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FIRST LIGHT

Approaching Black Clough, Forest of Bowland (Jon)

‘Which comes first, photography or the outdoors?’ For us this is like the question of the chicken and the egg. The two are inextricably entwined. However, there’s no confusion as far as this book is concerned.

This book is written for people who love the outdoors and, above all, for people who love doing things in the outdoors. We assume that you want your photographs to reflect that passion. It’s not about winning prizes at the camera club, or impressing people with your latest slide show. What it’s about is getting out there. You want pictures that capture what it’s like and how it makes you feel.

Photography should add to the outdoor experience. It shouldn’t get in the way. If it helps you focus your mind on the texture of a rock or the play of light on a waterfall, it enhances your experience. If all you can think about is filters and f-stops, it does just the opposite.

However, if you’re serious, photography can’t just be an afterthought. Ideally it will be an integrated part of your outdoor activity. And if you are serious, you want to be in control of the picture-making process. You can’t control what you don’t understand. Blindly relying on camera automation leaves you clueless when the pictures don’t work out, and dilutes the satisfaction when they do.