Vesna Armstrong Photography

This is a tribute to G's Nan who has passed away this morning. She was a hundred years old and I am pleased to say that she had a long and good life. I will remember her for her great sense of humour even in old age. She made me laugh even in her last years when she was very frail. She was a much loved family member. The photo shows her room in the nursing home where she spent the last few years of her life. I took it on our visit to her nearly three years ago. Rest in peace, dear Nan!

I came across this lovely scene when I was in the Bishop Burton village, East Riding of Yorkshire about two weeks ago. I was delighted by so many things here - the warm low sunlight, gold and brown autumn colours, pink roses still in flower by the fence and a white horse wearing a red winter coat. The sense of seasons mingling with one another was very pleasing to the eye. As I walked towards the fence the horse looked at me and then walked towards the fence its side. It stood there while I took a few shots and then slowly strode off. A very cooperative fella!

I must admit autumn colours are far from spectacular here in Yorkshire and that has never been more true than this year. I went to the nearby park last Friday hoping to get some colourful photos but I really struggled. Even the amazing tree at the golf course http://www.vesnaarmstrong.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/gotts-park-golf-course-leeds-23102012.html  was nowhere near its glorious last year's look. I had to settle for branches with odd leaves and the photo below is about the only one worth sharing. I underexposed it by two stops to ensure a low key and a crisp bokeh and increased the colour saturation on the leaves.

Tuesday did not start promising weather-wise. When I woke up in the morning there were rain drops on the panes of my window and the sky lay grey and heavy above the houses in the distance. I thought I could not hope for any photos that day and decided to go around charity shops instead, my camera in the boot of the car just in case. When I finished looking around the shops I noticed there were some blue patches in the sky so I hurried to the car to get my camera and then strode off quickly the short distance to the park. As I got there the sunshine came out and wet autumn colour leaves on the trees started glinting in the warm glowing light. I spotted this bunch of withering red roses propped up on a bench from quite a distance and immediately got excited as I knew I would get at least one nice shot after all. I loved this scene instantly because it sums up autumn so well - low mellow sunlight, damp fallen brown and yellow leaves covering a bench in the park, dying flowers and the who...