Notes and Images from a Small Island (Practice 6 Day 3)

The weather forecast is bad for later in the week, so I take advantage of the relatively good weather as I return to Lochan Dubha for a second shoot.  After the calm and tranquil morning, the wind is gusting, and the sparkling sunshine has been replaced by stormy skies – not the weather in the forecast!  My plan to return to take more photographs of the stunning reflections, such as Metaphor 11 and 12 in my previous post, are thwarted as the still waters have been replaced by a very turbulent and choppy surface, with not a reflection in sight.  However, the change in conditions allows me to produce some images of the water lily leaves and other vegetation being pummelled by the weather, a regular occurrence on Skye.  Metaphorically, it provides a strong message of the ever-changing and unpredictable weather which objects of the natural world endure on the Island, and in turn represents the essence of Skye.  At first, I am a little disappointed that I cannot take the images I had hoped to capture, but I soon start to enjoy the challenges Skye’s changing weather has dealt me!

On the basis of my efforts this morning, I decide to over-expose the first image in each multiple exposure set by one stop.  This is because the blacks and shadows in some of my earlier images were on the margin of being recoverable, and I like to get my images perfectly exposed in camera rather than in post-processing.  I also think that a lighter bottom layer will provide the luminance and depth that I am trying to achieve.

I am a little disappointed by the images from this afternoon’s shoot.  The light was poor, and the inky waters did not come alive as I had hoped.  More practice required in low light conditions – which should not be a problem on Skye – lots forecast for later in the week!