south downs
Resolutions
Making New Year’s resolutions is one thing I usually steer well clear of. Those that I have made in the past invariably get broken in the first week anyway! Does anyone actually make them and keep to them? If they do, they are either liars or have incredibly strong will power. But, when Practical Photography contacted me asking if I would do 50-60 words on my plans for 2011 for their New Year’s Resolution feature for the January 2011 issue, how could I refuse?! But this wasn’t personal resolutions, to give up drinking and hard partying (in my dreams, though I’m not sure I have the energy anymore) and so it actually took me a lot longer than I expected. To my surprise I gave it serious thought and if I achieve all that which I stated, I will be a very happy man. There is something to be said for putting it down on paper. It kind of makes it definite and not just a thought that may never materialise. This is what I wrote…..
“I’m determined to increase my coverage of invertebrates of the North Kent Marshes, obtain more landscape images of the South Downs and attempt to photograph wild boar.”
Roll on 2011!
Looking towards The Seven Sisters, South Downs National park.
South Downs 1:1
A very enjoyable day yesterday was spent holding a one to one. We met at Alfriston then headed off in my car to several locations centered around the Cuckmere valley. The location was chosen as it gives a range of opportunities to illustrate techniques within a relatively small area. Total time spent from one location to another never exceeded 10 minutes. The picture below was taken to illustrate how to ’anchor’ the image. To give it foreground interest where your eye then leads through the frame to the distant cliffs. Without the rock it would have been rather uninteresting of just the beach, pebbles and cliffs. I then processed it in black and white since in colour I felt it was too monotone whereas in monochrome it brought out the textures and contrast of the chalk and seaweed.
Nikon D300, 12-24mm at 15mm, iso 200, 1/80th sec. f16, Manfrotto tripod. 2 exposures, one for the rock, the other for the sky then merged in Photoshop CS4. Using an ND Grad would have also darkened the cliffs.
About Robert Canis
Robert Canis is a professional photographer specialising in the natural world.
Read more about Robert Canis
