Into June and the temperature is rising, day light hours are at their longest as we approach the summer solstice.  At the weekends was getting outdoors exploring more of what Hertfordshire has to offer and beyond to the landscape photographer and walker.

Well mostly landscape photography around Hertfordshire but I did wander across  the border once into Bedfordshire and again into Buckinghamshire.  The following is a compilation of my favourite compositions during the month of June.

Sundon Hills, Bedfordshire

I had visited Sundon Hills and Sharpenhoe Clappers before on a beautiful afternoon in March when winter had turned into spring.  This visit to Sundon Hills was a beautiful morning in June albeit a little hot where spring was rapidly turning into summer.

This morning in June I would take some different paths using OS Maps online and explore some different viewpoints and hopefully capture some new compositions.

Summertime and the landscape colours are predominantly green and blue with red and yellow being complimentary respectively.  The plan was to carry on the photo walk onto Sharpenhoe clappers but by 10AM it had got too hot.  So decided to head back home and return in the evening for a sunset from Sharpenhoe clappers.  I did return to Sharpenhoe clappers that evening and although beautiful there were too many people around.  Best to explore this area of the Chiltern hills early in the morning.

Preston Hills, Hertfordshire

I took this walk from the AA’s guide to Hertfordshire as was near where I lived in Stevenage.  Although starting from Preston just south of Hitchin the walk took you through Kingswalden Park.   It was a good 5 mile walk, but not expecting too many compositions.

Walking along a footpath I jumped up on a ridge where there was a hole through the foliage and got this intimate landscape shot with bales of hay as the focal point.  The walk did take you to the foot of the Preston hills being the northern most part of the Chilterns but could not manage a good composition that included something in the foreground.  I need to start focus stacking.

Wallington, Hertfordshire

I took this walk out of the AA guide to Hertfordshire, wanted something for an afternoon walk after work not too far away, with a need to get out in the countryside with my camera.  There was a promise of some good views and was the location of the inspiration behind animal farm, George Orwells book as he lived here for many years.

Straight out of Wallington, classic Hertfordshire countryside views with poppies in the foreground, leading lines provided by hedges and tracks, lots of interest in the sky with fast moving cumulus clouds and good light.  Needed a fast shutter speed with the poppies as was a strong breeze to avoid any motion blur.  Also needed a good depth of field with the background hills and trees.

Good views of the Hertfordshire countryside equals good compositions for landscape photography.  Daises in the foreground and with the sun and cumulus clouds providing spotlights on the fields in the background.  To capture the spotlights at the right moment was using a cable release.

By the time I made it back to Wallington, the wind had died down as the evening approached.  Felt like I had captured the Hertfordshire countryside with my walk around Wallington.

Barley, Hertfordshire

Barley is in north east Hertfordshire close to the borders with Cambridgeshire and Essex.  With the promise of great views east across to Essex.  It was a beautiful morning once I arrived and I was not disappointed with the views.

I would go as far as to say quintessential Hertfordshire landscape.  With the poppies in the foreground and providing a leading line to the countryside beyond it almost looks like a scene from Holland.  Lots of interest in the sky with the blue skies and low cumulus clouds.  I really should not have been in this field, but to get the best shot needed to do a little trespassing.  Checking photopills this would be a good position for both a sunset and a sunrise.

Towards the end of the walk around Barley, a new weather front was moving in, with the moody cloud formations providing interest in the sky.

Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire

My afternoon photo walk around Nuthampstead in Hertfordshore was more about getting outdoors and exercise than photography.  I realised then, like right in the beginning when I first got into Landscape photography it is secondary to just being out in the great outdoors.

I was not expecting much in terms of compositions, it was a warm afternoon with a featureless sky.  Nuthampstead use to be an American airbase during  WW2 and a memorial there honours the many that never returned home.  When wide angle compositions are lacking, especially in the summer, its time to go macro and photograph nature in the hedgerows.

Pitstone, Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire

It was going to be a very hot day in June, so the plan was to have arrived by 6AM at my chosen destination and be out by 10AM.  I decided on a return to Ivinghoe but taking in the Pitstone windmill and walking around Aldbury Nowers, hoping to photograph some wild Marjoram.

A windmill always makes a good focal point, but the sky was featureless.  Up on Pitstone hill there was a beautiful cool breeze blowing. Sat in the long grass admiring the views and enjoying the warm morning sunshine on my face, I felt content and happy to be alive.

I took the wrong footpath and missed Albury Nowers and found myself in some poppy scrub-land at Barley End. Divine intervention maybe.

Phew it was now getting hot, time to bale out.  Walking back to Ivinghoe in the canopy of the forest was much cooler.  With the sun behind me, using a polariser still made a difference, not just darkening, removal of reflections and saturation of colours.  Important to use a lens cap in bright sunlight to remove any sunflare and increase contrast, else try to find some shade to take your landscape photos from.

Baldock, Hertfordshire

Last day of and last photo walk of June was around the Hertfordshire town of Baldock.  Again more to stretch my legs, get some fresh air, not expecting any outstanding landscape compositions.

Walking out of Baldock, turning around, decided to capture the above composition, had to wait a little while for the cumulus clouds to add interest to the blue morning sky.  You can miss many good landscape photographs by not regularly turning around and checking the view behind you when your out hiking.

That sums up my June Landscape photography around the county of Hertfordshire and beyond.  You can download all these images in high resolution from my Hertfordshire landscape portfolio hosted on Shutterstock.