{"id":19080,"date":"2019-01-21T10:45:18","date_gmt":"2019-01-21T10:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=19080"},"modified":"2021-01-19T13:39:09","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T13:39:09","slug":"mother-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/mother-earth\/","title":{"rendered":"Mother Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This isn\u2019t the most inspiring time of year. As I sit in my living room, which still looks a little spartan after removing the Christmas decorations, I gaze out to a grey sky overlooking a freshly ploughed field; a large expanse of brown earth with a few bare deciduous trees beyond. With the mild temperatures typical of the season to date, coupled with the lack of sunlight at this time of year, I\u2019m not exactly leaping out of bed in the mornings to capture a winter wonderland. In fact, it\u2019s all too easy to sit in front of the wood burning stove, drink a gallon of tea and eat the remains of a selection box instead of venturing outdoors with a camera in hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Clam
Clam shell, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here in the Highlands, we\u2019re blessed with long hours of daylight during the summer months, making it possible to sit outdoors well after 10pm. This feels almost unimaginable on a dull and blustery January afternoon, when darkness closes in long before the end of the working day. Contrary to popular belief, a bright sunny day in July can present as many obstacles to the landscape photographer as an overcast, damp day in winter: unbearably early sunrises; harsh light; and a monotony of green in the countryside. When it comes to landscape photography, spring and autumn are my favourite seasons by far, but that\u2019s not ideal for someone who wants to photograph the outdoors all year round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bracket
Bracket fungi, St Martins, Black Isle<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve become immune to the puzzled looks I receive when I\u2019m out and about. As a thirty-something female alone in the landscape, with no dog or children for company, I don\u2019t fit any stereotypes. My companions are my camera, tripod, walking pole and binoculars. As if that wasn\u2019t unconventional enough, you might see me set up my equipment to capture an image of an old dry stone wall, perhaps at an isolated spot in the woods, or next to the roadside as cars and the occasional bus trundle past. What on earth am I doing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Waterfall,
Waterfall, Fairy Glen<\/a>, Black Isle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As much as I love photographing wide-angle vistas of mountains, glens, lochs and beaches, there\u2019s another world waiting to be discovered; the world at our feet. Lichen. Fungi. Pebbles. Leaves. Wild flowers. Shells. Seaweed. Patterns in the sand. These elements that make up the landscape are overlooked by most people whilst lost in conversation or walking the dog. Taking the time to closely observe our surroundings can reap huge rewards photographically and help us to engage with the environment at a deeper level. Admittedly, this style of photography might not provide as much fulfilment as capturing a dramatic landscape at dusk or dawn and the resulting images aren\u2019t going to win awards or hang above people\u2019s fireplaces. However, the images offer a refreshing change to the status quo as well as providing a different perspective on the natural world, with an added boost to creativity. I\u2019m reminded of Camille Pissarro\u2019s eloquent quote: \u2018Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ice
Ice formations, Resolis, Black Isle<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m increasingly turning my back on the scenes that have been photographed a thousand times over. For me, a real turn-off is arriving at a location and finding another photographer already there, with their camera and tripod set up. This is normally my cue to keep walking or driving. Worse still is when another photographer arrives after me and sets up their kit a few feet away, queuing up to shoot the same image. I have nothing against my fellow landscape photographers; I simply prefer to work alone and shoot original images, not duplicates. Furthermore, there\u2019s something so moving about being the sole witness to a beautiful moment in time, whether it\u2019s capturing a spectacular sunrise across a peaceful bay, or simply admiring how nature has arranged the autumn leaves on the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lichens and Mosses, Udale, Black Isle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This\nstyle of photography presents two challenges; firstly, you need to\nhave a keen eye and enough patience to look for the potential in a\nfrozen puddle or decaying tree; secondly, you have to learn how to\nphotograph these features in a way that does justice to their beauty.\nA small aperture and precise focusing are needed to ensure sharpness\nthroughout the image. A good composition can require millimetre\naccuracy, often with the tripod in an uncomfortable position close to\nground level on damp or uneven terrain. Furthermore, distracting\nharsh shadows within a scene should generally be avoided at all\ncosts. Shooting on a bright but overcast day is ideal, but you can\nalso carry a pop-up diffuser in your camera bag, which can be used to\ncast even lighting across the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of my landscape images are planned to some extent; I very rarely set off without a vision in my mind\u2019s eye. However, the small-scale details within the landscape are the surprise elements on my photography excursions. They stop me in my tracks. An original photograph is almost guaranteed, as well as a more intimate connection with a place. I can become absorbed in my surroundings. Who built this wall? When was it built? When did someone last stand here and admire the stonework? Has anyone ever photographed this before? Will anyone ever photograph it again? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Boulders, Garvie Bay, Coigach<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On\ndays when the sun is obscured by cloud and landscape photography is a\nnon-starter, I turn my attention to the world at my feet. I don\u2019t\ninterfere with the compositions I stumble across, perhaps with the\nexception of removing the occasional distracting leaf or piece of\nbright white quartz from a scene. I aim to find something that is\nnaturally aesthetically pleasing instead of trying to create an\narrangement of leaves or pebbles; mother nature always does a better\njob. Through pursuing this style of photography, I\u2019ve been inspired\nto learn more about wildlife, trees, plants, fungi, lichen, shells\nand seaweed; knowledge I may not have acquired if I\u2019d had my sights\nset on the distant horizon. I\u2019ll always be a landscape photographer\nat heart but paying closer attention to the small-scale natural\nbeauty at my feet has provided me with many special memories,\nexpanded my portfolio and has enhanced my ever-deepening connection\nwith the corner of the Highlands in which I live.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Karen turns her photographer’s eye to the ground to capture the small-scale details in the landscape. <\/p>\n

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