Mayfield Lavender

Well it has taken a little time to fit this into my schedule but I finally made it to the lavender fields last night.  I have been investigating the ins and outs of taking images outside their working hour for a little while - and concluded from their web site that a very large fee needed to be paid if I wanted to do this. 

So last night I drove out just to see what could be achieved, and where was accessible without having to pay said fee.  I needed to establish where I could park - as its kinda of the middle of nowhere - would their gates still be open - could I stand on a ladder and take pictures over the fence - you know the kind of thing - anyway this is what I got!

Now I will explain how I got them!!

I managed to speak with the owner as he was closing up last night - yes a £50 fee needs to be paid if you want to photograph the field after hours - the fee is for professional photographers when they are charging a client - and for me a beginner that just wants to practise (and I so need the practise), yes madam that will be £50 please.  Um.... thanks but I'll think about it.  Can you suggest any suitable places to park so I can take some pictures tonight just from the road - Oaks Park car park - cross the road climb over the two fences and take some from the footpath that runs right down the middle of the field - oh OK!!

So off I went - parked up - asked several people when they locked the park gates - no one seemed to know - knowing that the Carshalton Parks are closed around 8 - 8.30pm I knew I didn't have a great deal of time.  So with speed in mind - I ran across the road - hurdled the two fences - and set myself up - then I took some time to look around - so many photographers!!! Not such an issue then in taking some images.

I had about 3/4 hour so I decided to to trial a few compositions - there wasn't an awful lot of detail in the sky to make the photo interesting so I took a few close ups as well.  When I looked round again I was the only person left - apart from one woman and her dog - looking at the time - not sure where it goes - it was nearly 8.30pm - I would have liked to stay longer but concerned about being locked in the park I decided to pack up and run!

On returning to the car park there were only two cars left!  But in the corner of the car park was this little scene (below).  Another guy was photographing the said scene, so grabbing my camera back out the car I decided to join him.  He already had prime position and not to be rude by stepping in front of him I tucked myself into the hedge.  Within a couple of shots, his wife and two kids came to join him - and before I could fire off anymore shots and re configure my settings his wife stood directly in front of me.  From the 'conversation' that then took place - insert any language but English - I decided it was not worth the hassle in trying to ask her to move slightly to one side and went back to the car.

However, the two images are so out of focus and I'm gutted.

I have learnt a massive lesson last night (perhaps one of the most important lessons I need to learn) - stand my ground - I have as much right as the next person to take a picture. I need to take more time in choosing my settings (as if I don't take long enough I hear some of you saying!!)  - and if  I get locked in the car park while trying to capture the best image I can,  then I just have to walk home!!

This morning, I have found some very useful information out from the park man who I generally speak to most mornings - not only did his dad once work for D's Dad at the shop- and D have one of his Dad's old bikes (small world) but I found out that they generally don't close the gate to Oaks Park until 9.30pm-10pm and the parks men will try and find you should a car still be parked up - so that gives me the golden hour next time!!! Yippee - clearing space in the diary already.

And finally Oaks Park - who knew!! Another gem just waiting to be photographed!!

Happy days!