With early Autumn in fall swing, it was time to head back inland over the woodlands of the High Weald to try and catch some of those vibrant autumn colours. What follows is a compilation of some early October autumn photo walks over the High Weald in East Sussex.
Walking and Photography
You would think walking and photography was a marriage made in heaven. But sometimes they are at odds with each other. Sometimes there is more a need for exercise to get out of the house and go for a walk in the fresh air sunshine, not to carry a heavy load, tripod and all.
For these occassions when getting out for a walk is more the priority I have a light 11 litre day pack. Inside which you can keep water, waterproofs, gloves, sunsglasses etc. Last but not least a small compact camera, that you can pull out given a good composition presents itself.
Scouting and Exploring
You can kill two birds with one stone when out walking. Using OS maps online I like to explore new areas of the High weald I have not visited before. With OS Maps online you can clearly see all the public footpaths and plan a walking route.
Exploring is just covering an area you have not visited before. Scouting is seeking out new compositions which may or may not be in an location you have visited before.
Mountfield Autumn Walk
The first early autumn walk of October over the woodland and farmland of the High Weald was through Mountfield in east Sussex. You can park up for free at Johns Cross where the pub used to be.
I have covered some of this area of the High weald before from Johns Cross and Mountfield. There are so many paths to explore a good, autumn composition can open itself up anywhere.
Compact Camera Settings
A good compact camera like the Canon G7X has all the manual settings you will find on a DLSR. You can still learn lots about photography and compositions when out on a photo walk with just your compact camera.
Focus Peaking
In this instance I was switching to manual focus and using a feature known as focus peaking. Focus Peaking is not even available on the Canon 80D. Its a great aid when your eyesight is not that good, you can clearly see what areas are in focus via the bright coloured highlights flashing on the back of the screen. Another feature present on the Canon G7X not on the 80D is automatic focus stacking.
High Weald Panoramic
I have taken landscape photography trips over the High Weald many times before. It can often not deliver using a wide angle lens hoping to capture big vistas.
What I am learning using just my compact camera on these autumn walks over the high weald is telephoto panoramic and intimate shots are much more what it can deliver the landscape photographer. Often the interest is in the background with the foreground to midground just being a field or dead space.
Johns Cross Lordship Wood
The second early autumn walk over the high weald also started from Johns Cross and through Lordship Wood. Again the intention was to take in footpaths and woodland not covered on walks before. Easy planned using OS maps online.
Some of the best compositions of the day were captured using panoramic techniques and manual focusing. On the outskirts of Lordship wood looking north towards the village of Salehurst, looked like a good location to further explore on another autumn walk.
Again using the zoom on my compact camera was able to capture some more intimate high weald shots with the sheep adding interest to the midground. The farmhouse, woodland and low rolling hills are typical scenes you can capture on the high weald. The colours of the trees was turning a more autumn colour but not at its peak.
In this part of the English countryside, Iconic Oast Houses are quite common on the high weald and and provide a good focal point.
Salehurst High Weald
The next autumn High weald walk began early morning from the small village of Salehurst near Robertsbridge. When out exploring new locations, one walk can give rise to the next walks as you discover new places of interest.
Even when out primarily walking and exploring still good to get out early morning shortly after sunrise. The light is much better and a lot less people about. What’s good this time of year the days are getting shorter so not have to rise too early. Also the sun is lower in the sky giving good light throughout the day.
On one particular hill of the high weald near Salehurst were an autumn flower called Cyclamen. Its the first time I have observed these beautiful flowers that do bloom late summer and autumn. The Cyclamen was a good subject for using the automatic focus stacking on the compact camera. When focus stacking you should use your cameras aperture sweet spot, you don’t need excessive depth of field when focus stacking.
No Polarisation
One limitation with a compact camera is cannot use a polariser. Using a polariser for autumn scenes can add more saturation to the autumn colours you find in woodland and remove any reflections.
Silver Hill High Down
Well the walk from Johns Cross led to the walk around Salehurst which led to the next autumn walk from Silver Hill. I have walked from Silver Hill before but a different route and during the haze of summer.
Getting better at taking panoramic shots of those autumn scenes, practice makes perfect. The general technique is to auto focus then switch to manual focus, then overlap each shot by approx 50% trying to keep the camera level. Easier on a tripod but when walking lightweight with just a compact camera the tripod stays at home. Although there is a mini tripod in the small backpack.
Panoramics and then switching to telephoto shots capturing the autumn colours in the trees is yielding good landscape photos on the high weald. Again the early morning golden hour light is really making the composition. Composition + Light = good photograph. Plus some technical skills.
One of the best views captured that day was right near where I started the photo walk from Silver Hill. But not discover this view from High Down until returned to the car. Thought it was private land but checking OS Maps online there was a footpath nearby else would have not known.
Bracketing
It was approaching midday by the time I discovered the view from High Down. Contrast was high between the highlights of the sky and the shadows of the woodland. Too much for the dynamic range of the camera. So while taking a panoramic also needed to bracket each frame.
The above high weald vista is actually composed of 12 shots; 4×3. Each set of 3 was shot 2 stops apart and then blended in Lightroom using HDR merge. That left 4 blended shots, that were then stitched using Lightrooms panoramic merge.
Bodiam Castle
Again, visited Bodiam castle before but on a different route. This time the autumn walk would start from Bodiam castle early morning parking up for free in the village. Early morning you miss the crowds as Bodiam Castle gets lots of visitors when opens around 10AM.
Early morning I had the grounds of Bodiam castle to myself. It was a still morning allowing capture of the reflection of the castle bathed in golden morning light in the moat. A good reflections adds symmetry and balance to a photograph. Bodiam castle is so photogenic, again you can zoom right in and take a panoramic shot.
Taking panoramic photos requires minimal post processing in Lightroom using the Merge tool which stitches together each individual overlapping shot. Optimally I take 3 to 4 overlapped shots horizontally else the stitched photograph gets too long to display.
Native Aspect Ratio
I got a little distracted with aspect ratios relative to taking panoramic photographs, you might think you want to set to 16:10. But you are better off just sticking to your camera’s sensors native aspect ratio which for compact and DLSR cameras is usually 3:2. Else it could crop the raw file or jpeg effectively losing pixels. Just crop as necessary during post processing.
Autumn Peaking
Not all exploratory walks yield good landscape photographs or locations to return too. But always good exercise and you have also eliminated locations you wanted to scout. So never a waste of time.
The autumn woodland colours on the high weald have still yet to peak. Its important this time of year to get out regular. Having a lightweight kit, compact camera and locations not far from home will ensure you get out a lot more during autumn.