afternoon delight

This is one of the hardest - and one of the easiest blips that I’ve managed.

Hard because I have to hold the camera, adjust the aperture and press the shutter with just one hand. And easy, because my camera lets me hold it, lets me adjust the aperture and press the shutter with just one hand.

I’ve been watching the leaves of this Smoke Bush (Cotinus) for some time now. The pattern on the leaves is amazing when they’re backlit in the afternoon sun.

Today looked a good day to try; the sun was shining, but the wind was fierce (and spookily warm). So I had to hold the branch with my left hand to stop it blowing around and operate the camera with my right. Although I could keep the branch steady enough, the leaves themselves were flapping around like a pennant at Cowes Week. (Those unfamiliar with the UK’s premier sailing regatta, can substitute an analogy of their own; the essential elements are lots of wind and lots of movement.)

There’s a control dial round the shutter button on my camera that I’ve set to adjust the aperture; so holding the camera in my right hand, I gradually open up the aperture until I get a fast enough shutter speed that I hope will compensate for the movement of the leaf. I hold my breath and squeeze. Check in preview and bingo - looks sharp enough. And that’s it; one take.

Now I am officially speaking to Anniemay, I can look forward to a pleasant evening with a glass of fizzy stuff and Inspector Lewis. Hope you all have a good weekend.