CHANGING OF THE SEASONS
Alexander Swyer
In my opinion, sunrises and the golden hour is the best light for a photographer to capture the beauty of the great outdoors. There is nothing more exhilarating than waking up and trekking to the top of a hill, along a field, or seeing the sun spread across the sea before you. I am lucky that I live in West Sussex, at the base of the South Downs National Park, where the south coast is only a short drive away. Consequently, I have no shortage of photographic opportunities.
Winter is perhaps the best time for landscape photography, as the sunrise is at a much easier time to manage than in the spring! Most of my shots are planned around a full-time job and school runs, so early starts are always best for me. I also love how the cold of winter can change the landscape, with trees stripped of their leaves, and frozen water or hard frosts glittering on the ground.
Having local pre-planned spots in your knowledge bank also allows for greater organisation and efficiency in finding the best compositions. If there is an area that I want to photograph that I have not been to before, then a pre visit on a day off is a must, which usually involves taking the family somewhere for a new walk. I also am in the habit of taking my camera with me wherever I go, as you never know what photographic opportunities crop up, even on the drive to work. Every sunrise and every season is different day-to-day, month-to-month and year-to-year. This makes photography a fantastic hobby that makes me want to get up and take a photo again and again.
This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 11.