Photography in my Childhood Forest

In this latest video I rediscover my local forest as a photographer and look back fondly at the time I've spent there over the past 30 years. All those years of being amongst trees - building dens, exploring, getting into trouble, mountain biking and walking Meg. It's all valuable interaction with nature that has undoubtedly influenced my view and interpretation of nature as a woodland photographer. It was just what I needed and it also helped to inspire me to revisit another local oak woodland over the past two days where I was fortunate enough to make some new images for my portfolio. It's been nostalgic and motivating - hope you enjoy it too!
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#Photography #Forest #Relax

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thanks for watching! The photo currently titled 'Lothlórien’ should hopefully be available as a print soon. Please get in touch if you're interested. Perhaps you'd like a video about the image?

[@robert_skonblad]

Simon Baxter That was a wonderful scene, I’d love a video on that! The titles of your photos really add an extra dimension.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

@@robert_skonblad Many thanks, Robert. I'll see what I can do!

[@paulroberson7113]

Yes please Simon!

[@galestonerimages]

Simon, you may not know how much you provide inspiration and motivation to go out and create! Thanks so much for your high quality videos and content.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Hi Gale. It definitely helps me to be reminded, so thank you very much!

[@nicolinogiangiordano1680]

Another top shelf video with such beautiful images throughout. Thank you Simon.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you very much, Nicolino!

[@drewhumphrey]

Many photographers seem to go for and recommend minimalist scenes these days. I like how you are making harmony out of complex ones, good stuff Simon. For some reason, I missed this one and just now got to it!

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Andrew! Hope you are well :)

[@autumnoak1]

The music is always so tasteful. Always thoroughly enjoy your videos Simon.

[@R1100RMystik]

like the idea to get back to the childhood places

[@stevebennettphotography]

Congrats on finding the only five people who didn’t know Meg 👍😁

[@tompetersphotography]

Beautiful shots and video matey, very calming and nice to see the colour of the berries in the woods

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks. Yeah, I love Rowan trees. Often covered in berries when out in the open.

[@ivormorgan9030]

„I think it’s still a little too foggy“ What I would give for any amount of woodland mist right now! Great video as always, Simon.

[@davidedwards1411]

Nice vlog and great images. Watching your videos certainly inspires me to try more woodland photography. Last time I was out in woodland I got reported as some weirdo lurking in the bush with a camera. Had a visit by the police. Did see the funny side. 😬. Thanks again Simon . Great work. - David , Brisbane, Australia.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Oh dear, hahaha. Thank you, David!

[@brianmurphy7962]

Lovely video... I live in NJ USA, we rarely have this woodland fog ... I find it so difficult to find images in woods without fog .. you are a master!

[@thomasphillips5850]

Love the golden ferns, that series of shots were great, thank you.

[@daveknight9381]

Wow beautiful images again Simon, well done.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Dave :-)

[@martinhall2593]

Well i have followed you Simon now for just over a year and thanks to you and Nigel Danson and a couple of other UK based Photographers i have given this wonderful hobby another go since January this year after a 25 year break. My very first foggy woodland effort happened this weekend so a very appropriate timed video from you just inspired me even more. And at last thanks to your explanations and passion which comes so wonderfully over i am getting the results i hope to achieve in my own photography. Thank you is not a big enough word but still i appreciate all your work and passion. (PS I had the whole woodland to myself, i know exactly what you mean.)

[@juanarroyo5324]

Stunning like always ..video,, compositions n location ! beautiful photography !!!!!! GOD BLESS !!!

[@kevins8575]

Lovely place.

[@tompetersphotography]

Very jealous Simon, that looks like a lovely woods! I know the feeling of being caught out talking to the camera lol 😂 beautiful shots buddy.

[@allandavies1187]

A very peaceful and relaxing flow to this video aided by lovely music...

[@andrewherbert9938]

Lovely video Simon , top images as always , you are blessed up there with those foggy conditions , never happens down here in Sussex

[@canuckdon]

Love the nostalgia, Simon. As you get older this will play an increasingly important part of your photography life.

[@BillMcCarroll]

Local is something to lean on these days Simon, you have a great location there. So sorry about the Torridon workshops, fingers crossed for 2021, it has to get better, doesn’t it?

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Everything is crossed ;-)

[@BillMcCarroll]

Simon Baxter yes, so true

[@BenHorne]

Super enjoyable as always Simon. I loved all the natural sounds, and it's so great that you have such beautiful scenery close to home. I would have to travel quite far to find anything like that. Excellent work as always my friend!

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you very much, Ben :) I would love one of those fancy mics you have - one day!

[@alexelley6283]

Excellent video as always...

[@lionelf.3782]

As usual a very nice video, thank you Simon for your job.

[@ellyelzinga01]

Enjoyed this video very much, love the pictures! But the one at 12:25 is my favorite! So beautiful!

[@juhaniviitanenphotography1607]

Very beautiful forest and amazing photos.

[@lonnieclemens8028]

Thank you very much for sharing this video. I like your approach to woodland photography.

[@GaryTischer]

Watching this was a great way to start the day. I recently walked through an area with my camera that I normally mountain bike through, and captured one of my favourite forest images. The area is surrounding by houses and light industrial, although you'd never guess that from the photo. These times keep us local, and give us the opportunity to rediscover some forgotten spots. I wish we got more fog here .... Queensland, Australia is not known for its foggy days ;)

[@barrieanthony952]

Super vid. I went to Ullswater yesterday, always went there as a nipper and its those childhood memories that make it so special to me

[@malcbawn.photos]

Beautiful vlog Simon. Blown away by the photos in this episode, magic. Your description of the construction of these photo's is second to none. Bravo.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Much appreciated, Malcolm. Many thanks :-)

[@Matt__just_a_guy]

I grew up in woodland making dens and getting stuck in bogs. I cant think of a better way to start off.

[@mick8586]

what a great video Simon ,thank you

[@dannynash5713]

Wonderful video Simon along with childhood memories and closing out the time with absolutely stunning stills! 👏👏👏

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Danny :)

[@trevorknowles5368]

Hi Simon Really enjoyed that love what you do find it very relaxing to watch. I'm trying some woodland photography at the moment but struggling a bit to get the impact form the image that I feel when there. Keep the good work

[@t_exley]

Love the very last image in this video. It has such a calmness about it and the soft milky green mist is sublime, it works great with the foliage, which I’m glad you’ve also kept very natural in colour. Great!

[@gregscott2330]

Hi Simon, another relaxing video. I can’t wait to get back out, recovering from triple bypass surgery around three weeks ago. Thanks for making me feel like I am out there. Be well. Greg

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Greg. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[@christophklimt]

Fantastic forest.

[@TonyGouge]

Another wonderful video. The coolish and foggy Yorkshire woodlands are what I needed to see while I swelter through an August afternoon in hot and humid South Carolina. Gives me hope that it won't be long before I can try to get out in some cooler weather with some fall colors. Hate to hear about your Torridon workshops this fall. My one visit out there with you was amazing. And I do plan to be back. ;-) Best wishes!

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

As always, many thanks for your kind comment, Tony! There's sure signs of autumn here so hopefully you're not far behind :)

[@anujasharma9677]

Simon, really enjoyed the local forest which has rich memories of your childhood . Lucky you are to be visiting that same forest and relive those memories. I loved the incident you narrated from those days & all 3 images are just so beautiful especially the one with red berries and pink flowers. Thank you for always creating such rich content and amazing images.

[@nabijstrangen]

Lovely exit video-shot of this video!!! Aloys

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Simon, thanks for sharing, nice shots and I can agree with the story. I also go to the woods/dunes where I spend my childhood on vacations, just an hour ride from my house. Just walking 100 meters/yards from the path I discovered a place full with mushrooms and I come back every year, late October after some days of heavy rain to spend hours laying on the ground shooting mushrooms both normal and macro. (and keep it a secret of course) Now looking at your shots and the setup I wonder why you shoot e.g. F11 1/5 second. Wouldn't you rather use like F8 and around 1/10, cause probably F8 is the sweet spot for your lens and with 1/10 sec you have less chance of motion blur (although it didn't seems to be that windy)

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you :). I remember you saying that you like to shoot mushrooms. They've just started to shoot up here. F11 was more for depth of field. F8 would have been a bit too shallow. I could focus stack but that's more faff afterwards that I don't want ;)

[@RS-Amsterdam]

@@SimonBaxterPhotography Thanks. I did some checking before I asked, since you shoot FF your hyperfocal distance around 55 mm would go from 9 meters/˜yards to 12 meters/˜yards . Although I watch your shots at 5K mac it would be much nice to see them as big jpg, any chance you putting them on your/a web site. BTW to day was our first day of a minor morning fog overhere, man does that give you inspiration ;-)

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

@@RS-Amsterdam I can't say I ever check hyperfocal distances etc as I just go with gut and what I'm seeing on the back of the camera. The tricky thing with the first image was the focal length and how close the conifer was on the left which soon dropped out of focus. But yes, it's best to see larger images as videos and Instagram aren't the best place for viewing. Cheers

[@RS-Amsterdam]

@@SimonBaxterPhotography Yeah , your guts is the best indicator. I mainly use it for my street shooting cause then I know what's in focus before I shoot. I know some standard distances and apertures by heart when I shoot my 28 mm FF in the streets. And with mirrorless and focus peaking it's even more handy ;-) Have a nice day !!

[@ArnaudPecqueriePhotographie]

Very peaceful video, lot of inspiration. If by chance you could share with me a bit of fog, I will appreciate. 🙂 In my area in France it’s all dry and no mist or fog. Have a good day.

[@izakgreyling8872]

Great and informative video. Love the music you use in your videos. Keep them coming.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks! Glad you like the music too :)

[@kevinwhitehead6373]

“Are you surveying” 🙃 I guess that’s what we do- survey the beauty of the world, nice trip down memory lane Simon!!

[@rogernilsson2254]

Awesome photos.

[@dougsanderson5265]

Those images at the end are really beautiful Simon. Thanks for sharing.

[@ianbarnes1406]

Simon, the B roll shot around 8-16 of you walking framed by an overhanging branch looked to be a good comp, with the nearer dark branch giving some good separation from the misty background trees. Surprised you didn't linger here for a shot

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Why assume that I didn't? It's fine as a comp for b-roll but doesn't do it for me as a photo.

[@ianbarnes1406]

@@SimonBaxterPhotography okey doke, just curious is all

[@hamsterneckliving]

That shot at 7:20 is so beautiful and ethereal.

[@claudehamel9228]

Love the serenity of it all!

[@RussWeymouthPhotography]

Love this video, I was out in the mist last weekend and also took a photo of a rowan tree, the one I found was being guarded by a solitary silver birch.

[@scotty4418]

Beautiful work Simon, a real pleasure to watch as always

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you very much, Scotty!

[@RoseKerin]

Lucky with the fog. Im struggling to find any in my location. Like the colour you found. Good end to my day

[@lorenzofarfarelli1127]

beautiful channel, you have my subscription. It would be great a vid about exposure in the wood. thanks a lot

[@chantalanne5636]

Loved this one Simon. Stunning images and the forest looked like a fairytale with all that mist! 😍

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you very much :-)

This was a very relaxing, peaceful, zen-like video. Beautiful images as always.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Glad you found it relaxing, Luisa! Many thanks :)

[@f4.therapy]

What a lovely relaxing video to watch on a Sunday evening, perfect Simon! Distracted me from my normal Sunday blues thinking about back to work tomorrow.. Cheers fella, please more of these at a later time! Great photos, video and music choice! 😊

[@valerievaleriem1769]

Lovely peaceful images. Since following you on KZbin and Instagram I certainly view my local woodland in a completely different light.

[@timscanlanphotography]

Hi Simon. Absolutely love this! Love the mist even if some of the other conditions weren't perfect for you. I think it's great that you acknowledge how much that woodland has contributed to your passion for the outdoors. Unfortunately, the local woodland where we played as kids had now disappeared due to housing developments but it's legacy is the love I now have for photographing woodland. We were very fortunate to have such wonderful places close to home. Many thanks for sharing this great video.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you very much, Tim! Such a shame about your local woodland being built upon but glad you've got great memories from their to help inspire your photography. All the best!

[@Firstmanphotography]

Really enjoyed that mate and love what you do. Despite spending my childhood in those woods I also definitely took them for granted. They are however deep in my heart and probably the reason I became a landscape photographer. Having said that I have no good images from there. Gonna be taking a look at your prints.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Adam! I'd still consider it better for mountain biking than photography but there are a few little areas that are quiet and characterful. Fabulous to have grown up with it rather than have my head in a phone :) I'm also now old enough to have seen some parts regenerate after being felled.

[@mohamed_ai_selim]

Really nice photos, like your way of using mist and aperture for adding this magical depth to woodland photos, every single composition has its own story and context, thanks for sharing this art work with us. Keep it up.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Thank you so much 😀

[@frankadams5057]

Nice one Simon, when you finish taking shots of the Rowan berries then you could always collect them and turn them into Rowan jelly, goes exceedingly well with venison. What make was the waterproof cover that you were using on your Sony?? Thanks for all the videos, take care :-)

[@stevenpeterman4721]

Great video makes want to get out and explore my local woodlands

[@julianwilliams4750]

Hey Simon, I have been spurred on by watching a number of your woodland photography vids to give woodland/tree photography a go. I predominantly shoot B&W and wondered if this is something you have done, how it went and whether this style of photography lends itself to B&W. Fancy making a video dedicated to this?. Cheers Julian

[@scottweaverphotovideo]

Delightful forest scenes!

[@davidstevenson1950]

Just lovely, Simon. Inspirational as always.

[@JamesLanePhoto]

I’m really sorry to hear you’ve had to cancel the Torridon workshops, Simon. That can’t have been easy. If it’s any consolation this video, like all, is stunning. Your images and the production is spot on. Weirdly, over the last 3 nights my local cinema has been showing the Lord of the Rings trilogy (extended) and I’ve been and watched them all to support my cinema and enjoy my favourite films on the big screen again. I then return home and see one of the most beautiful woodland images I’ve ever seen, and serendipitously it was called ‘Lothlorien.’ That will certainly find its way on to one of my walls in the next few months 😊

[@fubband]

So many lovely images! Wonderful vlog, Simon, so satisfying to make such great work just walking distance from your own door 👍🏻 Beautiful b roll compositions too :)

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Always appreciated, Martin! Thanks for noticing the b-roll comps too ;)

[@brianlaunchbury4491]

Some lovely peaceful pictures. Stay safe.

[@rskura]

Very enjoyable, Simon. Fantastic images!

[@hramakrishnaiah413]

Beautiful location and love the images..

[@sookephotographyadventures]

Another great video, Simon. I love the atmosphere from the foggy conditions. It’s easy to overlook those areas close to us. I know you’ve had to cancel some workshops, but do you have any idea when you’ll be able to pass on more on a possible schedule for next year?

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Drake. I'm afraid I don't have any details yet. I don't think I can announce anything until I feel as confident as I can be that they'll go ahead. I really hope that things become clearer and safer soon.

[@jamesattenborough2597]

Beautiful film and images (as ever)

[@matthewhenry6281]

Sorry to hear that you’ve had to cancel your workshops. I’ve joked that there are probably more sheep than people in the highlands. 🤷🏻‍♂️ hopefully some locals do book you for some private workshops. 👍

[@RicardoPestana]

19:30 really like this one

[@enricooldoino1967]

Thank you very much. What a beautiful images.Yes I will surely appreciate a video about 'Lothlórien'.But I'm asking to myself :from when I started to follow your youtube channel I have always appreciate your images and stories ( at least what I can understand and translate ) and video , in a word ALL. My sensibility is similar to yours? don't know, but that's the absolute truth ..

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Enrico. Much appreciated :)

[@ianhill9309]

Hi Simon, love this vlog misty conditions, I was out the other day at Pickering trying my luck at gnarly trees but was to cluttered to make anything of it. Also walked past a lot of rowan trees with berry’s on them. Tis a challenge now for me to capture some of them now seeing your vlog. Thanks Ian.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Ian! Good luck with the Rowans :)

[@gianfrancorocca4591]

Ottime foto, complimenti

[@petersmitham8273]

If you weren’t such a good photographer or KZbin presenter I’d still watch your channel to see Meg!...😘❤️📸🌈😎

[@robertnelson3179]

You’re story as a kid memories of friends had same while we rode our BMX bikes in hills 2 landed in the mud had to get fire fighters out to free them. Wish we had a camera then.

[@andychattaway5620]

Beautiful, atmospheric and as always very inspiring. Gorgeous photographs and a carbon footprint as big as a flee. Please give Meg a great big belly rub from uncle Andy. 👍

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Much appreciated, Andy. Just given Meg a belly run for you :-P

[@robertspeicher5047]

I really enjoyed this video. My passion is fog. Add a forest and I'm in heaven. One point, brief, was a path going up a hill, schrouded in fog....I like photos like that. I always had a wonder of what was on the other side of hills. A road, a path, toward a hill, up and over....what is on the other side?

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Many thanks, Robert. Yeah, I can certainly see the appeal of paths but they generally aren't for me as I love the feeling of wilderness without the man made elements :)

[@alpinewonders]

more first rate "survey" work from the woodlands master! Your theodoloite was worth bringing!

[@davidstubbings3604]

Hi Simon, really enjoyed this video you seem to get a lot of mist where you live. I wanted to ask you how you get on with printing 'reds'. I took an image for a competition at our local camera club, it included some red flowers and no matter how I tried I could not get the true red colour?

[@richarddelasota1812]

So what happened to the Weetabix?

[@c.p.8062]

Lucky you, your parents gave you your own forest when you were a child. How did you manage that trick? I didn't even have a bicycle till I was in my teens.

[@terrywbreedlove]

Love this my friend. Last year I started a project to photograph my childhood/adult forest. I live near the HOH rainforest in Wa state. I even bought a 4x5 camera and set up a darkroom for this.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Now THAT'S a place to have as a local forest ;-)

[@MarkRomine]

Simon, overall I really like your work, not sure what it was today but I just wasn’t feeling it until the end of the video when you shared ‘some recent local work’. What I saw through most of the video until the end just was not the ‘Simon’ work that I have come to appreciate. Just an opinion from afar.

[@SimonBaxterPhotography]

Believe me that there's just as much photographic merit and thought in some of the earlier images compared to the end images, but perhaps less overall mass appeal because it's comparing a commercial plantation to an old oak woodland on a different day and slightly different conditions. Understand that most of my work is local where great conditions in great woodlands aren't frequent. If you only want to see the 'Simon' work that you appreciate then you'll see about 6 on location videos per year, at the most. People keep telling me they want to see the journey, not just the best bits. Also appreciate that it's going to be incredibly boring for me if I don't evolve, which means making images that some people don't like or understand. Thanks.

[@bensmith5707]

Amazing work!