How would you describe your style?
At first, I wanted to experience the classic landscape
shots and went to various places just taking pictures,
but I decided that I didn’t just want record shots –
I wanted my pictures to stand out. I’ll often spend a
lot of time at the computer trying to get the crop just
right or playing about with exposure, but I prefer
experimenting in the field seeing how I can make
the scene a little different – using NDs to smooth
water, or underexposing slightly for a moodier shot.
Every week I enter competitions on Twitter such
as the ones organised by Wex and Fotospeed. These
are a great source of inspiration and it’s pushed me
to try new things and move out of my comfort zone
- this can be really important when learning.
Talk us through your picture-taking process...
I often have a particular shot in mind, but of course
this rarely transpires. I don’t know if all landscape
photographers are similar, but I can be guilty of
complaining that there’s too much cloud, then the
next time not enough cloud. Thus, despite planning,
spending days looking at images of the location, maps
and apps, I usually end up being very reactive, and my
gear is set up to move around as much as possible and
to change lenses quickly. I’m very much a planner, but
my main strength is flexibility.
There have been occasions when I’ve been unhappy
with my exposure or the shutter speed wasn’t quite
right, so I now try to take a number of back-up shots
on location, often bracketing. Back at home, I edit
with Lightroom. I don’t usually add anything in, or
clone things out beside dust spots, but I do like to
alter the temperature and I also selectively adjust
exposure, contrast and sharpness.What lengths have you gone to in order to capture
the best possible picture?
I’ve done a lot of travelling in the last two years
to capture some of my images. In December 2017,
for example, I booked two days at Lulworth just
for a shot of the sun rising through Durdle Door.
The chances that it would be clear in winter with just
two days were remote, but the gamble paid off and
I got the shot, which ended up in a local newspaper.
This year, when I heard Storm Freya was on her
way, I decided to go and meet her in Porthcawl as
a storm shot had been on my bucket list. The image
I’d always longed for though was Corfe Castle in the
mist. I’ve had a number of week-long excursions to try
and get the shot. When the conditions were finally
favourable, I carried two tripods and two cameras up
the hill to make sure that I didn’t miss the opportunity.
It’s not just getting to the places though – it’s being
aware of what else is going on. I was recently near
the bottom of the steps at South Stack for sunset
when I realised the sky was lighting up in a way that
would be better captured from near Ellis Tower.Above Marram
grass blowing
in the wind at
Newborough
Forest, Anglesey.Above left
Pre-dawn traffic
trails wind their
way through
Winnats Pass in
the Peak District.Previous page
A graphic shot
of a Windermere
lake jetty, taken
on a particularly
grey day.PrACTICALPhoTogrAPh y.Com 53Reader Showcase Jay Birmingham