Nicely Framed

The approach to the house at Lyme Park takes you about 1 mile through the deer park where there is a herd of wild Red Deer (I didn't spot any) and the façade of the house is grand but not as grand or ostentatious as the rear of the house that overlooks the reflecting pond. This is the side of the house that is made to be seen.

Visitors to Lyme would be invited to walk around the lake so that they can enjoy the spectacular view. As well as this view there is a formal Italian garden, a simple terrace and the orangery and for those with more energy there are extensive grounds, a mill, and of course the deer...

I love the lighting in these shots, I hope you will agree they really show off this magnificent building.

The final shot below is of the fountain in the orangery, in the almost tropical atmosphere the moss has really taken hold on the stonework of the fountain. I like the fact that rather than clear the moss the gardeners have embraced this growth to enhance the feature. The sound of the trickling water is slightly muted creating a lovely relaxing atmosphere.

 

Light and Shade

 Here are a few more shots to show off the colours of a woodland autumn.

I have experimented with the second image showing it in black and white and while I do like to image I don't think it works nearly as well as the coloured version.

The last image is of a curious looking fungus, it is a variety called Helvella crispa and is known as a fluted white elfin saddle. Apparently some people say these are edible but there is some dispute about this and they are definitely not to be eaten raw. 

Colours of Autumn

 I had planned on sharing these images over a few days but I couldn't resist putting them all into one post.

The light yesterday was fantastic and it really helped to show off the autumn colours at their best whether it's the multitude of greens, the blue sky, the sunburst through the branches of the vibrant red of the leaves backlit by the sun.

I think my favourite image is the second one because when photographing red plants it is incredibly difficult to get an accurate representation of the colour and I think with this shot I have nailed it. I am not one for blowing my own trumpet however as a colour blind photographer I also miss a lot of the reds and greens so again with this shot I think I have done exceptionally well. 

Pemberley

So the eagle eyed among you will understand why I have called this post Pemberley, it is actually Lyme Park in Disley, near Manchester and it was used as the setting for Pemberley the fictional home of the Darcy family in the 1995 BBC Television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It is very possible that you won't have seen it but in my home it is very possibly the most watched TV show and this setting is where one of the most famous scenes of the entire series...

I hadn't really wanted to go out today and took some persuading but as it was the weather was perfect and i was able to get some great shots that made the trip worth the effort.

I took several shots of the colours of autumn which you can look forward to over the next few days before I get to some views of the magnificent house.

There was a fair breeze today so the surface of the reflecting pond was broken up by lots of ripples and I was worried that I wouldn't get the shots I wanted so I turned to one of the most useful gadgets in my camera bag, my K+F Concept variable ND filter. Using the filter I was able to use a long exposure and a very small aperture, this meant I could freeze the motion in the water and keep everything in focus to bring out all the detail and get a nice reflection.

From a low vantage point and with the gorgeous afternoon sun behind me I think this creates a striking image.