Landscape Assignment 1 - summer

Assignment 1 comprised 12 photographs at a location which would show a particular season to good effect. The exercise was to be repeated for each season thereafter. I chose Sussex National Trust property Nymans Gardens and took photographs during the Spring and I have just returned there to repeat the assignment for Summer.

I was only in the area for one day but I think that there is more variety than in the original 'Spring' photographs and I tried to follow the advice given by my tutor to include more foreground and take shots from different heights.

The first photograph was taken low-down with a wide-angle lens and follows the entrance path towards the gate. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/4 secs, f/16 at 11mm.

Shot number two was also shot low-down with a wide angle lens and I wanted to capture some of the shadows and to get closer to the trees on the left. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/5 secs, f/16 at 11mm.

With photograph number 3, I tried to balance the roof of the house on the left with the tree on the right, while placing both in accordance with the 'rule of thirds'. I used a circular polariser with my telephoto lens. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/15 secs, f/22 at 119mm.

Throughout the assignment, I tried to include figures where appropriate and this fourth shot, taken with the telephoto lens along an avenue of trees towards the house, is ideal in portrait mode with the group of figures off-centre. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/6 seconds, f/22 at 154 mm with circular polariser.

Here, in photograph number 5, I wanted to include both the plants as foreground and the clouds as background so used the wide-angle lens very low down. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/30 secs, f/22 at 11mm.

I was intrigued by this dragon-fly sculpture in one of the ponds and photographed it from an elevated position using a telephoto lens and circular polariser. I deliberately placed the dragon fly on the left as the blue sky and reflections of weed in the top right hand corner seemed to provide balance. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/15 secs, f/22 at 119 mm.

Why I like gates and doors so much I don't know but I couldn't resist this shot, taken low with a wide-angle lens. I took two shots here, one with people coming through the gate and this one. On balance, I prefer this one for its simplicity and perhaps because I still cannot get my mind around having blurred figures in a shot. Again, in accordance with the rule of thirds, I placed the gate off-centre. ISO 100, shutter speed 1/4 secs, f/16 at 11mm.

The red tractor was too good to miss against the backdrop of the trees. Telephoto lens, ISO 100, shutter speed 1/13 secs, f/22 at 59mm with circular polariser.

Another portrait view to highlight the fence-post and fence on the right and more interesting cloud. Telephoto lens, ISO 100, shutter speed 1/6 secs, f/22 at 46mm with circular polariser.

I came across this pile of freshly cut logs and decided to take a low-down wide-angle shot. ISO 100, shutter speed 0.40 secs, f/16 at 11mm.

I couldn't resist this shot of an elderly couple relaxing on a bench under the trees. Telephoto lens, ISO 100, shutter speed 1/15 secs, f/22 with circular polariser.

Finally, this photograph of two figures on a bench has some lovely trees and great cloud formations. I decided to split the frame in two with the horizon, rather than the 'recommended' third/two-thirds approach because the sky was worth it! This was the only shot taken without a tripod. Telephoto lens, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/125 secs, f/16 at 25 mm with circular polariser.

Hopefully, this is a better collection of photographs than in the original, Spring collection. I feel that there is more variety and greater use of foreground than before and I have tried for much better composition. Roll on Autumn!