PETER
STEVENS
FRPS
‘On your doorstep’ is such a great idea. Find great images on
your doorstep, they are there waiting to be found.
I recently attended an excellent talk by well know landscape
photographer who showed some truly inspiring images.
He started his talked with a description of his equipment,
clothing and the great lengths he goes to in planning his trips.
He explained that he started his talk with these ‘techie topics’
because his audience always asks about them. However, he
then went on to show images giving a magnificent tour of the
iconic landscape of the UK, from Glencoe in winter, to Durdle
Dor at dawn. From waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales to gentle
seascapes in Southwold.
The evening was excellent, so why do I mention it here.
Throughout the talk I had this nagging feeling about ‘On
your doorstep’. The big trip to the iconic location requires
commensurate effort in terms of time, planning, expense of
travel and accommodation and, because such trip are at best
typically done infrequently, the risk of unfamiliarity with the
location and poor weather resulting in disappointing images.
In contrast, putting more time into what’s on your doorstep
means that you can reduce many of these risks. You know
the area, you can make repeated visits and explore it from
all angles, you can nip out spontaneously when the weather
turns favourable. You may not live in Glencoe, or near Durdle
Dor, but you do have your own landscape to explore and
reveal.
I’m certainly not advocating that the big locations should
be avoided, certainly not, but I do support the idea of also
exploring locations nearer to home.
One of my favourite places near where I live in Hertfordshire
(not know for its iconic locations) is Ashridge Forest, and
these images of the autumn colours were captured just
because I could nip out when the weather turned favourable.
I shall do it often.
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Autumn Colours 2