Warren Winter, and Merry Christmas

Two more Winter photos for you to enjoy!

In Epping Forest, on a slope of land leading down from Warren Hill to Whitehall Plain, on a wintry Wednesday when snow had fallen, I took these two photos. It was only 4pm and the sun was already westering, enough to create some beautiful soft lighting. Combined with the soft snow and soft clouds in "Warren Winter Snow", the second image is quite the opposite of the first in which a stark winter oak dominates. The lighting is also rather diametric, with the highlight of the first piece being the tracked-through snow beneath the tree in the lower part of the picture, and the light in the second piece arising from the sun and sun-drenched clouds at the top of the picture.

Much as I love the gentleness of the second photo, and the way the mogul-textured snowy landscape reflects the puffy cotton cloudscape up above, I love the first photo "Warren Wood Winter". Trees are fantastic in so many ways; this one here creates a strong focus, and the twiggy winter branches are a rough contrast to the smooth snow below. The spreading nature of the branches tell a story too, of light and life with room to reach and grow.

May winter be full of light and life for all of you, don't hibernate the whole season through!  
Merry Christmas to everyone, and all the best for the New Year.


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Store update

New items have been added:

deviantArt store:

• "Birch Curl" is now available as a print!
• "Epping Forest Ancients" is now available as a print!

RedBubble store:

•  "Sky Silhouette" is now available as a print!

Lifebuoy at Loch Cuil Na Caillich

This photo was taken at Loch Cuil Na Caillich (loch of the nook of the old woman), also known as Aigas Loch, on the Aigas Estate in Inverness-shire. I travelled to Aigas for a job interview a fortnight past, and thought the place very pretty indeed (even in its wintry sub-zero state).

The first European Beavers, Castor fiber, in the Scottish Highlands in over four centuries were introduced to the loch here (see the Aigas website for more info). This occurred back in 2006, and although the beaver pair were enclosed they seem to have thrived within their two hundred acre space and have even had kits. Signs of beaver activity were ubiquitous during my circumambulation of the loch, from felled trees and signs of feeding through to tracks, dams and a veritable lodge. These were the first beavers in the Scottish Highlands in over four centuries

The loch is also utilised by other wildlife. Right here on the jetty, just to the left of the frame, we found and identified some Pine Marten scat. An otter was also spotted on the water that very morning. So even on a frigid, frosty morning, the deceptively placid loch can play host to a lively troupe of exciting animals.

On the surface, however, this is a peaceful photo of a calm loch. The surface of the water, where it is iced over, shows geometric striations. The jetty provides a man-made frame to the natural scene, with an additional anthropogenic detail in the form of the boathouse on the distant shore. The lifebuoy a splash of colour to focus on in the fore.

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Dark Wings over Loch Lomond

This is a shot of a crow taking off from the shore of Loch Lomond in Scotland.

I took this photo in 2010 while living and working on the Scottish west coast, on one of my holidays to see other parts of Scotland. Loch Lomond was a beautiful place to stop while on the way back from visiting Fort William. The lake is the largest in Great Britain, at least when looking at surface area (Loch Ness is the top when it comes to volume or depth).

This crow was one of the many natural sights that I have witnessed in Scotland, and although crows are somewhat commonplace my own affection for the corvids adds to my fondness of this photo. With the backdrop of water there is a simplistic elegance to the shot that makes it memorable for me even amongst the many photos from Scotland, and the exciting sightings and breathtaking views that I have encountered there in abundance.

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Birch Curl

Bark peeling from a birch tree in Epping Forest in elegant curls. Taken in the Warren Hill area, on a scenic route from Loughton to Buckhurst Hill. Birch trees have horizontal marks on the trunk, long lenticels that let the tree "breathe" through its bark. 

"The lady of the woods" is a slender and elegant tree, although the angle of the shot makes this particular tree look rather rugged. Birch was the first letter of the Celtic tree alphabet, and represented the first month of the year. It would also have been among the first trees to recolonise Britain after the last ice age, and this ability to take quick advantage of an opportunity can still be seen today when birches colonise a bare hillside, or occupy a gap that opens up in an established woodland.

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Epping Forest Ancients

Two veteran trees in Epping Forest, one leaning against the other, as they slowly succumb to old age.
This is a photo I took this year, of one of my big interests: trees. Veteran trees are trees that, either through old age or a "hard life", have a huge interest for wildlife and for conservationists. The gnarls, hollows, decay and even sheer size that may be seen on such a tree mean that it can harbour many different kinds of animal, plant, and scientist.

Such trees can be used to deduce past conditions or management practices in an area; for example, these two trees show signs of pollarding, a traditional practice leading to a distinctive shape and potentially extending the life of a tree beyond its natural span.

Aesthetic value can be high in veteran trees, with their added architectural and textural complexity. They can also contain interesting little ecosystems for those who look closely, whether it be seedlings developing within a hollow or a swathe of enterprising mosses and ferns colonising the broad branches.

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Rannoch

 

 This photo was taken last year up in Scotland, in possibly one of my favourite spots ever. 

I was walking the West Highland Way, a long distance footpath that runs almost 100 miles from the 'burbs of Glasgow to the foot of Ben Nevis. On such a long walk through such a stunning country there were of course many places which I remember fondly, but walking over Rannoch Moor the very wild beauty there touched my heart.

Rannoch Moor is hailed as "western Europe's largest remaining wilderness", and thought to be the largest uninhabited wilderness in Britain. Plodding across this landscape on foot (the only way to traverse the moor as no road crosses it), I loved every minute. The soul of the place is unreal.

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Buying Photos

I am still researching different options for making my photos available to purchase on-line, but currently have two options for you to look at; please visit the new Buy page to find out more. Any feedback on which photos or photo products you would like to see, or about the store websites, would be gratefully received.

Stunning Autumn

Autumn is beautiful in Epping Forest!

In addition to working on a website and other indoors-y occupations, I have managed to get outside to take some photos of the stunning colours currently on display. Behold nature in all her autumnal glory. 

Photo taken in Epping Forest by the River Ching, in a patch of elegant Hornbeam trees. The yellow and orange of the leaves makes it feel sunny even on a grey Autumn day. 

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Photography website

Howdy!

I have been getting more serious about my photography; a friend told me they thought my pictures were good enough to sell, and indeed asked for a print for himself. So I have been looking for a place for my photography to call 'home' recently. I would like to share my photos and photo-related happenings with others. I also hope to make it possible for others to get prints of my photos if they desire such. I will start using this blog site to talk about my photography and share photos.

Whilst I am still hunting down that next job in Conservation, this photography concept has captured my imagination and I will try to develop it as well. Please feel free to chime in with any feedback or queries!