Last weekend we went to see Hever Castle, the home for a few years of Anne Boleyn who became Henry VIII’s second wife. The reason for the visit was that currently here in the UK a superb BBC TV series called ‘Wolf Hall’ is airing based on the award-winning book of the same name by Hilary Mantel that is all about that period of history.
It was fascinating to feel that acute sense of history as I walked the floors, stood in the rooms, and looked at the portraits painted by Holbein. But I came away without any photographs: none were allowed in the Castle and its exterior just didn’t grab my attention.
As we walked in the extensive gardens, the sun finally appeared and the landscape acquired life, and images followed. The water around a fountain sparkled and shimmered.
There’s nothing to suggest the origin or provenance of these images – they happen to have been taken at Hever Castle but they are not identifiable of Hever.
I find that is so often the case. I go somewhere special armed with a camera, and more often than not I do capture images of that particular place, but at a guess I would say that very often more than 50% of the images I find are completely unrelated to that specific place. They arise because I am naturally in image-hunting mode and my eye has no particular agenda to follow. Sounds familiar?
very nice
Thanks you Shimon.
I found the first photo attractive, and the second, appealing. The difference is the duck, of course. The colors help to support the conceit that she’s one of the reflections, taken form and come to life.
Thanks Linda. I really wasn’t intending to get the duck in the frame. I was using my compact with its inevitable little bit of shutter delay and that’s how he crept into the frame! To begin with I was a little annoyed, but actually back home I quite liked the way she (a female Mallard duck) just created a slightly different disturbance without dominating the scene.
Love these watery abstracts. I visited Hever many many years ago and the memory of it has faded. I must say, I am enjoying the TV series – absolutely sumptuous, and excellent in every way. I hadn’t read the books, but intend to do so now. Have you read them, and are you enjoying the series?
Thanks Meanderer. Yes, it’s a great series, I’m looking forward to tonight’s episode. Mark Rylance is mesmerising as Cromwell. I haven’t read the book, my wife struggled through it determined to get her money’s worth but described it as turgid and a few other things too – none complimentary!
Absolutely familiar! Glad your eye was working to get these water shots. Nice.
Thanks Linda. It’s good to get back to finding reflections
I might have half of my inventory of shots involving water since I moved to Webster. I never tire of the subject either shooting or viewing the work of others. Very nice shots, Andy.
There’s something special about water, isn’t there. It’s never the same two days running.
Yes, it absolutely sounds familiar! When I am in the zone, every single thing I see seems to be a photograph. I love days like that!
I remember you saying something like that in the past – It’s been added to my collection of Photography quotations!
it looks like a painting…nice photo!
Many thanks for your comment – and good luck with your new blog
Sounds so familiar Andy. Love the abstracts no matter where they are from.
Many thanks Len