Unexpected Woodland Photography in the New Forest - Autumn Colors and a New Style

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Be honest, what do you think of the images? Good or bad?

[@r423fplip]

I found them boring. But most modern photography suffers from this. The old masters would laugh if they saw the gear being used to produce so little quality. My photos suffer from the same problems. What most people do is buy a new lens or camera thinking it will improve, it won’t. Look what’s close by, save the time wasted driving. I don’t raise my expectations too much, sometimes I’m surprised. I do enjoy it, but it’s definitely not easy.

[@lphilpot01]

@@r423fplip There's definitely value in looking closer, but speaking as someone who lives in an exceedingly dull, drab and virtually beauty-less location (Louisiana, US) I can relate. Sometimes -- often? -- it's entirely necessary to find new locations if there's to be any hope of success. An image is the sum of its parts and a stronger element(s) can offset and support another weaker element(s). But if the core subject matter is fundamentally lacking you're building on a foundation of quicksand, as it were. Again, I agree there's always benefit in re-examining what's nearby, but I can definitely understand the desire to branch out (and drive a few hours LOL).

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

@@r423fplip thanks very much, I guess that I did say 'be honest'! Can I ask why you find them boring? I'm no necessarily disagreeing, but I'd be interested to know what you consider an interesting picture in the woodland genre for reference. I genuinely do appreciate the comment, and your honesty as I'm sure there are more people out there who feel the same but don't feel comfortable to say. One thing I will say is that although I did drive for 2 hours, I had to be in that part of the country later in the day, so I wasn't there purely for the photography.

[@sheilafoster-hancock5687]

@@GaryNormanPhoto I think, to make something out of nothing is a skill in itself. We’re not all blessed with stunning locations and have to make the most of what we have, so well done for your efforts and as long as you get something from the experience, than that’s a result. Who cares what anyone else thinks 😉

[@r423fplip]

⁠@@GaryNormanPhoto I just see these photos all too often. I think photography is probably more about being there and enjoying the process. I appreciate that it’s very difficult to capture new images. It was nothing to do with photographic techniques, more about creating something new. That’s the problem I have, and am sure many others suffer with. But I always keep going, you just never know, one day !

[@MHLandscape]

Really enjoyed this, there was a shot I think on your last bit of b roll walking away from the car 😁, the fallen tree shot was my favourite. Looks a cracking woodland.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Cheers mate, it looks like the New Forest is absolutely full of little woodlands like that, so plenty to explore!

[@MHLandscape]

@GaryNormanPhoto need to explore more woodlands in the new year, it's up there with my list of woodlands to explore

[@andrewjenkinson3706]

Lovely video,nice and relaxing,to listen and watch too, the Green tree,is fabulous,and if not zoomed in to much,looks like a Green Gruffalo 😀

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks Andrew, I'll take your word for it on the Gruffalo comment 🙂

[@ianhaworth1881]

Fallen tree for mate as it tells a story. But, we follow you for you and we appreciate all that you bring. Thanks for keeping it real. Thanks for sharing.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Ian 🙂

[@burtjake4137]

I as always really enjoyed the video thought you got some lovely photos thank you for taking the time to do the videos Burt

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Burt 🙂

[@andylockphotography]

Lovely images Gary. We lived in the south of England for many years before moving up to Scotland and use to take our kids to the New Forest at weekends where they could run around, explore and be kids. I think your photos captured the area beautifully. It's the New Forest as I remember it. Thank you for sharing.

[@JamieOverland]

Trust your eye Gaz. Woodland is complex so we should be photographing the complexity as well as the simplicity. A good eye (which you have) will spot a scene which has potential and a good photographers eye (which you also have) will compose it effectively so it’s worth taking. I liked all of them, but particularly liked the shot of the branch holding up and down those colour shades. That was very effective. What was most enjoyable with this though was seeing how much of a good time you were having - that trumps everything!

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

That's very true mate, and there's no doubt that I did have a good time 🙂

[@StuartMcGlennon]

Fallen tree shot is lovely I think

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Cheers Stu 🙂

[@LeePelling]

Think we have all experienced some really dull days of late, seems to be dragging on for weeks. Like the first image although i am not 100% sure why, i like the colour contrast and the shape of the branch towards the top of the image, it works i like it ! I like the second image as well. I see your point about how the branch divides all the different colours within the image and leads you to the little patch of light . Also the image at 14:37 is nice, especially the back drop to the fallen branches ,really nicely edited think this was my favourite . More importantly , it looked like you had a good morning !

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate, you're right about the dull grey conditions which have gone on forever!!

[@Kevin_YouTube]

Another great video Gary and beautiful images again. As Jamie says, "trust your eye". The image that you said was cluttered, In my opinion, really captured the essence of the woodland in Autumn.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Kevin, I appreciate that 🙂

[@Phil_f8andbethere]

The one that I liked a lot was the fallen tree image - nice shot. The others were worth having a go at, as is often the case in photography, sometimes a scene looks good when we are there, but it doesn't always translate to a good 2D image on a screen, but no harm in having a go. The main thing is, you had an enjoyable time - and that's priceless.

[@davidskinner274]

Second shot, Lovely

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@MrBusby]

Always great to see a new video from you. Lovely images, the fallen tree is fab.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much 🙂

[@fieldworkshophq]

Really enjoyed watching this, and the one from Bolderwood. The fallen tree image at the end is my favourite. Great to see you venturing around The New Forest, it's my local woodland and time spent there is always rewarding. The more you explore there, the more addictive it becomes. 😁

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much. I'm only just starting to discover the beauty of the New Forest.

[@sheilafoster-hancock5687]

The fallen tree was my favourite, with the light catching the green moss. It’s good to see you experimenting and just enjoying being out there.

[@r423fplip]

That’s what it’s all about really. I personally didn’t like any of the photos. But that also goes for most of my own !

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

I really did enjoy that morning 🙂

[@robingrant8082]

The fallen tree image is my pick of a lovely bunch Gary. Kind regards - Robin

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Robin 🙂

[@garystone6583]

Image of the day for me is the Fallen Tree mate. Love the composition, colours and the description. 👌👍

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@andrewherbert9938]

Quite like them all Gary but the big fallen tree shot is the winner for me , really like that

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Andrew 🙂

[@mattthomas1547]

Good images and an enjoyable video Gary, Thanks for sharing.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Matt 🙂

[@SamLloyd-Gale-kk1kn]

I think the second image might be the pick of the bunch, really lovely division of colours there. To be honest in those kind of conditions which we’ve had far too regularly recently, you’re basically trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

I'm inclined to agree with you Sam 🙂

[@ffoeguk]

They are different and thats what matters. All the images have merit.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@williamrandle-b7d]

Very nice work Gary

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much 🙂

[@timrosenburgh8597]

Hi Gary, I enjoyed the video as usual. You captured some really nice image's as usual, but my favourite one was the one with the branch broken off the tree. Look forward to the next one and of course the Pubcast.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Tim 🙂

[@pascalthiebaud]

Honestly? It reminds me of those days when I don't find an evident subject, but because I'm here try to make something of it. The second one with these nice colours transitions and the fourth one with the falling mossy tree leading to a kind of path, are the ones I love.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Pascal, and I have to say I'm pretty much in agreemment 🙂

[@evolvingphotons]

I kind of agree with Al. I really liked the three colour image, as that showed an eye for a composition. But that said the main images were well thought out and your processing really adds to the feel.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@PeterHartland]

The last image of the moss on the tree is the best.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks Peter 🙂

[@zadokwest]

Hi Awesome shots Gary.👍

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much 🙂

[@steveboys5369]

Hi Gary, some nice images there, thanks for another grand day out. As you said a little different for you and I can see occasionally going shooting with Jamie is rubbing off but making images in a style your very own with some compositional ideas I certainly didn't see. Well done.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Now you mention it, I have noticed an extra finger sprouting on each hand so you may be onto something! 😂

[@iainmc9859]

Lovely compositions and great colours. The only thing I would have done differently is shot with a narrower depth of field and just focused on the main subject, allowing the colours to blur into each other.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate, yes, dof is something that I probably need to take more advantage of, but I guess it's a hang up from the landscape stuff (you know, tack sharp front to back and all that nonsense!)

[@iainmc9859]

@@GaryNormanPhoto Never been into tack sharp, or worries about blowing out or blocking up etc etc, but as I'm generally shooting with something older than you are that's not my biggest worry most of the time. As you get older things start to wear out 😉

[@iainmc9859]

@@GaryNormanPhoto As if by magic 'John McKenna Photography' does a purely shallow depth of field woodland vlog. John is my neck of the woods so of course we've never bloody met each other, despite several attempts at coordinating diaries, something always turns up to get in the way 'births, deaths and bar mitzvahs'. (He's always nicking my good ideas anyway😆 )

[@jameschetwynd]

Love your moxie. Try to shoot photos where I am familiar with aria Ok a vacation can’t be as picky

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks James :-)

[@desgardner7169]

I like the fallen tree image, but all your other images was well worth taking so you had a good morning with not very good lighting, and its no good waiting for the light to change because that hardly ever happens! I don't take any notice of weather forecasts or weather apps because none of them are very kind to us! Thank you for showing us your pictures they were all worth taking...

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Des, the fallen tree image seems to have gone down quite well 🙂

[@john-paulthompson4932]

I think you made great use of the poor light that you had. For me image 1 - was emotional / thoughtful, 2 - colourful and very well composed, 3 - not my favourite but what do I know, 4 - glorious most people would have walked past that.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks mate, very much appreciated 🙂

[@DarrenKnightPhoto]

Morning As you know mate woodland isn’t my main subject matter but I’m starting to enjoy it more now than ever before. Like any photography the conditions play a massive part in the final image. A photo that’s worthy of print can also look plain and dull in the wrong conditions. Personally I really liked the shot around 12.10. Messy but really interesting at the same time. However, the following image of the green fallen branch (which I liked) would be an image worthy of print in the snow. As Sam said “are we landscape photographers or weather photographers?” See ya Friday bud 🍺

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

You are so right mate, conditions play such an important part. Not sure I fancy the m25 in the snow though!

[@marktaylor9579]

I think you got some good interesting and different images Gary. I'm not much for the first one - the warm up shot, but appreciate that you showed it. The 2nd image with the branches as borders between colours was a good spot and nicely composed. The 'inner Picasso' shot of the messy scene works well for me as again you seem to have framed and composed it really well and there isn't any blank space, it's all colourful. The fallen tree image is gorgeous, lovely colours and depth to the image , really nice. For me its a thumbs up Gary, good images different from your usual. Which artist do you fancy channeling next? - I always fancy 'Monet style myself although I'm yet to achieve anywhere near the look🙂.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

Thanks very much Mark, I agree with you on the first image to be fair. Anyway, must go I'm off to find some waterlillies 😉

[@marktaylor9579]

@@GaryNormanPhoto Good Luck!😄

[@DanielWretham]

Wish I had known you were down gary, would have been great to meet up and that’s just down the road from me. Fallen tree was my favourite image, good to get out and mix it up and keep things fresh. Hope you’re well.

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

I should be there a bit more regularly over the next couple of years as my daughter is at uni nearby so we'll have to get something arranged 🙂

[@DanielWretham]

@ would love that Gary, be great to have a catch up, barely been out as a lot has gone on since we last spoke so I could do with the motivation to get me back out !

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

@@DanielWretham well in that case lets get something booked in!

[@DanielWretham]

@ awesome ! Let me know when suits you and I will fit in !

[@sotonrob]

Nice one Gary, nice to see one of the pub cast crew down the new forest. I'm based in Southampton and I go more and more into the new forest so if you are ever down again give us a shout I'm at Rob Dove Photography. Keep up the good work 👍

[@thevalleywalker]

Evening Gaz, I don't think anyone is going to come on and say they don't likethe images - at the end of the day it's subjective but if the person taking the image that is the main and the fact you went out and spent a very pleasant ouple of hours out and shared the experience with us is all that really matters. I do love a fallen tree and I saw the image as a 16:9 . I was also thinking raise that tripod as high as you can Gaz but when you showed the image the pathway was very visible so I think the video cam didn't really give the persepctive of the taking camera... it looked great and loved the vibrant mossy green of the fallen trunk. The other image you were unsuree of looked good to me - if I was to critique(?) it and only because its something I am doing on some images this late autum would be to make more of the late autumn russet browns - I have been applying a lut to ceratin images I have taken - and its working for me..? Other than that I enjoyed the watch as always. Well done on getting up at stupid oclcok and driving 2 hours .. big up buddy. atb Al

[@GaryNormanPhoto]

You'd be surprised about the comments mate! I agree with you about the browns, it's one thing that I struggle with in post, getting it to look exactly how I see it in my mind's eye...