THE INTIMATE LANDSCAPE 7 : PONDS -By Tony Worobiec

There is no question that lakes offer landscape workers some wonderful photographic opportunities, however for many of us they are located in places that require a fair measure of travelling. Moreover, they often display very obvious features, which makes them a magnet for other photographers. The intention of these blogs is to encourage you to identify much more personal opportunities. Whilst considerably smaller in scale, the modest pond does offer opportunities that many photographers overlook and yet they can offer similar virtues.

Firstly, they are available; whether you live in a rural or an urban environment, I doubt any of you live more than a few miles from a potentially interesting pond. When photographing lakes, most photographers aim to make great play of its reflective qualities, which can appear quite mesmerising on a becalmed day, especially at dawn or dusk. Unfortunately those conditions are relatively rare; even with the mildest of breezes there will be a noticeable rill on the water. By way of contrast, because they tend to be located in depressions and often shielded by nearby trees, ponds can often appear amazingly mirror-like, even when it is relatively breezy. The reflections you are able to capture from these modest locations really can prove immensely satisfying.

ILLUSTRATION 1 . “Lake at Sandy Hollow, Utah”.

As much as I enjoyed photographing this wonderful location, it is hard to imagine that others passing by would not have taken something very similar, particularly as the water appeared so becalmed. In order to capture images that are more personal, it helps to steer away from the obvious and well visited locations.

As I have suggested in earlier blogs, familiarising yourself with your immediate environment is the key to success with respect to the “intimate landscape”.  Moreover it positively encourages you to respond to the vagrancies of weather and lighting. This image was taken in Wareham Forest on a cold January morning. There was frost on the ground, and the sun was just about to emerge above the horizon, resulting in this beautiful overall colouration. Under any other circumstances this pond would have appeared quite unremarkable, and certainly would not have attracted the attention of other photographers.  The overriding feature of this photograph is how the beautiful colours in the sky are faithfully rendered in the still water of the pond.

ILLUSTRATION 2 “ A Frosty Morning In Wareham Forest”.

When photographing ponds, try to imagine you are photographing mirrors. They are wonderful places that illustrate the immediate environment.  Taken on a Summer’s evening, I was attracted to the clarity of the reflection of near-by conifers.  I often find that images of this nature work well when presented as a square format which offers a discipline when taking “loosely” designed shots. Aside to the reflection, I was also drawn to the wonderful gradation of colour faithfully reflected in the water; the white flecks in the distance are bog cotton.

ILLUSTRATION 3 “ Pond and reflected conifers, Wareham Forest”

When photographing ponds it really helps to consider both the weather conditions and the ambient lighting. This image was taken just as the sun was rising on a cold Winter’s morning. Meteorologcally these conditions are very common when we are experiencing high pressure. What I was especially keen to capture was the dramatic contrast between the orange of the landscape contrasted against the deep blue of the water; as you are no doubt aware orange and blue are opposites on the “colour wheel” and offer the greatest colour contrast.  I regularly pass by this particular pond and it never seems to appear the same on any single day. In terms of composition the trees and their reflections create a strong unifying design.

ILLUSTRATION 4 “ Pond and fallen tree, Wareham Forest”

This image was taken from the same pond as the previous one, except the lighting and weather was entirely different. I very nearly walked by, but then I noticed this incredible labyrinth of cob-weds which seemed to festoon the entire scenario. It is only when you stop and examine locations like this that you begin to appreciate the beauty of the rich flora fabulously reflected in the still water. The more I looked, the more I could see parallels with Claude Monet’s beautiful Impressionist paintings. From a compositional standpoint, giving equal prominence to the water and the foliage helps to add structure to the design.

ILLUSTRATION 5 “Pond with cobwebs, Wareham Forest”.

What especially attracts me to photographing ponds is the opportunity to explore abstract themes. When encountering this location I was fascinated by how perfectly each small plant was perfectly reflected creating these strangely beautiful “hieroglyphics”. Set against a gently gradated pink to blue background this image parallels several Abstract Expressionist paintings I greatly admire. It is sometimes worth asking oneself why are we bothering to take “intimate landscape”. The reason is because it is a genre that positively encourages us to value unnoticed visual elements, but also to see parallels with other aspect of the visual arts.  It encourages us to photograph with an open mind, and not to anticipate the blindingly obvious.

ILLUSTRATION 6 “Pond with hieroglyphic elements.”