I was visiting Park Woods to get a few photos together for examples of the various techniques that we will be covering on my Macro photography day course. It proved entertaining for the walkers, as I was most commonly found lying in a ditch or flat out amongst the woods framing up a wild flower or two.
The above image was taken with the outdoor studio technique promoted by Scottish nature photographer, Niall Benvie. Using two off camera flashguns you can get a studio look to images taken out in the field. As the power of the flashguns has increased over the years, it is now quite amazing what you can do with them that previously required the use of full studio flash kits. It was never fun lugging these around the countryside for outdoor work, plus getting power was always a problem.
A little bit of audio for you to give you a sense of the environment:
[audio:http://www.gowerphotography.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Park-Woods.mp3]
The variation of green leaves at this time of year is very apparent, as the new growth comes through. Later on in June/July, they start to loose this and blend into similar shade of green and becoming less interesting.
I had other plans to produce some other images, but a?bout of vomiting and diarrhoea, then a heavy cold and sinusitis put paid to any more photography. I must be getting old as I normally never catch anything!
