Yesterday was the winter solstice, the turning of darkness back towards light. Today was my last day at work. Tomorrow I begin to explore the next phase of my life. Tomorrow is also Christmas Eve.
This image captures many of my feelings at this time. A vision of a timeless mass of rock, partly obscured by cloud but glimpses of light appearing at the fringes of the mountain, soon to become clearer, more defined, tangible.
The weather forecast pedicts rain. All night; all morning, all afternoon, continuous rain. But I have a camera that I just need to try out. It has replaced my Leica M10 , A camera more suited to the photography I plan to explore. I have an idea, an early morning trip to the coast to catch the early light. Pauline is keen too so the alarm is set for 5am. It rains all night, it’s raining as we leave home, why does this forecast have to be right?. As we drive south towards Rye the sky lightens in the east and we arrive before sunrise. The rain has stopped, for now at least so a brisk walk to the beach as the sky lightens and the clouds gain in definition. On the beach the eroded groynes look ideal for foreground interest, the low tide provides a transition to the horizon where the sky awaits. Even Dungeness Power Station makes and appearance to draw the eye. Rain does not hold off for long though and the constant rain drops landing on the filter is a real pain. But I have some shots, some appear promising, and so it’s time to head home for breakfast. Oh yes, the camera? The Sony Alpha 7R IV. Yes, I think it will enjoy this one a lot.
It was one of those days. We were away in Yorkshire staying with friends. We went out for the afternoon to the Yorkshire Arboretum. I was expecting trees, lots of trees, but could there be a special tree, a magic tree, a subject for this blog post. After hours of cloud and rain the weather had brightened but in early afternoon the light was just very ordinary. The trees were many, lots of different trees, specimen trees, groups of trees, 6000 trees but no magic tree in sight. The place is vast, 128 acres, surely there is something, somewhere in this vastness of trees. And there was, in spite of the undramatic light, the somewhat arranged nature of the nature, there was finally a tree with promise, a Tilia ‘Wratislaviensis’ Golden Lime. It needed some work, find the best composition, the best shape, yes fit it to a square format, get the best RAW image and hope that Lightroom can add the final touch. Irrespective.
Chanctonbury Ring is a prehistoric hill fort. It is special place. I have passed by many times on runs and never had the time to stop and soak up the feeling. Most times I have seen the trees appear from a thick swirling mist (it's often breezy here) or hidden by darkness, or cloaked in twilight and even bathed in moonlight. Each leaving an impression on me of an ancient unearthly presence. Today I was in West Sussex with a few hours to spare. I had my camera gear in the car. Ok that's basically good. But it's midday, it's bright sunlight with blue cloudless sky, it's the worst possible condition for a mood photo. So obviously the only choice is a hike up the big hill to Chanctonbury Ring. I have a vision and it looks nothing like it. Luckily I have Lightroom and it can make moods. So, get the composition right, expose correctly and do the rest on the computer. This image really stretches the boundaries but sometimes I think it's acceptable to create what you see in your mind. Painting with light taken to its extreme. I have put a less manipulated version in the tree gallery but I quite like this one. It's how I imagine this surreal, otherworldly special place.
Chanctonbury Ring
The way forward is not clear. So much has happened. But so much remains the same. We will make it through.
Spring is here. Regardless. Coming at a pace. Like it does every year. Without fail. Buds are bursting open. Leaves are forming. Blossom is filling the air with its intoxicating scent. Pollinators are responding. Life carries on, regardless.
