My Valentines Weekend Retreat Mobile Phone Photo Challenge

The wife and I have spent the last couple of nights away at a local ‘Book a Bach’. She made the booking and I had no idea of what to expect. She told me it was by the waters edge, so that was all I knew.

Prior to going I made sure I had my trusty mobile phone with me and a few extra bits and pieces in case I needed them. I’m always keen to explore new places, and really wanted to create a small photo challenge for myself to see if I could get a few good images that I would be proud to share with all of you.

We arrived late Thursday night, and immediately sat down to have dinner. We knew the cooking facilities were minimal, so I picked up some food on the way and dinner was the first activity we did when we arrived. We even ate before we unpacked, so it wouldn’t go cold.

We sat and enjoyed a drink out the back overlooking the estuary below us.

I found myself itching to go exploring, so I decided to start my photo challenge by going down to the waters edge to see whether there were any suitable spots to capture any nice images (or two). I had practically no room to move once I was down there. The path down the hillside took me straight down onto a small jetty where a small row boat was tied to it. The boat was upside down in the reeds beside the jetty.

I took a couple of shots on the phone, trying various angles trying to encapsulate the jetty, the boat, the estuary and clouds in the sky.

I can’t say I was very pleased with the results on my first attempt. The tide was out, the sun was up which meant half my photo was in shadow and half was bright and sunny. The light was definitely not even across the scene, so I walked back up to the bach, and decided to read a book instead. I can always continue the photo challenge tomorrow.

I spent about an hour reading my book, and when I looked outside, I found the sun had gone down, and the tide had come in. I put the book down, grabbed my phone and went down the path to find nice even light across the whole scene this time. Oh, and what a bonus – the tide was in enough to capture the water right up to the edge of the jetty. It wasn’t very deep, but it gave me enough to capture better images this time round (even lighting across the scene, and water in the shot rather than a bare estuary with just mud showing).

A bit more happier this time, I went back up top to spend the evening with my wife. This was after all our valentines get away weekend.

As is often the case, I wake up earlier than I’d like. I check the time and it’s 3:30am. I try to go back to sleep, but that isn’t happening. I decide to get my phone out and review the photos I took last night. I see that the second lot with the even lighting turned out much better, so I decide to spend the time to pick out a few that I feel have some potential. I then go about doing some basic editing on those images using ‘Snapseed and ‘Lightroom Mobile’ to see which ones I’d like as ‘keepers’.

When I go away, or go out taking photos, I’m personally happy if I come back with even one image that I’m happy with. I consider my mission a success if I have one image I’m proud of from that outing.

I then spend the next couple of hours propped up in bed playing around with the images I shot last night from the second attempt down at the waters edge. I find I have not just one, but at least three images I’m happy with. This gets me a bit excited, and I can’t wait to go and explore the rest of the property later in the day. By now it’s coming on for 6:00am, so I lay my head down for a bit of rest before we start our day.

We have a busy day ahead, as we promised to help out a local business take a video of the local cycle trail, as part of their promotional material. So, here we are on Valentines day preparing to go and do some work while we ride the local bike trails. Yeah, I guess we could say we were out having a bit of fun at the same time.

We spend about an hour setting ourselves up with the gear we need, we get to the starting point, and we then spend the next 3 – 4 hours videoing our ride, stopping to take pictures of points of interest, and having lunch at the local brewery. Just so you know, this brewery is a major stop on the bike trail, so it was important we document that and test out the food as well as the liquid refreshments.

We got back to the bach at about 3pm, and immediately sat down for a cold drink to try and cool off a bit. After a bit of a rest and a cool down period, I’m sure you can guess what I had to do next. Yes, get out and explore the rest of the property to find out what other photos I might be able to capture for my self imposed photo challenge.

Yesterday I had seen the owner working out in the garden, so approached him and started a conversation. We got chatting and he let me know that his wife had spent quite a bit of time down the hillside on the opposite side of the property to the estuary. He suggested that if I wanted to take photos I might get some down there. This is where I immediately headed.

The hillside down this edge of the property was quite steep, and extremely overgrown with every kind of vegetation you could think of. There were dozens of fruit trees, there were native trees, and there were plants there that I would really only expect to see in the Amazon rainforest. It was incredible the variety of plants and trees. I honestly felt like I had gone back to the dawn of civilization and was standing in the Garden of Eden. There was something to see in every direction.

I must have spent at least an hour walking through the man made paths not really knowing where I would end up, or what I’d see next. There were so many fruit trees that fruit had fallen onto the paths from up above on the hillside and ended up coming to halt on the flat surface. I was so busy looking around and stopping to take photos all the time, that I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking. More than once I stood on rotten fruit and had to wipe my shoes clean.

The last path I took led me back up to the top of the gully and straight into the Avocado orchard. I found myself close to the front of the property right near the entrance, so worked my way back down the long drive back to the bach we were renting. The first part of the photo challenge was over, now all I had to do was review and choose my keepers.

Over the next couple of hours I found myself repeating the events of early this morning when I couldn’t sleep. I spent time reviewing the photos I’d taken on my phone and working out which ones I felt I could work with. I started editing a few of them and finally came up with a list of the ones I wanted to keep.

This maybe wasn’t the best way to be spending our Valentines day together, but I’m extremely lucky my wife is patient with me when it comes to the topic of photography. She knows by now that no matter where we go, she has to allow me some time out for photography – even if it is Valentines Day! I made sure I interacted with her while I was going through this process, and constantly got her feedback on the shots taken. I’m pleased to announce that she didn’t mind a bit.

Once I had decided on the photos I was keen on keeping, I felt my work was done. I was satisfied that my photo challenge was over (for now). I then devoted the rest of the day (what was left of it) to my lovely wife Rosalie. We spent a pleasant evening together just having a very simple dinner. We had eaten so much at lunchtime at the brewery that neither of us felt like a big meal this evening. We had fresh buns with avocado and tomato for dinner and a nice drink to celebrate our final night in this wonderful location.

The following morning we had to be out by 10am, so there wasn’t any time for photography. We packed our gear into the car (along with our bikes) and headed home.

As you can see by the images in this post, I have shown a variety of images containing the following photography genres.

Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a genre of photography that focuses on capturing the beauty and essence of natural or man-made environments. It typically involves photographing wide, expansive scenes that showcase the interplay of land, sky, and sometimes water or urban elements. Landscape photographers aim to convey the mood, atmosphere, and visual impact of a location, often emphasizing natural light, weather conditions, and seasonal changes. This form of photography can range from grand, sweeping vistas of mountains and coastlines to more intimate scenes of forests, fields, or cityscapes. It requires a keen eye for composition, patience to wait for ideal lighting conditions, and often involves the use of specialized equipment such as wide-angle lenses and tripods. Landscape photography not only serves as a means of artistic expression but also plays a crucial role in documenting the world's diverse environments, raising awareness about natural beauty, and sometimes highlighting environmental concerns.

Close Up Photography

Close-up photography is a technique that involves capturing subjects at a very short distance, resulting in images that show fine details not typically visible to the naked eye. While similar to macro photography, close-up photography doesn't necessarily adhere to the strict 1:1 magnification ratio of true macro work. Instead, it focuses on filling the frame with a subject or a portion of it, creating visually striking and intimate portraits of objects, textures, or living things. This style of photography can be applied to a wide range of subjects, from flowers and insects to everyday items and textures. It often requires specialized equipment such as close-up filters, extension tubes, or dedicated close-up lenses, though some zoom lenses also offer close-focusing capabilities. Photographers practising this technique must pay careful attention to focus, depth of field, and lighting, as these factors become more critical when working at such short distances. Close-up photography allows viewers to explore and appreciate the intricate details and beauty of subjects that might otherwise go unnoticed in everyday life.

ICM (Intentional Camera Movement)

Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is a creative photographic technique that involves deliberately moving the camera during exposure to produce abstract, artistic images. This method typically uses slower shutter speeds, ranging from 1/30 of a second to several seconds, allowing the photographer to capture motion blur and create unique visual effects. Unlike traditional photography that aims for sharpness, ICM embraces blur, transforming ordinary scenes into painterly compositions of colours, shapes, and textures. Photographers can move the camera in various directions – up, down, sideways, or in more complex patterns – to achieve different results. ICM challenges conventional notions of photography by prioritizing motion as the primary compositional element, often blurring the lines between reality and abstraction. This technique not only fosters creativity but also opens up new avenues for artistic expression, allowing photographers to convey emotions, moods, and narratives beyond literal representations of subjects.

Isolated Subject Matter

Isolating the subject matter in photography is a crucial technique that significantly enhances the visual impact and storytelling power of an image. By separating the main subject from its surroundings, photographers can draw the viewer's attention directly to the intended focal point, eliminating distractions and creating a more compelling composition. You can that I’ve used this technique in a couple of the photos taken to isolate flowers. I have intentionally darkened the background so that the viewer is not distracted by other objects in the background. This approach not only simplifies the image but also amplifies the subject's importance, allowing for a stronger emotional connection with the viewer.

Subject isolation can be achieved through various methods, such as using a shallow depth of field, strategic lighting, or compositional techniques like the rule of thirds. When executed effectively, isolation can transform an ordinary scene into a powerful visual statement, emphasizing the subject's unique qualities and evoking a sense of mood or atmosphere that might otherwise be lost in a cluttered frame. Ultimately, mastering subject isolation enables photographers to create more focused, impactful images that effectively communicate their artistic vision and captivate their audience.

There isn’t much you can’t do with your mobile phone if you have the desire to learn. I had an awful lot of fun walking around a new environment taking photos. It’s a way to get out of the house and explore nature and the outdoors.

With a small amount of photography knowledge and an understanding of the camera settings on your phone, you too will have fun and increase the quality of your photos.

Why not set yourself a small photo challenge where you aim to get a couple of good photos you’re proud of on your next getaway?