14 Outdoor Photography February 2018Cold considerations
I have been subscribing to
Outdoor Photography for two
years and have been consistently
informed and inspired by the guidance and
images in each issue. I am a newcomer to DSLR
photography and have particularly enjoyed the
Learning Zone articles and the Quick Guides.
Your Quick Guide to photographing ice
caves (OP225) had the usual concise tips, but
there is one more that I would have liked to see
there. Ice caves (and Iceland in general in the
winter) are cold places, and camera controls
may be awkward or impossible for anyone who
(like me) has poor circulation in their hands.
If that’s the case, consider taking your compact
camera as a backup, and don’t be ashamed to
use it on its Auto setting (with thick gloves on).
My handheld Panasonic Lumix TZ70 gave me
some great images on a trip to the ice caves and
highlands of Iceland last winter.
Fine in-camera control is desirable and
enjoyable for many photographers – especially
in challenging light conditions – but so issensation and freedom from pain in the
fi ngers. Let’s celebrate compact cameras!
Shelagh Ball, emailLaurie’s luxury
I am writing in response to Laurie Campbell’s
article in the December issue (OP225).
I am lucky enough to have spent time
photographing with Laurie, learning much
from this talented photographer and very
nice man. In this particular article I was very
interested in the specifi cs about Skye, as I have
a B&B there. As Laurie mentioned, we were
incredibly busy again this year. The iconic
spots are generally swarming with people most
of the year and photographed beyond belief.
I understand that as a professional
photographer there may be little purpose in
Laurie visiting these places, as the scene you
capture may have already been photographed
many times that very day, but as an
enthusiastic amateur, I still enjoy re-visiting
these spots (during the quieter times) to take
photographs to please myself. The Fairy Poolsmay have been photographed many, many
times, but they still off er the amateur
a degree of enjoyment. That is a luxury that
I imagine is rarely available to a hard-working
professional photographer such as Laurie who
needs to seek out the ‘diff erent’ or ‘exceptional’
to ply his trade.
David Allan, emailOP says: You make a good point. The internet
has arguably made us a lot more blasé about
certain locations: we see pictures of Buachaille
Etive Mòr, the Old Man of Storr, blue ice on black
Icelandic beaches and other such locations so
frequently that what was once a rare treat has
become commonplace. However, as you rightly
point out, that should in no way stop us from
photographing them for ourselves. Ultimately, the
only person an amateur photographer needs to
satisfy with their photography is his or her self.Blast from the past
We all need a little inspiration, and I found it
in a book reviewed in OP a while ago, called
The Last Stand: Northern Europe by Marc
Wilson. In it, the author tells the story of the
Atlantic Wall; defensive structures built by the
Nazis in World War Two to defend the coast
from Norway to Spain. Little did I realise that
I had taken images of some of these structures,
on the Gironde estuary in France, on a holiday
the year before I read the book. I decided to
return and take more images. Some still stand
despite numerous bombing sorties by the RAF
and USAAF, while others are partially destroyed
or reside in the sea following coastal erosion.
Many have been the canvas for graffi ti artists.
Paul Tursner-Upcott, emailSOCIAL HUB
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to [email protected]February’s lett er of the month winner Shelagh Ball receives a
Coleman TWIST+ 300 lithium-ion rechargeable lantern, worth £69.99!
This month we teamed up with Coleman to give away a superb TWIST+ 300 lithium-ion rechargeable lantern. Multipurpose and st rong,
this weather-resist ant lantern doubles as a charging unit. It’s USB compatible and has a bright 300-lumen output, so you can st ay out
of the dark and connect ed for longer. With its patent-pending Batt eryLock technology to prevent batt ery drain, the TWIST+ 300
lantern is the ultimate st urdy and reliable campsite lighting companion. Discover more at coleman.eu© Shelagh Ball© Paul Tursner-UpcottLETTER OF
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