The Magic of Embracing Nature’s Changing Seasons

It was a cold, bright morning in the first week of November. An early mist had dissipated and the sun was making a brief appearance. I was taking a photography walk down a forest path along the banks of a local canal.

There was an eerie stillness in the air; no wind whistling in the trees, no birdsong, and, thankfully, no noise of traffic. The only sounds were the gentle fluttering of leaves as they fell to the ground and joined the glistening carpet of leaves underfoot, the occasional drops of water falling from the trees above my head and the distant mooing of cattle.

I had brought my Nikon D5600 and one lens, the 40mm macro, which doubles as a sharp general lens. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much photography on this occasion, but the colours and quiet atmosphere gave me such a strong sense of an ending of one season and the beginning of another that I knew I had to record it in some way.

My choice of lens gave me options. I could capture the changing colours and even the sense of decay among the leaves from a close up perspective, as well as the bigger view of the changing ambiance along the forest path.

My images are an emotional response to the location, the stillness of the morning and the sense of the ending of autumn and the imminence of winter. I hope they convey that feeling accurately.

Further along, the forest track opened and I was greeted by some cattle and sheep grazing quietly. One of the cows was curious and allowed me to take his portrait.

There was a joy about this photo shoot - the joy of being in nature on this beautiful still morning and being able to enjoy all that nature has to offer. But there was a sadness too, of the passing of another autumn, with its glorious colour and abundance, and the coming of winter. Yet winter too will offer its photography opportunities and all we have to do is to go out with our camera and seize each moment.

I hope you enjoy your photography, wherever you are, and whatever season you are in.