Heads up...

It's August bank holiday weekend, and the weather looks good, so I'm up and out by 5:30 am to beat the traffic. At this time of year, it's traditional for the majority of the population to jump into vehicles and head to the coast, thus clogging-up the highways of the country.
I decided to head to the New Forest again (said I wouldn't, but I lied) to have another attempt at photographing the ponies. This time, conditions were ideal. Low, raking light... and mist! I fired off a few token shots before the sun appeared over the horizon, but the ponies were still having it their own way, and not co-operating. Then, just as I was deciding to move to another location, they cross the road to where the mist and heather is most photogenic and start to present the image opportunities I'd been waiting for. At last, something other than feeding shots.


© 2007

The return of the Red Arrows...

Weather forecasts for the area were vague and conflicting, but the clouds stayed away long enough over Poole bay today for the RAF display team the Red Arrows to perform their annual exhibition in front of tens of thousands of people lining the cliff tops and beaches. There are some new additions to their repertoire this season, and the formation flying was as slick as ever (no surprise there). Quite simply, a world class act that's second to none.

© 2007

Time to move on...

Despite numerous pre-dawn starts in the New Forest, the shots of the ponies that I have in mind remain elusive. It's not that I'm being unsuccessful in getting any images, it's just the fact that the good light only lasts for an hour or so after sunrise, during which time I have to find my subjects and hope that they perform for the camera. Of course, they don't...at least not while the lighting is good. Therefore, I've decided to wait for autumn and winter to continue the pony project. At that time of year the useable light lasts all day, giving greater opportunity to photograph the images I want.
The image of the foal, shot against the dawn light, was made on Rockford common, shortly after 6:00 am today.

© 2007