Apparently this week we are going to experience a 'blast of Caribbean air' (why is it always a blast?) that will increase our temperatures to levels normally experienced in Spring. Reading this news got me thinking that we are moving towards the end of Winter and the beginning of a new season.
Many people do not like Winter with its short days and colder weather but there is something very appealing to me about this time of year. I particularly like high pressure days in Winter when the air can be very cold and still. It feels as if the rotation of the earth has slowed and the gentle warmth of Spring gradually moves it along again. I love to walk in the woods amongst spectral trees that have shed their leaves and bared their souls to the world. Of course the trees, like many animals, are in a state of hibernation and preparation for the next cycle in their life. I feel it is a privilege to watch them as they sleep and sometimes gently stir when a breeze sighs through their boughs.
Winter is also a time of regeneration. It is important for the circle of life to have this time of death and rebirth. It is very satisfying to watch the local potato growers go about their business, preparing the fields for the new crop. I love to watch as birds build their nests in preparation for their hatchlings. There is an anticipation for Spring and the new life in the fields with the birth of lambs and calves.
Everything is being reborn. Except for the sea. She remains restless and eternal.
The light at this time of year can be very beautiful. The Sun's low trajectory through the sky creates wonderful shadows and sunrise is at a more accessible time. Of course, there is an occasional frost and when the conditions are right (or wrong - depends on your opinion) blankets of fog over the land. Fog can be a nuisance if you are travelling and, when you live on an island the size of Jersey, it can create havoc on many fronts. So it is with a degree of trepidation that I admit to loving fog. On a cool Winter's day I feel it adds to that sense of stillness. It adds a degree of mystery to the world and everything takes on a subdued mood. For a black and white photographer, fog is quite wonderful. You see the structure and shape of objects rather than their colours. In a way, the world takes on a monochromatic appearance. Creatively, fog can be used to reveal or conceal elements of the composition. It can make you think about what is just out of sight - perfect!!
One of the aspects of being a photographer that I am grateful for is this affinity to the natural world. I am always thinking about things such as light, weather and the tides. I have an appreciation of each season for what it brings but also love the changes to the landscape that we encounter as time passes. I enjoy being in the middle of a storm as much as I love the soft golden light of a warm summer sunrise. It is important to make the most of what we see around us and to enjoy it as best we can. I often think that the landscape doesn't ask much of us. It just 'is' and it is up to us what we do with it.
Peace - Darren
