Hidden Treasures.
Short Thoughts.
When I first came across this view, the sense of place felt almost overwhelming. The location itself is quite cramped, and finding a workable viewpoint took a little time. It’s an area rich with visual complexity, an abundance of shapes and textures competing for attention. The ferns in particular are dense with pattern, their deep greens layered and interwoven with the bracken around them.
I briefly considered using a polarising filter to reduce the glare from the early morning sun. In the end, I decided against it. The highlights and reflections, rather than being a distraction, helped to create separation within the frame, bringing a sense of order to what might otherwise have felt overly busy.
This image forms part of an ongoing project titled Forgotten Souls, which focuses on the Silver Birch trees scattered throughout an old, disused quarry. Stumbling across this scene felt like an unexpected gift. The main character, a wonderful old birch, has sadly reached the end of its life, perhaps brought down by a passing storm. Yet even in its fall, it commands attention, filling the frame and catching the light beautifully.
Life still clings to the trunk. Brightly coloured leaves stretch upward toward the light, a quiet reminder of resilience and renewal amid decay. There’s a powerful contrast here: loss and growth existing side by side, each giving meaning to the other.
The inclusion of the stone wall was important to me. These hidden remnants of the past feel like clues, fragments of a history now gone, but not entirely forgotten. Discovering such details is very much part of the wider project, reinforcing the idea that landscapes hold memories if we take the time to look closely.
Spending time here was a pleasure. Hidden away from the noise of everyday life, the stillness gradually took over. Allowing myself to slow down and fully absorb the atmosphere restored a sense of calm and wellbeing, one of those quiet moments when photography becomes as much about presence as it is about the image itself.
Part of the Forgotten Souls Project- Book available via
https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/forgotten-souls-by-matt-oliver
There’s something about the way you see that invites the rest of us to slow down. The light on the fallen birch, the quiet persistence of life along the trunk, the remnants of the wall holding memory — it all feels less like a photograph and more like a moment of shared presence. Thank you for offering these hidden treasures with such care.
The photo genuinely emanates with the magic of this spot. It's really quite transfixing.