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Hidden Gems

9/3/2014

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I have been rambling for a number of years now. It’s an opportunity to get out of the city and enjoy what the countryside has to offer. I often take my camera, and capture the hidden gems I find on the way. 

I often enjoy the scenery, which can vary incredibly in such a small country of the UK. Also, there are little hidden architectural gems you can come across. 

While I have rambled in many areas of the UK, I predominately walk in the South East. Yesterday, I was walking in Surrey and below is a selection of photos I took on the walk. 
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Mid-Winter

21/1/2013

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Woodbrooke, Selly Oak, UK
There is something magical about snow. Growing up in Canada, winter wouldn’t be winter without months of snow. There were mounds of it, for months. The first snowfall often made children (both young and old) excited. Parks filled up with sledges and toboggans. 

Living for a number of years in London, winter mainly brought rain and dampness, along with copious amounts of tea to keep warm. The last few years, however, winter has brought snow – even for a few days. 

For nearly a week now, much of the UK has had significant amounts of snow. While it’s not as much as there would be in Canada, it has certainly brought memories of Canadian winters. There has certainly been some travel chaos, closed schools and quite a few children sledging. 

I managed to get to Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Selly Oaks, near Birmingham last weekend for a course. Getting there and back was a journey in itself, but well worth it. The grounds at the Centre certainly offer an oasis, and with all of the snow a wintery one. 

I have been to Woodbrooke a couple of times before – in spring and autumn. The grounds (as well as the Centre) provide a tranquil space, but in the snow, there was a different kind of peacefulness. The grounds provided a certain stillness in the snow. Nature was in a deep slumber. 

Walking mindfully around the grounds, I enjoyed the stillness and quiet. It was a quiet meditation in the snow – allowing the freshness of the cold air to fill my lungs and to walk on the powdery blanket of snow. 

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Woodbrooke, Selly Oak, UK
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In a Rural Setting

7/10/2012

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Picture
East Sussex, England, UK
Recently, a group of my friends and I hiked from Polegate to Buxted in Sussex, England. Along the way we, passed by the Long Man of Wilmington, a chalk figure carved in a hill in Wilmington, East Sussex. 

While it was fabulous to see the Long Man and an amazing countryside, what struck was the architecture that we passed along the way. The thatched room homes, the stone churches and the cottages that have been turned into desirable places to live. 

Many of these buildings were tucked away in the countryside in small sleepy villages that hark back to a very different era. In a way, time seemed to march on at a different pace in these little villages. 

The architecture is influenced by its setting insofar what materials were available, and is very different from what is found in larger cities. It also reflects the small communities that emerged over the centuries, and the buildings have a character of their own. 

There is a somewhat romantic feel of yesteryear in these villages and buildings. However, I am sure that maintaining these buildings today does involved quite a lot of work, and money. 

Living in a city, I felt fortunate for having been able to see these rural buildings on the hike. It made a change from what I am used to!

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East Sussex, England, UK
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Summer's Bloom

9/9/2012

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With summer slowly fading into autumn, I am trying to hold onto the last remnants of the season. While I tend to prefer textured shots in black and white which play with light, the subject matter dictates whether I shoot in black and white or in colour. This is certainly true in summer as colours are often more prominent. 

This summer, I visited Canada after a few years away. Visiting the same areas and cities can pose a challenge – how do I keep my images fresh and new? How do I keep from taking the same photos over and over again?

While photographing the same things can show incremental changes over time, I am given the opportunity to see familiar places in a different light. I had this opportunity this past July in Canada. As I was finishing off a roll of colour film in a garden, I stumbled upon some lovely orange and yellow flowers in a neighbours garden. 

The colours were fabulous, and demanded to be photographed in colour. I was very happy with the results. The orange, yellow, green and blue played with each other and supplemented each other. I couldn’t have had asked for anything more beautiful and delicate. 

I couldn’t have asked for anything else – the flowers were stunning and didn’t need any setting up. The colours blended and highlighted each other nicely.

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Ships Ahoy!

6/8/2012

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Hastings, East Sussex, England
There is something about the seaside that I really enjoy. Being near the ocean is something special. It can be bracing, and calm – sometimes all at once. It can be a gateway or fortified. Some make a living by the sea, while others have lost their lives. 

I visited Hastings for the first time last Saturday. I have been to other seaside towns like Dover and Folkestone in the past. I have enjoyed the all, and I enjoyed seeing the fisherman’s boats in Hastings. It reminded of times gone past where many coastal towns depended on fisherman for their livelihoods. 

The circular walk I did near Hastings gave wonderful views of the city itself as well as the town. The countryside and the views were dramatic. 

Walking back through the town to the train station – via a chippie – I took some photos of the fisherman’s boats and the buildings related to fishing. It was nice to see that they were still maintained. With the decline of the fisheries, it is very easy to lose this heritage. 

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Hastings, East Sussex, England
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Cold Beauty

5/2/2012

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Hertfordshire, England, UK
On a recent ramble between Welwyn North and Hertford North, a group of us wrapped up for a chilly walk through the beautiful Hertfordshire landscape. I am not familiar with the counties lying north of London, but enjoyed exploring what Hertfordshire had to offer.

The near freezing temperatures gave a beautiful, crisp atmosphere. The crispness of the air, the frost on the ground and the fogginess lent itself to being photographed. The trees and the frost covered fields contrasted against the chilly fog.

There was a certain sleepy stillness on the walk, and the smell of log fires added to the atmosphere. 

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Hertfordshire, England, UK
There is something magical about winter scenes. Often they are associated with Christmas, but we tend to forget that winter lasts past Christmas.


I enjoy taking photos when it’s crisp and cold outside – although it can be a bit difficult on the fingers. 
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Richness of Colour

30/10/2011

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Picture
Woodbrooke, Birmingham, UK
The richness of autumn always draws me into its fleeting presence. Each season has its own character, and I enjoy them for their uniqueness. However, there is something about the fading warmth in autumn that I enjoy.

It is the time of the year where the clocks go back, the days shorten and cooler temperatures hinting at winter coming. The highlight of the year for me is the changing of the leaves.

None more extravagant is autumn in Canada and the northern United States. The changing leaves become an orgasm of colour. I tend to photograph the changing colours in Canada with Velvia 50. The film saturates the already vibrant colours – giving them a more intense look and feel.

I find the colours muted in the UK, but nonetheless still beautiful. I was fortunate to spend a weekend at Woodbrooke, the Quaker Study Centre near Birmingham. The grounds of the centre are beautiful, and I had an opportunity to walk around them.

The rustic colours were warming, and added to the peaceful atmosphere of the grounds. It reminded me a little of being in Canada. Although I didn’t have my film camera with me, I managed to get some good photographs with my digital point and shoot. The yellows and reds were the trees equivalent to a warming fire. 

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Woodbrooke, Birmingham, UK
Having to take a rail replacement bus service home today made me really appreciate the hints of autumn colour on London trees. On the train, I do notice the trees and shrubs along the track. However, they have become all too familiar. I really valued the slower, and more meandering, route home - through areas of London I don’t tend to go through – and enjoyed the tops of trees painted with gold.  
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Vernacular Architecture

7/8/2011

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Picture
Oast house, Kent / Sussex border, UK
Recently, I was on a rambling walk along the Kent and Sussex border. This is a beautiful, and at times rugged, part of the country. Being a city-based photographer, I enjoy getting out of the city and seeing different parts of the country, and different styles of buildings and architecture. 

One of the famous types of buildings in the area, particularly in Kent, is the oast house or hop kiln, which is a building designed for kilning (drying) hops as part of the brewing process. Many redundant oasts have been converted into houses - which was the case of the oast house we passed early on in our walk.

The earliest surviving oasts date back to the 1750s. Early oast houses were simply adapted barns. By the early 19th century, the distinctive circular buildings with conical roofs had been developed in response to the increased demand for beer. In early in the 20th century, square oast houses appeared as they were found to be easier to build. In the 1930s, the cowls were replaced by louvred openings as electric fans and diesel oil ovens were employed. 

This is the first time I was able to photograph an oast, even if it was converted in home. Although hops are today dried industrially, I am glad that the unique architecture of the oast houses is not entirely lost. Brewing beer has become part of the cultural fabric of the UK, and its influence on the local architecture in Kent and parts of Sussex is distinctive. 

Architecture says a lot about local industry, way of life and the communities in a particular area. While these change over time, adapting some of the former buildings for modern can keep history alive, and the distinctive feel of an area. 

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Brooding

5/6/2011

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Picture
Castle Howard, Yorkshire, UK
I often come across the attitude that photos can only really be taken in sunshine. Overcast days, which tend to be frequent in the UK, aren’t seen to be as picture-worthy as its sunny cousin – and evening shots are often forgotten altogether. 

Gray weather doesn’t tend to put me off, and often see it as a perfect opportunity to get brooding, atmospheric and textured shots that don’t present themselves as readily in bright daylight. I sometimes appreciate a grey sky as the subject matter presents another side of its character, and generally reach for my black and white film. 

A visit to Castle Howard in Yorkshire a few years ago is a perfect example of this. I was visiting friends in York, and we decided to do a day trip to the estate. The weather overcast and rainy. I was in heaven. 

Most of it was built between 1699 and 1712 for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, to a design by Sir John Vanbrugh. Castle Howard has been the home of part of the Howard family for more than 300 years, and is the setting for TV and film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

The setting lends itself to either colour or black and white. However, with the weather the way it was, I couldn’t resist taking photos in black & white. After a tour of the house itself, we walked part of the grounds before the rain started in earnest. 

One of my favourite shots is of a bridge over a stream cutting through the grounds. The sky was steadily getting darker, and more threatening. The viewer can almost smell the rain coming. 

To get a nice contrast in the image, I used Ilford Pan-F 50 film, which is a nice slow film. This is a stalwart of mine, and often find it gives me the contrast and texture I’m after. I must admit, it certainly lent itself to Castle Howard. 

I managed to capture the shot just before the rain started, and feel fortunate. My friends and I just managed to get back to the House before the rain started to really pour. 

Capturing atmospheric shots can be very rewarding, particularly when you capture the moment well.

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Character

17/4/2011

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Picture
Mallorca, Spain
I was first introduced to Spain when I visited Mallorca a few years ago. While on a retreat in a little village outside of Palma, I had the opportunity to discover the delights of Spanish architecture, along with Spanish culture and cuisine. 

The colours and textures really drew me to the architecture, and the earthiness reflected the character of the people, the Island, and the weather. It was a contrast to the comparatively monotone and understated architecture of London’s suburbia. 

It may not be fair to compare the two as London does have its own character buildings, but I do fine them more reserved at times. 

Because I was on retreat, I had brought my small point and shoot digital camera. While I would have preferred one of my better cameras, I appreciated the lightness of having a smaller camera. The images I took could be described as holiday photos, they do capture the essence of the places we stayed at and visited. 

The warm May weather brought out the character and texture of the buildings in the sleepy village. I seemed drawn to the details of the place, and was spoiled for choice. While wondering around the village on lazy afternoon when I had a few hours to myself, an old stone building captured my eye. 

The parking restrictions sign was contrasted against the building, both in terms of colour and its purpose. Its position beside the window made the image. The one without the other would make for a very different image, and one that may not be as interesting. 

The warm, earthy tones of the building can be felt in the changes in texture of the walls, and the window seems to indicate that the house is in the middle of a siesta. The timelessness of the building is contrasted against the modern sign. 

After spending a week in the warmth that Mallorca offered me, I found it difficult to come back to London where I was presented with a damp 7C. However, I knew I would be back to visit Spain.

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    Author

    Heather Martin is a London based photographer who specialises in architectural, event and B&W film photography.

    For more info, please to the About page.

    **Heather Martin owns the copyright to all the photographs and text within this blog, unless otherwise stated.

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