Some Early Shots for 2020

Hemlock Trees, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 105mm, 1/5 sec at f/2.8, ISO 400, tripod)

These are some shots from my first foray out with the camera in 2020, on the 3rd January.  I had only a short while available to me so I headed over to the Lochalsh Woodland Park, just over 1/2 mile from the house. 

I am about to undertake a photographic study of the native woodlands of Wester Ross (more in a later post) so wanted to practice some techniques of shooting in woodlands.  I have been doing a bit of research online and it seems that using larger lenses and shallow depth of field can produce nice soft atmospheric shots.  This first shot was taken with my new-ish 70-200m f2.8 lens with a long exposure (due to the low light level) on a tripod.  I have done very little to this image other than slightly increase the clarity of the bark on the main tree and some minor adjustments to the lights and darks.  I love the shape of the tree trunk and the trees behind break up the background really nicely.

I took a few shots in this area and then went over the road to the park and shot some more of the pathways and one or two close-ups of bits of trees and lichens, etc, all taken with the same 70-200mm lens..

Hemlock Trunk, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 200mm, 1/2 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400, tripod)

Hemlock Buttress, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 200mm, 1/5 sec at f/2.8, ISO 400, tripod)

Avenue, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 200mm, 1/15 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100, tripod)

Tree Lined Track, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 200mm, 1/13 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100, tripod)

Sycamore Seeds, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 185mm, 1/15 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100, handheld)

Lobaria pulinaria lichen, Balmacara (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens at 200mm, 0.6 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100, tripod)