“I was drinking in the surroundings: air so crisp you could snap it with your fingers and greens in every lush shade imaginable offset by autumnal flashes of red and yellow.” – Wendy Delsol

This was a bit of a surprise composition. As I looked into the forest all I could see was layers and layers of muted colour and bright patches of light. I saw the potential of a nice image that might capture some of the ‘feel’ of this scene. I decided on an intentional camera motion shot to bring some life to what I was seeing through my viewfinder.

I knew what I wanted to communicate but I was uncertain if I could convey it effectively. So, I took a chance, a single image based on the hope of what might be. Sometimes you have to take these chances and rely on pure instinct and knowledge of what your camera is capable of or that opportunity is forever lost.

The resulting image looked pleasing when I reviewed the shot on my camera. I knew it had captured the ‘essence’ of what I was hoping to express. With a few minor adjustments in post it yielded the result above. The glow of the autumn sun beams between the trees, laying down long ribbons of light. Catches of golds and copper reflect from the undergrowth and the pale green of the conifers fills in the background. It’s a very ‘soft’ image, looking vaguely ‘painterly’ and calming, which is what I was seeing as I stood before this scene. I’m pleased that I followed my ‘gut’ on this and was able to capture a small vignette of my overall autumn experiences.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/4 sec, f/18, ISO 640