journal

I met an interesting man today while at Burlish Top. He was walking his dog and stopped to ask me if I’d lost mine as I must have looked confused. The purpose of my visit today was to try and map the Nature Reserve against the locations of the American Army Camp from WWII. I told him about my purpose and he gave me some fascinating information about the history of the place. The place I was standing in marked where the mess buildings were. The concrete pathways around the reserve were contemporary to the Army Base. He pointed out some holes on either side of the pathway and told me they were posts which held up the roof of a covered pathway. He had been invited for a meal to the base and remembered it well, it was fascinating to meet someone who had personal experience of the place.

I have gained an insight into the location which I did not have before and a mission to look for the location of the church which was used by Polish immigrants after the war, apparently just a concrete square is all that is left.

I took the photograph straight after the conversation as he walked into the distance to mark the moment and the location.

Although the history of Burlish Camp is fascinating my project does not depend on such. Finding out about the background to a location flavours the response and therefore the images produced. I am going to spend some looking a bit further into the history but also to place a limitation on the project.

A marvelous evening spent working on Carwash photos listening to Portico Quartet!

Some were taken today and some have been lurking on my phone for a while. Will finish tomorrow and upload them.

I am enjoying my visits to Burlish Top. Every visit is a different experience and throws up new images. The focus today was on the light coming through the trees. Although I had hoped to combine this with the recent concentration on the historical artefacts it was not possible because of the lay of the land at this time of day. I’ll have to wait until a sunny weekend day to see how the light spreads across the area. Knowledge of an area and getting a view of what is possible is an exciting prospect.

I feel as if i need to start bringing together the images I have taken at the gardens. A visit today as usual was peaceful and gleaned some good images. I felt though as if I was filling in gaps from previous visits although it also felt necessary.

Had a short time to take some photographs in the morning mist. Since the heathland clearance has begun a lot more remnants of the WW2 American Army buildings have become apparent. Making these a feature for Burlish Top looks like part of the plan. There are info posts about the buildings and the activity of the area during the War. I hope they leave some of the stonework as it is and don’t clean it all up. The moss covered stonework and the undergrowth add an air of mystery and a feeling of history being overtaken by nature. It would be a shame to see it all sanitised in the interests of ‘history’.

This new project using the local landscape is beginning to take shape.

Have been tied up so much recently I thought I would miss photographing Spring this year. Only had a short time today as there was a birthday party on this afternoon but love the flowers and the blossoms. The brisk wind today meant the blossoms are out of focus but some of the flower images are good. I’ll have to go back when the wind is less fierce and try again.

We took some students to Gloucester today for a photographic trip, mainly to the docks and the cathedral. A great day for weather and there were some great photo opportunities.

We went to the Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle. I decided I would produce a set of slightly overcooked HDR images of the visit for a bit of fun. Sometimes it’s good to have a break from the usual and the humdrum. The set are on https://www.flickr.com/photos/alex_drozd/

I was driving on the way home yesterday going the back way via countryside to avoid the traffic. I ‘saw’ many photographs I could have taken but no opportunity to do so. What is it about seeing images in this way – as soon as you go out with a camera these many become precious few.

Is it to do with expectations?