Well February has been a good month... a REALLY good month... for following an inner drive... What has happened is that I think I have turned a corner photographically; my images - or at least as it appears to me - have improved dramatically over the last 4 weeks or so...the change? Well none technically; what I have done is focussed my vision...found a definite aim and target... all of a sudden previsualisation (any students of mine know this word) becomes second nature because I KNOW what I want to shoot every time I go out...all is clear.
In the past I would target species or habitats based on where I was going...old woodland - ancient woodland indicators; grassland - traditional hay meadow species etc. Although there was a purpose it was hit and miss - would I find any? However, after watching Winterwatch on the BBC I was inspired by the collective of photographers working on the Re-wilding of Scotland Project - link here. I contacted one of the organisers who encouraged me to follow their lead...to pick a theme and follow it... And I thought, here I am in the Fens of Eastern England, a location I have worked in for many years off and on; a series of habitats I studied at University and a landscape to which I have become attached. When you drive through the fens it looks flat...boring...uninteresting...but get out of the car and walk away from the roads..down a drainage channel that runs straight into the distance...a magic can happen - huge skies tower above your head; clouds race by; skylarks sing and the keen wind clears out the cobwebs... Now take this to another stage...find some traditional fenland...where the drainage channels aren't over managed and wetland plants are allowed to flourish and a whole suite of species appear..
So with this in mind my new subject is the Fens...Fenland...the flatlands of the East; and I am fortunate to live in a house 10 minutes walk from the Ouse Washes, an area of land allowed to flood in winter to prevent flooding downstream. The result is a large area of wet grassland which during the winter is under water... wildfowl abound...it is a magical place...
Seemingly dull, flat, lifeless landscape - well that is how it may seem...
...but the skies are amazing...there is so much energy in the skies...
Featureless landscape - even lone trees are subject to excessive management...
Early morning frost and a rising sun can transform any landscape; but one like this with flood water and tall trees just lends itself to photography
A colony of cormorants (Phalocrocorax carbo) have just re-colonised their nests in this stand of poplars.
On the periphery of the washes is an extensive bed of bulrush (Typha latifolia) - contained within a small pond...like an eye...
And taking advantage of all this flood water...
Wildfowl - wigeon (Anas penelope) and teal (Anas crecca) take flight across a setting sun...
Whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) , wigeon and a drake pintail (Anas acuta) in early morning sun.
Wigeon, teal and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) feeding on the washes beneath a lone alder (Alnus glutinosa).
Sometimes the wildfowl become victims of predation...all that remains of a wigeon at a roost site.
Marginal vegetation on a frosty morning. The gold of the grasses contrasts nicely with the intense blue of the sky - the nettle stings obtained from lying down to take this were worth while for the end result...
During the winter months, the washes are home to many black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa) - mainly the breeding populations from Iceland. They come here for the milder air and feeding grounds. Whilst photographing a willow I heard the whirring of wings and looking up saw these flying over. A quick grab shot with completely the wrong lens captures these long-billed wading birds against the winter sky. A fine sight...
Meanwhile out on the flashes a pair of coot (Fulica atra) are prospecting... unfortunately they do not realise that this flooding will be gone before a nest site can be decided upon... they will have to move to a channel nearby...
The evening sun turns a normally white little egret (Egretta garzetta) a warm gold a it heads off to roost.
One of the commonest trees in Fenland is alder (Alnus glutinosa) - the cones from last year and the catkins adorn the trees like left over Christmas decorations...
Alongside the alder in remnant hedges is hazel (Corylus avellana) - another tree with catkins very early in the season...
Even though the beds of common reed (Phragmites australis) are still showing the dead seed heads, they have a certain something with a rising sun behind...
Even in the frost there are signs of spring... the mild winter has encouraged species to flower early; more nettle stings gained when shooting this lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) isolated using a 300mm lens...
On a nearby tree stump is a delightful colony of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) - luckily I had my flash and remote to give some help to the exposure.
Now is also the time of year when horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) buds start to swell - known as sticky buds for obvious reasons!
The dead seed heads of teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) - edged with frost and back-lit at dawn...
Another species confused by the mild winter - bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) flowering out on the dryer grassland found on top of the flood banks.
I was really taken with the patterns and textures on this frost encrusted log - flotsam after recent flooding.
I couldn't resist the light on this gate hinge at dawn - even the most seemingly mundane subjects have a beauty...
And so, what else have I spied or photographed? Well I have been looking to expand my repertoire somewhat and have been looking at formal portraits as a money making venture. I asked a couple of friends to model for me and I was pleased with the outcome... Here is an example from the session...
Now the watch and the position of the hands can be criticised but over all I'm pretty happy with this shot. I really like the B&W conversion and she has a delightful expression. The eyes are good and overall I like it...feel free to let me know what you think...
Moving swiftly on...the usual species have been delighting us this past month and at the risk of being clichéd..
Inside a garden hellebore - again taken from the fully prone position with a touch of fill-flash...
Of course snowdrops...wouldn't be winter with out a shot of the ubiquitous snowdrop...
A relative of the above, a snowflake...this solitary specimen is growing in our garden and I picked out the single flower with a 300mm lens, the focal length helping to isolate the bloom from it's surroundings
Garden hellebore again - was captivated by the light on this...
But I want to return to Fenland... In addition to the landscape and the wildlife, there is more to be seen... some of it not so pleasant...but that maybe cannot be avoided.
A winter storm brought havoc and damage to the western half of the country; by contrast we caught the tail...nothing serious except a wheelie-bin on its side and the contents blown over several miles of farmland...
As is common in the Washes, wild-fowling is a popular pursuit - shotgun cartridge abandoned in the frost.
All too common a sight - fly-tipping. In this instance old tyres but it could be anything...and they are all an eyesore and unwelcome...
Almost alien in appearance this is a large area of soft, wet mud - the slubbings from a water retention reservoir. Birds readily use this for feeding, but woe betide any human who dares to walk on this...
An old timber barn that has seen better days... the textures here are intriguing - a return in different light is a must...
An abandoned trailer... the colour echoing the sky drew me to this nondescript item...
My aim is to document the seasons across the Fen near my home...follow the species and habitats as they react to the coming year; watch how man farms the land and how nature lives alongside or maybe becomes displaced. Throughout the year this blog will try to show and educate about this wonderful part of the world and its habitats - wetland, grassland, woodland... Eventually I would like to see the images published...do you think that is a good idea? Is it something you would buy?
I hope you enjoy the journey with me..
Daily updates are still to be found here, or if you don't subscribe here. If you feel so inclined all my pictures are for sale from me or a selection from here... You can also connect with me here...
If you have any comments or requests please message me and let me know your thoughts...I will try and answer promptly...
TTFN... peace to you all...
In the past I would target species or habitats based on where I was going...old woodland - ancient woodland indicators; grassland - traditional hay meadow species etc. Although there was a purpose it was hit and miss - would I find any? However, after watching Winterwatch on the BBC I was inspired by the collective of photographers working on the Re-wilding of Scotland Project - link here. I contacted one of the organisers who encouraged me to follow their lead...to pick a theme and follow it... And I thought, here I am in the Fens of Eastern England, a location I have worked in for many years off and on; a series of habitats I studied at University and a landscape to which I have become attached. When you drive through the fens it looks flat...boring...uninteresting...but get out of the car and walk away from the roads..down a drainage channel that runs straight into the distance...a magic can happen - huge skies tower above your head; clouds race by; skylarks sing and the keen wind clears out the cobwebs... Now take this to another stage...find some traditional fenland...where the drainage channels aren't over managed and wetland plants are allowed to flourish and a whole suite of species appear..
So with this in mind my new subject is the Fens...Fenland...the flatlands of the East; and I am fortunate to live in a house 10 minutes walk from the Ouse Washes, an area of land allowed to flood in winter to prevent flooding downstream. The result is a large area of wet grassland which during the winter is under water... wildfowl abound...it is a magical place...
Seemingly dull, flat, lifeless landscape - well that is how it may seem...
...but the skies are amazing...there is so much energy in the skies...
Early morning can be special...
Featureless landscape - even lone trees are subject to excessive management...
Early morning frost and a rising sun can transform any landscape; but one like this with flood water and tall trees just lends itself to photography
A colony of cormorants (Phalocrocorax carbo) have just re-colonised their nests in this stand of poplars.
On the periphery of the washes is an extensive bed of bulrush (Typha latifolia) - contained within a small pond...like an eye...
And taking advantage of all this flood water...
Wildfowl - wigeon (Anas penelope) and teal (Anas crecca) take flight across a setting sun...
Whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) , wigeon and a drake pintail (Anas acuta) in early morning sun.
Wigeon, teal and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) feeding on the washes beneath a lone alder (Alnus glutinosa).
Sometimes the wildfowl become victims of predation...all that remains of a wigeon at a roost site.
Marginal vegetation on a frosty morning. The gold of the grasses contrasts nicely with the intense blue of the sky - the nettle stings obtained from lying down to take this were worth while for the end result...
During the winter months, the washes are home to many black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa) - mainly the breeding populations from Iceland. They come here for the milder air and feeding grounds. Whilst photographing a willow I heard the whirring of wings and looking up saw these flying over. A quick grab shot with completely the wrong lens captures these long-billed wading birds against the winter sky. A fine sight...
Meanwhile out on the flashes a pair of coot (Fulica atra) are prospecting... unfortunately they do not realise that this flooding will be gone before a nest site can be decided upon... they will have to move to a channel nearby...
The evening sun turns a normally white little egret (Egretta garzetta) a warm gold a it heads off to roost.
One of the commonest trees in Fenland is alder (Alnus glutinosa) - the cones from last year and the catkins adorn the trees like left over Christmas decorations...
Alongside the alder in remnant hedges is hazel (Corylus avellana) - another tree with catkins very early in the season...
Even though the beds of common reed (Phragmites australis) are still showing the dead seed heads, they have a certain something with a rising sun behind...
Even in the frost there are signs of spring... the mild winter has encouraged species to flower early; more nettle stings gained when shooting this lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) isolated using a 300mm lens...
On a nearby tree stump is a delightful colony of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) - luckily I had my flash and remote to give some help to the exposure.
Now is also the time of year when horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) buds start to swell - known as sticky buds for obvious reasons!
The dead seed heads of teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) - edged with frost and back-lit at dawn...
Another species confused by the mild winter - bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) flowering out on the dryer grassland found on top of the flood banks.
I was really taken with the patterns and textures on this frost encrusted log - flotsam after recent flooding.
I couldn't resist the light on this gate hinge at dawn - even the most seemingly mundane subjects have a beauty...
And so, what else have I spied or photographed? Well I have been looking to expand my repertoire somewhat and have been looking at formal portraits as a money making venture. I asked a couple of friends to model for me and I was pleased with the outcome... Here is an example from the session...
Now the watch and the position of the hands can be criticised but over all I'm pretty happy with this shot. I really like the B&W conversion and she has a delightful expression. The eyes are good and overall I like it...feel free to let me know what you think...
Moving swiftly on...the usual species have been delighting us this past month and at the risk of being clichéd..
Inside a garden hellebore - again taken from the fully prone position with a touch of fill-flash...
Of course snowdrops...wouldn't be winter with out a shot of the ubiquitous snowdrop...
A relative of the above, a snowflake...this solitary specimen is growing in our garden and I picked out the single flower with a 300mm lens, the focal length helping to isolate the bloom from it's surroundings
Garden hellebore again - was captivated by the light on this...
But I want to return to Fenland... In addition to the landscape and the wildlife, there is more to be seen... some of it not so pleasant...but that maybe cannot be avoided.
A winter storm brought havoc and damage to the western half of the country; by contrast we caught the tail...nothing serious except a wheelie-bin on its side and the contents blown over several miles of farmland...
As is common in the Washes, wild-fowling is a popular pursuit - shotgun cartridge abandoned in the frost.
All too common a sight - fly-tipping. In this instance old tyres but it could be anything...and they are all an eyesore and unwelcome...
Almost alien in appearance this is a large area of soft, wet mud - the slubbings from a water retention reservoir. Birds readily use this for feeding, but woe betide any human who dares to walk on this...
An old timber barn that has seen better days... the textures here are intriguing - a return in different light is a must...
An abandoned trailer... the colour echoing the sky drew me to this nondescript item...
My aim is to document the seasons across the Fen near my home...follow the species and habitats as they react to the coming year; watch how man farms the land and how nature lives alongside or maybe becomes displaced. Throughout the year this blog will try to show and educate about this wonderful part of the world and its habitats - wetland, grassland, woodland... Eventually I would like to see the images published...do you think that is a good idea? Is it something you would buy?
I hope you enjoy the journey with me..
Daily updates are still to be found here, or if you don't subscribe here. If you feel so inclined all my pictures are for sale from me or a selection from here... You can also connect with me here...
If you have any comments or requests please message me and let me know your thoughts...I will try and answer promptly...
TTFN... peace to you all...
