Due to the ongoing pandemic, and the necessity to stay local, I have been concentrating on photographing my own town of Kenilworth in Warwickshire.
Although I've lived in Kenilworth for about 13 years, I'd never really paid much notice of the photographic opportunities that the town offered, preferring to head to the mountains or coast for my photography trips. However, with the restrictions placed on travel over the last year I have been forced to think closer to home for my image making.
Kenilworth Castle
The Castle is the most obvious subject in the town. Built in the 12th Century, this Medieval Castle once played a central role in English history. It now exists as ruins, maintained by English Heritage, and open to the public.
The best views of the castle and surrounding can be found to the south of the structure. This viewpoint offers panoramic views of the whole castle, and in the winter the red sandstone building is illuminated by sunrise and sunset.
The low ground of the long-gone moat surrounding the castle is often waterlogged and offers an interesting foreground subject. Finham Brook is a small waterway that runs through the centre of the fields. Due to the low lying land, and the often waterlogged fields there is sometimes a low mist that hangs around the castle on a cold morning. This provides wonderful opportunity for making atmosphere images.
Setting up the camera for a panoramic photo of the castle in the snow. January 2021
Abbey Fields
Abbey Fields is another area that provides good photographic opportunities. Situated close to the castle, it has a small lake fed by Finham Brook that is surrounded by grassland and reeds that offer good foreground interest for photography. There are also many trees providing subject matter, particularly in Autumn. The best time for photography is on a cold morning when the lake is often shrouded in mist.
Capturing a freezing sunrise at the lake back in November 2020
Gallery