Okay, so spring finally decided to show up around here. You know that feeling, right? Things start looking less gray, a bit of green pops up, and I always get that urge to get outside and, well, shoot it. With my camera, obviously.
So, the first thing I did was just have a think. What really says ‘spring’ to me this year? Flowers are the easy answer, yeah? Tulips, maybe some early blossoms if I timed it right. And that fresh green color on the trees, the kind that looks almost too bright.
I figured the local park was the best bet to start. It’s close, usually has some decent flower beds near the main entrance. Plus, there’s that little stream area, maybe catch some reflections or early ducklings if I got lucky. Decided against going too far afield, wanted to keep it simple.
Then I thought about timing. Didn’t want that harsh sun right overhead, washes everything out. So, I aimed for late afternoon. That ‘golden hour’ people talk about. Honestly, sometimes just getting out when it’s not pouring rain feels like a win, but nice light is a bonus.
Getting the Gear Ready
Next step was digging out the camera bag. Didn’t need anything fancy. Just my old reliable DSLR. First thing, check the battery. Made that mistake before – getting somewhere and the camera dies after five shots. So, popped it on the charger just to be sure.
Grabbed a couple of lenses. My standard zoom lens, it covers most things pretty well. Also chucked in that macro lens I bought ages ago and barely use. Thought maybe I’d find some interesting bugs or tiny flower details this time. You never know.
Important bit: Gave the lenses a quick wipe. Dust spots are the enemy. And checked the memory card – made sure it was empty. Nothing worse than running out of space right when you see something good.
Out in the Park
So, I headed out around maybe 4 o’clock. The park was definitely busier than I’d hoped. Seems like everyone else had the same idea – finally some sunshine! Meant I had to be a bit patient, wait for folks to wander out of the frame.
Found the flower beds alright. Tulips were looking pretty good, lots of reds and yellows. I got down low for some shots, trying to get that angle looking up towards the sky. My knees complained a bit, not gonna lie.
Spotted some tiny little buds on a bush, so I actually swapped to the macro lens. Tried getting real close. It’s fiddly work, that macro stuff. The slightest breeze and everything’s blurry. Got a few shots, probably mostly misses, but it was fun trying.
- Wandered over to the stream. No ducks. Figures.
- But the light hitting the new leaves on the willow trees was quite nice. Spent some time just focusing on the patterns and the way the light came through.
- Tried different angles, sometimes standing, sometimes crouching down again.
Must have spent a good hour and a half, maybe two hours, just wandering and shooting. Took way more pictures than I actually need, like always. Digital is cheap, right?
Packed up as the sun started getting lower. Felt pretty good just to have been outside, messing about with the camera. Got home, copied the photos onto the computer. Haven’t really sorted through them properly yet, just had a quick flick through. Saw a couple that might be okay.
And that was basically it. My process for ‘shooting spring’ this time around. Nothing too technical. Just deciding to go, grabbing the gear, and seeing what catches your eye. It’s more about the doing of it, I reckon, than getting gallery-worthy shots every single time.
