Small Things on Big Things

This is the second post from one good day in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park. My first focused on the images I got while the sun was low in the sky and creating great long shadows. Sadly this post is a bit more of a jumble.

I was there to grab a 52 Frames shot. I had decided as part of the theme ("A New Technique") to try out some Macro Photography. I set off and learned on the way just how ill-equipped I was. Turns out a tripod is worthwhile when your subjects are about the size of your average camera-shake. But I still managed to capture some cool-looking-mushrooms!

They aren't very really well-photographed but forgive me my first attempt. With the new challenges of macro I was already rubbing my head and patting my tummy trying to get my focus and focal-length to dial in together. I'll do better next time.

While I wandered through the gorse looking for things to photograph, I found this nice natural frame and snagged a couple of runners and cyclists. This one was my favourite.

This was one of my braver days in terms of taking photos of strangers. It's definitely a continuous challenge for me. When are you comfortable asking a person to take their photo? When are you comfortable taking the photo without having asked? Which photos are you comfortable sharing? It's important to remember as a photographer that "legal" does not imply "moral" - but accepting that, doesn't mean that navigating those conversations with strangers or taking photos without those chats suddenly becomes comfortable.

Anyhow, this faraway runner inside my "natural frame" definitely perks it up and serves to make the cityscape behind more interesting.

I can't just leave this one as the header-image without discussing it. So aspirational! At this point I'd completed lots of low-sun long-shadow shots around the base of the hill and decided I ought to take some shots from the summit so jogged up the slope - grabbing this shot somewhat out-of-breath but just in time.

Despite the isolated look afforded by this composition, this hill (Arthur's Seat) is permanently busy. Many of the images on my card could be adequately described as "Yep, that's some tourists". Difficult to find a simple composition "making sense" of the people. Sometimes though a person stands out, away from the crowd.

I find when people do dramatic things in front of you - photos get a lot easier. If only I could choose which one I like more. Coming soon! A voting widget! So you can enable my indecision. We'll see.