Abstract Lights

I have been on a day's RPS course based locally with the title 'Meditation and Mindfulness for the Photographer'. The aim I think was to be able to concentrate on why we take particular images and to think more carefully first.  I'm not sure that was actually achieved as the tutor seemed to be getting us to play around with shape, form, colour and texture - heaven for me as i like nothing better than to faff around with all that sort of thing - although in this case it is all intentional rather than messing about!

On the wall of the studio there was a large 'mat' with pin point led lights at regular intervals (you could have played the dot to dot squares game) and I spent a while using camera movement, lens zoom and defocusing to achieve a variety of effects with some stunning abstract patterns; when mixed with different temperatures and hues there are infinite possibilities. This particular blip is using the zooming out with slow shutter - quite effective - and I have added another variation using the same lights plus one using motion blur in the woods with temperature and hue changed in Lightroom.

In the afternoon we went out to some local woods to do a similar exercise. We were encouraged to use relaxing music when out photographing places, particularly noisy ones so I will give that ago being careful, of course, not to hum along with the tune!

Now preparing for a 7 am Deer Walk in Woburn Deer park so we'll have to leave the house at 6.15!