1 EAGLETON NOTES: Contre-jour

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Wednesday 12 December 2018

Contre-jour

Adrian recently reminded me of the term contra-jour as used in photography. At this time of year at this latitude we have to contend with a very low sun. It's really bad when driving but on my morning walks recently it has been a bit of an irritation. Having said that I'm delighted just to have sun so I'll happily put up with screwing up my eyes in order to see.

It has also given me the opportunity for a few pleasing photos on my walks.


33 comments:

  1. The lighting in the first picture is attractive. I notice how you used the tree on the left to block out the orb itself. This is a technique that I have often used myself with varying degrees of success.

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    1. Yes, YP, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. C'est the vie photographique.

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  2. Really lovely light in these pictures. We have the same low sun here of course (when it decides to come out at all!) - and I'm familiar with using trees to block out the direct sun into the camera as well :)

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    1. Yes, Monica, I can remember a few of yours in the park or cemetery I think.

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  3. Beautiful photos, the sharpness of color og stunning

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  4. The low sun in the sky causes the same problem here. It's not pleasant driving in a southerly direction.

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  5. Thanks for the mention. Theses are fun to do and very effective.

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    1. Adrian, there's nothing better than effective fun.

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  6. Beautiful landscapes, and beautiful photos. I noticed the low sun myself yesterday; it was blinding me.

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    1. And you, Cro, are a great deal further South than I am.

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  7. They are both beautiful, Graham. Yes, being happy about what little sun you get to see is a good approach!

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    1. Meike, happiness where you can find it beats misery every time.

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  8. Those really are very nice photos indeed. I guess all you can do is reflect that in exchange for the short winter days you do bask in wonderful long summer days!

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    1. Jenny, that is absolutely the case although someone commented recently that they preferred a defined night and day.

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  9. When it's cold it's so nice to have that little bit of sun shining down - just wamrs you up.

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    1. It certainly does, Amy, physically and mentally.

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  10. Do your long days in summer make up for the short days of winter?☺ I love the light in England, any season! By the way, I mentioned you in my last post!

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    1. Kay, I saw the mention. Thanks. I did enjoy the post too. Do long summer days make up for the short winter ones? I guess they do. I love the long summer days and put up with the short winter ones. Do I like them better than a year round small variation? I don't know. I can't change it so I am happy to live with it.

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  11. Your photos are lovely, Graham. I particularly love the second one.

    Sometimes the positioning of the sun makes it difficult (and dangerous) to see both when walking and when driving...(not doing both simultaneously, of course!) :)

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    1. Thank you, Lee. It's always better to do one or the other!

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  12. I particularly like your second photo. I think because there is so much variety within the photo itself.

    I once took the kids on a road trip including a less travelled route across the Blue Mountains. Unfortunately, I didn't take into account the time of day and year so ended up driving the whole way into the low afternoon sun. It took a lot of joy out of that particular day

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    1. Thanks, Kylie. I loved the Blue Mountains. I'm glad that I wasn't driving though because the journey there and back from Sydney was so busy. In New Zealand there is a lot of advertising making people aware of sunstrike. It seems to be ignored in the UK - possibly because of the mainly urban population in the South which is hardly affected.

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  13. Beautiful photos, Graham. The second one reminds me of the Lake District, where we had many happy holidays.

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    1. Thanks Frances. I spent many, many happy holidays and weekends over the years in the Lake District. Depending on the weather it was easy to spot the Lesser Wetted Hikers and the Greater Wetted Hikers.

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  14. As much more of an owl than a fowl, I tend to be taking photos only in the evening ‘golden hour’, but these glorious photos suggest the light of the morning golden hour is even better. Jean

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    1. Well, Jean, it certainly is a time of day that I love but then I love evening light as well.

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