Feb 08, 2025

Photographing Through February (Inspiration & Ideas for your camera)

For the keen eyed, and maybe ever-hopeful, the early signs of spring are starting to unravel. Here are a few things that I hope some may find helpful in keeping creative outdoors through February…

Focus of the month: Snowdrops

1/125 f2.8 ISO 320 (exposure compensation +1)

Wherever you find yourself this month, the chances are, you won’t be too far from a beautiful patch of white snowdrops. From formal gardens to roadside verges these splatterings of bright white floral displays warm the soul on any brisk February day.

Whether you choose to get up close for a profile portrait or you go for a wider shot that includes the surrounding landscape, it’s key to tune in the eye for perfection. As well as looking for a strong composition, look carefully for the perfect specimen and a discerning eye looking for any potential distractions.

With the right approach snowdrops can can look amazing in any kind of lighting. For profile and detail shots I like to use either soft or back lighting, often opting for wider scenes in stronger directional light.

Creature of the month: Going Quackers for ducks!

Mandarin Duck (Male) 1/500 f5.6 ISO 6400

Ducks might sound obvious, maybe even “easy” but there’s so much scope for them as a subject, not just between species but behaviour too! From mallards to Goldeneyes, it’s the perfect time to tilt your lens towards. Right now many ducks will be exhibiting courtship behaviour which can be as varied as it is spectacular. With the right approach to composition, light and timing if the most common species can make stunning photos.

Tip of the month: Exposure Compensation

Goldeneye 1/2000 f5.6 ISO 2000

This is a bit of a go to for me and is probably my favourite for any month of the year. Exposure compensation is usually found as a dial at the top or back of the camera and/or can be activated by a +/- button on the camera. It’s a setting that’s even found on most camera phones and allows you lighten or darken the camera before taking a photo.

Eg. +2 will brighten up a photo which can be good for photos with bright backgrounds (like birds flying in the sky) while -2 can be good for scenes with lots of shadow and only a small pool of light. Like a beam of light breaking through a church window.

Inspiration for the month: Fan Ho

Born in Shanghai 1931 and apparently dubbed the “Cartier Bresson” of the east, to my shame, I only recently came across the work of this greatly celebrated photographer. Sometimes photographs from unfamiliar times and/or locations hold an intrinsic beauty, yet Fan Ho’s works go so much further than this and are well worth a deep dive into… https://fanho-forgetmenot.com/hong-kong-yesterday-1