When I first had a digital camera, I found it hard to restrain myself from taking far too many shots, most of which were utterly discardable. My hard drive filled up with unexceptional images, most of which I never looked at again or printed. These days, I try to restrain myself from snapping away regardless, for two (make that three) reasons:
- It’s really boring going through my SD card and deciding what to catalogue and what to delete.
- Thinking about what I’m about to shoot usually results in a higher proportion of keepers.
- And most importantly, as a plein air photographer, being in the moment is so good for the soul, especially just now. If I spend all my time worrying about the next shot, I’m not enjoying being out in nature.
However, this morning made it difficult – from a grey pre-dawn, the sun came up over the horizon in blazing gold and pink. Combined with a relatively calm sea, this made for a truly entrancing spectacle that lasted for several minutes, and I made no apology for delaying my walking companion for a series of photos after we’d stood and ‘aaah’ed on the wet sand at the edge of the sea.
These were all taken with my phone; as they say, “the best camera is the one you have on you”. No doubt if I’d had my dSLR not all the shots would have been wide angle, but I was pleased to have these reminders of a cracking morning walk. I know they don’t compare with actually being there, but I hope you enjoy them too.
Church St, Lyme Regis DT7 3BZ, UK