countryside | alan frost photography

Posts tagged ‘countryside’

New Project – First shots and initial thoughts

Regular readers will know that I am starting a new long term project this year. I wrote about it here.

In a sentence I have defined an area of countryside to photograph which covers about 30 sq miles to the north of where I live; it’s a mix of chalk downs, farmland and woodland and includes a section of the South Downs Way.

At the beginning of anything new there is a sense of excitement and anticipation. A desire to make the first image not knowing what the coming weeks and months ahead will produce. What direction will the project take as it evolves over time? Who knows, but I am aware the project will require a title at some point in the future once a clear sense of direction has been esyablished. Whilst I already have a number of ideas as to what this might be it’s far too early to commit, as conceptually it may well change as I become influenced and inspired by the varied scenery I discover. I want to immerse myself in the landscape, capture what I see, not necessarily for its beauty but because that’s how it is – an element of documenting the countryside will form part of the project.

Churches Project no.14 – All Saints, Nether Cerne, Dorset

This medieval church was mainly built in the late 13th Century of flint and stone; the tower was added in the 15th Century. Sited next to a manor house and just a few steps away from the river Cerne, it really does enjoy a tranquil rural setting in the valley.

The parish was once in the endowment of Cerne Abbey and was served by its Benedictine monks until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. Parish services ceased in 1968 and this charming church was sadly made redundant in 1971. Fortunately two years later it was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust, who still care for the building to this day.

There is both sadness and joy to be felt as I walked around its simple interior. Sadness in the sense it has not been used for regular worship for over 40 years, but joy in the knowledge that it is being preserved. To me it still has an air of solitude, and a peace which cannot always be found in a church which is in regular use. The lack of electric lights, radiators, church notices and all the accessories required in a fully functioning parish church are not present here. These things can be a distraction from the delights to be had in a building which evokes memories of a long and distant past.

Do click on any image to view a larger version which will open in a new window.

Churches Project no.12 – St Mary the Virgin, Upwaltham, West Sussex

The church of St Mary the Virgin is very often called ‘The Church in the Field’ and it’s very easy to see why it has adopted this name. Situated on a hillside with the South Downs for company, this lovely countryside church has fields and footpaths as its neighbours. At this time of year the graveyard is full of white daises and when they catch the wind the scene becomes quite enchanting.

The interior has hardly changed since its origins in the 12th Century. Plain, simple and largely lit by candles; which is just how I like it. This is one of a handful of churches in the whole country with a semi circular or apsidal chancel. I visited another church recently with a similar feature in North Marden, also in West Sussex.

There are very few properties in Upwaltham but I have read that at one time the church served a medieval village. In times gone by it would have been a very tranquil place to live, but today the valley floor plays host to the main road between Chichester and Petworth – the A285. It is perhaps the only thing which detracts from this delightful church; as cars rush by, the drivers probably fail to notice ‘The Church in the Field’. If only they stopped to enjoy the delights of this truly charming Sussex countryside church, it would take them back to quieter and possibly less stressful times.

Transient light – when only colour will do.

Transition

Photography is painting with light – and that light can be very transient in the landscape. The weather and consequently the light can change in an instant, so to capture these fleeting moments there has to be an element of good fortune.

This image was taken a couple of weeks ago in the beautiful county of Dorset. We were experiencing all types of weather that week; in fact it could be said we had all four seasons in just one day. Bright sunshine followed by clouds and then hail showers, turning the ground white if only for a short time. Hopefully the last blast of winter before the summer truly arrives. At this time of year we also see fields turn yellow as the vibrant colour of the oil seed rape crops burst into life. Combining these two key ingredients is potentially a recipe for some good landscape photography which can only be enjoyed in colour.

When I took this shot I was standing in sunshine, looking back across the rolling hills to the north of the county town of Dorchester. As we returned to our cottage I could see dark shower clouds moving in quickly from the west and as the rain fell on parts of the countryside it was lit by the sun. I quickly parked the car, got out, and walked very briskly to find a suitable position to take a handful of shots. Within a few minutes the special light had gone, but I knew I had captured the transient light and colour of the scene before me.

Barn roof – just when I thought I had finished.

Barn Roof

Earlier this week I made a point of going out to take some more images for my Churches Project. I was moderately pleased with my afternoon’s work, had packed away all my gear and was making my way back to the car. I had parked in front of an open barn and as I walked from the church towards my car I noticed the afternoon light glinting on the rear of the barn and in particular the long corrugated roof which nearly reached the ground. The rivets all pointed towards a small group of ivy clad trees with countryside beyond, all of which I rather liked.

I couldn’t resist reaching for my camera just one last time. Whether I have a camera with me or not, my eyes are constantly observing what is around me, looking for the light, interesting shapes and compositions. Even when on first impression the subject itself may not be that appealing, (in this case the corrugated roof of an old farm building), the direction of the light and other elements which make up the picture may be enough to warrant getting my camera out of it’s bag. So I took one last shot before heading home and I am glad I did.