Into the month of May and still working hard in the east England county of Hertfordshire. At the weekends I would get out up to three times for a walk with my camera. What follows is a compilation during the month of May of locations for walks and landscape photography around Hertfordshire.
Pirton, Deacon Hill
I had already visited Deacon and Pegsdon Hills when I first arrived in Hertfordshire, but well worth a second visit, this time starting from the village of Pirton.
Deacon hill is right on the border of Hertfordshire and central Bedfordshire and the northern outcrop of the Chiltern Hills. It was lovely up on Deacon Hill, great views and very peaceful. There were a few Red Kites circling above. Im told on a warm day there can be a dozen or so red Kites circling above Deacon Hill.
I was handholding my camera although lugging around my tripod. Even at 1/30 sec I was getting sharp photos with image stabilisation. Beginning of May the days are getting longer and the weather warmer as spring turns to summer. But still you dont have to be out too late to catch the golden hour and sunset.
Hemel Hemstead , Gorhambury House
On a dull looking Saturday morning in May decided to visit a Hertfordshire town being Hemel Hemstead. In the new town there is not much to photograph.
But like Stevenage these new towns were built around old towns just after the second world war to house all the displaced people from the London Blitz. After exploring Hemel Hemstead, Using Google explore decided to visit Gorhambury house ruins nearby.
Just had my compact camera on me, but decided to bracket the shots of Gorhambury house as the dynamic range between the shadows and highlights was high, remembering to put my compact in manual mode, so exposure settings did not change. Some old English, Stead means place and bury means defence, or defended place by a wall etc.
Wheathamstead and the Ayots
It was a beautiful day in May and a return to the Ayots in Hertfordshire was in order with my DLSR starting the walk from Wheathamstead. First stop was the ruined church of Ayot St Lawrence.
Things got more interesting near Ayot St Peters where the Bluebells were making a last stand in a private forest. As a landscape photographer I will often wander into private land to get the shot.
Should have got my tripod out here when there is close foreground interest like the bluebells. But raised my ISO to get an extra stop of light without any noticeable noise. Pass Ayot St Green the blue sky was cloudless but then some cumulus clouds aka white fluffy moved in adding interest to the sky.
Beautiful day in May for a walk around the Ayots in Hertfordshire making my way back to Wheathamstead along the Lea Valley.
Hinxworth to Ashwell
I had had an uneventful day walking around Watford, so headed back out that evening to north east Hertfordshire, a village called Hinxworth. I found what looked like some interesting hills in Hertfordshire on wikishire. Google maps etc dont show county boundaries like Wikishire does.
Shortly into the walk I then realised I had much done the walk only last month in April through the village of Ashwell. Oh well I took in some different paths and a couple of pubs, so much better than being indoors. Then over Newham hill during golden hour to catch the church spire once again. Panoramas would work well here as a long strip of interest in the midground. Else the sky on this day and fields are just empty space.
On the way back to Hinxworth managed to capture a sunset but problems with sunflare pointing directly into the sun, even though using a 3 stop reverse density filter.
Pegsdons Hills
Ok, so the Pegsdon Hills are officially in Bedfordshire but only just across the border from Hertfordshire if taking the road out of Hitchin, so I thought I would include this oddball here. I have visited the Pegsdon hills before, but thought on this foggy May morning I would approach from a different angle.
Researching OS Maps online I was interested in the hilly topography near Hexton, but could not find suitable parking or paths. So parked up near the Icknield way and followed it to Hoo Bit nature reserve. When there is fog and mist, forest and wooded interiors can make good subjects for a composition.
And so this landscape photography photo exploration through Hertfordshire ends where it began with a view of Deacon hill from the foot of the Pegsdon hills with the morning mist rapidly dissipating.
Planning Compositions
In conclusion I was now making repeat visits throughout Hertfordshire to the same places like the Pegsdon Hills, the Ayots and Ashwell. But this is good for landscape photography getting more experience in one particular location. Every day, different times, the changing of the seasons gives rise to unique lighting conditions. Rather than a Jack of all places, become a master of one. A dull composition today could be a keeper tomorrow.