I love the muted tones winter brings, those creams and browns. Wonderful photos Steve. Woodland is my favourite place, don’t know why. I found out my ancestors worked in the woodlands for a Baron centuries ago. I guess it’s in my DNA.
Not often that I see you out with your digital camera. I love both film and digital. They each have their purpose, look and process. At times I too feel the pull to do digital vs my usual film. Indeed most of my color work is digital. As usual, I remain impressed with your ability to see the beauty and order in the details.
Indeed. We have to slow down. When I return to a scene a few moments later, I would realise what I had missed. I am guilty of rushing off here and there, eager to get a shot. Thanks
A beautiful woods to visit and make a photograph or two. I'm inspired now to head out to our own nearby Walden Pond on this misty day. Hopefully "devoid of human beings" as well. Thanks
Just got back from shooting in the overcast Amsterdamse Bos and headed over to your channel to check out some lowkey woodland photography - made my morning to see this pop up! : )
Nice! Very timely, I was out in a local park a few days ago under the same conditions. We had a big ice stormva few weeks ago, there are broken or down branches, and torn or uprooted trees everywhere. Tons of great subjects to highlight change in Nature. Cheers from Montreal.
Loved the video! This is exactly the kind of photography that I like doing to challenge myself. Forest in particular can be very challenging with these conditions. No easy way to generate contrast in a subject through lighting or color. Hard to get order in the chaos. No leaves on the trees further exacerbates the 'problem' with both depth and easily visible bright sky. Superb learning experience to see how you handle it! 6:00 Great example of pretty sights don't necessarily make good images, and good images are not necessarily pretty sights.
A wonderful video. Landscapes are not always slow! depends on conditions. Here it was subtle and lovely. The focus stacking a whole new thought. I am not sure.. Super colours! Best regards!
Nice one Steve. Great to see a photographer in a forest that is similar to the ones that are near to me so I can see how you deal with it in typical overcast conditions.
I won't ask anymore for a higher sound level. It only matters on my tablet since I can make it as loud as I like on my desktop. The tree at about ten minutes with the combination of birch and ponderosa bark was very interesting. I have never seen bark like that before.
So nice to see that you were able to enjoy your forest without having to struggle through clouds of midges. I commend your decision to stick with color in the last tree bark image. The subtlety of it compliments the patterns and texture without overwhelming and competing with the subject.
I had the opposite issue lately - it was a lovely yellow-green throughout the Delaware Water Gap on a foggy wet day this past weekend. It was absolutely beautiful but it all blended together too much.
Where I am in Florida we’re starting to see the yellow and browns of winter turn back to green and orange now that some rain is falling again. This expedition of yours has me thinking of visiting the state park near me and giving my new Oly 60mm macro lens a go before the weather turns oppressive.
Bluebell time in the forests near me in France. Using the 5x7 linhof with expired colour transparency agfa film. Very rare I shoot colour with this camera..only took one shot and now got to get some time to develop it.
The first shot is particularly good, i took almost the same at a slightly different angle 2 weeks ago at Delamere. It makes me feel good that I took almost the same composition of a very good photographer like yourself. Cheers
Thanks Massimo. That small clearing and pond are surprisingly productive for me too, the majority of the forest is less appealing as I’m sure you know.
Great video to start my day. Thank you. On another note, do you folks not have Ticks over there or do you find yourself removing them regularly during your hikes?
Good point Brando. We’re just getting to that time of year where ticks become a problem. I will avoid certain locations soon and if I do venture there I keep my trousers tucked into my socks and always wear long sleeved tops.
Lovely video! There is a similar looking forest where I live and it seems to be just a bit ahead of your area in terms of springing forth. I use the Lumix G9 with an SLR lens adapter so I can use all my SLR lenses. I find that a 200mm prime gets me the reach to isolate wildflowers or mossy branches etc. Focusing using the zoom in gives precise focus too. A bit of saturation and a gamma adjustment is all most of my images need. BTW, I so like your medium format work that I changed the aspect ratio in camera to square. It dramatically changed my results because I could "see" different compositions that before were same old same old and boring.
Thanks Maggie. I also find it near impossible to work in one aspect ratio then crop down later, I must have the actual image in front of me whilst shooting. The M43 cameras make this a lot easier than older DSLR’s.
The image at 2:35 came out really good! Btw, it would be interesting to see what you could create from the trunk with all the fungi at 2.48. Some interesting shapes and textures, but maybe a little too much?
Hello, Steve...I have a gear question if you don't mind...I'm considering purchasing a SQ-A or Ai but can't find any explanation on how to do a long exposure more than 8 seconds (SQ-A) or 16 seconds (SQ-Ai). I think the Ai has bulb mode but I have read that it drains the battery quickly in that mode. Alternatively I've read about a way where you press the shutter button on the body, then somehow release the shutter in the lens, similar to the RB67? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Thank you!
Hi Bryan. The SQ-Ai is only model with a true bulb setting. On earlier models like the SQ-A you unscrew (or move) the pin on the lens body into the ‘T’ position before firing the shutter. When you trip the exposure button the shutter will stay open until you slide the lever back to the ‘A’ position. This is rather clumsy but it does avoid any drain on the battery. I’ve done long exposures up to 4 minutes using ‘B’ on my SQ-Ai but could tell you how much this affected the battery life. Hope this helps.
Cheers Steve - another interesting stroll through the forest. Always amazing, the number and variety of subjects you can find if you take your time and enjoy the atmosphere. Isolationism (?) can be very fruitful sometimes. Take care around those bogs!
I do think, one of the most boring situations in terms of photography (well, at least for myself) is a usual overcast day...because the light is diffusive & boring.
@@SteveONions Hi Steve, nice to read you again. 🙂 Well, personally, i hate overcast days, -situations. Light & shadow does make things interesting, also shapes, textures & -forms...Today, i wanted to make some pictures after a while...but sadly, the location i've spotted...it would rain starting into a few hours...so it doesn't make sense, i'd have lunch, and go to a small forest afterwards..maybe i do find something interesting, worthy to picture.
All good, the birchbark shot especially, to my eye.👍
Thanks George.
I appreciate this bit on the appeal of muted colors. The textures go hand-in-hand with them.
Thanks Christopher, I like the subtlety of muted colours, they hold the attention longer than saturated images.
Very enjoyable and peaceful watch
Thanks for the great advice on how to obtain unique and interesting images in the winter months.
You’re welcome Michael 🙂
Digital photography! What madness is this? 😉
Thanks for sharing another lovely forest stroll. Your thoughts and insights are always appreciated.
Thank you, perhaps a bigger format (and film) next time 😊
@@SteveONions Looking forward to it!
I particularly like your disciplined approach to digital, taking only eleven shots on a walk surrounded by a plenitude of "might-be" pictures. 👍
It takes some effort not to ‘try out’ a scene but when you get home it is so easy to go through the results and pick the best.
That has to be one of the most chaotic and treacherous looking forests I've seen. You did well to find subjects in that lot. 😀
Thanks Neville, it certainly poses a challenge.
Prefect timing, muted colors all around me, which is normally a hindrance to my photography
They certainly don’t jump out at you immediately Julian but the appeal seems to last a lot longer than the saturated scenes.
Steve thank you for your great work 🎉
Very welcome Rick 😊
I love the muted tones winter brings, those creams and browns. Wonderful photos Steve. Woodland is my favourite place, don’t know why. I found out my ancestors worked in the woodlands for a Baron centuries ago. I guess it’s in my DNA.
Thanks Simon, I’m sure we pick up traits from our ancestors, maybe we’re also predisposed to liking certain things?
It was well worth the wait, Steve. Thank you.
You’re welcome 😊
Not often that I see you out with your digital camera. I love both film and digital. They each have their purpose, look and process. At times I too feel the pull to do digital vs my usual film. Indeed most of my color work is digital. As usual, I remain impressed with your ability to see the beauty and order in the details.
Thanks Erich, I enjoy digital at times but still feel the need for colour film every now and then.
Top quality as per usual
Thank you.
😊 lovely video as always
Thanks Christine.
I always enjoy your videos 🫶🏼
really like the tree bark image great work
Indeed. We have to slow down. When I return to a scene a few moments later, I would realise what I had missed. I am guilty of rushing off here and there, eager to get a shot. Thanks
I’m also far too eager to find something new, I should confine myself to a very small patch of forest for a few hours and see what I can get.
A beautiful woods to visit and make a photograph or two. I'm inspired now to head out to our own nearby Walden Pond on this misty day. Hopefully "devoid of human beings" as well.
Thanks
I wish our woods were people free sometimes!
Just got back from shooting in the overcast Amsterdamse Bos and headed over to your channel to check out some lowkey woodland photography - made my morning to see this pop up! : )
Good timing Matija 🙂
Nice! Very timely, I was out in a local park a few days ago under the same conditions. We had a big ice stormva few weeks ago, there are broken or down branches, and torn or uprooted trees everywhere. Tons of great subjects to highlight change in Nature. Cheers from Montreal.
Thanks Mark. I’m always surprised by how much change there is in my local forest.
Loved the video! This is exactly the kind of photography that I like doing to challenge myself. Forest in particular can be very challenging with these conditions. No easy way to generate contrast in a subject through lighting or color. Hard to get order in the chaos. No leaves on the trees further exacerbates the 'problem' with both depth and easily visible bright sky.
Superb learning experience to see how you handle it!
6:00 Great example of pretty sights don't necessarily make good images, and good images are not necessarily pretty sights.
Thank you 🙂
Cracking shots Steve, love the close up of the tree bark. I have the same issue these days if I move too quickly my 'ed deffo goes outta sorts.
Thanks Paul.
Thanks for showing your good work, your methods and for the inspiration. Good luck, sir!! (from southern Vancouver Is., BC)
Thanks Larry, you certainly live in a beautiful place.
A lovely set of photos Steve, I think we work in very similar ways so I always look forward to your videos.
Thanks Steve, I’m glad you liked it.
A wonderful video. Landscapes are not always slow! depends on conditions. Here it was subtle and lovely. The focus stacking a whole new thought. I am not sure.. Super colours! Best regards!
Thanks Jason, I can see me using a larger format next time.
Nice one Steve. Great to see a photographer in a forest that is similar to the ones that are near to me so I can see how you deal with it in typical overcast conditions.
I think forests can work in all types of lighting conditions Richard, overcast is excellent for a calm feeling.
I won't ask anymore for a higher sound level. It only matters on my tablet since I can make it as loud as I like on my desktop. The tree at about ten minutes with the combination of birch and ponderosa bark was very interesting. I have never seen bark like that before.
It sounds fine to me Dann but I’ll try boosting it even further in post next time.
@@SteveONions Check stats for nerds: the level is -17.6 db on this video.
very inspiring, I have to learn how to slow down….
So nice to see that you were able to enjoy your forest without having to struggle through clouds of midges. I commend your decision to stick with color in the last tree bark image. The subtlety of it compliments the patterns and texture without overwhelming and competing with the subject.
Thanks Bob, the gentle colours are surpassingly effective at separating out the various elements.
I had the opposite issue lately - it was a lovely yellow-green throughout the Delaware Water Gap on a foggy wet day this past weekend. It was absolutely beautiful but it all blended together too much.
We’re never happy as photographers 😊
Where I am in Florida we’re starting to see the yellow and browns of winter turn back to green and orange now that some rain is falling again. This expedition of yours has me thinking of visiting the state park near me and giving my new Oly 60mm macro lens a go before the weather turns oppressive.
I’d have benefited from my 30mm Panasonic macro on this trip, it’s so small I may as well take it everywhere.
Great pictures as always. Thank you very much.
Indeed. I’m almost embarrassed it took me so long to get around to picking one up.
The scene at 4:53 is great. It'd be nice to revisit in different seasons and lighting conditions.
It would indeed 👍
Bluebell time in the forests near me in France. Using the 5x7 linhof with expired colour transparency agfa film. Very rare I shoot colour with this camera..only took one shot and now got to get some time to develop it.
Hope the shots come out well Peter.
@@SteveONions hope so. It's hard to judge with such old film. I'll get this developed and decide from there for the remaining 9 sheets.
The first shot is particularly good, i took almost the same at a slightly different angle 2 weeks ago at Delamere.
It makes me feel good that I took almost the same composition of a very good photographer like yourself. Cheers
Thanks Massimo. That small clearing and pond are surprisingly productive for me too, the majority of the forest is less appealing as I’m sure you know.
Great video to start my day. Thank you. On another note, do you folks not have Ticks over there or do you find yourself removing them regularly during your hikes?
Good point Brando. We’re just getting to that time of year where ticks become a problem. I will avoid certain locations soon and if I do venture there I keep my trousers tucked into my socks and always wear long sleeved tops.
Lovely video! There is a similar looking forest where I live and it seems to be just a bit ahead of your area in terms of springing forth. I use the Lumix G9 with an SLR lens adapter so I can use all my SLR lenses. I find that a 200mm prime gets me the reach to isolate wildflowers or mossy branches etc. Focusing using the zoom in gives precise focus too. A bit of saturation and a gamma adjustment is all most of my images need. BTW, I so like your medium format work that I changed the aspect ratio in camera to square. It dramatically changed my results because I could "see" different compositions that before were same old same old and boring.
Thanks Maggie. I also find it near impossible to work in one aspect ratio then crop down later, I must have the actual image in front of me whilst shooting. The M43 cameras make this a lot easier than older DSLR’s.
The image at 2:35 came out really good!
Btw, it would be interesting to see what you could create from the trunk with all the fungi at 2.48. Some interesting shapes and textures, but maybe a little too much?
That would be worth a try in future.
Hi Steve, didnt you do too much oversharpening of this video? I see it in 1080 - 1440 - 2160, quite visible blocks.
It was taken on a Panasonic G80 in native 4K David, no sharpening applied. It looks ok on my monitor and large screen TV.
Hello, Steve...I have a gear question if you don't mind...I'm considering purchasing a SQ-A or Ai but can't find any explanation on how to do a long exposure more than 8 seconds (SQ-A) or 16 seconds (SQ-Ai). I think the Ai has bulb mode but I have read that it drains the battery quickly in that mode. Alternatively I've read about a way where you press the shutter button on the body, then somehow release the shutter in the lens, similar to the RB67? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Thank you!
Hi Bryan. The SQ-Ai is only model with a true bulb setting. On earlier models like the SQ-A you unscrew (or move) the pin on the lens body into the ‘T’ position before firing the shutter. When you trip the exposure button the shutter will stay open until you slide the lever back to the ‘A’ position. This is rather clumsy but it does avoid any drain on the battery. I’ve done long exposures up to 4 minutes using ‘B’ on my SQ-Ai but could tell you how much this affected the battery life.
Hope this helps.
@@SteveONions As always, thank you for your reply and sharing your knowledge! I still enjoy all your video content.
Next time.... Bramble On!
😊
The slower you move, the more you see.
Indeed 😊
Cheers Steve - another interesting stroll through the forest. Always amazing, the number and variety of subjects you can find if you take your time and enjoy the atmosphere. Isolationism (?) can be very fruitful sometimes. Take care around those bogs!
Thanks Ray. It’s hard to find things of interest at times but all the more rewarding when you do.
I do think, one of the most boring situations in terms of photography (well, at least for myself) is a usual overcast day...because the light is diffusive & boring.
If I waited for great light I’d rarely take any photos 🙁
@@SteveONions Hi Steve, nice to read you again. 🙂 Well, personally, i hate overcast days, -situations. Light & shadow does make things interesting, also shapes, textures & -forms...Today, i wanted to make some pictures after a while...but sadly, the location i've spotted...it would rain starting into a few hours...so it doesn't make sense, i'd have lunch, and go to a small forest afterwards..maybe i do find something interesting, worthy to picture.
@@SteveONions I do take few photos steve, because i don't have the money, time & effort to waste precious, expensive film.