I am very pleased to have been awarded Highly Commended for two of my images in the International Garden Photographer of the Year, in the same category - Fragile Landscapes.
The first, below, was taken at Marden meadow, in Kent. It is one of Kent’s best remaining examples of unimproved hay-meadow where each May it is covered with thousands of green-winged orchids and adders tongue fern. I have visited this site many times over the years largely concentrating on small groups and individual orchids. However, I was never really satisfied as I felt that something more could be achieved in such a wonderful setting. So, for 3 consecutive mornings I rose at 3am and drove the 20 mile trip to the meadow. Each morning, there was a thick mist which slowly dissipated as the sun rose and burnt through it. All the while, a cuckoo would punctuate the silence.
It was shot using a Nikon D2x, 12-24mm at 42mm, iso 100, 1/8 sec. f16, 0.9 ND grad, Manfrotto 190 tripod, mirror lock-up. Processed in LR3 and CS4.
And the second was taken on the North Kent Marshes, last May. I had noticed this isolated group on a dreary day a few days previous and so returned when the conditions were more favourable. The yellow, or flag, iris is not a common flower on the marshes so where is does occur, it really stands out from the surrounding green marsh plants.
I shot this image using a Nikon D2x, 12-24mm at 18mm, iso 400 (a higher than normal iso was selcted due to a nagging breeze), 1/5 sec f16, 0.9 ND grad, Manfrotto 055 tripod, mirror lock-up. Processed in LR3 and CS4.
To see the winning and other commended entries, please click here.
