Under the Green Wood
The Autumn 2024 Talk-Walk-Talk theme was ‘Woodland’. The opening on-line talk was by Paul Mitchell FRPS.
This li�le photobook includes images from nine of the ten photographers that a�ended the Under the Green Wood event on the 23rd of October in Thorncombe Woods.
Images from the walk were reviewed and discussed at the follow-up mee�ng held at the Shire Hall in Dorchester on the 6th of November.
At the follow-up mee�ng, two images were selected for inclusion in the na�onal Talk Walk Talk gallery and e-Zine.
The images collated here have been selected to show what Thorncombe Woods have to offer. They also illustrate how different photographers can see the same subject ma�er in very different ways.
We hope you enjoy seeing the images as much as we enjoyed making them.
Thorncombe Woods is an area I have been familiar with since I moved down to Dorset over 50 years ago. Initially I walked my landlord’s springer spaniel through them. When my children were born it became one of their favourite places, they loved exploring and finding “Dinosaurs” in amongst the fallen trees. More recently it is has become a place to mountain bike.
The fact that Thomas Hardy was born right in the middle of the wood and that several of his novels were set there as well was a bonus. It was the obvious place to lead a woodland TWT, I feel totally at home within its boundaries. I don’t need a map I can follow my nose confident in the knowledge that a good picture will turn up somewhere.
John Tilsley
At first, I was overwhelmed by the richness and diversity of the woods. I had to camp down in one spot and ‘acclimatise’ myself. Then the images started to come to me. I really enjoyed the day and will be returning for sure.
Steve Hartley LRPS
I thoroughly enjoyed my walk in Thorncombe Woods with other RPS photographers, and particularly visiting parts of it which were completely new to me. The review meeting later was an interesting experience with many outstanding pictures and a lively discussion; altogether an enjoyable event.
David Haynes
The challenge of try to capture order and purpose when photographing in the woods is considerable. However how hard or frustrating it is I always leave the woods with my mood improved.
David Ashcroft LRPS
Always changing, colour, shape, light, shade, smell, sound, damp, dry. My head buzzing with the brilliance of it all. Slow, slow, slow, up, down, round, close, distant. The art of nature.
Sue Dall ARPS
by Sue Dall ARPS
As someone whose photography is characterised by bold and graphic monochrome images, I decided to use this opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with other styles of photography.
Alison Webber
by Sue Dall ARPS
It was a huge challenge for me to try to capture the feeling of the woods and the colours of autumn without also capturing lots of distracting details. There is also so much variety in Thorncombe woods there is possibly too much choice. I was delighted to be able to come away with a couple of images that I'm really happy with.
Andy Webber
Thomas Hardy used to work as an architect in my house before he started to write. The “office” is now my study where I now do my photographic work. Hardy was essentially born and brought up in Thorncombe Woods. Hardy’s work was profoundly influenced by the countrysideDorsetand its various social activities, nowhere more so than in and around Thorncombe Woods. And so the challenge was to bring back images which captured the mood of a bygone albeit enduring Dorset, not just the bucolic but also the cynical view and which influenced his writing development.andAnd nowhere better to work on those images than in the office where he worked. This is a place of history formed by the natural environment; it has an impact on anyone who spends time there.
Chris Stoot
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On the day I felt inspired to look for different pictures because the way the light was transpired after the wet murky start to the day. The light lit up small areas of the wood to produce such a magical day.
Philip Young