The Cloud – Pre-visualising a minimalist image

By alan frost on September 21, 2013

The one disadvantage of combining walking the South Downs Way and taking photographs was quite simply the need to press on; complete the required number of miles for that day, so that we could reach our pre-booked overnight stop. So any photographs were taken as the opportunity arose. No stopping and waiting for the light to change. More observation, a quick composition, release the shutter maybe two or three times and then on we would go. I have to say I quite enjoy this more spontaneous type of image making.

The shot which is featured in this entry is almost certainly an image which in the past I would never have seen, let alone taken. But as I learn the so called art of ‘pre-visualisation’ I noticed what I thought were an attractive line of trees on the horizon. It was the middle of the day, the sun shone brightly, it was particularly hot for the time of year and hardly a cloud in the very blue sky. But then I noticed some wispy clouds moving in the light wind above the tree line. Immediately I had an idea as to how the finished image might look.

I grabbed my camera, composed the shot and took a few frames. Of the three, only one was workable, as the cloud in the other two had dispersed and no longer gave me the effect I had foreseen at the time of taking the photograph. In fact I remember that it only took a few minutes before the cloud in this scene had been been burnt away by the warmth of the sun.

The Cloud

It’s a very minimalist composition. A line of trees, a dark sky and a few wispy clouds. The finished result is largely how I imagined it might look when I released the shutter. Again another lesson learned.

I don’t know who first said it, but there is a quote which reads as follows – ‘The more I practice, the luckier I seem to get’. I am sure this could be applied to many situations, but to me it is a very true saying and one which can certainly be applied to my growing interest in photography.