Simply Snowdrops

 After my experimental film yesterday (which I was super happy with and hope you will take a look at if you haven't already) here are some more conventional shots of snowdrops as promised.

There is something special about these little flowers that come up so early in the season. It is still winter and yet they herald the start of spring. They can form impressive carpets of flowers which is why yesterday's images were so effective. But, they can also look stunning as individual plants or in small clusters as you can see in the pictures above.

Other woodland flowers that are coming through right now are cyclamen and aconites which are also really beautiful but they do not have quite the impact that snowdrops do. Soon we will see crocus, daffodils and then bluebells and then we will know that Spring has really arrived.

Experimental Film

 

In February last year (25th to be precise) I posted under the title "whoosh" some long exposure images of the snow drops at Chirk, inspired by driving through snow on the journey there. Each shot was about 2 seconds duration and I used my 24mm-105mm L series zoom lens staring at 105 mm and zooming out to 24mm.

Looking back at those images I am not very happy with them and I thought I would try the same effect again on my most recent visit to Chirk. This time I used a shorter exposure, for the first image it was 1 second and for the rest it was 0.8 seconds. I am overall much happier with the results this time round and feel the effect is much more in line with what I hoped to achieve... something like the look when you make the jump to light speed!

Anyway I hope you enjoy these images and while you look why not listen to this tune by They Might Be Giants, and hopefully your face will not implode.

If more conventional photos of snowdrops is more your thing stop by tomorrow as i also have some of those.

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.

Raindrops, Teardrops, Snowdrops

So today it is Valentine's Day (in case you missed that) and I had thought about posting something romantic but there's enough mush about everywhere else and for those who aren't feeling the love I guess there's no need to inflict anymore on you...

This beautiful clump of snowdrops makes a lovely image, it was suggested to me that they look like fairy's tears and while I'm not sure about that I do think there is something special about them.

A Winter Tradition

Around this time of year it has become something of  tradition to go to Chirk Castle to see the carpet of snowdrops. In the past I have also been to Attingham Park and other gardens but I think the display at Chirk is my favourite.

I have chosen one shot for today but in the coming days I will be posting more pictures of the snowdrops and some of the other winter flowers which are coming into bloom, bringing a little more colour and heralding the spring. I may also post some images of the castle itself later in the week, so please come back each day to see the new pictures.

Around Chirk

I have been frustrated over the past few days because I haven't been able to post anything due to a problem with the Blogger upload  but fortunately there is a work around and I am back and smiling...

Today's pictures are three different winter scenes from around Chirk castle. The first is a view of one of the turrets that is rarely seen on a visit to the castle, a walk in the woodlands around the castle however is full of little treats and I love the perspective in this shot of the tower.

The second is one of many views of the topiary that I have taken on my visits to Chirk, I think the deep green stands out against the wintry sky.

I really like the final image of the snowdrops, there were lots of people visiting the castle on this particular day, specifically to see its now famous display of these wonderful winter flowers.

Snowdrops #2

Working on the principle that you can't have too much of a good thing I thought I would share some more pictures of snowdrops.  There are three different varieties in close up and then to finish off I have chosen a picture of the woodland floor.  In the background you can just make out a woodsman's hut which was a nice spot for a break.  There was a lovely wood fire burning in the hearth and hot chocolate to warm up with before setting off again into the woods.

Although the main flowers on display were the snowdrops there were other signs of spring which I will be showing tomorrow so come back then.

Please feel free to leave a comment...

Snowdrops

It has become a bit of a tradition for me now to head out each winter to visit one of the nearby National Trust properties to see the early spread of Snowdrops.

This year I went to Chirk, which as you will know is one of my favourite places to visit and where they have a lovely woodland walk with a mass of Snowdrops.

Over the next few days I will be posting some of the pictures I took recently.  Mostly they will be like today of the different varieties of Snowdrop but also some of the other plants and blossoms which hint at the approach of spring.

I hope you enjoy today's pictures, I like the dew on the individual bloom and I love the carpet of flowers and the way they catch the morning light, let me know what you think.