sentinel (Explored)
I’ve wanted to photograph the Scot’s Pines which stand guard over the eastern shoreline of Buttermere for some time now. You’d think it would be easy, right? Just look on Google earth, read some of the photography forums for directions and set off in a timely fashion. But after two failed attempts, the last involving the flickering light of a child’s torch, some special mud from the non-feeding end of a sheep and a complete failure to understand that sunrise doesn’t occur at “about 6am” all year round, I was becoming disillusioned. Although I knew that Buttermere was so spectacularly beautiful that even just accidentally dropping the camera would probably result in a picture that I was happy with.
And so I persisted.
And one morning, armed with an up to date appreciation that sunrise was at 8am on that particular day (don’t laugh, I’m usually a sunset kind of person), I found myself on the shoreline just before dawn, lightly wrapped up against the chill and excited at finally being able to create the image I’d imagined.
Except my imagination had failed to check in with reality. Or with the weather forecast. Or with the large mountain behind the trees which was providing a very effective barrier to both the rising sun and my plans.
And so I waited. In the cold. With no gloves.
Now, I learned a valuable lesson about keeping the blood flowing to one’s fingers on the shores of Loch Lomond a few years ago. And that is- it’s perfectly acceptable as a man to warm your hands by placing them in a certain anatomic position provided that a) there is no one else around and b) there is no one else around. It is entirely not acceptable on suddenly noticing a fellow photographer behind you to withdraw them from their rather snug hidey hole and proffer one as a gesture of greeting. Especially to someone of the opposite gender. This, I’m sure you would agree, is a bad thing.
And so, having again adopted the special hand warming technique as I waited for the sun to rise above the mountains, I was acutely aware of an early morning dog walker approaching. Mindful of my previous experience and concerned that my stance could be in any way misinterpreted, I busied myself in composing a shot, not expecting to do anything other than offer the illusion of taking some images until I could resume my waiting in peace. And at that moment the sun, which had been scrabbling up through the morning air, crested the mountains and bathed the slopes in light. It lasted maybe a few minutes until the cloud cover diffused the energy- a few minutes in which the autumnal colours seemed to pulsate with life. A few minutes which I would surely have missed. And then it was gone….
They say that luck favours the prepared. I’m sure that’s true but sometimes it also favours the unprepared. And those just warming their hands.
Technical: Nikon D810, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 Dg OS HSM Art @52mm, 17 seconds, ISO 64. 6 stop ND grad as a base. 0.9 Lee soft grad for the top part of the frame. Gitzo GT3523LS with CB-48 FLM ballhead. Cable release. Warm hands.
sentinel (Explored)
I’ve wanted to photograph the Scot’s Pines which stand guard over the eastern shoreline of Buttermere for some time now. You’d think it would be easy, right? Just look on Google earth, read some of the photography forums for directions and set off in a timely fashion. But after two failed attempts, the last involving the flickering light of a child’s torch, some special mud from the non-feeding end of a sheep and a complete failure to understand that sunrise doesn’t occur at “about 6am” all year round, I was becoming disillusioned. Although I knew that Buttermere was so spectacularly beautiful that even just accidentally dropping the camera would probably result in a picture that I was happy with.
And so I persisted.
And one morning, armed with an up to date appreciation that sunrise was at 8am on that particular day (don’t laugh, I’m usually a sunset kind of person), I found myself on the shoreline just before dawn, lightly wrapped up against the chill and excited at finally being able to create the image I’d imagined.
Except my imagination had failed to check in with reality. Or with the weather forecast. Or with the large mountain behind the trees which was providing a very effective barrier to both the rising sun and my plans.
And so I waited. In the cold. With no gloves.
Now, I learned a valuable lesson about keeping the blood flowing to one’s fingers on the shores of Loch Lomond a few years ago. And that is- it’s perfectly acceptable as a man to warm your hands by placing them in a certain anatomic position provided that a) there is no one else around and b) there is no one else around. It is entirely not acceptable on suddenly noticing a fellow photographer behind you to withdraw them from their rather snug hidey hole and proffer one as a gesture of greeting. Especially to someone of the opposite gender. This, I’m sure you would agree, is a bad thing.
And so, having again adopted the special hand warming technique as I waited for the sun to rise above the mountains, I was acutely aware of an early morning dog walker approaching. Mindful of my previous experience and concerned that my stance could be in any way misinterpreted, I busied myself in composing a shot, not expecting to do anything other than offer the illusion of taking some images until I could resume my waiting in peace. And at that moment the sun, which had been scrabbling up through the morning air, crested the mountains and bathed the slopes in light. It lasted maybe a few minutes until the cloud cover diffused the energy- a few minutes in which the autumnal colours seemed to pulsate with life. A few minutes which I would surely have missed. And then it was gone….
They say that luck favours the prepared. I’m sure that’s true but sometimes it also favours the unprepared. And those just warming their hands.
Technical: Nikon D810, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 Dg OS HSM Art @52mm, 17 seconds, ISO 64. 6 stop ND grad as a base. 0.9 Lee soft grad for the top part of the frame. Gitzo GT3523LS with CB-48 FLM ballhead. Cable release. Warm hands.