an area in which there is much to learn. I have recently been reading an eBook by photographer David duChemin which outlines what he considers to be ways to make better photographs. High on his list is the concept of looking for contrast within the frame of a photograph, which he claims can be an aid in a making better story or better image. DuChemin makes the claim that, “Paying attention to contrast both in camera and in post-processing will improve your image,” and he goes on to say that, “Better contrast makes for better stories, and better stories make for better images.” DuChemin mentions two types of contrast, the first being visual contrast, which he says doesn’t always have to be strong contrast and can work equally well as subtle contrast. Contrast can be achieved in photography through colour and tone. Colours such as blue and yellow or red and green (complementary colours on the colour wheel, sometimes called warm colours and cold colours) provide a good contrast and each colour helps to accentuate the other, while light tones can contrast against darker tones. Silhouetttes are one example of tonal contrast. Black and white photographs work best when there is good contrast in the tones. Sometimes in photographs with similar colours, such as autumnal yellows, browns and oranges, strong and light tones can provide contrast. Depth of field in images can provide contrast as the blurry background will stand in contrast to the sharper subject in the foreground. On the other hand, low contrast images can be used to create a particular effect or convey a certain mood therefore it is important to know what we are trying to achieve and how we can use contrast to help us achieve that aim. Conceptual Contrast The second type of contrast mentioned by duChemin is conceptual contrast, which he defines as “the distinction between elements within your frame,” where there may be a contrast between old and young, high and low, hard and soft, and so on. In some images the contrast may not be immediately obvious but if it draws the photographer it may also be the feature that draws the viewer into the frame. DuChemin suggests that watching for contrasts and incorporating them into an image “can give meaning beyond just the obvious and make it more engaging.” From my reading on this topic it seems clear that learning how to use and incorporate contrast into my images will be one way to improve the results, therefore it is something I intend to focus on more attentively. Contrast can be enhanced or reduced post-production but having a good awareness of how contrast works to begin with is obviously an advantage. In the meantime I had a look back through some of my images to see to what extent I am naturally drawn to capturing conceptual contrast. I found these in my archive! Contrast is what makes photography interesting. Conrad Hall

Daffodils are everywhere at the moment, in various stages of bloom depending on the species or location. They are calling out to have their portraits taken – who could resist? Daffodowndilly She wore her yellow sun-bonnet She wore her greenest gown; She turned to the south wind And curtsied up and down. She turned to the sunlight And shook her yellow head, And whispered to her neighbour, ‘Winter is dead’. - A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young (Winnie-the-Pooh)

Story is one of the chief means by which we communicate. Many cultures have a rich tradition of oral storytelling, and while the multi-billion dollar movie business is modern society’s main storytelling medium it could be argued that storytelling through the written word is a primary basis of communication which will always have an important role in forming the values of society. Photography, on the other hand, is not an easy medium in which to tell a story, yet a photograph which has something to say to the viewer can make for a compelling image. Photography is not primarily a means for telling a story and many images are admired for the beauty of the image or its technical achievement. When compared to a movie or a book, which tell their stories through words or moving pictures, a photograph is a static medium which has to work hard to convey its story, yet for many it is this very fact that gives story telling through photography its strong appeal. The viewer has to ‘read’ the story in the image and sometimes the story can be whatever the viewer wants it to be. To quote photographer Ansel Adams, “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer”. The picture can trigger a story in the mind of the viewer but the photographer can help by capturing a dynamic image which has something to communicate. The photograph below captures a moment in time and we don’t know what has happened before or after the photograph, what the two characters are saying to each other, what they will do next, even what the pigeon is thinking! Yet, it is very possible to create a story from this image. In the following photograph, even though there is just a single character in the photograph, his face expresses a lot and each viewer can create their own scenario. My view is that his face shows relief that he has finally managed to sit down after a hard day’s work but each viewer can decide what he is thinking based on his facial expression and body language. The setting (a chair on a street corner) provides some context to help form a story. Some photographs are more poem than story, and they move us in different ways and for different reasons. David du Chemin, ‘The Soul of the Camera’ Story telling through photography has to draw viewers into the picture, invite them to think about what is going on. This allows the viewer to come up with a story himself. I have no doubt that I have often seen in photographs something which the photographer may not have planned, and I’m sure this is true for all of us. As with music or art, some photographs resonate with us individually in a particular way. We bring our own experiences, our personality, our personal memories to the picture and these can trigger a response, emotional or otherwise. From the photographer’s point of view, the important thing is that we are able to convey some meaning to the viewer through our images. According to Dan Westergren, photographer and former director of National Geography, ‘In the simplest of terms, a storytelling photograph must show what the story is about’. Visual Storytelling Storytelling is a means of self-expression, whether the story is told in prose, poetry, film, art, photography or any other medium. Photographers can speak through images in the same way that poets and writers speak through words or artists express themselves through the medium of paint. Visual storytelling is often associated with a series of images ordered in a specific way that are somehow connected to narrate the story, yet single shots can also tell a story. Images can be strong and easy to interpret or they can be ambiguous, where the story is unclear and the viewer has to interpret the story and each viewer’s interpretation is valid. This sequence of shots tells a simple story of a common occurrence in my local park. All is quiet on the water until... The picture below implies a story. Although it doesn’t show human involvement in the garden, it does imply that involvement. Sometimes story can be conveyed well through black and white images, other times human expressions convey emotions – frustration, boredom, excitement – which imply a story. Or maybe it's just an abandoned bicycle... In many ways, it is up to the viewer to interpret the story from the elements provided and it can be left to each viewer to judge the merit or otherwise of each image as a storytelling medium. To quote David du Chemin again, ‘When we create something, we do our best with it and then we set it out into the world to be experienced by others who will do with it what they will’.

During the particularly cold spell of weather last week I didn’t get out and about with my camera as much as usual. I set myself the task of organising my photos on my computer by placing them together according to some sort of theme. This led me to recall a photography project I read about which asks us to pick a theme, look back through our photos and put together any that loosely fall under the theme, then pick twelve of those photos to display or print. I chose ‘modes of transport’ as my first theme and I found at least fifty photographs which fitted the theme. Selecting just twelve images wasn’t easy but this type of project provides a good opportunity to look through a photo collection, make some decisions on what to discard or include and be a critic of our own work. My task was to pick out those shots that in some way stood out from the rest, photographs whose inclusion in the final twelve I could justify. For this theme I went with photographs that were already in my collection. Some were fairly new, some were older photos from the days before I discovered Lightroom, which were now given a little TLC! Some of the shots were taken with a phone camera and the images may appear to be a little grainy. The location in which they were taken was the reason they called me to include them! Modes of Transport For the second part of the project I chose to take twelve photos connected by the theme ‘materials’. In both parts of the task I allowed myself to interpret the theme in any way I wished provided I could justify the inclusion of the images. In some cases the shots were just part of the subject, in others the image filled the screen. Under the ‘materials’ theme I tried to get as many different materials, including mixed materials, as I could. While doing the project I decided to break the second theme into two sets. The first set comprises of images of man-made materials, while images of natural materials make up the second set. Materials I enjoyed this project because it forced me to do something which I hadn’t previously done - reflect on my own images to see which ones resonated with me and choose some of them for display. By doing this I feel I was able to enhance my own observational process as I looked at how each image spoke to me, and I feel that this is an important part of developing an authentic voice in photography. “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” Ansel Adams (1902 — 1984), photographer and environmentalist.

I like taking photographs of steps. Steps are so important in our lives yet do we ever give them a second thought? Do we ever wonder how many feet have skipped, trudged, bound up and down steps to reach their various destinations? I like seeing steps from different angles, from top down or from bottom up. I love old steps yet modern steps also have their story. Stone steps can show their age and wear, wooden steps and metal steps display the powers of imagination and construction that went into their creation. Steps are often alive with people coming and going while some steps are waiting silently for people to arrive. Steps also have great symbolism in our world. We use ‘step’ phrases in a variety of situations, often in an inspirational sense. We talk of stepping out from the crowd, stepping up to the plate, taking the first step, taking a step in the right direction, taking steps to improve, taking one step at a time. We speak of being a step ahead, of marching in step. Sometimes we might step aside or even take a step backwards. We use the terms pacing ourselves, putting one foot in front of the other, taking things in our stride, putting our best foot forward. Most of us have experienced the anxiety of stepping out into the unknown or the anticipation of taking our first steps in a new direction. For me, blogging has been an exercise in taking steps in a new direction and it has also been very much a step into the unknown. I had been interested in starting my own blog for some time but didn’t really know where to start. I looked at some blogging examples for inspiration but in some ways that was counter-productive as I didn’t want to be too influenced by other bloggers. In the end I just took the first steps – decided what the blog would be about – and it went from there. There are so many good blogs out there that deciding on a topic that appealed to me, would give me ample room for development and that might also appeal to others, wasn’t easy. There are countless fashion, health and lifestyle blogs, lots of food, personal development and techie blogs, numerous blogs appealing specifically to certain interest groups, and plenty of blogs giving advice and tips on all manner of topics. I don’t feel that I am particularly knowledgeable in any specific area that would be of interest to others so I decided to go for something personal, to chart the journey of my own experience of reviving an old passion, photography. My blog does not aim to teach photography to anyone, nor to give advice, but hopefully by sharing my own learning experiences I can help someone else find their inspiration. I have also found blogging to be an extremely enjoyable pursuit. Even though I may not have many readers, I enjoy writing and sharing my own ideas and attempts at creativity, as well as having a springboard for developing my photography skills. Already I have made some contacts on the online blogging platforms and I hope that as the blog grows it will help me connect with other people who share my interests and that it will enable me to become a better writer. I was recently given a gift of the book ‘The Photographer’s Playbook’. It is a treasure trove of ideas for photography assignments, some interesting but impractical but which have still sparked an idea, many that led to new thoughts, new ways of seeing, new ideas for projects. In my own case I have to move away from taking variations of the same photograph and begin to think creatively to develop my own ‘style’. No photography class or photography teacher can do this for me. In fact, through my lifetime’s work as an educator I have come to realise that most of us learn best in our own time and in our own way. If we stay open to learning we never know when a ‘gem’ will appear or a seed will be planted that will inspire us to take a step in a new direction. Hopefully some of the projects I have chosen to follow will inspire others to take further steps along their own path. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao Tzu

Taking photographs of flowers has to be one of the easiest forms of photography, right? Flowers are naturally beautiful as subjects, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours and textures, they sit still and wait for the photographer to fuss around with lenses and filters, they can be photographed in the wild or inside as examples of still life photography. For all these reasons flower photography is a very common and popular form of photography. Beautiful flower photographs are found on calendars, cards, notepaper, they brighten up any surface as wall hangings, they are found in abundance in photography books, magazines and exhibitions and they are used as inspiration for many art projects. Yet is it true to say that flower photography is one of the easiest forms of photography? The very reasons that seem to make this a true statement might also apply to the opposite view. Flowers are easy to find and photograph therefore it is easy to take sloppy, banal shots that are ‘just another flower photograph’. What anyone with a serious interest in flower photography has to do is find different, unique ways of framing flower shots by use different angles, different lighting, variations of background to make the photographs stand out from the crowd of flower photographs and have people stop and look and wonder ‘how was that done?’ I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. Claude Monet. In my flower photography assignment I want to see what being a good flower photographer entails and how taking flower photographs can improve my overall photography skills. I want to try to put into practice some of the skills I have learned already and deepen my understanding of composition, of setting up a good shot, even of doing some editing. I want to become more creative with my camera, try some new techniques. Shooting flowers will, hopefully, give me that opportunity. I worked both indoors and outside for these shots, using a combination of my kit lens and my ‘nifty fifty’ with and without magnifying filters. I wanted to take shots from different angles, take different parts of the flower, shoot at a distance and also fill the frame with flower in some shots. Some photographs only have a small part of the subject in focus and in other cases I had to make decisions about depth of field. I experimented with moving in close, moving away, moving close again. I even had a go at some abstract flower photography! Afterwards I did some basic editing in Lightroom, adjusting the exposure, temperature, highlights and shadows, contrast and clarity to try to bring out the best in the shots. I discarded many of the shots but felt that the images below provided me with something to work on. Flower photography also gives an opportunity for more abstract shots and a chance to practise some creativity. What have I learned from flower photography? Firstly, I have learned that good flower photography isn’t easy. Flowers are naturally beautiful and the camera can’t see as the eye can see so we can easily lose that beauty when trying to convert it into an image. Secondly, I have learned that flower photography, far from being mundane, is actually very enjoyable. It provides lots of opportunities for creativity, for honing skills and for getting out and about and just taking photographs. Thirdly, I have begun to look at my achievements as a photographer rather than at my weaknesses. I am happy to spend time taking lots of shots, discarding those that don’t appeal to me and working on those that do. One main advantage of this type of photography, in a way that portrait photography, or sometimes even landscape photography, doesn’t allow, is that it is easy to go back again and try a different approach, make improvements, look for better ways to capture beautiful flower images. There will always be flowers waiting patiently for a photographer to capture their beauty and show it off to the world!

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. Dalai Lama I spent 72 hours in Kraków in Autumn 2018. It was during the early days of my photography learning, when I hadn’t yet mastered the camera controls and was shooting on auto or semi-auto mode, so I didn’t take my camera with me. Instead, I tried to bring a photographer’s eye, that is, I tried to think like a photographer, to seek out images that would capture my experience of the trip even though the medium I had at my disposal, my phone camera, might not do them justice. Before I travelled I had a pre-conceived idea of what the city would be like and it was nothing like I imagined. I think it is safe to say it now ranks as one of my favourite cities to visit. The fact that the sun was shining probably helped, but on our first evening we spent a very pleasant few hours strolling, having coffees, drinks and ice creams in outdoor cafes and watching the world go by. It’s a compact city which is easy to navigate on foot. Our apartment was very conveniently located within easy walking distance of the centre and taxis were in abundance for the journey home when the feet had had enough. We packed a lot into our short visit. On the second day we made the journey to Auschwitz and Birkenau camps. It’s hard to describe for anyone else what is essentially a very personal experience where each visitor is alone with their own thoughts. The exhibits depicting the various atrocities were heart-breaking to witness first-hand and to reflect on the grim reality which they portray was sobering. Shoes, suitcases, hairbrushes, all testaments to those who arrived at the camps and didn’t make it out alive. What struck me forcibly was the horror depicted through the photographs on display; photographs of people arriving at the camps unaware of the terrible fate that awaited them, and photographs showing the enormity of their everyday suffering. Photographs of ‘Mengele’s Twins’, showing those who were spared the death chambers only to be subjected to Mengele’s inhuman experiments, are among some of Auschwitz’s saddest pictures. Many of the Auschwitz photographs are a permanent record of the horrific, inhumane conditions in the camps and the scale of the suffering inflicted on those incarcerated there, an atrocity that hopefully will never be forgotten. Our third day involved a visit to the former Krakow Ghetto, also with its reminders of the terrible history inflicted on the Jewish people. The most prominent evidence of the ghetto is the 12 metre remaining stretch of the original ghetto wall, which houses a commemorative plaque erected in 1983. Plac Zgody The ghetto’s largest open space, Plac Zgody, was a place to socialise and spend time away from the overcrowded tenements, but it was also the site of tortures, beatings and mass deportations to the death camps. During this time families were torn apart and during deportations the square was strewn with furniture, clothes and belongings that the unfortunate victims had to abandon. This was later the inspiration for a redesign of the square as a permanent memorial to the terrible atrocities carried out there. A visit to the Jewish museum and the Schlinder Factory completed this very interesting tour and after a walk around the Jewish Quarter we headed back to the main market square. I was sorry that I didn’t have time to visit the Museum of Photography while in Krakow but it will be on my list for my next visit! I did pick up a beautiful book of black and white photographs depicting many aspects of Kraków through the years, interspersed with reflections from residents and visitors, artists and writers, poets and those who suffered in this beautiful city. It is a book to treasure forever. Kraków is an amazing city. It is a modern city with a tragic past, a city which has moved on but doesn’t want to forget. It is a city where a decent meal doesn’t cost the earth and where you can spend hours exploring, people watching, chatting to locals over coffee and cake, dropping in to one of the many churches or museums, browsing the market stalls or relaxing in one of the trendy underground cellar bars. 72 hours in Kraków only gave a taste of what this city has to offer and it cries out for a return visit. During my brief visit to Kraków I took some family snapshots to share with those at home. But I also wanted to capture some images that would give a flavour of this wonderful city, images of everyday life and of people, locals and visitors, going about their daily business. I took these with my smartphone camera, a Samsung S7 at the time, which I am glad to say I have now upgraded! One’s own experience, no matter how small, is an asset more valuable than the experience of a million other people. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, German writer and philosopher.

To join in the spirit of the season I have been experimenting with some Christmas photography, using aperture priority mode and close-up filter. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Sunrise, December 2018 Sunset, December 2018 Happy Christmas.

One of my greatest difficulties with photography in the past has been getting out in all weathers to take photographs. It has been easy during summer months, with sunny days and long evenings conducive to good photo opportunities, but my enthusiasm has traditionally waned during the winter months. In order to keep my motivation alive this year I decided to give myself some photography challenges. There are a number of websites which give interesting suggestions for short-term and long-term topics. Ideas such as a ‘365 project’ crop up often, with variations like taking a photo in the same place each day of the year, for example in a local park. If this is too onerous, a similar suggestion is to take one inspirational photo a week. There are also numerous photographic themes for challenges, for example taking photographs of one colour (which offers lots of possibilities), animals, different points of view, etc. A website called www.gurushots.com provides numerous challenges to keep all photographers busy and an incentive to post to the site is the ability to move up the ranks and to swap photos which are not performing well in a particular challenge. Below are some challenges which I have either tried out or put on my future list. Even this short list offers unlimited potential for further photographs and making improvements. Leaves Hands Something beginning with ‘T’ Less is More Old Things Shoes Socks Inspirational Photographs Black and White Solitude In the city Reflections Items of a particular colour Seasons Leaves Hands Something beginning with 'T' Less is More Something Orange Autumn Scenes Inspired by a poem A Woodland’s Charm I came upon a sacred view along my way; While walking through the woods one day, Such calm & beauty gave me pause when it appeared like a dream; While I beheld this enchanted woodland scene, With the steady flow of water softly falling & emitting very little sound; As it caressed the small rocks & fertile ground; Where all the autumn trees seemed to embrace it into it's loving arms, Adding to this woodland's charm; While the crisp air surrounding left me feeling renewed once again, Capturing all my senses for a brief moment in time; And it will forever remain a sweet memory in my mind. Jean Dament Inspirational Photographs Once I began to take some photographs for this theme it gave me an incentive to stop and look at what is around me, to find inspiration wherever I am. Some of these photographs were taken with a smartphone, and none were enhanced in any way. This exercise helped me to realise that I don't have to strive to take the perfect photograph but simply to enjoy what I am photographing, to see beauty and strive to capture that beauty as best I can. Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart. Ancient Indian Proverb