The past weekend was completely devoted to preparation. In part for the lecture I gave on Sunday at the Photo Community in the Mueson in the Hague. It was great venue with a very nice audience. During the first hour, I was asked to ‘judge’ the images the audience had sent in, together with three other photographers. Some great shots were projected on the screen and in the end I think everyone agreed with the choice of winning images for the day. After the break, it was my turn to tell my story about ’the Green Mile’, those tiny pieces of nature that everybody has at their doorstep. I tried to show that focussing on the same area and/or subject for a longer period of time can build one a varied portfolio consisting of great images. And you really do not need sweeping vistas or exotic species to pull it off. Already enough photographers go for the big and iconic animals and landscapes and there are a lot of NGO’s that do a great job of protecting them. If you really want to help or change the natural world and get better photos along the way, start with focussing on your personal ‘Green Mile’ and use the results to raise enthusiasm and awareness among the people in your own area. Imagine what would happen if every nature photographer did?
I followed my own example and went back to my 2012 playground for another try. The light was not perfect, but with a little help from the pieces of ice I kicked up when wading to my vantage point, I got another variation of this place to add to my portfolio.
The other part of the preparation was for a project that I hope to be able to do this spring. I visited several locations and people and did some online research. Too early to delve into the details, but as soon as I have results to show, I’ll tell more.
Playground; Canon 5D Mark III w. 17-40/4L; 1/13s at F22 and ISO200; ND grad filters, remote release, tripod
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