About Magic in My Backyard, Patience, Headaches and Beauty...

This morning was magic! It always is; yet it is always different - each day brings its own colours, shapes and sounds. Most mornings, we only get a quick glance from the back yard, before the school run.
Beauty, I came to find - especially in our craft - is very subjective and you will not always be touched by same things I am. Or the other way around. But this is already a well beaten track and I don't wish to engage in any sort of aesthetics debate.
Presuming that all is well when it comes to light, composition and concept, my question for you is different: how do you choose your moments?
Think about these things: How do you know when it's that special frame that you want to immortalise in your shot? When do you press your shutter button? How do you know when to leave or when to wait some more? Even if you think you did "nail it", do you still linger around your setting, or do you just leave? If you do linger, do you get some really good shots that you haven't thought about initially? Do you get any surprise shots? And how do you choose your final images? Do you find that the final cut differs a bit from the original concept in your mind? Or, when doing a landscape, are your final chosen images the same ones you thought you will chose? Or when reviewing all your shots you happen to realise that there are other ones that you didn't realise their potential at the time?
Take for instance our sunrise peep this morning - warning, there are lots of photos in this post, to prove my point. The sun was just starting to gain its strength when we went to have a look.

But very quickly, it started to raise up. It is amazing how the light changes the landscape from one minute to another.

This was the shot I had in mind when going outside and when I was still anticipating the moment. I thought it would be a keeper, before actually seeing it happening. It was close to my imagination. Actually it was spot on.

Just like the ones after, which were very close variations:

All the ones taken after were starting to get burned in the right upper corner, due to the intensity of the sun.
But then I thought, I'd linger around more. And then when the sun was completely up, the place changed again: now with the golden light gone,the fog on its own does add a very different touch.

What do you think? How do you plan your shoots - do you plan ahead with room for error and trial? Or do you go in the spur of the moment? And how do you choose your portfolio images? Are they always the same with your original thoughts? Or do they change a lot?

Over the fence

I went for a quick glance from the back yard this morning. The sunrises here are always amazing - it's my secret way of starting the day.

Two big bucks were fighting right under my nose and I wish I could have gone in the grasslands to take a few shots, or at least have a tele lens.

If you squint long enough, you might be able to see them on the bottom right.
Another one was solitary looking, not really interested in them.
The other side of the grasslands, the fog was still lingering on...More kangaroos saluting the sun.
And this is how my view really looks :)

























 



Longing for the Sun

This morning before the school run, I couldn't help but steal a glance over my beloved grasslands. This is the view from our back yard - same tree - but oh, how the light & angle are changing it.

 

Splendour in the grass

"Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendour in the grass, glory in the flower, we will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind" - William Wordsworth
I am too old to be jumping over fences, but you would too, when you see the view from the other side of the Grasslands. 
Last night's quick walk was a different take on "splendour in the grass"

When Past becomes part of the Present

I have recently visited one of the most amazing places on Earth.
It is hidden well enough and I think not too many people even heard of Glengyle Homestead.
But I have a feeling that in years to come, we will hear more about it. The new owners are restoring it and these gorgeous children will infuse a much needed life in this amazing place which has quite a bit of historical resonance.
Back in the times when I still had a dark room, I am sure I would have disappeared in there for hours and play with black and white and sepia.
Although this was a DSLR shoot, I enjoyed simulating the sepia effect - it seemed very appropriate for this subject.