Southwell Trail - Photography Week 7 (2017)

Contrary to my previous post, the trip to Curbar Edge was not the last photographic opportunity of the week. A further opportunity came along whilst taking a walk along the Southwell Trail which included the unusual subject of the 'undergrowth'.

Capturing complexity has been a recurring photographic theme over the winter period and, whilst some of the results might look a bit random, there is still a compositional process being applied. The process starts with an assumption of a blank canvas followed by a gradual introduction of elements which ultimately becomes the subject e.g. a line or a shape. Using this approach avoids the possibility of being overwhelmed by the complexity of the scene. Tools like selective focus, depth of field and conversion to black and white can then be used to reinforce the composition.

With this explanation in mind, I spotted a patch of dried winter undergrowth along the Southwell Trail (I use the term undergrowth as I am not sure exactly what type of plant I was looking at - perhaps bindweed?). I was intrigued by the some of the lines and made a number of compositions:

When considering aspects of the Southwell Trail, I think the undergrowth is probably as much of a feature as the tree lined path (there is certainly plenty of it!). However, the context of the path helps the presentation of the close up studies and they should probably be viewed together:

Elsewhere on the trail I have looked several times at the blue-green crop growing in the one of the fields (again, I am not sure what crop it is but they look like leeks). The transition of colours from the crop to field grass, the sunlit hedge, and the light grey-blue sky caught my eye:

The pale sky was also a good backdrop for the hazel catkins: