LEARN TO SEE

A photographer I greatly admire recently invited me to join a private Facebook group. I’m greatly honoured. Simon Booth is someone whose work I’ve followed for some time and his knowledge of woodland and its flora and fauna are second to none in my opinion. Check out Simon’s work here: https://simonboothphotography.com

The group is called Learn To See and its aim is to share learning amongst those who wish to see the world more creatively. We’re all allowed to critique each others images in a positive way so that everyone gets the chance to learn. No point being precious about it because if someone wants to share their knowledge and skills with me, I’m always open to offers ! It’s not everyone’s cup of tea because feedback isn’t always comfortable, but I love it - I want to be a better photographer so I’m happy for someone to tell me I could have improved all or part of my image.

Which got me thinking…….

Some people are said to have a “natural eye” for a photograph - my lifelong friend Les Mcgrath is a very good example. Here’s Les’ website: http://www.platinum-photography.co.uk/ As you’ll see, he’s definitely a natural. Not me though. I have to work at it.

There’s a phrase amongst landscape photographers called “working the scene” and with woodland photography in particular, I make myself slow down and absorb the atmosphere before I start taking images. For me, it’s about allowing the mind to adjust as much as the eyes. It used to be called getting the vibe in the 70s kids ! A slower approach is hugely beneficial in not creating too much disturbance but it also allows you to pick up on the minutiae that may otherwise have been missed. I also find retracing my steps helps me to see things differently, especially when trying to capture wildflower images. That’s not to say I’ll take hours over each image, rather that I spend hours trying to find one. Once I’ve found what I’m looking for I like to keep the process relatively simple

I don’t do much wildlife photography at the moment (hopefully more next year) but a slower approach has gifted me with sightings of so many beautiful things. I’ve sat and watched young otters play in the River Usk. I’ve seen wild boar and stags in the Forest of Dean and dolphins and seals off the Pembrokeshire Coast. My favourite sightings are wild birds, particularly Kingfishers and the Ospreys at Llyn Brenig (before the mindless chainsaw attack). Only last week, I was out photographing mushrooms, and movement in the tree canopy turned out to be a Goldcrest watching me (probably wondering what an old duffer was doing lying on his belly in the middle of a forest!). An Instagram follower told me how lucky I was to witness all of these beautiful sights and, while I agree and don’t take any of the sightings for granted, I’ve learned over many years how to try and blend into my surroundings. Investing time definitely pays dividends.

The world we were all familiar with a couple of years ago changed hugely as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and enforced lockdown deprived many people of the chance to spend time outdoors. Not being able to travel abroad has also made people think about where to spend their holidays. As a result, the British honey pot locations came under unprecedented visitor pressure and while that can be seen as detrimental, I believe there’s a positive spin-off in that people have come to appreciate the outdoors more and have surprised themselves with what’s available on their doorstep.

We’re blessed with fabulous countryside here in the UK, and through the efforts of organisations such as The Woodland Trust, The National Parks, and the National Trust, much of it will be preserved for future generations. (Quick Quiz: how many national parks are there in the UK? (no Googling). I bet you’ll be surprised if you look it up). Many people think the National Trust is only about preserving old buildings, yet a quick look at their coastal locations in Wales alone is a real eye-opener. If you’re not a member I’d strongly recommend it.

I truly value every minute spent in nature (see my blog Shinrin Yoku from July https://www.timscanlanphotography.com/blog ) and the current pressure on the earth’s environment means we must value it even more while we still can. I’ve said previously that being outdoors gives you far more back than you give to it and with the right clothing and a few hours to spare, you’d be amazed what you see. I’m a great believer that effort brings its own rewards so the more you do it, the more you’ll see.

So I aim to keep learning and, hopefully, improving. I can’t improve my eyesight but I can improve the way I see.

Wish me luck as I learn to see !