July 10, 2004

All seasons in a day

butterfly on Hampstead Heath

I went to Hampstead Heath this morning to shoot my photography assignment. BBC weather for London showed a cloud, a sun and a raindrop. Typical England.

When I arrive on the Heath, puffy white clouds floating against the blue sky are making a vibrant color contrast. I have black and white film loaded. Rats. I find an old tree trunk reflecting some nice light and finish off the roll.

Velvia now loaded, I climb the dirt path to my favorite bench, serenaded by the insects chirping in the long summer grass on either side. Joggers pass me in 60 second intervals, looking happy and healthy. They're all over the Heath and I long to be running alongside Abigail, sorting out my latest dilemma.



I have my fisheye lens and start with a few curved horizon shots, getting lots of blue sky and white cloud. I'm trying for a textural close-up of a log but the light is suddenly gone. I feel ice starting to pelt my bare skin. Only nine shots into the session and I'm caught in a hail storm. I take cover under a leafy oak tree, take one shot of the path now covered with white ice pellets and hope the sky clears quickly. Ten minutes later the hail has turned to rain and I can't see another soul. Another couple minutes and a soaked jogger passes me. Perfect! I'm in my running shoes and have my camera backpack so I can run home. On my way down the Heath I pass a few people in various states of element coping. People with big dogs don't seem to mind the wet, and their big dogs just run around in the rain like kids jumping through a sprinkler. The small dog people are huddled under branches and their small dogs look out rather miserably at the rain spoiling their grand sniffing adventure.