An activity to help you engage with the natural world in a mindful way.
1. Find your subject. Be guided to a natural object that catches your eye. Think: what is it about it that I like most? Is it the colour, shape, contrast, texture or the shadows it creates?
2. Observe it from different angles. Take a few photos of your subject from different perspectives. Try to get as close to it as you can. Don’t use zoom as you’ll lose the detail. Instead fill your screen with the subject – you can always crop off parts you don’t want to include later.
3. Edit your image. Use the adjustments and filters available on your mobile’s camera.
First look at the composition. Are you happy with it or would you like to crop it or zoom in on a particular area?
Think about the colour. Changing to black and white highlights contrasts, shadows and textures and patterns. Then play with brightness, contrast, shadows etc.
Or you can play with filters to see if a colour tint enhances the look of the image and then play with the saturation button to exaggerate the colour you were initially drawn to.
4. When you’re happy with your image, email it to Nerys at rector@stmarysdunblane.org so that it can be downloaded, printed and displayed at EcoFest in St Mary’s Church on Saturday.
Based on an idea by Gail Neckel,a recent graduate in Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
