June: month in review
Each month I aim to pick an image that, in my mind at least, captures the flavour of that month. It might not be the best image from the month, or the most spectacular of subjects; it just needs to illustrate something about the month.
Dilapidated bridge in Locherwood Community Woodland…
Fujifilm X-T3 | 39mm f/8.0 1/50s ISO800
What’s this month’s image? It’s a bridge on one of the paths in Locherwood Community Woodland which, sadly, has seen much better days.
Did you do anything to it? There wasn’t much that needed to be done with this; there were a couple of blemishes that I’ve cleaned up as well as some dodging and burning to enhance the foreground and lift the shadows.
What’s it doing here? I shot a version of this image, when the bridge was in much better condition, around about this time last year. Paul at Mill Magazine in Paisley had approached a number of photographers to submit images for a piece that will illustrate the best of Renfrewshire; I’d submitted the earlier version, but on reflection I prefer this version.
Renfrewshire doesn’t obviously have any of the honey pot locations for landscape photographers; there aren’t the dramatic peaks of the Highlands, the rolling hills of the Southern Uplands or the spectacular coastal vistas of the islands. It does, however, have a quiet beauty that is as evocative as anywhere else in Scotland. This scene, to my mind at least, is a great example of the hidden gems that make it a great place to live.
Locherwood Community Woodland sits between Lochwinnoch and Kilmacolm and comprises lush woodland, with some lovely walking routes. The woodland borders onto Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park and it is possible to walk from Locherwood to the visitor centre near to Windy Hill. If you’re in the area it’s a very pleasant way to spend two or three hours.
Have you been up to much else? It’s definitely been a little busier. In a slight departure I’ve managed a couple of trips to Knockhill to take pictures of stuff going very fast. While fun, it’s definitely more challenging that taking photographs of things that don’t move and the discard folder was huge! There are a few illustrations below and it’s definitely worth a repeat visit later in the year.
Any recommendations? A couple…
Reading: Managed to get some reading time this month and the pick of the bunch was Piranesi by Susanna Clark; an entertaining diversion and very well written.
Listening: An old favourite - California by Wilson Phillips - was the accompaniment for a drive up to Inverness. Very chill.
Viewing: Mainly avoiding the football…
Lastly, any final words? Yes - will definitely revisit the motorsport…
