Notes and Images from a Small Island (Practice 7 Day 4)

The outlook is not good weather-wise, however I want to do some practice, even if for a short while.  Life conspires against me as I rush to my chosen spot.  The track by the quarry is closed and I am not able to get to the area of forest I intend to work in.  So, having committed to a certain part of the forest I need to find another route in.   This proves impossible, given the incoming tide, so I return to the location where I worked yesterday.  The lifeless skies remain, so my options for images is limited.  Unlike yesterday there is little wind and so I opt to return to double exposures.

I start work as I spot a Rowan tree naturally grafted onto a Sitka spruce.

I see the red berries as an interesting addition of colour to the background of lichen-covered trunks.  I immediately become anxious about the limited time I have and find myself grabbing, rather than considering shots.  Not a place I like to be.  I continue to work in this half-hearted way, constantly checking my watch.  The images below for me reflect that anxiety and agitation. . .

My experience today, only serves to confirm my need to spend time in the landscape, take in stimuli from all my senses, and settle down into a creative flow focusing on the being of the object.  This process cannot be rushed.  Having said that, the weather and its force and changeability on Skye is not always conducive to sitting, standing or taking photographs.  I am finding ways to continue my work by seeking shelter, choosing certain techniques and locations dependent on conditions.  After all, few would argue that weather is an integral part of the essence of Skye.