Impressions from the

Japanese Gardens

ViewFinders October Walk

A dull day saw the ViewFinders gathering at the entrance to the Japanese Gardens in Clingendael Park, Den Haag keen to capture the autumn foliage during its' limited opening time. Due to the delicacy of the landscaping and plants the garden is only open to visitors for 6 weeks in the spring and 2 weeks in autumn. Sculpted trees and shrubs line the paths, water is a dominant feature, as are the red bridges. Going handheld the light was so dim we were pushing the ISO way up to get workable speeds. Some alternative thinking was required so we turned the ISO back down, as low as it would go, dialled in 1-2 second speeds and started moving the cameras on purpose. Impressionistic images became the order of the day as well as playing with panning and zooming the lenses in and out during the exposure to get some dynamic movement.

Fancy trying it yourself? Here's how:

Zoom technique:

• On speed priority set it to about 2" (you may need to reduce the ISO to lowest level).
• Set lens to its longest length and focus on your subject.
• Release shutter and zoom out to wide while the shutter is open.
• Experiment!

Panning technique:

• On speed priority set it to about 1" (you may need to reduce the ISO to lowest level).
• Start at the top of your intended frame.
• Release shutter and sweep downwards while the shutter is open.
• Have fun!

All images available for purchase here