Capturing September attempt # P925004 - # 08/230

The meadows around us are being mown. Here I wanted to capture the graceful curving path taken by the mowing machine, and the cast of light and shade as the mid-day sun flooded the heaped grass - the piles are brilliantly lit on one side and darkly shaded behind. Of course, the "idiot camera" could not sense my "emotional gut feeling" and so this became a tricky exposure exercise. I admit to just a tiny bit of "post-processing" to improve the shadows (but only a tiny bit!!!). B&W proved better than colour, in my opinion, at capturing the mood.

I remember once on a visit to the French Alps in the Savoie we discovered the cheese Beaufort. This unique cheese comes from cows who spend the summer grazing the alpine meadows rich with wild flowers, and the scent of the flowers goes into the milk. This fragrance does not travel so well and it is (in my experience) difficult to find an excellent Beaufort anywhere that is far away from its origin in the Savoie.

Last week our local Ham and Petersham meadows were cut. One particular meadow had been especially rich in wild flowers. The scent of the hay was quite remarkable. The light breeze had gathered the fragrance into a corner of the walled area and concentrated it into the richest vanilla-like aroma I have ever experienced - magical and unforgettable, and totally unknown to the millions who live urban lives!