My favourite pictures of 2022
It’s fun looking back over my pictures and being reminded of some spectacular moments and I hope you enjoy them too. In some ways, the weather contributed hugely, bringing us a really hot and dry summer, followed by the longest autumn I can remember. This was then abruptly brought to an end by a really cold snap in December. I stood under a tree in the Woodland Gardens in Bushy Park on December 8th, with leaves falling all around me, surreal.
It all got started on January 1st, when having been up rather longer than I planned, I decided to see the dawn in on the Thames in Kew.
The view from Kew Bridge
Oliver’s Island, Strand on the Green.
You can’t beat a good frost, with a Stonechat in Bushy Park and my 2-headed deer in Richmond Park. In January, I also made my first trip to WWT Slimbridge, where the sun shone all day and I met this wonderful swan.
The statue of Hercules in Kew Gardens.
Who can forget Storm Eunice, which blew in onto the South Coast in February.
Top: I have been following the group of swans that we have on the river in Barnes all year and wanted to try and catch them on good evening, especially at low tide, which all came together on 30th January.
Bottom: The Head of the River race in late March coincided with a beautiful day and after almost 400 crews had entered the river I was amazed to discover that all the time this was going on, a family of Egyptian Geese had been right there in the thick of it; how did they survive through all that mayhem!
March and April is blossom season - a beautiful white magnolia at the Roehampton Club and a surprise awaited me when I was photographing up close on this fallen bit of blossom, when a baby slug emerged from within.
A spectacular morning in Bushy Park last April.
Bushy Park - I love trees and how wonderful to catch some deer underneath this particularly fine specimen.
Lower Pen Pond in Richmond Park.
Bumble bees amongst the Irises on Barnes Common, and on the river by Teddington Lock.
Great Crested Grebes are one of my most favourite UK birds and I was pleased to capture this pair in Richmond Park.
A Marbled White Butterfly on Barnes Common.
A Common Blue Butterfly amongst the pretty grasses on Barnes Common.
Bushy Park - in June I was fortunate to be introduced to this orphan fox cub, who was more than happy to sit amongst us as we all clicked away with our cameras.
Clapham Common. Last summer we saw a lot of dry hot weather, which resulted in all of our open spaces becoming really parched.
Bushy Park.
Tooting Common.
The Terrace in Barnes under some beautiful clouds.
The Isle of Wight.
Last summer, The Tower of London planted a huge swathe of wild flowers in their moat and one afternoon in July I wandered along to take a look for myself.
A lady I met at the Hurlingham Club, who sported a rather fine umbrella to protect herself from the strong sunshine we encountered in August.
Barnes Common. I love our butterflies and I had never seen a clouded yellow before, so I was pleased to capture this shot. Who knew they had green eyes.
In September, The Queen sadly passed away and I visited the Household Cavalry firing off their guns in her honour in Hyde Park.
My Springer Josie is still with us but unfortunately cannot come out with me as much as she used too, here at Teddington Lock.
A beautiful sunrise across Lower Pen Pond in Richmond Park.
The autumn is fungi time and always a popular time for me photographically.
Putney Bridge.
Autumn was the longest I can remember and one of the most colourful too - clockwise from top left, Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Bushy Park and Chiswick House.
With the cold snap came some snow, which has now become something of a rarity in London.
The Albert Hall.
Christmas at Kew, has been going for some years now, but until this year I hadn’t booked up early enough to get in. I was so pleased I did, as its a fabulous event.
I hope you have enjoyed my trip down the memory lane of 2022 and I am already excited by what 2023 might offer. If you like any of these pictures, prints are available, and do feel free to get in touch about these or any of my pictures.