Stephen Taylor Photography

Prime lenses for slower photography

Slow photography can help you and your art in so many ways. You engage with your surroundings and your subject more. It can help you think more deeply about your photographs, especially the composition. It can help you too, slowing you down, making you more self-aware and mindful. I know myself how helpful it can be when things have been troublesome. A few hours away with the camera makes things seem a little better.

In the past I have written about slowing my photography down, including by using a tripod. In this post I want to suggest another way to slow down. Switching away from zoom lenses to prime lenses.

A prime lens has a single focal length. It means that if you want to photograph something and it is too far away you can’t zoom in – you’ll have to get closer! Alternatively you could change to a longer focal length lens.

So why should you go to all that bother? You would have to carry more lenses and, when you do change the lens, you’ll need to be careful to avoid dust getting on the sensor. Read on to find out why I think you should. Also includes tips on how to change lenses quickly.

Why you might choose prime lenses

First of all, a few practical reasons why you might choose to use a prime lens.

To begin with the image quality might be better. There are fewer bits of glass inside them which could mean sharper images.

Less glass and less moving parts means they will be lighter than a zoom lens so easier to carry. I take my camera on the bicycle a lot so keeping the weight down is important for me. A prime lens can also be cheaper than a zoom lens.

On the other hand you might need to carry more lenses to replace one zoom lens but cancels out the weight and cost advantages. I usually just carry a couple of lens and both of them were still cheaper than the zoom lens I use. Having less moving parts means they less to bounce about on a bicycle.

This photograph of a lighted window in Senate House, London was taken with an 85mm f1.8 lens

The big practical advantage, though – especially if you take photographs in low light – is that prime lenses can be faster. That is they have a wider aperture setting than a zoom lens. The zoom lenses I have open up to F4 at best whilst one of my prime lenses has a aperture setting of F1.8. Some prime lenses can go even wider. This means that they will let more light in. That’s great if you’re in low light trying to take handheld photographs.

Slowing your photography with prime lenses

Using a prime lens means that you have to think more carefully about your subject and how you will compose your photograph. With a zoom lens you can rapidly change the focal length to compose your photograph.

With a prime lens on your camera you might need to ask yourself a number of decisions.

Am I using the right lens?

The first one is, is this the right lens for this photograph?

If you are out photographing you might see something that you want to capture. You raise your camera and look through the viewfinder to see what it looks like. You might think your subject looks a bit lost in its surroundings. If you are using a zoom lens you can simply zoom in. Or alternatively you might want to zoom out to show the context.

You can do that with a prime lens. When you first look through the viewfinder you might decide that the image will be fine with the choice of lens you are using at the moment. In which case, go ahead and make the photograph.

But what if you decide it might not be the right lens? Then you have a couple of other questions to ask yourself.

Could I take a different photograph?

This photograph was taken with a 50mm lens. I liked the tree and the building but couldn’t get in close enough.
However I felt the ploughed field added context to the subject.

Is there a different photograph of the subject you could take with this lens?

It might be that instead of changing the lens you could create a different picture. If you have a wide angle lens on the camera perhaps you could put your subject in context or emphasise the negative space in the photograph, rather than choose the detail. If you have a telephoto lens on perhaps you could focus in on the detail.

Look closely at the subject and its context. What else might there be to capture?

Can I move closer or further away from the subject?

This shows Culliford Tree, an old earthwork in Dorset. I was using a 24mm lens.
I moved closer to capture more of it but as I did so I thought this bush in the foreground could be the subject instead.

Why not use your feet as a zoom lens?

If you can, move in closer or further away as if you were zooming in or out. If you decide to do this, look carefully at your subject as you move toward or away from it. What else is being revealed or concealed? Are you seeing a totally different photograph now?

If you ask yourself these questions whilst using a prime lens it will help you think more deeply about your subject and the photograph you want to make.

Changing the lens

Of course, it is perfectly okay to change the lens to make the picture you had in mind. There are a few things to think about when it comes to changing lenses though.

Try the following steps to change lenses quickly to avoid dust on the sensor and inside the lens.

Make sure the camera is secure on its strap
Tilt it down.
Take the rear lens cap off the lens you are about to put on the camera.
Hold the replacement lens with the front pointing towards you
Grip so you have space to hold the lens on the camera with the same hand
Push the button to release on the camera
Hold the lens on the camera, turn and left away
Twist your hand around so the new lens is offered to the camera
Make sure it is properly aligned
Click into place
Put the rear lens cap on the lens you have just removed
Put away safely
You are now ready to use the new lens!

This does sound a long and complex but practice it a few times and it becomes second nature. It might be, of course, that you don’t want to keep changing lenses. If you do decide you want to use one prime lens then I would suggest the 50mm lens.

Sensor size and focal length

One other thing to be aware of is that the field of view of a lens (whether it is a prime fixed lens or a zoom lens) will vary depending upon the sensor size of your camera.

The sensor is the area the light hits to create the image. If you are using film it would be each frame of the the role of film. The sensor size will impact the actual focal length on your camera.

Sensor size = part of the digital sensor that’s sensitive to light.
- Full frame = sensor size close to the traditional 35mm film (35 X 24mm)
- APS-C – a smaller sensor, around 23.6 x 15.60mm
Crop factor – full frame = 1, APS-C = 1.5

This means that if you have a 50mm lens it won’t be a 50mm lens on a camera with an APS-C sensor – it will be a 75mm lens (50 x 1.5), a medium telephoto lens.

Check the manual with your camera to find out what size the sensor is.

A prime lens is a great way to slow your photography down. If you are using prime lens ask yourself three questions: Can I take the picture I want with this lens? Is there a different picture I could take? Can I get in closer (or further back)? Asking all three questions can make you think about your subject and how to compose your image.

If you carry multiple prime lenses follow the steps to change lenses and minimise the chance of dust getting on your sensor.

Be aware that the field of view of different lens will be affected by the size of the sensor in your camera.

If you already use a prime lens regularly I’d love to know your experiences. Add them to the comments below. If you have any photographs it would be great to see them. Share them on Instagram. Tag them stephentaylorphotography so I can find them.

I am also now on Bluesky: @staylor-photos.bsky.social

Reflections on 2024: A Year in Photographs

Another year has started. Before I step too far into 2025 I would like to take a moment to look back on the past year.

A photograph is a memory and there is often a joy looking through them and being reminded of the moments when they were made.

In that spirit here are twelve photographs (one for each month) that I made in 2024.

January

A photograph of a red bauble on a Christmas Tree abandoned on the pavement as two joggers run by. The photograph has been saturated except for the bauble — Red Bauble

For a few years now after Christmas I will head out onto the local streets with my camera and a few brightly coloured baubles. I am on the look out for abandoned Christmas Trees. Recently they would have been the centre of family celebrations; now they are left out on the side of the road for collection. I wanted to celebrate them so I redecorated and photographed them. The process has become a little ritual for me around Twelfth Night. Here is one of the photographs I made in January 2024. You can view some of the photographs made in 2025 here.

February

The cooling towers of Battersea seen from across a wall with a red building in between on a winter's day. A tree with no leaves stands in the foreground. — Battersea Power Station

In February I was acting as a tour guide for my brother and his wife over from the United States. It was the first time I had seen them for some while and I think I overdid some of the walking I made them do around London! This photograph was made on a walk along the River Thames past the refurbished Battersea Power Station. I just liked the geometrical shapes of the electricty box, the wall, the red roof behind and then the towers of the power station, especially as they contrasted with the bare branches of the winter tree.

March

A view of a seafront development at the small seaside resort of Swangae in Dorset, England. A small dinghy is heading out across the water. The posts of the old pier are visible in the foreground. Part of the development includes the 19th century bell tower built as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington. — Swanage, Dorset

At Easter towards the end of March I visited Dorset. This feels like my second home and it is where I grew up so I take any chance to revisit as often as I can. This photograph is of Swanage, a traditional little seaside resort, and it is one of the photographs I made during the year I made to include in the calendar I produce each year. Each year I choose a different theme. For 2025 I wanted to celebrate seaside resorts. You can view more of the photographs from the calendar here.

April

A view of a acer tree in leaf on a sunny day on the Holloway Road in London. A red double decker bus is visible in the background — Forest of London – the Holloway Road

Did you know that London is a forest? There are enough trees in London for it to be officially defined as a forest! When I learned that fact it inspired me to take a second look at the trees around me and imagine them as a magical forest slowly taking over the city. This one shows a young tree planted on the Holloway Road in North London with a double decker bus in the background.

May

A photograph of a woman with red hair and a black veil turning her head to look backwards as she walks away from the camera — Majka

In May a friend of mine was getting married. For family reasons the wedding had to be brought forward and she asked me to take the photographs. It was the first time I had done anything like this and it gave me a few sleepless nights beforehand! On the day though I found that once I was behind the camera I was in control of the situation, directing and posing all the guests for the different sorts of photographs required for a wedding album. This photograph was not posed though. The bride was just about to walk with her father into the room where the ceremony was to take place. As she did so she turned her head to look behind her. I liked the idea of her standing between two lives and looking back one last time on her old life as she headed into the future.

June

A traditional touring bicycle with handlebar bag and saddle bag propped against a tree on a track somewhere in Hertfordshire — The Fratello

One of my happiest places is out on the bicycle photographing the countryside. This photograph was taken in June on a road towards Hertford. As I cycled along I noticed path off through some trees on the side of the road so I decided to pull over to explore. Off the track I came upon some beautiful ferns and spent some time capturing their shapes and textures before I dragged myself and the bike back to main road to continue my ride.

July

A black and white fine art style photograph looking up at an office building in London with wisps of clouds floating by overhead — London sky

Another of my favourite places in front of the computer working on my photographs. I always see the image I took as the starting point. At home I can then create what I saw and felt as I looked through the viewfinder. Contrary to popular opinion a photograph does not show the reality of what was in front of the camera. Rather, it shows what the photographer wanted to capture. Sometimes it can be a straightforward record of the scene but often it can be an interpretation; a view of the photographer’s experience of the subject. This photograph expresses what I felt when I looked through the viewfinder up at these buildings.

August

A view of the wrinkled downs below the Iron Age Hillfort of Eggardon in the west of Dorset — Dorset Downs

In August I returned to Dorset and on a gloriously sunny day I went for a cycle ride westward. This part of the county is very lumpy and this photograph was taken at a top of a climb – as I waited for my brother to join me ;-). It shows Eggardon, an Iron Age hillfort atop the Dorset Downs. One of my passions is the sense of the past beneath our feet and I sometime feel that most deeply in the county of my birth.

September

The Diver: Regeneration sculpture by John Kaufman at low tide on the River Thames at Rainham, Essex. — The Diver

A river runs through London and I have been exploring its further reaches out towards the sea. This was taken at Rainham in Kent. The sculpture is called “The Diver” and it was created by John Kaufman. The artist’s own grandfather was a diver working in the dangerous waters of the Thames. Kaufman himself was late to his craft and he started work on this artwork in 1995 as a self-taught sculptor. The artwork was installed in 2000 and sadly he died two years later. His work is a memorial to the people who worked the Thames but also serves as a reminder to never stop living, something I try to remember everyday.

October

A still life photograph of a pumpkin and autumn leaves on a slate — Autumn

Perhaps one of the purest forms of photography is still life. It allows the photographer to be in complete control of their work. They can chose the subject matter, lighting and composition. I find that I can lose myself in the process of making still life photographs. If you are practicing mindful photography it can be the simplest genre of photography to try.

November

A small tree in autumn colours stands between its older and taller relatives in the undergrowth of Savernake Forest in Wiltshire England — Autumn colours

I seek out the delights of every season to photograph even in the darkest of winter but perhaps my favourite time to photograph is autumn, and then I head to the woods. This was made in Savernake Forest in Wiltshire in early November. The forest is renowned for its ancient trees grown large over the centuries but it is a living place and there are always new trees waiting to take their place. Perhaps this one will eventually reach the sky and in years to come grow into one of the venerable trees that make up this forest and delight visitors.

December

A line of gravestones stand under a yew tree in a churchyard in Hertfordshire. The tower, all that remains of the church, is in the background. A mist drifts around the gravestones — The Old Church Tower, Thundridge, Hertfordshire

There are places I visit often but sometimes there are places I have never visited before. This is just outside the small town of Ware in Hertfordshire. It is an old tower, all that remains of a church that once stood here. It served the nearby village of Thundridge for many years but fell into disrepair in the middle of the nineteenth. I have visited the Hertfordshire countryside many times but I had never been to this woodland clearing where the remains of the church stand surrounded by some of its parishioners. It speaks to me of the need to explore more deeply.

….examine this region
Of short distances and definite places.

W.H. Auden “In Praise Of Limestone”

Thank you for taking the time to view the photographs I took during 2024 and to read my thoughts on them. I found it a therapeutic experience, looking back on happy memories with family and friends or out on cycle rides or walks. I also feel it has given me the inspiration to head out, view the world around me and make more photographs.

Watch this space!

From Festive to Forgotten: The Afterlife of Christmas Trees

Last Sunday 5th January marked Twelfth Night, the traditional end of the Christmas celebrations. After this it is unlucky to leave up any decorations from the festive period. As a result it is also a time to discover abandoned Christmas trees on the roads left out for the local authority to collect.

A little while ago it had played an important part in a family home. It would have been brought in and decorated. Before Christmas Day brightly wrapped presents would have been placed around it. For a few days it would become the centre of attention in the home.

This might be more to do with the physical space it takes up in the house than its part in the celebrations!

So soon, it is abandoned, de-decorated (if that is a word) and taken out into the cold winter weather.

This is where I come in.

For the past few years just after Christmas I head out with a collection of Christmas tree ornaments to re-decorate any trees I find in my local area. It is usually just two or three brightly coloured baubles.

Then I photograph the results.

Here are some of the images following Christmas 2024.

Over the years some of these photographs have been turned into Christmas cards. If you’re looking for some unique cards for next Christmas then these might be what you are looking for. And all on sale for just a pound each (plus postage and packing).

www.stephentaylor.photography/christmas

Capturing Time: Photography in Hertfordshire

It’s the end of another year when we turn our minds to the past and the future. As a photographer I have always been fascinated by how to interpret time in a single image.

A photograph can be captured at 1/250 of a second. How do we suggest the passing of time in that instant?

Recently I explored somewhere in the Hertfordshire countryside where I was very aware of the sense of time and I wanted to capture it in my photography. I discovered one place where time covered all. Elsewhere I came upon a human construct of time sliced through the landscape.

Sometimes the best way to see the countryside is in the depths of winter when it is at its simplest. All the leaves are fallen and the trees are bare, the flowers along the path are long gone and leave nothing but dried seed heads. The fields are empty as the crops have been harvested and the livestock brought inside. And overhead the sky hangs low, so low that a mist drifts across my path.

Time covers all

The churchyard at Old Thundridge Church in Hertfordshire.
All that remains of the church is the tower in the background.

The first place I visited was in some woodland just outside the village of Thundridge near Ware in Hertfordshire. Here a solitary church tower stands alone save for a few gravestones; villagers staying close to their place of worship through the centuries.

A church may have stood in this space since Saxon times. All that remains is the tower built in the 15th Century.

In the middle of the 19th century the church was in a state of decay. The bells of the tower were moved to a new church closer to the village, and the chancel and nave were demolished leaving just the tower behind. For a while some services were continued including burials (some of the parishioners wanted to be closer to their family members after death) but the tower now stands alone in a woodland clearing.

It is a listed building but unfortunately listing does not necessarily lead to protection as the tower is in a dire state and needs substantial funds to restore it. Despite the best efforts of a small but dedicated group of volunteers the tower is slowly being reclaimed by time.

I took numerous images of the tower and the graveyard and I think this one sums up the feeling I had for the place, showing it succumbing to time and the land, along with the parishioners resting in their graves around the tower.

Timelines

A dirt track runs through the Hertfordshire countryside.
Close to the tree, where the track turns, runs the line of the Greenwich Meridian.

After visiting the church tower I headed south, skirting around the edge of Ware. Here my route crisscrossed the a human construction of time – the Greenwich Meridian line.

It is a line of longitude that has been set at zero degrees, zero minutes and zero seconds and runs from the North to the South Pole, dividing the world into eastern and western hemispheres. The Greenwich Meridian line was just one of many lines that were arbitrarily created over the centuries to aid navigation. Most of them would run through the country that had set it up. In 1851 the Greenwich Meridian became the international standard. It has since been superseded by the IERS Reference Meridian which runs a little to the east of it.

From the line of longitude time spreads out east and westward. In these days of universal time we barely notice it but once there would have been minor changes in time even across short distances. Clocks in villages and towns across Britain would have been set to their own local times. Now we have a standard time across the country but as I stood where the meridian line crossed the track I was walking along I could not only see a landscape stretching out in both directions, but a timescape too.

My journey into the Hertfordshire countryside took me through time and space. I hope that these photographs have captured that sense of time that ran through the landscape.

If you would like to view more of the photographs I took on this visit go to my Clickasnap profile to see them.

More information and references

You can find out more information on the church tower here.
If you would like to donate to the charity seeking to restore the tower they have a gofundme page as well. I have no connection to the organisation.
For more on the Greenwich Meridian Line check out the Wikipedia page
If you would like to explore the route I took check it out on Komoot

Keeping in Touch: The Importance of Physical Greetings Cards

How do you keep in touch with your friends and family when you are far apart? How do you tell them about what you are doing? How do you celebrate family events?

Chances are it will be through occasional or regular calls; perhaps you keep them updated through social media or on messaging services.

Once upon time it might have been with regular letters home and greetings cards at Christmas, birthdays and holidays. This change is also reflected in how we use and consume photographs.

The changing nature of photography

How many photographs do you see everyday printed out?

The way we view and use photographs has changed.

Once upon a time we could only see them when they were printed out. In some forms, the daguerreotype, each photograph was a unique item. The whole process of making a photograph was complex and time consuming so each one was important.

The only way we could send images was to print them out and give them to people. We either had to be with the person or we would have to put them in the post, either as a postcard or in an envelope, maybe even mounted as a gift. They became possessions, objects that people would carry with them.

Photographs have become ubiquitous. Many of us carry cameras with us all the time now. But the images have become more transient as we view them on computer screens or phones. We will see them for a while and then they will fade away

A photograph of a Christmas Card on a plain background with the message "Merry Christmas" — A design for one of my Christmas cards. Check the link at the bottom of this post to purchase

Keeping in touch has changed

An old fashioned greetings card is slower but it creates a physical connection.

This change in how we view photographs is very obvious in how we share our experiences and celebrate significant events. Once we would have carefully (or otherwise) chosen a card for them, written a message inside, sealed it into an envelope, written their address on the front, stuck a stamp on the top. Then we would have walked to a local post box. Within a day or two, our friend or family member would have received the card.

Now we’re likely to send an all singing, all dancing animated GIF that they receive instantaneously.

But I am here to praise the greetings card, not to bury it.

There is something so much more physical about a greetings card. This is particularly the case if there are so many miles between the sender and the recipient and they only see each other on a few occasions.

Sending a card to someone else is letting go of something you have held so that someone else can hold it. It creates a physical connection between you.

A video or phone call offers immediacy for a while. You feel you are with the other person, chatting to them as if you were in the same room. Holding a card that someone has sent you can have a similar feeling. The object in your hands was a little while ago held by someone else who cares for you. It was physically in their presence and now it has become a part of you.

Christmas Greetings — Slices of oranges and lemons create a seasonal feeling for this Christmas cards.
Check the link at the bottom of this post to purchase

Merry Christmas — Slices of oranges and lemons create a seasonal feeling for this Christmas cards.
Check the link at the bottom of this post to purchase

The Christmas Card

Christmas is still the time for sending cards

Once upon a time, the greetings card was ubiquitous, especially at this time of year as we approach the festive season.

I remember as a child all the cards along the mantelpiece, some of them perhaps given more prominence than others. And if there were far too many for the shelves, others would be strung up along the walls.

Christmas remains the most popular time to send physical cards. According to Hallmark, approximately 1.3 billion in the United States each year, and according to the Royal Mail, about 150 million in the UK. However, fewer cards are being sent these days. Instead we tend to send instant messages to each other.

When we do send Christmas cards, though, they are more likely to be personalised. Something more unique. Something that might be kept by the recipient.

Perhaps we still recognise that we need that physical connection especially when we are miles apart. We feel that connection should be uniquely ours. We are returning to the time when we used to send cards (maybe even letters) in the post, and the recipient would hold on to them and treasure them?

It is because of my passionate belief in this notion that I create a range of Christmas cards based upon my photographs. I send them out to all my friends and family members.

They are also available to purchase here.

If you are looking to make a physical connection with your family and friends, what better way than to send them an actual card with your own writing in it? And if you are looking for a unique Christmas card then check out the link for some of the cards I have produced.

If you are quick there is still a bit of time to get them before Christmas.

https://www.numonday.com/shop/stephen-taylor-photography

How to fall back in love with photography – take a chance

If you are stuck for ideas to photograph why not throw in an element of chance?

This is one of a series of posts suggesting ways to re-ignite your passion for photography. If you’re finding it hard to choose something to photograph how about just leaving it to chance? The simplest way to do this is to go for a walk and use a random process to decide where you go.

This time we’re taking inspiration from some of the ideas behind something called psychogeography. The term was invented in the 1950s by Guy Debord as a way of exploring our relationship with the space around us. It grew out the idea of the 19th century flaneur or walker, who would explore parts of an area, sometimes wandering in an aimless fashion. Debord suggested more inventive methods of navigation to explore an area.

Exploring by chance

There are a number of ways to explore by chance.

One method is to explore somewhere with the map of somewhere else. You might try to navigate Paris with a map of New York, for example!

A second option is to draw a straight line in any direction on a map and try to stick as closely as you can to the line.

Alternatively simply make a random choice of direction every time you come to a junction. You can do this with a toss of a coin or letting an app on your phone make the choice for you.

Bristol

I tried this method recently when I was visiting Bristol in the west country of England. I was with my sister and we were walking through a part of the town centre on a Friday morning just after breakfast. It was still quite early and we hadn’t planned our day very much yet.

As we explored I thought it would be fun to throw in a bit of chance so I asked my sister to make the choice. At each junction I asked her to decide, without thinking too much which way to go; left, right or straight on. For the next hour or so we took the turns based upon her decision at each junction.

I did not ask her if there was any rationale behind her decision. Perhaps there was something that had attracted her interest in one direction, or maybe she really was just choosing left, right or straight ahead randomly. In any case, for me, it was a random choice. I just followed her decision; at every turn I deferred to her in the choice of route we should take.

The route took us past

the cathedral where an obliging street sweeper waited a few moments to take my photograph before clearing up the leaves that were the composition;
several monuments including those of social reformer, Raja Ram Mohan Roy (topped by a gull) and politician Edmund Burke (complete with the stars of the EU on old cotton bag;
the oldest Catholic church in Bristol, that used to stand on the harbourside but now stands on Colston Avenue where buses have replaced boats,
a car park illustrating that Bristol’s architecture includes a fair amount of brutalism;
a ruined church, now a war memorial;
and, finally, a main road back into the town centre (and more functional architecture)

Some of it was not in the traditional parts of the city. It was a chance to explore parts of the town off the beaten track. For me it was the opportunity to take some photographs that I wouldn’t otherwise have taken.

Thank you to my sister for being my random navigation device 🙂

Exploring by chance is a great way to discover places, sometimes even the familiar from a different angle. It can open you up to new sights and inspire you to take photographs.

What do you do when you visit somewhere? Have you ever tried exploring in a random manner? If you have, let me know. I’d love to hear how you got on!

Working the shot

Do you get the best shot first time?

Chances are you might not. When you view the photograph later you notice that something isn’t quite as you expected. Perhaps the composition isn’t quite right or something got in the way.

This has happened to me many times so what I try to do now is take my time to take the photograph.

Maybe I will move to a different position to see what it looks like now. I will come in closer or move further back. I will always check the background, check the foreground and check the edges. Is there anything that adds or distracts from your subject?

I try to take a few photographs of the subject and see which ones work.

To see how it works and how you might find this technique useful, here’s a recent example of some photographs I took.

I was out on Hampstead Heath in London at dusk. It was dark but I noticed one tree standing against the sky. If you have been a follower of my blog for anytime you know how much I like the shape of trees against the sky. So I paused to photograph it.

This first photograph was taken from a distance. I framed the subject with two trees closer up.

Here’s the first example, taken on the edge of the Heath.

I framed the subject through other trees which created a nice feeling of layers; your eye is being drawn into the photograph. I then tried again away from the trees nearby to emphasise the night sky; it was overcast but there was a nice glow from beyond the horizon.

And then closer in still, and from a slightly different angle to hide the lights of the building in the background

This was my next image of the tree after I had moved closer in to emphasise it on the horizon.

Checking my photographs I also noticed that there was a light behind the tree that was a little distracting so I decided to change my position.

Does the picture work better in portrait format?
This version also caught someone walking past the tree.

For my next photograph I turned the camera to get a portrait mode and include more of the sky. I took a few photographs this way and in one of them a person was walking past the tree; I didn’t notice him until I got home but I thought he added to the image.

The final image, closer in and with the lights of the Royal Free Hospital in the background.

And here is the final photograph I took.

I had come in much closer now and I realised that I could actually make a feature of the lights in the background that I had tried to exclude earlier. They were in fact the lights of the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead a mile or so away. I quite liked the idea of the quiet of the Heath contrasted with all the activity that was going on in the hospital.

This was the process I went through to photograph this particular tree.

It is not always about getting the best picture but getting the picture that tells the story you want to tell. It could be that as you explore different stories emerge.

For me it was the last photograph of the tree on the horizon against the lights of the hospital in the distance. I also liked the one with the person in it which was taken by chance.

All the photographs were taken handheld. I had set the camera to the highest ISO setting (hence the grainy quality of the images) and I had opened up the lens to the widest aperture.

None of these pictures would have happened if I had just seen the subject, photographed it and walked past.

Next time you are out photographing, why not spend some time working your subject? Explore it from every angle and taking multiple photographs until you get the image you want.

It can help you create better photographs and you will be more engaged with your photography.

Still leaves

It’s almost the end of autumn but there is still time to capture autumn colours.

It’s the beginning of November and soon all the leaves will have fallen. The beautiful displays in our woods and parks and on the streets will have passed and the trees will sleep through the dark winter until the spring.

Before the leaves have been cleared away or decayed into the forest floor, you have one last chance, with a bit of planning, to continue to take photographs of the autumn colours. And it’s a great opportunity to practice your skills as a still life photographer!

Autumn in the woods

It is a magical moment when you are outside in the woodland watching the colours change. You become a part of the place, breathing in and out with the wind in the trees and listening to the sounds of the forest. It can become almost a meditative process.

Last time I wrote about how you can capture the beautiful colours of autumn outside. If you missed the chance to get outdoors, don’t worry. You can continue to photograph autumn colours even after the leaves have fallen.

Capturing Autumn at home

When I am out photographing in autumn I like to collect fallen leaves as well as seeds and seed cases, especially horse chestnuts (conkers). Then when I get home I can recreate autumn as still life photographs on the kitchen table.

For me still life photography can also be a form of meditation. It’s when I have control over all the elements and can take the time to create the image I would like to see. My mind is focused solely on the process of creating the photograph.

The table is next to a large east facing window. Direct light spills in for a short while each day but I tend to find the best lighting is more indirect. I can also diffuse it more by pulling down the blinds. It throws an even light on the subject and provides some definition in the shadows.

I use a reflector to bounce some of the light back into the subject. A large white board can do the same thing. Use a different coloured board if you want to create a particular tint – gold can be useful for autumnal images.

Arranging the subject

Once you have your studio set up the next thing to do is to arrange your objects. This is where you can begin to disappear into the process of photography. As well as the leaves you might want to include other objects, that speak autumn to you, perhaps items of clothing such as gloves and hats – choose ones which fit in with the colour scheme for your composition.

If you can’t source all the objects yourself why not add some to your shopping list? This time of year is a great time for pumpkins for some reason!

You might also want something to act as a background. This could be something neutral and thrown out of focus to ensure your subjects stand out. Or it could be an integral part of the composition; maybe a piece of weathered wood or slate.

Setting up your camera

Now you’ll need to set up your equipment. You could photograph handheld but I tend to always use a tripod. This provides for a more stable image. Also, it helps makes the whole process more contemplative rather than the more reactive method of simply holding the camera.

For me the simplest layout for the images is from the top. I have an extension to my tripod that allows me to look straight down onto the table top. This does give equal prominence to all the objects as they will have similar lighting and focus. If you would like parts of the image to fall into shadow and out of focus you may prefer to photograph straight on, layering your objects.

Once you are ready, make the photographs!

If you have missed the chance to take photographs out in the woods in autumn this is one way to capture the autumnal feel at home. Or if you were lucky enough to get out somewhere, to hang on to the autumn colours a little bit longer.

I hope that you found this has given you a little inspiration to try your own still life photographs on the theme of autumn. If it has I would love to see them. If you share them on Instagram tag @stephentaylorphotography so I can see them. I’d also love to hear your own thoughts on creating still life photographs; please add them in the comments below.

Autumn colours

Yellow and green leaves on a tree on the edge of misty woodland look almost like fireworks

The turning of the year from summer to Autumn (or Fall) offers the most astonishing range of colours. It is an opportunity that any photographer should not miss. Even on the dullest of days a brightness can break through.

It is certainly one of my favourite times of years to photograph. I have been capturing its colours and details for many years. Here are five ideas that I try to do when photographing in the autumn (plus a bonus idea).

Boost the colours

Bright orange autumn leaves on a mature tree stand out against a blue sky on a sunny day

This is the only technical piece of information I am going to include! Use a polarising filter to boost the autumn colours. It fits in front of your lens and darkens the sky to increase contrast, reduces glare on wet surfaces like leaves making them look more colourful. It usually rotates so you can see the effect as you turn it.

Select your subject

A lichen covered branch stretches out above a woodland floor covered in red leaves at the end of Autumn.

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the colours around you, above your head and underfoot. Take a moment to look carefully, select your subject and compose your photograph. If you see a carpet of fallen leaves in a forest perhaps focus in one of them and make that your image. Or in this photograph I contrasted the red leaves on the forest floor with the white branch covered in green lichen hanging over it.

Colour the city

If you live in a city and can’t get out to a forest in the countryside, don’t feel left out. Most of my photographs of autumn are taken of street trees as they turn. And take a look down; there are other details you can capture as well once the leaves have fallen to the ground, contrasting with the street markings.

Play

A blurred image of fallen autumn leaves kicked up

Do you remember when you would run through the fallen leaves, kicking them into the air? Why not try it again, this time with your camera? It will take several goes but you can create great abstract shots of blurred leaves. And it is still great fun!

Capture something different

A detail of grey plastic bags with one of them splitting to show the autumn leaves bundled inside of them collection after being swept up on the street.

Autumn can be an obvious time of year to photograph but be on the look out for something different that still tells the story of the season. I captured this collection of plastic grey bags full of leaves swept up by council workers. One of them had split so I could see the autumn colours poking out of the dull grey, creating a lovely contrast.

Bonus idea – practice your still life photography

Green, purple and yellow acer leaves lie on a balck slate in a still life image

Here’s an extra idea. Autumn is the time for gathering in the harvest. Why not collect some leaves, nuts and berries and try your hand at still life photography? More to follow…

I do hope this is helpful. If you would like to see more of my autumn photographs head over to my gallery here. I’d love to see your photographs too. If you share them Instagram tag @stephentaylorphotography so I can see them. And if you have any other tips for photographing in autumn, please add them in the comments.

Dull

Photographing in Grey Light: Embrace Dull Days

Grey light. It’s not much fun is it?

Especially if you were planning to go out taking photographs. It can put you right off! But today I am going to give you three reasons why you should photograph even on the dullest of days.

Not every day can be a gloriously sunny day – or a day of dramatic clouds overhead. Some days the clouds roll in and turn the sky grey. It becomes featureless and uninspiring. If you are lucky the sun might just about appear as a smudge. If you are unlucky it will start raining.

For the cloudspotters amongst you, these are the stratus or altostratus clouds. They are low to medium height clouds which can cover the sky in a featureless grey. There is also nimbostratus which does the same and throws in rain. In all of them the sky will hang in the background of your photographs, just looking a little boring.

But I am here today to praise boring skies. There are times when opaque skies can be useful for your photography.

So here are three ways to think differently about dull days.

First of all, rethink boring.

Instead of dull, think of them as quiet and reflective, maybe an element of melancholy? How could you capture that? Or, if the sky is darker perhaps your subject could be more moody and dramatic? In both cases colour will play a minimal role. You might just be thinking of black and white or shades of grey. For the quiet and contemplative mood perhaps choose lighter shades of grey; for drama choose darker shades. In both circumstances carefully consider composition to make sure that your subject is separated from the background.

A person walking along the beach in an overcast setting, with a sandy shore and calm water in the background. — Dull lighting can play a part in creating a mood for your photographs

This photograph was taken on a cold and overcast day in an out of season holiday resort. I watched this woman walking down by the water’s edge. Her head was down, hands in her pockets, and she was lost in thought. I think that the muted light provided by the dull day added to the mood of the image.

Then think in colour

Yes, I know I said everything is grey on dull days. That isn’t always the case, though. Sometimes, instead of greys, choose muted colours. And there are times when a little spot of colour in an otherwise world of greys can play its part.

Go back to the photograph of the woman walking on the beach. Did you notice the spot of colour? That little bit of orange on the top of her sweater lifts the picture.

On a dull overcast day colours can in fact look more saturated than on a sunny day. The even lighting gives you a more uniform tone. On a brighter day the sun will throw highlights and shadows onto your subject. This means that any colour will have darker and lighter patches.

A close-up view of red and yellow autumn leaves intertwined with a black chain-link fence against a brown brick wall. — Vibrant colours on a dull day.

I saw these red autumnal leaves one morning as I was taking a stroll before work. I try to do that as often as I can. In this image I liked how their deep red colours stood out along with the black fence and the red brick wall. It was an overcast day which I think made the colours more saturated.

Think natural lighting

An overcast sky can also be helpful when it comes to lighting your subject. Natural light portraits can benefit from the softer light a dull day gives. Both the stratus and altostratus clouds have a variation which allows the sun to shine weakly through. This can give just enough form to your subject.

A woman in a white sweater and dark pants standing on a fallen tree trunk in a lush green woodland, surrounded by ferns and wildflowers. — Soft even lighting can make portraits more flattering

Natural soft light is great for portraiture as it casts an even light across the person.

I took this photograph of a friend as we went for a stroll through some woodland. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was no longer reaching into the wooded valley. There was still enough light to capture this picture of her as she tentatively stepped over a gulley.

It can also work for still life and architectural photographs.

Next time it looks dull and overcast think melancholy or drama, think colour, think natural lighting.

One thing you might notice in all of the photographs I have shown here is that the sky hardly appears. It looks much better out of the picture as it is likely to be overexposed. On overcast days look elsewhere for photographs. Tilt the camera down and focus on what the sky is lighting and not the sky itself. Maybe portraits, or still life, or street photography instead.

Even dull skies can have a part to play in your photography. So if you look out the window and see that it is overcast don’t be disappointed. Head out with your camera and see what you can discover. Unless, of course, the clouds are nimbostratus. In which case stay at home and keyword your photographs! Although I recently wrote about photographing in the rain so there is no excuse to stay at home.

If you do decide to get out photographing on dull days I would love to see your pictures. If you share them on Instagram tag my name, @stephentaylorphotography, so I can see them.