Red squirrels, goshawks, roe deer – quiet walks in our local woodland in recent weeks have given us some great, if fleeting, glimpses of all three shy species, but when it comes to capturing the spirit of the woods on camera this autumn, our richest source of inspiration were the trees themselves.

Whether it’s the russets, reds, coppers and golds embroidering the canopy, a pond trembling with torn reflections; the forest floor quilted in leaf litter or the puddles and streams trapping the season’s fallen flags under their foxed, glassy surfaces; each has turned a planned short stroll during lockdown into a full-blown photo session.  

It seems only the sturdy trunks have held their ground against this unforgiving annual cycle of finery then decay. Skeletal, they wait in silence for winter’s cleansing bite…then spring.