I like getting up early. Usually I pop outside before breakfast to open up my garden studio and get things ready for the day ahead. I love that quiet time before everyone else rises. I like to think and plan but sometimes I’m distracted by the natural world. In January there are huge V shaped formations of geese flying low in the early morning mist, squirrels searching for the conkers and acorns they buried in autumn and wild ducks rooting through the borders for their sluggy breakfast. Around here it’s easy to be side-tracked I find!

When something in the garden fascinates me then more often than not I just stand and watch. It could be anything from a furry wild creature feasting on seeds to shafts of golden sunlight falling on fresh green leaves. Usually there’s no time to run inside for my camera. I know that it’s highly likely that I’ll miss any action and the magical light that made the scene so heartbreakingly beautiful changes quickly. So I’ve found that it’s best to stand still and take it all in.

This January sunrise was so incredible that I actually sprinted indoors! I grabbed my camera and managed to take a few shots before the sun rose and the light changed completely. What made this it special was the unusual cloud formation and the way the purple sky was rippled with orange flames.

Timing is important in photography, especially when taking pictures outdoors. This second photo below was taken just six minutes later when the sun rose behind the trees. Still lovely but the spectacle had ended. The rippled purple clouds started to fade away and fat Wood Pigeons perched in the tallest trees waiting for daylight and another fresh January day.

Wishing you a lovely day too.  Gillian