Some photos can have a special meaning to them without most people knowing. The story behind the photo can sometimes shine through to the viewer or be held secret. In this blog I want to share my story behind a photo I took not so long ago. How I took it and made it into something that resonates with me.

About the photo

In this photo you see a person standing alone in the middle of the forest. Looking over the lake which is slightly foggy and adds to the contrast of the warmer and cooler tones of the photo. The photo is taken from a higher angle, which makes the viewer look down upon the person. This gives the feeling of a bigger forest and a small and vulnerable person. There is a trail coming from the bottom right that leads towards the person. The trees frame nicely around him, and covering the sky.

Camera settings

I took this photo with my Sony a7 iii. The lens I used is the Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8. The settings are 66mm, 1/125, F/4 and ISO 100.

What the photo tells

A photo can trigger something different for anyone. For me this photo tells the story about a person wandering around in his own imagination. Which on one side is beautiful and mysterious, but on the other side lonely. I connect with this photo and story, because I can see myself being this person.

How I took the photo

It was the beginning of February. The weather was cold but calm and the lighting was just breath taking. I walked the same route as I often do and took a few pictures here and there. After that, I was about to walk back home and I turned around one more time to look over the lake. That was when I noticed the beautiful contrast of colors and light shining on the ground. People were walking towards the lake and I had to be quick to capture the feeling I got from seeing this view. The lights and colors felt mysterious and almost magical to me. Behind me was a small hill I could walk on to shoot from a higher angle. I did this to be able to capture more of the surroundings. 

Why nature photography

First of all, I just love taking pictures in nature. Every time I know I’m getting a different experience. For instance, the surrounding keeps changing and growing, sunlight moves between the trees and colors change during each season. It also helps me to calm my busy mind and spend some time outside. My biggest challenge is to find the simplicity. I want to capture the beauty of nature in all its possible forms and shapes. However, it just doesn’t work for me if there isn’t a clear composition. I always search for the spots where all elements come together and form the frame for the main subject to stand out of.

How I edited the photo

With this photo I knew exactly the story I wanted to tell. I opened up Photoshop and removed a few distracting elements. Also, tweaked the colors and contrasts to get the feelings across. I don’t like to use Photoshop to change my photos completely. I’d rather use it as a tool to enhance the story I want to tell and lay the focus on the elements that matter the most.

If you want to see more of my photos click here, and visit my Instagram here.