Coastal East Anglia 2
Slaughden
In his inspiring DVD "Chasing the Light", the brilliant landscape photographer David Noton can be seen to adopt a methodical, almost scientific approach to his art. Light – that most vital element in a successful landscape photograph - is not chased, as the title of Noton’s DVD suggests, but awaited, anticipated. Locations are visited a day or days in advance; potential compositions are identified; and on the selected day, Noton’s camera and tripod are erected well in advance of the anticipated light. This disciplined process undoubtedly saves time and reduces the risk of the disappointment that comes when a landscape photographer tries to find a good composition, prepare his equipment and capture the image all at the same time. However, there are times when even the most strategic of plans yield no results, when the predicted light refuses to materialize.
We had studied the weather forecasts and had come to the view that the conditions would suit a long-anticipated capture of Framlingham Castle, one of Britain’s most impressive medieval castles. We had visited the location on many occasions and had in our minds’ eyes a potential composition. We estimated the time at which the sun would be most favourably positioned, and arrived with ample time to prepare ourselves for the magical moment.
But the magical moment never arrived. As is so often the case, the weather forecast was wrong. In the place of the predicted mixture of sun and cloud was a sky of relentless, cloudless blue. The mood and atmosphere which we had hoped for was as noticeably absent as the cloud. We packed away our gear, once again disappointed by Framlingham’s stubborn refusal to oblige!
Slaughden lies only a short distance from Framlingham, and so we ventured there in the hope that we might not return home empty-handed. As the sun was setting and the moon rose, a bank of cloud formed out to sea. These elements combined with a simple subject and a long exposure to produce an image that perhaps went some way to compensate for the disappointment of that afternoon.
And the moral of the tale? A little bit of good luck and no preparation can just occasionally make amends for the moment when the best-laid plans of mice and men have gone astray!
Canon EOS 5D and EF 16-35mm lens.
Exposure of 16 seconds at f/10.
We had studied the weather forecasts and had come to the view that the conditions would suit a long-anticipated capture of Framlingham Castle, one of Britain’s most impressive medieval castles. We had visited the location on many occasions and had in our minds’ eyes a potential composition. We estimated the time at which the sun would be most favourably positioned, and arrived with ample time to prepare ourselves for the magical moment.
But the magical moment never arrived. As is so often the case, the weather forecast was wrong. In the place of the predicted mixture of sun and cloud was a sky of relentless, cloudless blue. The mood and atmosphere which we had hoped for was as noticeably absent as the cloud. We packed away our gear, once again disappointed by Framlingham’s stubborn refusal to oblige!
Slaughden lies only a short distance from Framlingham, and so we ventured there in the hope that we might not return home empty-handed. As the sun was setting and the moon rose, a bank of cloud formed out to sea. These elements combined with a simple subject and a long exposure to produce an image that perhaps went some way to compensate for the disappointment of that afternoon.
And the moral of the tale? A little bit of good luck and no preparation can just occasionally make amends for the moment when the best-laid plans of mice and men have gone astray!
Canon EOS 5D and EF 16-35mm lens.
Exposure of 16 seconds at f/10.
Ref:
Date:
06/12/08
Location:
Slaughden, Suffolk
Photographer:
Ian Flindt