When the light is right……make images
I am very fortunate. Retired, I no longer have the restrictions of a busy working day. My wife and I have recently moved to a beautiful part of Dorset, and the countryside on my new doorstep inspires me. When the light is right and the weather conditions favourable, there is every chance I can drop what I am doing and within a few minutes be in a place where I know there will be some good compositions.
A few days ago I posted ‘My heart is in mono…..and the countryside’. I wrote about the reasons why I have returned to making images in black and white. I also wrote about going out with photographic intent, and not just to head out for a walk with a camera on the off chance a picture might reveal itself.
If I was to choose the best light for landscape photography a bright and showery day is almost impossible to resist. This is particularly true late in the afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky, casting long shadows and side lighting any subjects in the frame, accentuating form and texture. The passing rain clouds are of course full of texture and interest too. There is nothing very photogenic about a clear blue sky.
Reinvigorated to make black and white images again, I watched the skies yesterday and witnessed potentially ideal conditions taking shape. As the afternoon progressed the skies to the south were clearing, whilst looking in the opposite direction there were shower clouds aplenty. With the sun setting in the west any composition looking north had the makings of a good result. I knew where to go, grabbed my camera and a couple of prime lenses, and took our dog with me too. He’s quite happy to wait for me to compose the shot and press the shutter. Well most of the time anyway!
Growing familiarity with my home patch is a huge advantage. The four photographs you see here are all compositions I have shot before but at different times the year. For me yesterday’s conditions and this light were nigh on perfect. But days like this are not that common and there is always the risk of getting drenched in the pursuit of a few strong images. Definitely worth it though.
This experience has further enhanced my feeling that ‘My heart is in mono…..’ It’s good to be back making images in shades of grey again, sharing them with you and writing about my thoughts and the story behind the pictures.
alan frost photography 
4 Responses to “When the light is right……make images”
Spectacular photos. In the top photo that highlighted curving line of the field and the bold diagonal cloud formation is….just perfect. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Many thanks for your kind comment.
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Superb images in B & W (as always), but I was really taken with the second image of the wavy lines in the foreground….newly planted or freshly ploughed??
I’ve never seen this formation of lines in a B & W image of a field before.
Good to see you online again. I shall look forward to more B & W as you find them in your new(ish) home location.
Interestingly enough, I was walking home from my local medical centre praying the dark menacing rain clouds wouldn’t let loose upon my head this afternoon and wishing I had a camera with me to capture their strong tonal range.
You’re right. Clear blue skies are not photogenic, especially in monotone. 🙂
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Thank you Vicki. It’s good to be back, making and posting images again. The second picture are lines of very young maize plants. The curved lines really appealed to me. Thanks again for commenting.
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