Winter Trees and Branches (February 2019)

There is almost a full canopy of leaves on the Southwell Trail as I write at the end of April. Only the ash trees are yet to sprout. Some trees, like the oaks, are still developing and the leaves are displaying that fresh spring colour which is more yellow than green. Already the structure of the trees is being disguised by greenery creating ever deepening shadows as the leaves strain for space and light.

One benefit of being behind on my photograph processing, and even further behind on my blog posts, is the new perspective that is possible on older images. In my February trail catalogue I had a section on winter trees, some of which I posted a few weeks ago, and then another set that I had broadly discarded. Now the trail has quickly moved to the spring/summer condition I am looking at the discarded set with some sense of missing the stark winter branches and the brightness of the trail under leafless trees.

Don't get me wrong though, I love the change of seasons, and spring will bring a whole new set of photographic opportunities including the wonderful bluebells I captured this week. In the meantime, I am happy to look back and indulge in some of the last of the winter photography: