Photography 101 – Water

Withing a very few paces of our home we have the luxury of a nature reserve which is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The area focuses on a lake which has quite ancient roots, although it has seen a variety of changes over the centuries. I often walk there, it is a place of solitude and beauty. One side is rarely visited, the other, the side you will see below, is also used as a shortcut to our local railway station, so is busier.

Recently changes have been made to allow the water to flow more freely. It’s called ‘management’. There are a few viewpoints on this side, this is one. There is no public access to the point on the far bank, but the tree to the left has been there for some time and is on an island built during WW2 by the Royal Marines. Access to this viewpoint has recently been improved so, although cormorants are regular visitors to the lake, it was the first time I had seen one quite so close. He was meant to be the focus of the short photographic session.

This is the view to the left taken from the same spot. Here you can see one of the newly installed ‘islands’. At the moment they are ugly, but no doubt will become more attractive, although if others are anything to go by it will take some time.

I waited for some time for a photogenic shot of said cormorant! In the end I was ‘encouraged’ to move on by my walking companion. However, there were other residents who were more than happy to provide interest.

And here is one of them – untouched and purely for your delight.

Thanks for visiting.