jeudi 22 septembre 2005

More Scenes from Wiltshire... Malmesbury River Walk Yes... two "Scenes from Wiltshire" in consecutive blogs. But, there's a reason for my urgency in writing and illustrating these which a number of photographers don't fully appreciate... that during the shorter days of the year, when the sun is lower in the sky, the atmosphere, contrast and shadows are much more exciting to view through a camera. And that's not all... if you find it easy to get up and get out with a camera for a summer sunrise at 4:30 am that's commendable... but most don't have that discipline. On the other hand a late autumn sunrise at 7:30 am is much more inviting after tea, toast and a toe-warming in front of the fire. I've taken you on "virtual" visits to Malmesbury a few times already... the Bristol branch of the River Avon, the tallest and smallest churches - Malmesbury Abbey and Bremilham-cum-Foxley being examples. It was a special town for me for a few years when I lived there and I put a lot of energy into my photography throughout that part of the West Country. Whether or not I was photographically productive (creative even) because of changing camera systems several times whilst there is a moot point... but I did use complete systems (by complete I mean at least two camera bodies and probably seven or eight lenses) based on the Nikon F3, Pentax LX, Canon F1n, Leica M4/P as well as smaller medium-format systems from Pentax 67, Hasselblad 500CM and Fuji 690 (yes, the Fuji roll-film rangefinder with interchangeable lenses whose negatives I still look at occasionally when I need to be amazed at how stunning film can be). In addition I used a 5 x 4 inch large-format Wista Field camera. In fairness I have to admit that I arrived in Malmesbury with a Nikon outfit of long standing and left after seven years with a pair of "1984 Los Angeles Olympics" special edition Canon F1n bodies... so I didn't actually change my 35 mm systems four times in less than twice as many years - but it was a close run thing as I took a year off and worked in a camera store in Swindon which led to more temptations, albeit at "trade discounts." But I digress, the years in Malmesbury were productive because I was working on two photo "part works" for different publishers as well as freelancing for Thames TV all over the UK. Whatever camera system I was using would always have one body loaded with film for my own files... and it is from those I am largely drawing now. The dozen frames in the composite image above are from many hundreds taken in 1981 through 1983 wandering across one small meadow - called Conygre Mead after the rabbit warrens there - flanked by the river Avon. I could walk there in a couple of minutes because my house overlooked it... in the winter months the sun rose through the strand of aspens - as seen in the red and orange filtered shots. If I didn't dress and go out into the cold dawn air I could stay warm and photograph the meadow with a long lens from my study window - as in the shot of the sun peeping around the old Abbey House now owned by the "naked gardeners." But it was a place to explore... if you were prepared for frost-numbed fingers, trousers covered in sticky burrs and other seeds, plus soaked shoes and socks, then this was the place to start a one-hour walk that provided countless photo opportunities even if you only picked one lens for your camera. Remember, it's your eyes that see, brain that thinks... the camera merely records your visions and thoughts. [Sounds like another "quote" Amanda!] I checked for the latest information and updated map for the Malmesbury River Walk and the route is exactly the same as when I did it so many times over twenty years ago. You start on the site of the old railway station and follow the river... but from here on I'll recommend the report by Christopher Sommerville on his Walk of the Month in the "Daily Telegraph"... "As I climbed the steps from the River Avon to Malmesbury Abbey on a beautiful spring morning, a woman hurrying to work fell in step alongside. "Visiting our town?" she cooed in the ripest of Wiltshire accents. "It's like going back 50 years, Malmesbury. We're a quiet little place, but there's a lot to us, you'll find..." During any season of the year this short, one-hour ramble, with pubs and cafés awaiting you in the town, is a delight... I used to see plenty of wildlife including rabbits, hares and fox... too many birds to remember from woodpeckers to kingfishers... and many varieties of flora I had no knowledge of as there are said to be over 100 different species including Burnet Saxifrage and rare Whitemeadow Cranesbill. I did recognise the frosted teazels though... the same patch is probably still there... see how you can photograph it differently from my three efforts! 10:48:00 PM    comment []