Sunday 8th May - Grovely Woods with a Fonthill stop off

There are quite a few images to share from this session, so I'll keep my usual waffle to a minimum..

Wiltshire was back on the menu this weekend, with Grovely Wood as the chosen destination. I must be a pretty good salesperson as I'd managed to convince Photo-friend Simon to join me, who for reasons I don't understand, has a strong dislike of this location (I think it's the altitude of the woods??)

As part of my sales pitch to Photo-friend Simon, I'd promised that if there was mist at Fonthill Lake (which we pass on route) we would divert our journey and call in. Given I didn't really want to delay getting to Grovely, of course the weather gods decided to envelop Fonthill lake with glorious misty goodness, and I was honour bound to stop. Although I was true to my word, Photofriend Simon was given a strict deadline of 45 minutes, and during that time we tried to make hay with what was in front of us.

A scene I've shot many times but a first to include sheep!

My buddy trees - they always look great when the conditions are misty

I'm nowhere near accomplished enough to have a style, but if I did, I would like to think this kind of cropped in image with the sky omitted is becoming a shot I actively look for..

Tree with blurry stuff in front of it

The light at Fonthill Lake often delivers..this time with helpful Sheep

I've often dismissed this scene on my many visits to Fonthill Lake, but this time it seemed to work..

As I tried to leave the light did its best to try and stop me!

When the timer pinged 45 minutes were up, it was time to head off to Grovely, which of course was completely mist free and brightly lit. However, Grovely is such a large location that I wasn't overly bothered as there's usually something to photograph in whatever the conditions. I left Photofriend Simon to do his Thomas Heaton impressions, and I set off slogging through the brambles to see what I could see..

Whenever I go to Grovely Woods I head straight for this section - 3 great big Beech Trees with a spooky backstory...

Portrait or Landscape?

A record short of the largest of the Handsel Witch Trees

Eagle eyed viewer may recognise this composition from an earlier scouting blog - here it is with some light. This is why I scout..

One of my go to Oak trees - it catches the morning light beautifully!

One day I hope to catch this tree with mist and oil seed in the background - I was hoping there might be some this year, but alas, more wheat

The Beech trees along the main pathway through the woods were very colourful in places...I had to stop and take a few detail shots

In places they were nearly autumnal

Autumn in Spring? Not quite, but this tree was trying its best to convince me otherwise

Such a beautiful place - the colours were spectacular

I have to admit, this was one of my most successful photo trips of the year, and many of these images might make it into my top 20 images of 2022- if I ever get around to doing such a thing!

As it's December now and I'm not even into June for my blogs I suspect I won't complete my project of blogging every outing for the year, however, given my viewership has not increased at all since I started doing this, I don't think I run the risk of upsetting anyone.

Come back soon to see if I ever blog again...Bye?