This composite has been a work in progress over the last couple of years. It is not quite there yet but I am pleased with the way it is shaping up. A couple of re-shoots to try and get in this year (weather permitting) and a little white balance issue to address... watch this space.
Was invited to photograph the dress rehearsal of Lilies on the Land this evening. A true ensemble piece; the actors rarely leave the stage, lots of business going on, elements of physical theatre - it was a real challenge to capture.
Finally, after what seems like weekends of drizzle and generally uninteresting and certainly un-winteresque weather, we got some snow. I think this was the first time we have had any white stuff of significance since March 2013. (I only know this because I have just finished compiling photos from that year and that was when I got snowed up in Wales). Sadly it didn't last long and at the time of typing this it has all but disappeared; all that remains in the garden are the remnants of a half finished snowman. Fortunately, I was mad enough to venture out at sunrise and capture a few shots of around the village. Went up to the church to try and capture the fourth element of my 4 seasons shot, and then across the fields to find some decent trees against the skyline. Fuji XT1 with 55-200mm (@55mm)
125 sec @ F4.5 - mounted on tripod ISO 200 This marks my first serious shoot of 2016 and I very nearly didn't make it. Having been ill for the best part of a week, I was finally feeling OK enough to take a short ride up to The Rusty Gun in Hitchin to photograph the promotional images for the Barn Theatre's production of Lilies on the Land. Fortunately, the company had already sorted wardrobe and make up prior to my arrival so all I had to do was sort the locations and shoot the pics. The sun was very bright but it was one of those cold and intense wintery suns that hang very low in the sky, and was subsequently right in front of where I had intended to shoot (in with the pigs). There were, however, other areas for us to work in without any modern anachronisms creeping into the frame. I was particularly taken with the images taken around the fences.
Shot in natural light with some colour and shadow tweaks in LR Fuji XT1 / with 35mm 1/125 sec @ f4 ISO: 200
This was an excellent production to photograph; not only were the lighting and stage designs moody, atmospheric, and beautifully realistic (in fact the whole mise-en-scene was perfect), but I got to see the show twice! This enabled me to capture both companies (there were two sets of children actors) and presented the opportunity of effectively re-shooting the show and getting some of the shots I did not quite nail during the first dress rehearsal. A number of these were sent to the local press, to accompany the review. Usually they will use one or two images but on this occasion six of my pictures were used!!! Update: I did have to 'sit' on a few of these as the director was keen that audiences did not see the ghosts in advance of the production. Completely different conditions up at the Élan Valley this autumn; sunshine, low water, crisp air and beautiful vibrant colours. All of these elements made for a fabulous sunrise and some awesome pictures; I don't think I will better these! However, I don't think I will ever tire of hiking around the reservoirs either, visiting my favourite spots and looking for new ways of shooting the landscapes, so who knows...
In the last 19 odd years of visiting Élan, I don't think I have ever seen the water as low as this. Had the reservoirs been full, I would have been under water from where I took this image. So much of the architecture was exposed that I had hoped I might catch a glimpse of the mythical church steeple - from the village that was flooded to make the reservoirs. |
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February 2016
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