There are few places in Britain more likely to spark excitement in a photographer than the New Forest National Park. Everywhere you look there are a plethora of colours, textures and subjects just waiting to be snapped.
Many photographers choose to visit the area time and time again, never tiring of the myriad of tones or the natural beauty on show, but if you have never been, here are five reasons why a trip would be well worth your while.
The Pictures Take Themselves
The New Forest makes the job of an amateur photographer easy. It is almost more difficult to take a bad shot than it is to take a good one. This is an area where the sheer scope on offer leads to problems deciding what snaps will make it into a final collection rather than any difficulties choosing a subject.
Find out more about what’s on offer by visiting the New Forest National Park website at newforestnpa.gov.uk/info/20001/visiting.
Wilderness Facilities
Standing amid the National Park, it can feel as if you are snapping away on a different planet, so remote can it make you feel. Yet the area is dotted with amenity-laden hamlets, towns and villages, not to mention bustling cities such as Southampton and Portsmouth just a short hop down the road. You could also arrange to have a number of your friends come along with you wearing kitking football kits or other Discount Football Kits and take some action shots in the beautiful surroundings of the forest.
There are a plethora of facilities enjoyed by visitors from across the world, and yet it is simple to find a spot where you can feel like the only photographer in the world. Start planning where is best to make your base by visiting the official New Forest website at thenewforest.co.uk/accommodation.
The Changing Seasons
Professional photographers working in the area, never get bored of snapping away in the New Forest. They know that not only will each season brings about a whole new world of photographic opportunities, but a single day will offer the same. It only takes a moment to stumble upon a mare and her foal or an exquisite plant that has popped up to greet the sun.
The Natural Environment
The contrasts offered by the New Forest will be apparent from the moment you arrive. The coppery-brown brush creates almost a lunar landscape, especially when compared to the lush greenery and soaring height of the forest itself.
The Wildlife
There are few places in Britain that offer such a varied range of wildlife photography options – particularly locations that are so easily accessible from all corners of England. The forest inevitably attracts a huge array of birds and smaller creatures, but there is also a plethora of deer and ponies to capture both your heart and your imagination.
William the Conqueror originally allocated his Nova Forestra as his hunting ground over 900 years ago, but there are many places where it is easy to believe that time has simply stood still. This makes it an area where timeless natural beauty can collide with modern-day photographic equipment to create pictures that will live on in memories long after your visit has ended.