April is all about springtime and capturing all the blooming rapeseed farmland and bluebell and garlic woodland. What follows is my landscape photography adventures through the Kent downs, east Sussex wealds, west Sussex parks and ancient woodland in Wiltshire during April 2024.

Wilmington Hill Rapeseed

Come April and driving along the A27 towards Eastbourne and you could not help but notice the Rapeseed fields at the foot of Wilmington Hill. The rapeseed was now growing where I had shot the previous years late summer harvest. There is a new cycle and footpath running parellel to the farm fields so parking up in Wilmington one early April morning made my way to the Rapeseed fields.

Morning worked well with the sunlight coming in from the left of the frame. The broken clouds created pools of light and shadow on the rapeseed fields. Morning golden hour light would work better with the yellow of the rapeseed. I did return another morning but the sunlight failed to break through the cloud cover that was not predicted.

You had to work with the Telegraph poles and lines. But for the lone tree shot had to remove them post processing. Lots of composition variations here should have shot some panoramic to try to capture the expanse of the rapeseed fields under Wilmington Hill on the south downs.

Milton Street Berwick Church

Continuing along the A27 towards Alfriston opens up some fantastic views of Berwick church spire with Bo Peep and the south downs rising in the background. Today there was some fantastic light and pulled over into a layby. Checking OS Maps on my mobile there was some footpaths running parallel to Milton Street.

April rapeseed fields provided a patchwork of colour and contrast with pools of light and shadow with the pending storm clouds above. In the east Sussex countryside still discovering new viewpoints.

Bo Peep View

After a coffee and sausage sandwich pitstop in Alfriston village then headed up to Bo Peep to check out the views of the April east Sussex countryside.

Managed to catch the last of the sunlight breaking through the heavy cloud then the heavens opened up. Was only wearing my soft shell not bring my hard shell so got soaked.

Milton Street Cottage

I returned the second weekend of April to photograph the rapeseed fields under Wilmington hill at dawn. The weather apps predicted clear skies to the east so wanted to observe golden hour light on the yellow flowers. But as is often the case it not happen, clouds on the horizon blocked the sun for most of the day.

One composition I did discover near Milton Street was a very distinctive cottage with the long man of Wilmington rising in the background. But with no light, good compositions fail to make the grade. But when its dull and overcast can still scout out new locations get in a good hike and return when the light is better.

Dallington Forest High Weald

Early April around Milton Street I had noticed some early bloomer bluebells by the footpaths and woodland edge. A sure sign of spring, decided to make a return to the high weald and check out what was blooming within Dallington Forest.

The bluebells within Dallington were a good week away from full bloom, although Dallington is better for carpets of garlic, still a good hike.

Abbots Wood Bluebells

Abbots woods on the low weald close to the famous Arlington bluebell wood and walk was my next destination. Parts of Abbots wood if you know where has carpets of bluebells so would be a good location to check out early April.

In Abbots woold the bluebells were in early full bloom. Using the 70-200mm lens gives you a compressed perspective and allows you to get good shots from the footpaths with no need to stray from the path for that perfect shot. The lush green and blue contrast beautifully and the shot is all about springtime colours light, shadow and shapes.

Location Variety

To be honest was feeling like I needed to explore pastures new. The great thing about landscape photography is the variety even if you return to the same locations, each day and season is different. But is also good to expand your comfort zone and explore new locations. I not feel with my current knowledge of bluebell locations I would improve upon my previous bluebell woodland compositions.

Kings Wood Bluebells Kent Downs

The following April weekend decided to visit Kings Wood on the Kent downs to photograph the bluebell woodland there. The weather was good this weekend, lots of sunshine but some strong winds.

Over the mid April weekend I made 3 visits to Kings Wood on the Kent Downs and managed on the final trip to get the shot I had scouted and then visualised. One of my best bluebell shots to date and Kings wood is one of the best bluebell woodlands I have had the pleasure to visit.

What makes a great Photograph?

So what makes it a good photograph?. The individual elements of interest that it contains. The footpath provides a leading line and depth even with a slight S curve, good colour, it takes you into the enchanting forest. Obviously the bluebells themselves being the English variety and not Spanish. The overhanging beech tree leaves and branches. The mature beech tree trunks rising majestically. But the most distinctive is the fleeting evening golden hour light hitting these individual elements. A good picture usually contains 3 elements but this contains 5.

Distractions

Also worth considering is are there elements within the image that subtract from it, anything distracting? Not in this one, the background is very good too, no sky creating bright spots in the tree tops. Overall a great image that required a lot of footwork, repeat visits, timing, patience and some technical competence with the strong winds, low light and moving foliage.

Technical Composition

When I first started out in landscape photography I was not so interested in composition more technical prowess. As you develop as a photographer you realise that great photos are much more about composition than technical settings. A key component of composition is repeat visits under optimum conditions. This then requires those more cultivated human qualities of perseverance and patience.

Dallington Garlic Woodland

The last weekend of April 2024 was overcast but now wanted to try and improve on my best garlic woodland shots. The main forest I know for wild Garlic is Dallington Forest on the high weald. Decided to make a return there and scout it out a bit more. One essential ingredient missing for a good photograph was sunlight but there was no wind.

Did find an interesting old farm gate with a carpet of garlic in the background. The view angle was limited and could only set up close by at the front. With some golden light hitting the gate could have raised the standard.

Although parts of Dallington Forest on the high weald have thick carpets of wild Garlic in late April, compositions can be difficult to nail. Managed to find one with some thick carpets of garlic overhanging lush foliage even some animal tracks but lacks light.

Arundel Park West Sussex

The last weekend of April and had to be in Wiltshire early Monday morning for a work meeting. So decided to make a day of it and stopover the night before. So Sunday made my way to Wiltshire along the A27 stopping off at Whiteways with the intention of a big hike down to Arundel hoping to discover some good compositions that included the castle.

It had been raining all night, more like Asia than April Showers. Luckily by the time I arrived at Whiteway’s the rain stopped but was dressed in my hard-shells. Not far from Whiteway’s near Houghton is a viewpoint down to the Sussex coast with the south downs rising beside the Arun valley.

Good hike through Arundel park. Failed to find any viewpoints that included the castle that would be to the left of the above composition, at least from the public footpaths. Some nice woodland with some light and autumn could work very well. Lots of cafes along Arundel high street and had a very well deserved sausage and egg bap and fresh ground coffee. So much more enjoyable after a long hike and actually feeling hungry. Decided to get a taxi back to Whiteways was behind schedule and wanted to be in Wiltshire before 3pm.

Savernake Forest Marlborough Wiltshire

I would be staying in Marlborough and exploring some woodland close by that I missed on my last trip there. First stop was Savernake Forest with its ancient Oak trees dotted around some over 1000 years old.

It was a whistlestop tour of Savernake forest visiting some of the main oak trees. Even though the trees themselves are old and gnarled they can be hard to compose given their size and location. As usual would take many visits to improve the compositions. To be honest I was more interested in witnessing such a rare sight rather than photographing them. Savernake Forest I think would work a lot better in the autumn rather than springtime there not being any flowers. Although a fraction of its original size Savernake forest is the largest in Wiltshire, so a lot to cover.

West Wood Marlborough Wiltshire

As luck would have it just to the west of Savernake is West Woods one of Britain’s top rated bluebell woodland. This was once part of Savernake Forest before modern destruction. West Woods was my main target for the day hoping to get another indulgent serving of magnificent bluebell woodland. I not know where the bluebells were but parked up on the western edge using OS Maps as my guide. The plan was stick to the edge of the forest hoping to get some raking evening golden hour light.

Basically it went to plan finding my bluebell and beech tree composition pretty quickly on the north west edge of West Woods. I had some time to wait for better light so scouted the forest some more, the bluebells and beech trees go on for miles in West woods, but came back to my original composition. Its very much a cliché shot not as good as the one from Kings Wood on the Kent downs but good nonetheless. I could not stay for optimal lighting conditions as after hiking 20km that day needed to get back to the hotel before 8:30pm for dinner and much deserved beer.

End Of April

April 2024 had been a good month for getting outdoors and photographing springtime in all its blooming glory. Considering only had the weekends due to working full time although this did afford me a trip into west Sussex and Wiltshire. Although I will always remember April 2024 for my first visit to Kings Wood on the Kent Downs and the wonderful displays of bluebells there. Roll on May and summertime.

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