subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 23 November 2019 17
Find a focal point
It’s quite common to fi nd a different-shaped
tree or even a different species of tree that
breaks the uniformity that surrounds it. There
are also other elements that can work in a
woodland scene – maybe the placement of
a lone fi gure or a man-made element. This
forestry logging machine in a woodland on
Dartmoor made a great subject.
Imperfections
When I shoot woodland I’m not looking to get
a clean sharp image over 100% of the frame.
Often imperfections, higher ISO (grain/noise)
and shallow depth of fi eld can add to the
mystery and mood of a photograph, in my
opinion. I shot this scene with various different
apertures but settled on the slightly softer look
of shooting wide open.Small scenes
Sometimes it’s best to look beyond a full scene
and look at the closer details. Using a slightly
longer prime lens and using the viewfi nder
to look around a scene can often help when I
struggle to fi nd wider landscape shots. Taking
this approach can often help to focus in the
details and eliminate the distractions that can
often be prevalent in larger scenes.Heading straight into a woodland
can often be very overwhelming.
Once you’ve found a scene make sure you
give it time by checking out various angles
and taking reference shots, so you are fully
prepared when the conditions are right.
When you fi rst start shooting woodland,
don’t expect to shoot keepers from day
one. Yes it can happen, as in every genre,
but I almost guarantee that it will take
some time and several outings for your
confi dence to grow fi rst.
Check weather conditions
It’s fairly obvious, but fog or mist are an
essential ingredient in the majority of
my atmospheric woodland images. These
conditions are not only essential to create
mood, but they also help dramatically
when it comes to picking out compositions
and isolating subjects of interest. The
time of day is also a key ingredient. For my
own images, I prefer the softer muted
light of blue hour, especially when the
objective is mood.
Of course there are other ways to isolate
subjects, like using fast lenses wide open
to create a shallow depth of fi eld, but if you
want that atmosphere make sure you head
out on those misty days.
Research locations
There are several places I enjoy shooting
and exploring when I want to try and
create atmospheric images. The fi rst
is Wistman’s Wood in Devon. It’s an
amazing location and one that every
photographer who likes to shoot
Why it works
‘Follow the Light’ was shot near Pixie Land
in a small pine woodland as the mist was
clearing. The light at the time was coming
from my right-hand side and it really did
bring the scene to life. I’m particularly
pleased with the composition of this
image and how the light and soft mist
create depth and a clear passage to guide
the viewer’s eye through. In my opinion,
both the colour and black & white work
particularly well for this image which isn’t
always the case. Having said that, I’d
slightly favour the monochrome – I just
feel the textures and tones in the mono
really draw you into the frame.‘If you want that
atmosphere make sure you
head out on misty days’