In September 2017, we embarked on the first leg (425 km) of the Chemin de St-Jacques-de-Compostelle in France. For such an endeavor, minimizing luggage weight is paramount, so I limited my photography equipment to one camera, two lenses, and several memory cards. In 35mm terms, I carried a 24-200mm F4 lens and a 50mm F1.4. Portability is one of the reasons I love my OM-D gear. Arriving at this location, I was smitten by this field full of colored and curved lines, free of visual distraction.
Handheld, I framed the scene at 42mm. To ensure perfect exposure, I deliberately overexposed the image by only 1/3 of a stop using the ETTR technique.
For me, lines in photography guide the viewer’s gaze, create depth, and evoke emotion in the image. The emotion for me was the fact that I would walk a very long distance on this pilgrimage route, full of beautiful scenes and surprises. This route began in the early 9th century.
For the composition, I included the line created by the trees on the left and the line on the right side created by the rocky cliff. All these elements guide the eye toward the distant hill covered by beautiful clouds.
During that amazing trip, I captured amazing scenery and met people coming from all continents.
