Sunday 17th April - Grovely Woods

In my real life, I had just completed a rather complicated house move which had taken a hell of a lot out of me emotionally, creatively and physically, but as Spring is my favourite time of year, I was determined to try and get out for some photography.

I'd found out over the last couple of weeks that I was still a little bit early for the woodland flowers, so I thought I'd make a scouting trip to Grovely Woods, a location I'd visited a few times previously, but without realising that it was quite well known for being a primo Bluebell location.

On the way, there was a smidge of atmosphere that I couldn't resist stopping to photograph, however when I arrived at Grovely the sky was clear and blue. Not great for Woodland photography, but nice enough weather for scouting!

Spring was still no closer in this part of Wiltshire than it had been at Erlestoke, but a walk through Grovely is never a waste, and I spotted a few compositions I'd be keen to revisit when the time was right.

Looking back at my photos from the last few blogs (which coincided with my house move) I can see that my heart was clearly not in it, and it's been difficult trying to generate the enthusiasm to write about photos I have no particular warmth for! But now that I was in my new home and Spring was getting ever closer I was starting to get that twinge of Bluebell fever I had first felt in 2021...Bluebell fever gives me the energy to set my alarm for ridiculous o clock in the morning and drive around for hours before work, all with the vague hope of taking a photo of a small blue flower. This is the time of year when I look at the weather with fingers and legs crossed all in the hope of some mist or fog. Last year had been rubbish, but I was hopeful that this year would be better.

I can say now that I never got the misty conditions I was craving, but I did end up with some photos I was pleased with, which hopefully you'll see over the next few blogs (I may have teased this a few weeks back - but 1, I had forgotten about the sessions in early April and 2 no one reads these damn blogs anyway so what does it matter!)

I was surprised to find some fog in the valley around Stourhead, but it was very local and not anywhere else..

A tighter crop of the scene above to try and highlight the sun rays..

I thinks this scene worked best as a portrait - and at this point of the morning I was pretty pleased with what I'd captured...

I liked the layering in the fields on the way up to Grovely Woods - this is one of those occasions when I wouldn't have minded a drone to get a bit higher and really work those humps!

One of my favourite trees (one of the Handsel Sister Witch Trees) but nowhere near its Spring best..

Even a black and white treatment couldn't save this image!

A touch of light on the evergreens. Nice colours but a little out of balance to be a 'good' photograph.

One of those images that definitely looked better in real life!

I need to work out how to retain the contrast in scenes like this without blowing highlights/crushing shadows....luminosity masks are not my friend!

Bluebells are still a couple of weeks away...

A shot I liked? Nearly...!

Until next time - Holla