Moreton Forest - Composition Tips

Forests can be notoriously messy. Trying to find a simple composition is difficult as the forest floor is usually full of twigs and dead branches which makes the photograph chaotic. In my photography I try to make my photograph as simple as possible. This simplicity makes the viewer's eyes look straight at the intended object/view and does not distract them from other elements in the photograph. 

The low lying mist that hangs on the forest floor helps to simplify this image. There is now no distracting background and the viewer is directed straight at the pine sapling dwarfed in the midst of its elder brothers.(photo above) 

I have ranted about lead-in-lines on many a blog post. I use them in the majority of my landscape photographs. A lead-in-line creates the perception of a 3D image because it adds depth to the photograph. You can use paths, railings, stairs, basically anything that invites the viewer into the photograph from the foreground right through to the background.

 Again, the image is simple and neat. There was a blur of a disobedient border terrier in a couple though. 

I hope you like them. 

John

London Vehicle Management - James Alexander

My Brother's new website:

http://www.londonvehiclemanagement.co.uk/

"London Vehicle Management is a personal vehicle management service. It has been designed to minimise time and hassle spent buying, selling, insuring and maintaining your vehicle. We are focused on getting you the best deals possible - aiming to save you money without compromising on quality".

At 5 o'clock I hit the road to Corfe Castle. There is almost always some sort of issue before my dawn shoots. I am rarely prepared because I genuinely roll up in the covers the night before convinced I will be too lazy to get up in the morning at 5am.

However, this morning, the sound of what seemed to be a screaming child resonated around the room forcing me to get out of bed. Thank you Mr. Fox.

How do I know if the weather is going to be good?

It is vital to look at the weather forecast. You do not want to plan for mist and get there only to find it is raining. Hot days and clear, cold nights are ideal conditions for mist. I checked the weather outside and on-line before setting the alarm for the following morning. The weather forecast is usually fairly accurate 24 hours in advance, if you check any earlier, the weather will probably have changed so check it as late as you can.

How will I know where the best shot will be?

Scout out your location before heading out. I knew exactly where I was going to place myself on the hill before I took this shot. Heading out to a new location and trying to find a composition there and then is going to make you rush and in turn your shot will look rushed.

Be there before sun-rise. I walked up the hill to take this shot 45 minutes before sunrise. I knew that when the sun rose I would be looking straight into it, causing camera flare issues so I wanted to take a photo before the sun had fully risen.


Corfe Castle - How I took the shot.

This was literally the first shot I took of the day. I was there for a further two hours but this was the best shot. I arrived as the mist swirled around the castle and the village. The reds and oranges were already appearing on the horizon, increasing in their intensity every second. The colour arrives first before the sun rises, so it is important to get into place before the sunrise time.

My camera's white balance is set to daylight, not AWB (auto). I am in Manual mode. Usually I work in Aperture-priority mode but when creating a panoramic from 3 photographs stitched together you must have the same exposure for all shots before merging them in Photoshop.


For Camera Geeks:

Lens: EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Shutter-speed: 30secs

Aperture: f/11

Iso: 50

Black Labs - John Alexander Pet Portraiture

This is Ruby the Runt ( I think).

                                           Couldn't decide which one I liked more!

If you would like your puppies or your other pets photographed, (for a Christmas present to a family member for example). Yes, Christmas advice in September! Give me an email info@johnalexander.me.uk. It is terrible part of my job, but someone has got to do it!

John

The Cotswolds - Landscape Photography

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I was on my way to Broadway Tower and spotted this undulating field by the side of the road to Broadway. Rolling hills don't usually exist in Oxfordshire but I managed to find the only one. What drew me to the scene, in a split second whilst driving, was the dark, atmospheric sky from the rain storm, the meandering graphic lines and the gentle slope which obscures the horizon. Graphic, bold shapes and lines added to side-lighting mixed in with a dark sky is the perfect recipe for a landscape shot (sorry for the cooking analogy).  

I looked over my left shoulder, I knew the sun would light the scene as there was a patch of blue sky through which the sun would eventually shine. Filters, tripod, camera in hand, I ran out of my car and set-up while the afternoon sun side-lit the bales. A few minutes afterwards the rain started again and the scene was lost. 

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I spotted this tractor in the adjacent field to the Bales shot above. Taken with a portrait lens which blurred the background. I placed the tractor in the corner as it frames the image. I noticed the primary colours of the blue sky, yellow tractor, and red wheels and plough which work in harmony. Yes... I know art...however this is about as complex as I get.

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The winds gusted around Broadway, at the top of the Cotswolds. A quick set-up was needed as the gap in the clouds lasted just a few seconds. I partially obscured the sun with Broadway Tower to achieve the sun-star. I particularly like the back-lit reeds swaying in the breeze in the foreground.