I hoped for sunny spells and stormy skies today and to a certain extent Skye delivered. But I am not very inspired, which leads me to contemplate what the optimum number of practice days might be for me. Should I take a day away from the loch I have visited for the past week, or should I attempt to push through my negative mood?
I set up my tripod in a different place to previous days, trying to get closer to the area where I had taken the reflections a couple of days ago. This may sound simple, but I am working in an area of soft-bottomed peat bogs where it is all too easy to find oneself sinking into the dark red soil or falling into the many burns that criss-cross the area.
I start working with double exposures. I intend to capture the natural movement of the trees being buffeted by the strong winds, by using a slow shutter speed and focusing on the water rather than the moving trees. I intend only to give a glimpse of the water below the trees in the final images, to provide an anchor and a tiny piece of context. The leaves are glistening from the heavy rain that fell overnight providing specular highlights.
As I work, I realise that my tripod is gradually sinking into the boggy ground! I move to firmer ground and take a few more shots. I am not hopeful that my efforts today will improve on some of the work I produced earlier in the week. . .
Metaphor 26 - Alison Price, October 2021
Metaphor 27 - Alison Price, October 2021
Metaphor 28 - Alison Price, October 2021
Metaphor 29 - Alison Price, October 2021
Metaphor 30 - Alison Price, October 2021
Having 'lived' with these images I think there is potential here. By focusing on the water and nudging the subject, the trees, out of focus it certainly provides a glimpse of that which lies behind sensory perception. The gnarled, lichen-covered branches, the glistening leaves and a hint of the context combine to provide a tapestry-like aesthetic. Furthermore, I have done this, not by extensive work in Photoshop, but entirely 'in camera'.
Alison Price
My name is Alison Price and for the past ten years I have travelled the world photographing wildlife, including Alaska, Antarctica, Borneo, Botswana, the Canadian Arctic, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.