The Gallery: Nature
Posted under Photography
Ooof I think the themes for Tara’s The Gallery are getting harder not easier. I was so sure this week’s theme ‘nature’ would be a breeze. Drag out a photo or two of some pretty flowers from the archive and be done with it, I thought. But actually none of the flowers were really doing it for me. Instead, it seems I am a tree hugger.
I love the shot above, taken in one shot in the pouring rain after rain stopped play during a trip to Framlingham Castle. The sky blackened, the rain fell in balls not drops…we rounded a corner and I spotted the scene above in the passenger wing mirror. “STOP THE CAR!” I shrieked. Out I dashed and risked camera cardiac arrest in the rain for what is one of my Top 10 favourite shots of mine.
Fast forward 6 months and here I am, yet again, taking moody bleak photos of trees. Actually this was taken at sunset, and it was a glorious red/orange/yellow kind of affair. But by the magic of photo processing I made it look like the End of the World is Nigh. If you listen v…e…r…y carefully you can just hear the clip clop of the Four Horses of the Apocalypse….
Then there was that whole ‘rows of trees in a line’ thing, as above. But here is favourite tree, and this is my favourite shot of it:
I love that shot, it’s up there in my Top 5 photos. Partly I love it because it’s a beautiful scene and I think I managed to capture it, and the processing enhances it. But mostly I love it because the subject, the horse chestnut in the field in front of our house, was the thing that inspired me to take up photography as a hobby. On 15 October 2008 I looked out of our kitchen window and saw the mist hanging in the sunlight of the branches of that tree. I grabbed MrSpud’s ‘big camera’, shoved it on auto, stuck my wellies over my PJs and marched out and snapped the scene. It wasn’t a brilliant shot and I didn’t process it because I didn’t know how. But I loved how it turned out, and how I’d captured a moment.
In that second I was smitten. A hobby and a passion was thrust upon me and I finally got to reclaim a tiny bit of ‘me’ time each day. I wasn’t just ‘being a Mummy’ or working. I was a ‘keen amateur photographer’. There I was…saving myself…one picture at a time.
So this one is my shot for The Gallery. It’s not my best, or my favourite. But it’s the one that started me off and it will always be precious to me for that. Thank you tree mwah mwah xx
Amazing photos, LOVE the first black & white one and the last B & W one incredibly atmospheric
These are just sh-amazin! Wow. And wow again. My favourite is the fourth one, I think if you looked at it hard enough you could see some fairies, magical. Super cool.
Absolutely breath taking each and every one of them. Just amazing. I’m speechless and that doesn’t happen very often.
Such amazing photos! I love how you made your hubby stop the car just so you could take a couple of photos :-)
I’ve really wanted to know this, ever since I saw your blog for the first time. What font is it that is used? I haven’t seen it before, and I really want to be able to use it for things, if possible. Do you know? Thanks. xxx
Wow! I LOVE your tree pictures! Absolutely Amazing!
Amazing photos, love them all!
Oh gosh, they are AMAZING. You’re a fantastic photographer.
Stunning photography, I love the light – it picks up the tiniest detail on the bark of the tree trunks. I’ve only just taken up photography as a hobby (am still learning how to use my digital SLR and need to get some decent lenses) but I’m loving it so far – you’re providing me with great inspiration! Helen
They are all stunning but the last two are absolutely amazing, thanks for posting them, it’s a good thing that you’re a tree hugger and not a flower girl
*speechless*
Absolutely stunning. And very Ansel Adams like!
Stunning, amazing, gorgeous, mind-blowing,,,,beeeeooottifull!
You are a serously talented photographer.
I’m feeling quite druidic as well. (Is that a word?)
That first picture looks like it was taken in the American midwest — post-tornado. I love the melancholy splendour of it.
Nice pictures.
In my totally non-professional meaning I think these pictures are more than just gorgeous. They feel so dramatic especially the black and white pictues.
Congratulations on a job well done.
Stunning pictures, the black and white are my favourite ;)
Love that you stopped the car to take a pic!
Also delighted to let you know that you are the winner in our little competition.
You win a hamper of chocolately goodness from Green & Black’s. I’ll try not to pinch any before sending it on . . .
http://stickyfingers1.blogspot.com/2010/08/gallery-winners.html
Contact me with address you want your prize sent to
And well done x
Amazing photographs.. Congratulations on The Gallery win, very well deserved :)
OMG! They are amazing! Did you do some kind of HDR thingy on them? (Can you tell I’m technical?) Please write a tutorial!
Congratulations on winning the competition. Great photos!
[...] Chocolatetastic! My Green & Black’s Organic hamper arrived, my prize for winning Tara at Sticky Finger’s Gallery competition ‘Nature’. [...]