Disappointingly, but unsurprisingly, I failed to get even shortlisted so I decided to set my sights a little lower.
This year, for the first time I entered 12 images into NEMPF annual show. NEMPF or the north and east midlands photographic federation is our photography club parent association and covers clubs as far a field as Peterborough. As a member of a affiliated club, I had the opportunity to enter 4 photos in the 3 categories, colour, nature and monochrome. Members from all the clubs enter images and the federation pick the best of those. So you could say they represent the best of the best in the East Midland region.
Recently I found that one of my images had been accepted, which is fantastic news. I also feel it is a great sign that my photography is still improving which is all I can hope for.
This was the accepted image
There is a bit of a back story to this image.
It was taken on Flamborough head, Yorkshire, early in the morning. We had been camping nearby, and I saw the weather reports looked promising, so I managed to sneak out at about 4:30 a.m and sneak off. It was about 5 minutes drive and I clambered down to the beach with a tripos, my DSLR and mirrorless camera in tow.
The photo was taken with a ND filter to smooth the sea, but the light was just right hitting the cliffs and it was one of the few occasions that I felt in control of getting the image. As you do in these situations I got greedy and felt that it would be even better if I got closer to the waves and lower down.
I set up the tripod and since the light was increasing I decided I had to recalculate the ND exposure time. I use an app on my phone to calculate the ND exposure so I looked up the new exposure.
Unfortunately I had forgotten that the tide was coming in at this point...fast. I looked up from my phone and realised to my horror, my feet and the tripod were about to be inundated by an incoming wave.
Now in hindsight, I should of accepted that my feet was going to get wet. My DSLR was safe on top of the tripod and I could of easily just picked it up and calmly moved back a few meters.
This is what actually happened...
I saw the wave, panicked, made a grab for my tripod, while trying to retreat. My feet slipped and I fell. My hand that was gripping my phone was put down into the sea to steady me and my other camera hanging around my neck also got submerged.
The result was soaked feet and trousers, one ruined phone and camera, and a lot of hurt pride. Fortunately my DSLR was not touched, but it put me off taking any more images as I rushed back to the camp site to try in a vain hope to dry the camera and phone out. Fortunately the images on the the otherwise dead camera were OK.
One saving grace was that no one saw me fall, but this was offset by the total lack of sympathy and gales of laughter when I got back to the tent and explained to my wife why my trousers were soaking.
So I'm glad the picture has achieved some success,since the cost of getting it was quite a lot...
No comments:
Post a Comment