Cotswolds

My local patch, I've lived in the Cotswolds, in the heart of England, for over 20 years and it's one of the main locations for my one-to-one and small-group photography workshops.

The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a subtle landscape for photography. You won't find wild rivers, wind-swept mountains or a wave-gnawed coastline. That's not to say you'll struggle for inspiration... you just need to look harder for strong compositions, good light and interesting details.

On my photography workshops in the Cotswolds, we will often start the day early, capturing mist squirming above water meadows, with perhaps a distant church tower adding a focal point. Old beech trees also make striking subjects – either formal avenues in the grounds of fine gardens, like Hidcote Manor, or wild woods in nature reserves like Foxholes. The ancient oak trees at Sherborne are also full of character, and there's always something of interest throughout the year – from carpets of bluebells in May and June to poppy fields in summer.

Of course, the honey-stone villages of the Cotswolds are a magnet to photographers, but I try to avoid the predictable 'chocolate box' approach and look for quirky abstracts or dynamic compositions.

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Dawn mist over the Burford water meadows

The River Windrush flows through meadows near the Cotswolds market town of Burford.

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Autumn colours

Looking up at the multicoloured canopy of trees on the Sherborne Estate near Burford.

Autumn beech avenue at Hidcote

The well-known avenue of beech trees at the National Trust's Hidcote Manor Gardens makes a striking pattern.

Lavender fields near Snowshill

Another popular tourist destination in the Cotswolds, this view of the lavender fields switches the emphasis to thistles and grasses by the roadside.

Misty morning in the Sibfords

Early morning mist during winter isolates a magnificent oak tree against the soft haze of a wooded hill.

Ancient oak at Sherborne

I love photographing the gnarled old oaks at Sherborne Estate near Bourton-on-Water. Each one has a distinctive character.

Poppy field near Guiting Power

Sometimes less is more... When confronted by a field of blazing poppies it's tempting to only shoot the wider scene, but a detail of a single poppy can be just as dramatic.

The windmill above Tysoe

Shot at sunset, the characterful old windmill makes a pleasing silhouette – but I think this would make an even better location for some astrophotography with the windmill set against the Milky Way!

Sunrise over the water meadows at Burford

One of my favourite photo locations in the Cotswolds, the tall spire of Burford church makes a perfect focal point for a winter sunrise over the nearby water meadows. Just needs a flight of swans...!

St James' Church, Chipping Camden

There are so many picture-perfect churches in the Cotswolds, it's worth spending some time trying to find a different or unusual angle – in this case using the nearby gatehouse to lead the eye towards the church tower.

The Mill at Lower Slaughter

Light is everything and it's always worth planning your photoshoot to coincide with optimum conditions. Here, early evening spring sunshine accentuates the rich, golden stone of the famous old water mill at Lower Slaughter.

Spring greens at Hidcote Manor

Another view of the beech avenue at Hidcote Manor Garden, this time using a 16mm wide-angle lens to accentuate the height of the trees and take in the emerald canopy.

Snake's Head Fritillaries

Several locations in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds are good for these damp grassland plants – which look particularly striking when framed against a 'clean' dark background, such as an ivy-covered wall.

Poplar trees at Sherborne water meadows

During early summer, when the cow parsley and red campion form a pleasing fuzz beneath the trees, this avenue of poplar trees at Sherborne makes a strong composition.