Heavy Weather
- kjohnstone234
- Nov 17, 2020
- 2 min read
Photographer: Thomas Heaton
On the 4th of March 2018, the UK was hit by a storm that was later named ‘Beast from the East’. Temperatures plummeted well below freezing, bringing heavy snow and strong winds. Conditions were so bad schools shut and people couldn’t go to work due to what is called drifting snow, this is when high winds occur with heavy snow it can begin to compact around doors and car tires making it difficult to drive, these are classic requirements for a blizzard. Due to the weather conditions, Heaton decided to stay local and capture the storm.
In this image Heaton focussed on this big Oak tree. He used a fast shutter speed in order to capture the snow however it is slow enough to create motion blur which adds to the image as it shows the conditions more clearly and how heavy and fast the snow is coming down. Heaton has used a smaller aperture this is to isolate the tree diminishing any distractions apart from the snow and the tree. The composition is off central and sitting a line of thirds.
Photographer: Nick Page
Nick page also decided to stay local but in Washington State, he originally went to capture a lighting storm and ended up experiencing a supercell which is not often seen in the Washington State area. A supercell is a thunderstorm that has isolated itself and it rotates caused by an updraft.
In this image Nick Page used a slow shutter speed to capture the lighting the shutter speed created motion blur in the crops which creates an atmosphere as it showed that it was extremely windy. He had a large aperture of f/18 this is to ensure the whole image is sharp and in focus. There is a lot going on in the composition, however the supercell is central, the crops also act as leading lines as the wind is pushing them forward towards the supercell, making it the main focal point. Page has shot it further down, pointing up slightly which makes the supercell appear larger.
Photographer: Thomas Heaton
Thomas Heaton headed to the isle of Harris. On this day the weather conditions were drear, wet and windy which created a perfect moody seascape.
Heaton has used a fast shutter speed but too long as the image could lose the drama and don’t want it to fast as it can make the waves too harsh. Using this shutter speed captures the power of the waves. The composition in this image is also quite busy, however the big rocks slant down towards the sea so these act like leading lines. A large aperture has been used in order to ensure the image is sharp and in focus. This image is quite blue, which helps the viewer see the atmosphere the photographer tried to create, we also associate the colour blue with cold which matches the weather conditions.
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