Off Season
Kayaking to Stuckbeg Beach
Peak photography season pretty much mirrors that of the English Premier League, which is good as I can’t stand football. The heights of summer have of course been hot and dry for everyone, but the eventual arrival of extreme heat to Argyll had me either staying indoors with the fan on, loft hatch open, and the curtains closed, or out (or in) the cooling water of our sea loch. August has proved to be a classic holiday month though, welcoming and entertaining family visitors, drinking far too much in the cooler evening hours, and watching the meteor showers into the night. The midges have largely stayed away - not necessarily a good thing for the wildlife, but making outdoor living and entertaining much more bearable.
All this serves as something of an excuse for a lazy photography month. Even the usual, regular trickle of print sales dries up in the height of summer, as visitors get to physically experience the reality of this wee paradise, rather than just stare longingly at a picture of it on their walls. There are photos to be had, and skills always to practice, but bright, cloudless skies offer little beyond picture postcard shots. The wide angle lens is deployed to add creative foreground interest. The telephoto becomes a makeshift macro lens for shaded, woodland images. I try to alter a few settings on my camera, playing with back-button focus and high burst shots for pseudo long exposures. Most attempts fail as my long term habits and muscle memory trip clumsily over these new settings. I miss focus on a few shots and battle with complex photo merges that don’t quite work. Perhaps keeping things simple and letting the landscape do the shouting is the better option after all… And that garish summer shouting will soon mellow into longer sunsets and cooler rambles with my camera, along with the quieter voices of Autumn.
In the meantime, enjoy your summer and time with your loved ones.
