Summer on the Southwell Trail (August 2024)

Scenes on the Southwell Trail during August with a focus on the ubiquitous ferns, sometimes converted to black and white for an alternative presentation of tone, shape and pattern: 

Blidworth Woods (March 2023)

The first woodland photography of 2023 in Blidworth Woods and another opportunity to use the camera settings prompt. 

Prompts are a way to boost creativity by pre-selecting topics/ideas for photography. For example, changing the camera settings to the grainy monochrome mode (see my previous post). 

On this occasion I found the prompt very useful. Deciding whether a scene would be better in colour or black and white increased the attention I gave to each shot. As a result, I was more engaged with the photography, something that has been lacking so far this year. 

These were some of the results:

Monochrome Settings and a Rainbow (March 2023)

The second prompt to boost photographic creativity in March was changing the camera settings. There are modes on the camera that I have never used including the ‘grainy monochrome’ mode and I decided to give this a test run on the Southwell Trail. 

Normally I set the camera to capture a RAW file, but the grainy monochrome mode is processed within the camera as JPEG file with the strength of the filter controlled with the camera dial. Overall, I would describe it as a ‘fun’ option and would suggest that a more refined result could be achieved from a RAW file processed in photo software.  

These were some of the results straight from the camera:

Rather typically as I was concentrating on B&W, a colourful rainbow appeared, demanding a quick switch back to the normal settings. At the same time it reinforced what I already know about landscape photography: creative modes are no substitute for simply going out with the camera and capturing what is there. Nature itself provides the variety…not a filter!