The Beech Avenue at Kingston Lacy
It’s been quite a while since the last entry on this blog. Regular readers will know that I had my first exhibition last month and I will be writing about the experience very soon. For now I thought I would share with you some images taken and made just before the exhibition took place back in the early part of November.
This wonderful avenue of beech trees can be found on the B3082 at Kingston Lacy in Dorset near Badbury Rings. They were planted by William John Bankes whilst a resident of Kingston Lacy as a birthday gift to his mother, Frances. There were 365 trees on one side of the road for each day of the year and 366 on the other, for a leap year. Planted in 1835 some of the original trees have been lost through age or disease, but they are being managed or replaced by The National Trust.
The Autumn is of course a great time to photograph this splendid and historic beech avenue, even though the autumnal colours do not feature in my depiction of the location.
I should add that these images were taken in the company of a few other photographers whilst on a day’s workshop with Anthony Blake, a Dorset based photographer who I had not had the pleasure of meeting before. Tony was an excellent host and provided valuable and appropriate tuition to all of us. We visited a number of locations which took full advantage of the misty and rather damp conditions of the day. I have to say that overall it was a most enjoyable day with plenty of banter thrown in for good measure.
alan frost photography 
15 Responses to “The Beech Avenue at Kingston Lacy”
Reblogged this on Tylko fotografia.
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Thanks for reblogging my post. Very much appreciated.
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What beautiful soft light, and misty repetition of tree branches curved just so; the back ground story makes it all the more meaningful. thank-you.
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Thanks for your kind comment – much appreciated.
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Very beautiful!
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Thanks very much.
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Beautiful compositions Alan, the misty air creates lots of depth and a nice range of tonality.
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Mist works so well for this type of subject so I was fortunate to visit this location when the conditions were just right. Thanks as always for your comment.
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The perfect day for these images, any potential intrusion in the distance is removed and the mist adds to the ethereal feel. Logic would have thought that ‘colour’ would be important, but logic would have been wrong. When you strip away the colour your eye can concentrate on the tonal range, the repetition, and the sheer beauty of those trees bowed down by age with no competing colour. Lovely gallery, Alan.
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As you say perfect conditions. Unusually for me these were shot in colour, thinking the autumn colours were too good not to retain. I then converted to mono, applied a split tone and much preferred the results for all the reasons you have stated. This avenue of beeches is much photographed but why not – they are a beautiful subject. Thanks as always, Alan
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Wow, just beautiful. Black and white images capture a moment in a way that color does not. Stunning photos.
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beautiful images
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Thank you.
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Are these shot with the Leica Monochrome CCD? Beautiful, moody, and full of character. Nicely done!
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Thank for your comment. Although I do use a Leica M Monochrom, these particular images were taken with a Leica SL but using Leica M lenses.
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