Notes and Images from a Small Island (Practice 2 Day 10)

It is the last day of a two-week practice period that has been dogged by uncertainty about whether I can legitimately spend time in the landscape taking my photographs.  Having said that, I have just received a letter from the University confirming I am engaged in bona fide research activities.  So, in two weeks’ time when I start the next period of practical work. I can feel confident and comfortable spending time in the landscape, writing and taking photographs.

It is a spectacular day on Skye – the sun is shining, and it is very warm for a winter’s day.  I return to Skinidin and choose a familiar spot in the trees, close to Caolas Scalpay.  The colours under the trees are warm and vibrant and there is good contrast of light and shade.  I look up into the canopy and get that sense of spinning around.

But then, I begin to focus on the woodland floor allowing the camera to dwell on the rich greens and russets.  There is just a glimpse of the water beyond.

I also spend time looking at other details such as the grasses and the patterns on the bark of the trees.

Before leaving I cross the woodland path and return to a very small group of trees.  The grass is thick and bounces as my feet touch the ground, but it is pitted, made uneven, by the visiting deer.  Again, I focus on the floor of the wood sweeping the camera upwards to just give a hint of the blue sky beyond.

I am pleased with these images – especially the last four.  The mixture of greens, browns and oranges under the bright blue skies captures the essence of a wood as a warm place and one where animals, birds and humans can take cover rest.   The amount of blur, that I finely tuned in camera, also gives a welcoming and restful feel to the images, in comparison to earlier work where there has been a frantic movement in the trees.  I also worked hard on the processing – reducing the vibrance, saturation and clarity to match the mood of the wood.