Minninglow Shadows

My collection of work is based around my love of nature.  Trees and the landscape very often feature in my work, particularly when they have  strong outlines and interesting shapes. 

For a long time I have been fascinated with the rolling green pastureland and the mound referred to as Minninglow Hill which sits between the villages of Parwich and Pikehall in the Peak District National Park.  My intention was to photograph this landscape on a sunny winters day in order to capture the long shadows running across the hills, but primarily to take shots of the tall beech trees on top of the mound which protect a collection of ancient burial tombs.  These tall trees and tombs are encircled by younger beech trees and from a distance give the hill a distinctive shape.

There is a sense of peace and tranquility here. 

Using intentional camera movement enabled me to show the contours of the landscape and the shadows of the clouds passing overhead.  It also allowed me to play with the shadows and light of the central trees which rose high above me with their branches, now bare of leaves, reaching up to the sky.  The outer circle of trees still evident  in the background. 

I chose to process these images in monochrome to showcase the tones and shapes of the trees and landscape without the distraction of colour. 

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These 9 images were included in an exhibition at the Salon of Contemporary Art 2023 from 16th - 18th June 2023 at the Museum of Making in Derby.