The idea was relatively simple: head over to the botanical garden and enter the forest where all the autumn scenes were strong and incredibly beautiful. To go there and shoot something. The day was overcast and the light was diffused as a result, perfect atmospheric coldness that went well with the darker tones of the autumn season. Natural light and beautiful highlights in the colourful trees. The tones of brown, yellow, and orange stronger than they have been as of late. I took my gimbal with two batteries, my Sony A6000 and three lenses: the Helios 44-2, the Sony FE 85mm (length increased on crop sensor) and a Sony E 35mm. I didn't know which lens I wanted to shoot on the most, so I chose to shoot on all three in the end.
Mostly switching between each lens based on the shot we were going for. We arrived a bit late into the day with about two hours of natural light left. The sun has been setting incredibly low as of late. So the run-and-gun aspect, while something I always sort of pursue anyway, was more emphasised upon arrival. Head into the woods, and just shoot before the light was gone. We found some nice spots, including a little library built into a tree within the woods. Focusing on that for a conceptual story on someone walking through the woods in search of adventure, stumbling across little elements of narrative and context along the way. We ran out of time before we managed to get the more b-roll stuff, unfortunately.
I mostly shot wide open to really pull out the highlights, and especially with the Helios which gives a beautiful bokeh when wide open. Though the distance is also something that is of importance. The Helios wasn't right for all shots, especially on the gimbal. So I'd swap between the Helios and 35mm mostly. The 35mm performing more beautifully than I had expected with the highlights. My gimbal, which usually doesn't work all that well with such a light payload ended up working flawlessly for once, I sort of fell in love with it for the first time. Perhaps a result of improved calibration that I did to really ensure the motors felt more responsive. Though I'd also just slap it on the floor and point it upward, locking the motors in one place for still tripod-like shots. Those tend to work nicely, albeit for some frustrating swaying which sometimes takes place.
I wish we had managed to go a bit earlier. I did feel like I was really getting into the flow of things just as the sun had left. The highlights then gone and with little to really go with. Things started to feel too dark and flat. Too much increasing of ISO and decreasing of shutter speed. But it was mostly just the lack of light and the cold which was quickly appearing. I consider this little side project barely even started, still. With lots I would love to add to it and really polish it.
I get that feeling of finally being in the flow right when the light disappears 😭 Still, your shots look incredible!
Tried getting out yesterday and felt even more limited. It's great when there is some light and highlights to give a scene depth. Impossible if everything around is flat and void of colour.