There are times when going out to take photographs seems a ridiculous idea, and this morning was very much one of those times. But in our Christmas holiday plans it was a time that was scheduled for me to wander off to the Common for a last glance at 2017. The weather forecast at the time was for a pretty reasonable morning, so my plan was to go over for sunrise and be back for morning coffee.
To see more images of sunrises on the Common, please click on this link: The Ornamental Pond: Sunrises
Imagine my delight when I awoke to hear the rain pelting down and the trees rustling enthusiastically in the wind. I considered doing the sensible thing and settling back down under the duvet, but you just never know: occasionally (very occasionally) I have set off in these circumstances and the colour show has been spectacular. Besides, I had woken up by this time, and the rain had sort of stopped, so I cycled off, full of ridiculous hope.
To see more images of sunrises on the Common, please click on this link: The Ornamental Pond: Sunrises
I arrived at the Ornamental Pond at the same time as the rain. Even by squinting through my most rose tinted spectacles I couldn’t continue to believe in a glorious sunrise. The sensible thing to do would be to go home. However, I am not known for doing the sensible thing. Instead, I wandered disconsolately, wondering if I had a hole in my left boot, until I came to the tree where my photography journey began about three and a half years ago. By chance, the sky was doing a slightly interesting thing with its clouds, which made it worth getting my camera out. Having done that, I wandered aimlessly for a while longer, and ended up at the Cemetery Lake.
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This was becoming a bit of a trip down memory lane, as the Cemetery Lake was the venue that I originally migrated to with my camera after beginning my photography obsession at the tree. The light was pretty poor, and the cheerful weather forecast on my phone said something like “Unless you are incredibly stupid, do not stick around Southampton Common taking photos.” I adopted the middle path of being moderately stupid, taking a few shots, chatting to a gentleman who stopped by to tell me what the Cemetery Lake was like when he was a child, and then admitting defeat.
To purchase an unmarked copy of this image, please click on this link
It was a good decision: I arrived home just as the Christmas detritus was about to be served up with morning coffee, so I put down my bag, scattered a bit of mud around the kitchen, and joined in.
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