Misty Winter Woodland Photography in West Sussex
Woodland photography is something I’ve always wanted to try. No two scenes will ever be the same, trees and their surroundings evolve with the seasons and the passing of time. In the last few years other priorities have often stood in the way of personal photography time, so my woodland outings are a real treat. On the few occasions (probably half a dozen) that I’ve photographed a woodland, I soon came to realise that it’s a lot more challenging than I’d thought!
I live in the far south of England, a few miles from the seaside town of Worthing. West Sussex is a beautiful part of the country, very green with plenty of picturesque villages and market towns (and a lovely coastline). Woodland in my immediate locality tends to be mixed deciduous - of the distinctly cluttered and messy kind. I’m often envious of photographers who have access to locations like the Peak District, the Lake District, or the Scottish Lochs. In those places the scenery is breathtaking and shows nature at its most unspoiled. Though I’ve been to those places over the years, I’m hoping that one day I’ll get to photograph those parts. But for now it’s my local woodland which is about a five minute walk from my front door. The local Arboretum about 45 minutes away is another appealing location.
These images were taken in 2020 – I can’t believe how long it’s taken me to look at them! I knew there would be a heavy early morning mist and I wasn’t going to miss a rare chance to get some shots. Mist adds so much depth and atmosphere to woodland photography. Suddenly backgrounds aren’t quite so cluttered and we’re able to isolate subjects far more easily than if the air were clear.
One of the exercises I do with my students is to remind them to be purposeful. Always have an aim in mind when you go out on a personal photography excursion. If I have a student with me the aim is for each of us to capture about half a dozen images which would look good printed and framed. Perhaps because of my age I live in the world of print. A photograph comes alive when expertly printed to the right paper type and framed with the right frame.
Our frame choices can completely change the look of an image, as you’ll see from the mockups below. These are low resolution so you won’t be able to see as much detail as you normally would, but you’ll get a good idea of what I’m talking about. Incidentally these gorgeous frames are the ones I use in my portrait and pet photography business. They include limed woods, hand painted swept and tray frames, simple gallery frames and classic metallic finishes.
The mist was so thick that I lost my way a couple of times. This was a strange feeling given that I’d walked around this woodland hundreds of times over the years. In the end I just followed the perimeter until I found a way out, but even that threw me. It was a strangely disconnecting experience, but in a good way. If you want to truly escape from the stresses of life, go out on a misty morning – you’ll become invisible!
I do miss the winters we had decades ago, when the frost turns our woodland into a winter wonderland. I can remember fabulous crystal formations hanging from every tree, which would build day on day. We rarely have frosts now in the deep South and they tend to be short lived. The bright golden winter days of old are a rarity. Nowadays it’s mostly dark, drab, rather depressing weather sometimes with no usable light for weeks on end. I find that I end up postponing shoots quite often in wintertime now, often more than once. The extent to which I’ve seen the seasons change in such a short space of time is frightening. I can’t imagine what our landscape will be like in as little as a decade. The great thing about photography is that we can document all of these changes and cycles and create an invaluable and true record for future generations. That’s something AI will never be able to achieve.
On recreational outings it’s important not to feel burdened or weighed down by your equipment. Thankfully these days we have so many small but capable choices. My favourite cameras for personal outings include my Sony A7C, my Panasonic G100, and my Sony ZV-1.