IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE IMAGE

(Well, maybe not all the time…….)

I spent a very rewarding day in the Forest of Dean earlier this week.

Having arranged to meet an old friend for a walk, I arrived early to see how the seasonal change was progressing.

With two hours to spare this was more of a scouting trip than a photography session, but I’m always hopeful of finding a scene that can be turned into an image. Since my last visit a couple of weeks earlier it was clear that the thick carpet of woodland ferns were starting to die back with shades of brown adding much-needed contrast to the forest floor. The ferns will soon be taking on shades of orange and that’s when I’ll start to include them in my images. As it was still fairly early in the day there were only a few people around but chatting to one of the locals walking a beautiful Golden Retriever gained me some useful information about a spot near to us for a future visit. I’ve lost count of the number of times people have been kind enough to share knowledge of their local area, so as well as being polite and saying hello, it’s always good to pass the time of day and can often be beneficial in unexpected ways. Gleaning this type of information is definitely a short cut, saving both time and leg work in finding the right scene.

After leaving my new four legged friend behind, I walked for a mile or so taking in the detail of the forest and noting a significant increase in signs of wild boar activity. Despite recent culls their numbers appear to be on the increase again, meaning there are more hunters (licensed and unlicensed) in the forest nowadays. Rounding a bend in the trail I noticed movement above me on the embankment to my left. Around 200 metres away was a doe and her two fawns slowly making their way down the wooded bank towards the path. Dropping to my haunches I tried to stay as still as possible (not easy at my age!) hoping they remained unaware of me but after a few more paces the doe stopped and sniffed the air, looking straight at me. She then carried on with the fawns close behind her and appeared not to have seen me. At this point I was trying (and failing) to get my phone out my jacket pocket without moving or making a sound (ever tried it? Impossible). The doe then stepped onto the trail and saw me for the first time. She sprang around six feet into the air, easily clearing the path and landing in the undergrowth on the opposite side. The fawns ran across and disappeared as quickly as their mother. I hate disturbing deer as they’re so wary of humans and I didn’t like the thought that I’d frightened those babies. I wish I could have got an image of the doe leaping the path though but it wasn’t meant to be. I was just happy that they all appeared to be safe. Had I been one of the many hunters in the Forest of Dean I’m certain there would have been a different outcome and venison on the menu of one of the local hotels later that week. (Venison, by the way, comes from the Latin venatus, “to hunt” and the word historically referred to any edible animal but is now mainly used to refer to deer meat). But for a twist of fate, two fawns could have been orphaned this morning, their lives irrevocably changed and under threat.

Continuing on I found myself in a reflective mood, thinking how fragile life is (cue the beautiful Sting ballad). The sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth only days earlier was a poignant reminder that nothing is permanent and as the nation mourns we inevitably reflect on our own lives. I’m at an age where material things become less important (says he, with a backpack full of camera equipment), and values change. The wellbeing of loved ones takes on even greater significance than ever and friends and family become even more valued. There’s no doubt that time mellows a person but does it make them more thoughtful towards others, possibly even philanthropic? In my own case, I believe I’ve always had a social conscience but recent world-wide events as well as the passing of time, bring these thoughts more to mind these days. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my old age……

Having been lost in thought for some time I found the woodland changing from broad leaf to plantation, not my favourite type of forest, certainly not from a photographic point of view, but I accept that plantations are essential and provide vital habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna. It felt like a good time to head back to the car, now an hour away, so after a quick coffee and a look at the map I found a shorter route back, heading higher up the bank I’d walked below earlier. Signs of Autumn were few and far between but the next six weeks will bring the changes to the forest canopy. I was also on the look out for early signs of fungi but didn’t find any - another symptom of this year’s drought? We’re now just a week away from the Autumn equinox so the longer nights will bring a drop in temperatures - the catalyst for leaves changing colour. I look forward to Autumn so much and I’ve said here previously that it’s easily my favourite season but I’m not sure what type of Autumn we’re likely to get this year. The extremely dry Summer has already caused leaves to turn brown due to lack of water so we may have an early, brief spell of colour before the first storms come. The weather forecast isn’t predicting much rain over the next two weeks so I really can’t call it. I’m obviously hoping for a prolonged, vivid change so that we have maximum opportunity to capture that one season-defining image to add to the portfolio. Lots of misty mornings would be welcome too ! There’s still room for some selfish thoughts occasionally.

I was in time for the rendezvous with my old mate Kevin and his new rescue dog George, a stunning Cocker Spaniel. George was abandoned by a breeder because he had problems with, how can I put it?, the more delicate parts of his anatomy, which meant he would be no use as a stud animal. Sad, but I guess those are the economics of the dog breeding business. Fortunately he now has a good home and is much loved by Kevin and his wife. We walked for over three hours and had lunch sat on a bench alongside a busy lake, watching the world go by and catching up on family news etc. COVID and its associated lockdowns put a temporary stop to days like these and so it was a huge pleasure to finally meet up again after three years. Kev’s got the driest sense of humour and laughs easily - just the kind of company you want on a day out. We’re meeting up again in a couple of weeks for a trek in the Cotswolds so this was a bit of a dress rehearsal and a chance to brush up the navigating skills.

The day was over far too soon but the weather had been kind, the company was outstanding, and the scenery was beautiful. Eight miles under the belt wasn’t too bad either and definitely worked up a thirst and despite being in woodland all day, the camera never came of out of the bag. There’ll be other days for that. I’d had a great day out, got plenty of exercise and met some new four legged friends.

So it’s most definitely not just about the image (well not on this day anyway).