Karihola - Mosquito Madness - ENG

It is early August and it has been raining most of the day. It's over nine o'clock, and I'm packing my photo bag to catch the last chance for a photo shoot. Earlier I would probably think that no sun equals no photography, but I have seen some videos on Youtube, this time by one of my favourite photographers, Nigel Danson. In a specific video I noticed, he came up with several tips on how to use each type of weather for different types of photography, whether it is rain, wind, fog or sun. I also think that even though the sunset in Karihola is nice, there are other motives than sunsets, so I set off without any other plan than to take things as they come, and try to find something other than a sunset to photograph.

When I'm not bound by the specific time of sunset, it takes some pressure out of the situation, and I can wander around freely and just enjoy the surroundings and see if a composition emerges. Already at the beginning of the trail there is a nice path surrounded by spruce trees, which may have potential. I take a picture with my mobile to assess how it looks on the screen. This is a very useful trick that I have been using all along. The composition is decent enough, but not interesting enough for me to unpack the camera, so I move on.

It has rained and the grass is wet, but now the rain has stopped and it has cleared up a bit. I choose a path I do not use so often, to get further down to the sea. There a beautiful sight reveals itself.

I wasn't planning to photograph the sunset, but destiny had other plans. There was nothing to do but capitulate and set up the tripod. In addition to the beautiful pink color over the island Grip, there is also a beautiful play of light in the clouds to the northwest. In addition, the heather has turned purple, so now it is time for a wide-angle shot.

I pull back a little to bring more heather to the foreground. The terrain is marshy, and the air is warm and humid after the rain. I am quickly attacked by a host of huge mosquitoes. I come prepared and apply mosquito repellent intended for tropical mosquitoes purchased for a Thailand trip a couple of years ago. "Should not be used on the face" it says, but that's where they bite, so I define my own boundary between what is face and what is neck and starts applying the repellant. Now it's time to get some pictures.

I shoot different subjects, some with a focus stacked foreground, others where I zoom in on specific elements in the sea. I try to capture the light play that is completely intense, but do not feel that I can do it justice.

The mosquitoes have obviously not received the warning that nerve toxins are bad for them, and they have a wonderful feast. I clinch my teeth and finish the last shots. This is not a place to stay, I have to get closer to the sea.

On the rock right down by the sea, I find a beautiful little composition. A small reef a bit out in the water has a small depression, and if I stand in the right place, I get Grip island in the background, just above the depression. This should be a sure winner!

Eventually the light fades, and it's time to get home. With the roaring deer from a previous trip fresh in my mind, I am a little extra observant of the wildlife that is clearly flourishing at dusk. This time I see no deer, but instead a large frog jumps right in front of me. I manage to snap a picture of it before it disappears.