_______________________________________________________________________________________________

I am continuing the autumn theme with another photo from one of the many parks in the city of Łódź in Poland, which I took back in 2019. It is one of my favourite parks for autumn atmosphere and we have always tried to find the time to go there during our cyclical visits over the years. There are many beautiful alleyways and lots of spots to explore in the park.

Each trip to Europe we have been able to stay longer into autumn months and it has been amazing to discover how the foliage changes across the fall season. From the first shy bright yellow and orange leaves popping around the place, through the fiery orange phase, to the darker red and auburn colours, it is a fantastic journey. I liked the scene in this photo because it had that darker, moodier feeling about with the deeper hues becoming more pronounced. I also loved the subdued light which becomes more apparent as winter approaches. That was as close as I got to photographing in foggy conditions. I was looking for similar conditions in my autumn pursuits but I rarely came across fog or mist. However, dark autumn tones more than made up for the lack of fog though.

Fallen leaves covering the ground made the alleyway even more special and the slight hint of fog made the light glow superbly at the end of the path. The transition from relative clarity to the hazy glow led my eyes nicely through the scenery and every time I look at this photo I feel like I am walking out there again. I deliberately selected the widest aperture possible on my lens and picked a focus point about one third into the scene. I wanted to give a slightly blurred feel to the immediate foreground and the background as well, to build on the dreamy atmosphere of the moment.

It was very quiet in the park on the day we visited. Not many people were walking around and not too many birds either. There was a slight chill in the air and it was becoming more prominent as we got closer to the evening. The conditions were just perfect for this kind of photography. I was able to take the time to pick my composition, breath in the crisp air and to inhale that smell of fallen leaves lingering around the park. Despite being in the middle of a city, it felt like being somewhere completely different, hidden away in deep woodland, far from civilisation.