Tag Archives: Wildlife

Icelandic Horse

Even when I first became interested in photography and I was in my ‘photograph anything and everything’ phase there is one subject that I’ve never been particularly bothered about: wildlife photography. But, you can’t visit Iceland and not realise that there is something unusual about the Icelandic horse; they look, well, different.

Before arriving in Iceland I had used Google image search to get an idea of the various sights worth seeing and there were quite a few of the Icelandic horses, including one particular one of a white horse. It was a head-on shot of the horse with parts of the surrounding field and its tail in the background. But it was too noisy for my minimalism-craving brain – too many visual distractions – and I found myself recomposing the image in my head.

This horse was found just west of one of my most favourite places along the southern coast, Vik; the only white horse in a field of chestnut ones. It wasn’t difficult to get the horses to come close, presumably as they were curious to see if I had any food. What was difficult was to get this white one to come close and then stay interested long enough for me to lie down and capture him against the white sky.

Icelandic Horse

 

Posted in Frame by Frame Also tagged , |

Micheldever Woods

After spending the whole weekend either doing a test pack of my suitcase and camera backpack or assembling the final notes for the fast approaching trip, I had to get away from the computer and out of the house. So I found myself in Micheldever Woods, a mere twelve miles from my home.

I decided on the woods as it is regarded as one of the best bluebell woodlands in Europe and after missing the season completely last year I promised myself to come back this year. I still missed it by a couple of weeks – mainly due to work pressures – but it was still certainly impressive.

Deeper into the woods the bluebell carpet is still impressive...

Deeper into the woods the bluebell carpet is still impressive…

I was also traveling light and was using my 100mm macro lens, mainly as I was still in the middle of test-packing my camera gear and the 100mm macro was one lens I was not taking to Iceland so conveniently to hand. I say ‘was not taking’ as it really is a fun lens and, in all my research on Iceland, I haven’t seen many macro shots.

The 100mm macro lens is always a fun lens to use...

The 100mm macro lens is always a fun lens to use…

One of the benefits of being there by myself – and at 6PM on a Sunday evening there really was virtually no-one else there – meant that, aside from being alone with my thoughts, I was making very little noise. As a result the local wildlife didn’t hear me until I much closer than I’d usually be able to get.

I may have missed the height of the bluebell season, but I did get to meet the locals...

I may have missed the height of the bluebell season, but I did get to meet the locals…

I’m usually so focussed upon travelling abroad that I often don’t take time to enjoy the things on my doorstep. The hour and a half in Micheldever Woods has reminded me that I should pay a bit more attention to the wonderful surroundings much closer to home.

Posted in Landscape Also tagged , , , , |