nature

Manchester autumn

/ mikeosbornphoto / 23 Comments

Autumn. Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness. Beautiful leaves. Some years it’s left me cold. But this year it’s caught my eye here in Manchester. READ MORE BELOW

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My neighbourhood of Castlefield, set by the canal close to central Manchester, was an obvious place to explore. The trees are rich with colour and leaves have scattered into the water.

I contrasted this urban setting with a trip to Fletcher Moss Park, a delightful area of gardens and woodland in Didsbury, south Manchester. They didn’t disappoint.

This year, for whatever reasons, I’ve revitalised a passion for capturing autumn/fall. It might be obvious, but it’s good for the soul and absorbing, don’t you think?

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Autumn sunflowers

/ mikeosbornphoto / 17 Comments

A summer field filled with bright yellow sunflowers is a glorious sight. But what is it like when the colour has faded and the season shifted? READ MORE BELOW

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I visited this Cheshire field beyond the fringes of Greater Manchester on our final summery September day. It belongs to Little Heath Farm who encouraged visitors to come and enjoy the sunflowers and take photographs in the uncertainty of a pandemic.

The field is now maturing and the carpet of yellow has faded. The flower heads are heavy with seeds and drying out. It’s a picture of natural progression and the cycle of life, full of textures and more muted colours.

The sunflowers may have aged but they remain a thing of beauty.

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The beauty of decay

/ mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

Do you think that beauty is exclusively the preserve of youth and vitality? CONTINUE READING BELOW

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I always have fresh flowers in the house and recently bought a lovely spray of roses. Of course cut flowers fade sooner or later and are discarded, to be replaced with a new arrangement.

But this time I held on to the roses as they began to wither away. Fellow blogger and Australian photographer Lee Cleland suggested drying some blooms and capturing them – an excellent idea.

The vibrancy of flowers fresh from the florist is replaced by a darker mood and the sense of impending death.

But the beauty isn’t diminished by degradation. In fact I think the creative rewards and interest are enhanced. How about you?

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Beautiful Triffids

/ mikeosbornphoto / 11 Comments

I bought two bunches of these popular wedding flowers for the first time and wasn’t impressed. Read more below

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The stalks of my Freesias seemed too tall and spindly, with the blooms perched on top like Triffids. And I was none too keen on their pungent fragrance.

It wasn’t until I photographed these flowers at close quarters that I appreciated their beauty, with delicate mauve and robust pastel pink and yellow petals.

By using a variety of backgrounds, these specimens became photogenic and versatile. I wonder what’s next in my ongoing indoor floral project?

Indoor dandelion

/ mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

Common dandelions are loved for their bright yellow flowers and delicate clock seeds. Read more below

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I plucked a dandelion clock I found in a small wild patch of grass by my apartment block and carried it carefully indoors.

With stay at home orders still in force due to the coronavirus pandemic, this became another lockdown photography project.

For some days the dandelion clock was my model, from when it was plump and fluffy, to when seedlings were shedding everywhere.

This is a major feat of nature’s engineering and fascinating to study at close quarters. After the photoshoot I returned the seedlings to where they had grown and scattered them around.

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