I took this photo around this time last year on a windy, overcast day that was mostly uninspiring. Often times, I find myself prejudging what photo ops might present themselves based on the weather conditions rather than seeking out something new and innovative. It's easy to get stuck in this rut and dismiss potential opportunities based on the quality of light, but when you take a closer look at the forest and make some adjustments, the results can be rewarding. When I noticed the movement in the ferns blowing in the wind, I was suddenly inspired to try and capture that energy in a photograph. Using a slow shutter and zooming in during the exposure exaggerated the movement while bouncing a flash at the end added a bit of definition to the plants.
Ferns in Motion
Cloudy, windy days generally don't produce good photographs but if you turn away from the big picture and take a closer look at the forest, there will always be something interesting to discover. In this case, I noticed the ferns blowing in the wind. A slow shutter followed by fill flash to add definition seems to have captured the image I had in mind.
