Nymphs

Flower of fancy

Vanishing Dream

Destiny

Oblivion

 

Every time that I visit Chirk I admire these statues. I know they might not be to everybody's taste but I think they are magnificent. I particularly like the two which are placed next to each other which are called "Destiny" and "Vanishing Dream". 

They are in a naturalistic and symbolist style (apparently) and while the figures are nude for me the power of each sculpture is in the facial expressions and the symbolism. I don't understand the symbolism in each sculpture, for example why one is standing on a serpent, or another has her hands bound behind her back and another has her eyes bound with cloth, but they are elegant and beautifully crafted.

I have shared images of them before I know but today I have gone all out and shared several images and included shots of all four sculptures which I have not done before

They were made by Andrea Carlo Lucchesi who work predominantly in London. He died in 1924 aged 64. The sculptures collectively known as "The Nymphs" were owned by Lord and Lady Howard de Walden who leased Chirk Castle between 1911 and 1946 and were brought to the castle from the couple's London home. Originally they stood in the family's dining room until Lady Howard de Walden insisted they be moved to "a more appropriate location"

Feed Me! Now!!!

 A few days ago I went to visit Sizergh Castle in Cumbria. It was an interesting day to be sure. I took some rather nice shots of the castle itself as well as some of the flowers and insects in the gardens. I also spent some time watching this group of hungry young swallows, lined up along the ridge of an old cottage, and their harassed parents trying to keep up with the constant demands for food.

For this series of shots I was on the wrong side of the building as I was shooting into the sun and so I will start by using that as an excuse for the images being less sharp than I had hoped, even shooting at 1/5000 sec. Nevertheless I think the series as a whole tells a nice story. There were a couple of families of birds lined up and each time an adult bird flew in all the young would cry out demanding to be fed next. Sometimes they would sit waiting but more often than not they would leap up into the air to get their parents' attention and snatch the tasty bugs from their beaks. The parent birds never settled down, each food exchange was done on the wing and as quickly as they flew in they would swoop off again in the hunt for more food.

When Skies are Grey

 I have been working from home today, and all day long the sun has been shining and there has hardly been a single cloud in the sky. So, I was looking forward to finishing work and getting outside for a nice evening walk along the sea front. But as I turned off my work laptop I realised that the sudden gloom in my  home office is not because the nights are drawing in (we have past the summer solstice after all) but because there is a weather front coming in and the sky is now heavy with dark grey clouds.

As an antidote for that I thought I would quickly post some beautiful, bright and colourful shots of some flowers taken not so long ago in the gardens at Erddig. Hopefully these images will give your day a little lift just as they have mine.

You're welcome.

In an Orderly Fashion

 

So this follows on from yesterdays post (if you haven't seen it please take a look).

I really love the orderliness of the workshop, with all the tools neatly stored in their proper places.

I think the setting really suits black and white images, which is how they were shot. It adds to the sense of age or history. But when I edited the first image in colour I was really struck by the richness and warmth of the wood and that is possibly my favourite image for today.

I love the detail in the cabinets, the marquetry patterns are simple but beautiful, and all that just to store chisels. Marquetry is something I have done in the past (and will do more when I retire) and I know that even for a simple pattern like this it will have taken time and skill and it shows that the craftsman has taken care not just over his tools but how they are displayed.

Many years ago I had a holiday on the Norfolk Broads and I went into a photo studio in Stalham where I bought a black and white print of tools silhouetted against a window. I really liked the picture and I had that in mind when I took these images. Although that was a good image I am going to say I like mine best...

The Dell

 There is going to be a decidedly watery feel to my next few posts as well as some long exposures.

Today's lone image is from Bodnant Garden. I had been watching a pair of Goldcrests and a pair of treecreepers in the trees along the banks of the stream when I noticed the way the sunlight was playing through these trees and I took a little time to set up this shot. I had to wait for visitors to step away from the small bridge, and as I was on a narrow path I had to ensure I was not causing an obstruction as I set up my tripod. 

I used a 10 second exposure here at f22 and I used a variable ND filter to compensate for the long exposure (I can't recall what setting I used for the filter) I think the overall effect with the "frozen" waterfall and the sunlight through the trees creates a really tranquil scene. The sound of the water as it flowed by was so relaxing, it was easy to get lost in the beauty of this place.

A Carpet of Colour

 

I thought for today's post I would share a riot of spring colour with this carpet of beautiful Crocuses.

As I said the other day being so early in the season there was not a great deal of colour throughout the gardens at Bodnant as most flowers/plants are only just "waking up". However walking along one path towards the dell there was this vast array of crocuses, interspersed in a few places by daffodils creating the appearance of a wildflower meadow in summer.

Predominantly purple and white these flowers look stunning against the lush green of the grass. It was nice to see that despite recent storms and heavy rain the flowers themselves were not badly damaged and in the sunshine this was a wonderful sight. Some of the individual flowers look stunning set against the blooms around them as they catch the sunlight.

The Lenten Rose

 Last Saturday was a beautiful sunny spring day and I was faced with the prospect of a visit to a well know DIY/Home improvement store. For me that is akin to torture so I rebelled and proposed a day out instead. I ended up at Bodnant gardens in North Wales which is always a lovely place to visit. As it is so early in the season there was not a great variety of flowers in bloom but there were lots of buds with the promise of much more to come as spring advances. There were however some early blooms scattered around and these were inviting lots of bees which was good to see.

I have quite a few pictures to sort through and I am starting with these three shots of a Hellebore. I have to say that I am not normally a fan of hellebores however this particular variety (Helleborus x hybridus Ashwood Strain) really caught my eye with its dark edged petals and when you look below the drooping heads you find a brightly coloured centre (is it yellow or green?) holding the pollen and nectar which proved to be very attractive to several bees. 

I have learned today that Hellebores are native to Greece and Turkey and that they are part of the buttercup family.

Chirk; Inside and Out

 Two more shots of Chirk Castle, one from the formal gardens and the second from inside the castle courtyard.

The snow continued to fall while I was taking these shots but I was not deterred. I think this castle looks good in all weathers and the heavy sky and snowfall just add to the atmosphere.

Pearlescent Bark

I have stuck with just one image today, an abstract image of the bark of a tree. 

I have played about a little with the edit in lightroom for this image and I am really pleased with the result. I wouldn't normally take risks with colour because I know that I don't see things the way most people do and while I like the effect of this edit I cannot be sure what other viewers will see.

The colours in the bark were all there, the result of sap leaking out of the tree, as well as stains from the rain and algae. I have increased the saturation of specific colours to add a little drama and to emphasise the pearlescent effect. 

I  grew up believing trees are green and brown but when you look closely there is always so much more to see, and enjoy.
 

Out In The Cold

 Another shot from Chirk castle, and another of the Lucchesi bronzes facing out across the lawn and the topiary. This statue is called "Destiny" and it won gold medals at Dresden in 1895 and at the Paris Exposition in 1900.

As you can see the snow was starting to come down quite fast when this shot was taken, even though a matter of minutes beforehand there had been clear blue skies, and almost as quickly as the snow storm arrived it passed. However, even though the sun came out again it remained bitterly cold and while the bronze nymphs remained outside there were no brass monkeys to be seen...

Statuesque

 Around the gardens at Chirk Castle there are a few beautiful, classical sculptures and although I have seen them many times I am always drawn to look at them whenever I visit. I think there is a real quality to them and I am captivated by their expressions.

In the first of today's images the cherub is almost hidden away in Yew hedge at the side of a small rose garden and perhaps that is why the child/cherub is holding a rose sniffing the delicate scent. This is quite a peaceful and happy scene in contrast to the second image. I have not shown the stature in full, which is of a woman with her hands bound. It is a bronze (one of four) by Andrea Lucchesi and is called "Vanishing Dream" and her wistful or sad expression is a reflection of something lost. I think the mood of the sculpture is enhanced by the fact that it was snowing quite heavily when this shot was taken as can be seen from the streaks of white across the image.

Although there is something pleasing about the first image I much prefer the second because of the quality of the artwork itself, the powerful expression and the overall atmosphere it creates.

On this recent visit I did not photograph the four bronzes but I think on a future visit I will do so and it will undoubtedly be the subject of a future post.

Frozen in Time

 

Here are a couple more shots from my recent visit to Chirk Castle. This is definitely one of my favourite castles and even on a very cold winter's day with the sun frequently interrupted by heavy snow it offers lots of great photo opportunities.

The building itself is closed for the winter but the grounds are open and the exterior as always looks marvellous.

Whoosh

As I said yesterday I went to Chirk Castle to see the annual display of snowdrops in the castle's beautiful grounds. I took a few photographs of the carpet of flowers but I wanted to try something different and I would love to know what you think of the images below.

 I have used a long exposure for these images (2 seconds for the first image and 0.8 seconds for the other two) using my EF 24 - 105 mm f4L USM zoom lens. While the shutter was open I pulled back through the full range to create the movement in the finished image.

I was inspired to try this effect because on the way to Chirk I drove through a snow storm and I wanted to create something that represented the experience of driving through snow. With the snowdrops it seemed appropriate. I think that maybe in the second image I have come closest to what I had hoped and I think that pictures two and three are the better images but as with any abstract image it is open to interpretation.

I would really like to know what you think.

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.