Some fantastic conditions and scenes there Steve, really does look like a great woodland. I can imagine these conditions add even more pressure, you have all the ingredients for a great image, but it’s finding the composition and not forcing it. As I watch this video we have literally had 60 seconds of snow flakes and within 5 minutes gone. That’s the only snow I’ve seen in years and years down here in the south east. Lots of reports of snow on the South Downs this morning but obviously unable to take a drive across, bet it looks magical. Stay safe
Thanks Julian, sincerely appreciated 👍🏻 Yes I find it adds to the psychological challenge for sure, and in a few ways actually. Your right, all the ingredients are everywhere you look but compositions don't arise simply because we have the raw ingredients, do they? Also, that nagging feeling of "If I'd gone to x, y or z, I'd have had some awesome opportunities.." 😉 So much is a mind game and I'm certainly always learning. How cruel the snow flurry was! We had a lite sprinkling again yesterday, just to pepper outlying trees, but my GoPro is delayed in Brexit chaos and lockdown here is being widely listened too, so I feel guilty heading out shooting when I know others can't, I don't enjoy it the same. Anyway, I hope you get some snow before Winters end... I've enjoyed the brief challenge here & it's been 3 years since I shot in significant snow too. We need this lockdown business lifted as soon as possible now... I hope we at least see county borders return, that would relieve some pressure, but we can't be too hasty 🤔 All the best my friend 🙏🏻
Hi Steve, I understand your frustration in getting an image especially when the conditions are not the norm, it think it can throw a bit of a curve ball at you. But you managed to embrace it and produced some cracking images at the end of the vlog and on IG. Great vlog as usual 👍
Hey Pete, many thanks. Yeah I think it's a common frustration amongst us outdoor photographers. Great fun to explore these rare conditions but it never gets any easier does it? 😉 All the best 👍🏻
Another fantastic video mate. Amazes me that I'm about 15 miles away from your location and no snow here at all. I guess that has something to do with the 3-400 feet height difference😂 Loved the drone footage and am a little surprised you didn't go after those two character trees it showed up amongst the pines. nice one Steve👍
thanks Scott 👍 Yeah it's strange how the snow falls East of the Derbyshire Peaks isn't it? So unpredictable.. When were out of this lockdown business we could ping each other weather events maybe? If the fog rolls in or snow falls would be nice to get accurate news 👍 Obstacles hindered my shooting this day & the light was a battle in the Pines.. great fun though 🧙🏻♂️🌳🌲 All the best, Steve
The best winter video I’ve seen to date mate, lovely drone footage, paired with that music was a treat to watch. Some really stunning scenes in that woodland with the snow, I wish I was there with my camera 🤩 I’m with you though, when I get new or rarely seen weather events I’m often stumped or it takes longer for me to be satisfied with a composition. It’s like that with storms, I love to shoot but struggle. Do you find with snow, mostly white scenes, you have to often over expose slightly to capture it more accurately? Great images mate - especially liked the first one, and second last!
Thank you my friend, that's very kind 🤜🏻🤛🏻 Yeah it's a strange vibe when faced with 'your' environment (the one you are particularly familiar) loaded in several inches of snow 😉 Impossible to build up an eye for an environment that only passes through once or twice every few years. Great fun but also quite overwhelming at times (in a teasingly cool way) 🤯 My view is unconventional with exposure mate... If I was shooting bright high-white scenes then there's a tipping point where I'll jump off 50 ISO to 100 (to level out the dynamic range) and then creep exposure up, but its rare. I'm typically in search of contrast in the snow.. that's where the vibe is for me & I'm shooting the vibe over the subject most of the time. So I'm actually exposing for the contrast. My snowy RAW images can look under-exposed, but in mind is how I will exploit that shot in post for its contrast over white values... if that makes any sense at all 😉👌🏻 It's a lovely subject in itself.. and I'm looking forward to digging into these kinds of topics practically, in the future 👌🏻
This I could certainly empathise with - the (almost) frustration at oneself of not being able to capture something when everything should point towards a fantastic shot or two. It happened to me just yesterday in fact. For the life of me, in beautiful wintery conditions, with a haze hanging in some lovely local woodland, I couldn't find a single shot. Anyways, did I miss something in this - I really want to know what made you jump!!!??? Cliffhanger :)
Thanks Dave, brilliant conditions don't guarantee us brilliant images do they mate 😏 The weather being only a small part of the jigsaw puzzle. A good dusting of snow or a blanket of fog, doesn't make anything actually easier? 😊 .. we maybe smile a little more but when it gets down to business, challenge is real! 😂 Parts of my local area are notoriously difficult to shoot. Main battle I have is after all these years, I still head out with raised expectations when we get a weather event, yet I know I'm on a hiding to nothing.. Just ever the optimist I suppose 😉 ..always hunting.. The startle was a sleeping pheasant in the bush about 2ft away from me 😂 Thing is I'd been stood there talking to camera for 5 minutes & it never made a peep.. Was so incredibly silent in the woods too, so it really got me good 😂
