Hampstead Heath : Canon 5D : EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM (27mm) : 2 sec : f20 Cokin ND 5 and ND 3 Grad filter
Sometimes, the ingredients for great landscapes are right under your noses. Hampstead Heath is a case in point. It dominates the green space of North London, is adored and enjoyed regularly by north Londoners and represents a unique and fiercely protected natural asset for the city. Ask a London photographer however and you tend to get a shrug of the shoulders. It’s as if it’s ubiquity reduces its photographic appeal.
Whilst we may have all seen countless images covering many aspects of the health, this does not preclude a fresh approach bringing new visual perspectives. Creative potential should not come to an end, however many times a well-loved location has been captured.
After an enforced month sheltering from a wetter than normal start to the spring, the second week in April finally brought with it the first day of decent weather and good light. I headed for the Heath, determined to try a monochrome approach and capture something a little less classic.
I used both neutral density and graduated filters to dramatise the sky and improve the reflections on the water. Whilst the resulting image is certainly not unique, it hopefully pays respect to the natural beauty of Hampstead Heath in a less cliched style and goes some way for me at least to remind me to stop taking our most precious natural asset in north London for granted.