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Welsh based photographer
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Getting Ready For Autumn
21. Sep, 2017
Falling leaves, nights getting longer, got it in one, autumn is almost here. I love the change, crisp mornings, mist, golden light and seasonal flood tides, who could ask for more. This is probably one of the best times of year for me, the light is much softer, its still warm and the colours can be amazing. Later sunrise also means not so many early starts, I am also very lucky in my area, having the coast nearly on the doorstep means if the weather changes I can get there qiuckly.
I have a little routine for getting the best out of my day, if I plan properly it increases my chances of getting some decent shots. Firstly I check exact sunrise and sunset times, then the weather forecast,there are lots of apps to choose from, I mainly use BBC weather and Tides Near Me, both are free. It is really useful to know the high tide times, not only for safety, but from a compostitional point of view it can make or break the shot. I have used the Met Office for the weather but found I couldn't always get the range of places I need, it does make a surprising amount of difference especially in coastal areas. My tide time table gives me not only sunrise and set but also tide heights and times as well as moon information. The one drawback is not being able to look more than a week in advance, for this I use The Photographers Ephemeris which gives me the chance to plan well in advance for exact angle of sunrise or sunset.
All this planning still doesn't by any means guarantee sucess, things go wrong all the time but at least if I drop my filter in the sea or something else really stupid, chances are the weather is perfect!
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What To Do When The Light Is Wrong For Photography
20. Aug, 2017
Once we get past spring it gets much more difficult for me to get good light for my photography, sunrise is so early and the days are so bright and harshly lit. I know there are people who feel you can shoot in any light, but very few who can make it work effectively. If the light and weather are against you there are two options, either take a chance and continue with your plans, or find a more productive use of the time. I personally prefer the second option, summer for me is a time for catching up with all the editing that has piled up from earlier in the year.
As I don't deal very well with the heat or pollen I spend a lot of my time indoors, it can be frustrating and I don't like not getting out and about as much. There are a few advantages, it gives me the time to make plans for the autumn and do some research for my September break. This year I am returning to Yorkshire for the first time since I took up photography seriously, the first week we are staying right next to a waterfall, so I will be very upset if I don't come back with some decent water shots. I have a list of local churches and abbeys to visit as well as plenty of landscape locations. Weather permitting I plan to visit Brimham Rocks, Malham Tarn and as many other on my list as I can fit in. The second week we will be a little further east which will give me even more possibilities.
With all this planned I need to clear the decks and get my files in order. I also enter more competitions through the summer, many organisations run small local ones, usually aimed at holiday makers. It is a good way of getting you work noticed, even if you don't win a lot of the work is viewed online and it's free publicity. So although I don't apear very busy, in some ways I work as hard if not harder during the summer months, and at least I start the autumn with a clean slate.
Looking Into Starting Your Own Business
13. Apr, 2017
I have spent a lot of time in the last month looking into the details of how to get started selling my work. Being able to take a decent photography is only half the story, the other half is having the knowlege and confidence to deal with the business side. Joining a local craft organisation may help, they are a useful way of finding events and not to expensive to join. Public liability insurance is a must, but again is not too much money, I found one that covers independant market traders for about £50.00 for the year.
Doing a bit of research pays off, if you can find out what is already on sale you can avoid trying to sell the same sort of images. Being able to see things from your own perspective makes your work stand out. It is also useful to have an idea on what sort of prices are being charged, making sure that you don't sell yourself short and are at least making a profit.
Because I am in the position to semi-retire I can work to suit my family commitments, and with a plan in mind would be happy to make enough money to cover the expenses for the more experimental work. This is probably not for everyone, but it is all about finding the best way to balancing finding time to follow your dreams with other aspects of you life. There are many people who just manage to get their cameras out on days off from their day jobs. If this is the only way to manage, it's still better than giving up. In some ways being made redundant has made me re-evaluate my life and given me the chance to take the plunge.
Adapting To Change, Don't Just Go With The Flow
7. Mar, 2017
For the second time in the last four years I have been forced into making career changes by circumstances beyond my control. This could be seen as a negative,but my choice to go back to education, has given me more options and even more importantly far more confidence.I needed to be in a position where I was so unhappy with my working position that the only option was change, otherwise it would have been to easy to just drift along getting nowhere.
After getting my degree I started working on a major project using very part time hours to fund travel, it has been an easy option, but again I think without a push, I would just have drifted along not taking the final step to making photography my priority.I have just found out that I may be made redundant, so now is the time to start my online shop and think about craft fairs and galleries.I plan to fill in a few gaps in my local images and produce as much variety as possible to help maximise sales.With some positive thinking and planning I will be able to spend my time doing what I love best, being out with my camera.
Most of us are the same, we stick to what we know, and some never follow their dreams for fear of failure.It's a big world out there, if you never step outside your comfort zone you never know what you are missing.If you don't try to adapt you just end up in an impossible position going nowhere.Why not try something new you might be surprised.
Trying To Keep Motivated In The New Year
13. Jan, 2017
Like lots of people I find it really hard to get myself motivated after the chaos of Christmas and New Year. It is very easy to get out of the routine of making time for my photography, there are any number excuses for letting it slip,from family commitments to the weather, if I don't force myself to keep going no-one else will.
Luckily I have the support of a few good friends from university and even more importantly my husband who is behind me all the way. Sometimes it is the simple things that make the difference, I am really bad at missing deadlines for competitions, I have an awful memory and time just slips by before I notice, without my husband constantly reminding me about dates I would never get anything done on time. A good example was leaving it until the last day for a local photography calender competition. I already had work I could submit, but still left it to the last minute, partly this is to avoid the feelings of not being good enough. Photographers are really bad at seeing their own work objectively.
I was very glad I did make the effort, I was lucky enough to be selected, its a small success but has made me realise that I need to have a bit of confidence and submit work more often. I hope this time I have learned a lesson, if I hadn't been pushed I probably would have left it. So the moral of the tale is if you don't try you won't succeed.