Turneresque...

Spring is happening in all departments: trees blossoming, plants flowering and the weather more in tune with the season - and it's set to last - at least for the rest of the weekend.

I spend the afternoon on the banks of the Dorset Stour, but the recent rains have rendered much of the ground waterlogged, and/or flooded, making access to some places difficult. Unfortunately, the fine weather is less than helpful for shooting images, as the blue sky is just that: blue. Without any cloud formation, landscape photography can be quite ineffective with just a bland sky, no matter how much it may appeal to those who wish to spend time outdoors. No, I need detail and texture.

It's not until late afternoon that wispy cloud begins to move across the heavens, by which time I've ridden to Poole Harbour, in time for the low tide. I wait until the sun gets low, producing the Turneresque sky, before I start making photographs. The diffused light reduces contrast, helped along by the use of a neutral density grey graduated filter on the front of the lens.

24-70 mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/8. +0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. 0.9 grey graduated filter.

© 2010