Wednesday the 2nd of October 2024, A perfect late Autumnal afternoon/evening and a flight at the glorious Greasley Church.

Wednesday the 2nd of October 2024 - was just a perfect kind of day, and whilst it might have started out slightly "meh" to begin with, by the afternoon a break in the weather had occurred, blue skies had made their welcome return after what had seemed to be quite a long period with rain, and where to fly? For that was the biggest question, where to capture? And in the end it was to be the historic 15th Century, St Mary's Church, Greasley (or) Greasley Church, a Church that despite being surrounded by countryside, that also sits close by to suburbia, well it seems to be a place of escapism and no matter what season it is, what the time of year it is, it always has something photogenic about it, I was also seeking some Autumn colours in the trees, although they seemed to still be rather green, that being said though despite the lack of Autumn colours, which seem to be later this year than usual, it was just a perfect late afternoon/early evening flight, and the lighting conditions just made things even more beautiful and magical.

"The Autumn Light, A Perfect Flight."

"Floating above, a delightful view."

"Fields, Skies, Patterns and a Greasley Vista."

"In and amongst the countryside, suburbia, Escapism can be found."

"The light, the magic, a glow and October Blue."

"Light, Shadows, Beauty."

"Towers and Patterns in the clouds."

"October, a glorious light, A glorious sight."

"The trees remain green in the October light."

"October and an Autumnal light glow."

"Greens and Gold."

Sunday the 29th of September 2024, The Park, And seeking Autumn. Taking a look at Ilkeston Victoria Park, for hints of Autumn could be seen.

"Autumn, a season that is unique, for it is very much a season of artwork, much like the Spring when nature awakens, Autumn provides the artwork that a deep sleep for nature will be on the way." 

There are two seasons that I really do like to capture, they are Spring and Autumn, yes Summer can be nice to capture photographs, and Winter, well things can get a little bit more challenging, but Spring and Autumn, well they are seasons of art and beauty, they are also season that involve colour, and me, well I have been seeking Autumn colour since Autumn of 2024 has started, complex it has been and challenging to some degree it has been - especially because of the rain, that has made capturing photos from above, not possible; but it was on the 29th of September 2024 that I was at Ilkeston Victoria Park, a park situated just a metaphorical stone's throw away from the town centre of Ilkeston. Yet, somehow it feels a complete world away, and another reason why it feels a world away is because of its unique design and layout that dates back to Victorian Times, to a time when Ilkeston was also known as a "Bath Spa Town." Now though Ilkeston has changed and socio economic issues have made it a place that might seem slightly "tatty" around the town centre - but look beyond that and Ilkeston has an eclectic mixture of Architecture that is largely unnoticed. But it is Ilkeston Victoria Park, that is one of those places I discovered during Lockdown, but to see it this time around with encroaching Autumn colours on Sunday the 29th of September 2024, well that was just magical to see, okay the full Autumn colours are not quite out yet, Autumn might be late this year, but looking down on Ilkeston Victoria Park, from the air, you can see a little slice of heaven amongst a suburban surrounding.

"Encroaching Autumn at The Bandstand."

"Colours of the tops, a change on the way."

"A Bandstand, The colours as they change."

"Changing foliage, and a green space."

"Gentle is the turn of the trees, Autumn creeps slow."

"Patterns of the park, a green space of Escapism."

"Autumn, for arrival at the park is slow, but colours creeping in."

Saturday the 28th of September 2024, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire, a flight above history long forgotten, taking a look at an oasis of calm surrounded by history.

Is it Derbyshire? Is it Nottinghamshire? Well, at the moment it is Derbyshire. Yes, the village of Langley Mill, really does not seem like a village - in-fact it just seems well "dull, drab, boring, mundane, meh, industrial." But Langley Mill itself, well you need to scratch past the current appearance to find out that it is actually a place of history - a place that was home to Langley Mill Pottery, until it closed down and got bought out by the parent company of the now equally famous Denby Pottery, and that is not the only history that Langley Mill is famed for, it was also the home of, Airstoc, originally on North Street, they produced and manufactured silk stockings within the village. During the Second World War, when its manufacturing included parachutes and inflatable dinghies for the war effort, it became a target for German bombers. The buildings have been replaced with housing. Yet, they are not the only historical secrets that Langley Mill has to offer, another one can still be seen and visited, and that of course is Langley Mill Basin, which somehow seems like "an oasis of calm." And it is, it is a place that I have visited on many occasions, it is a place that every few years has a fantastic has a canal boat and canal festival which is well worth a visit, and last time there was one a Lancaster fly past, plus a Spitfire fly past as well. But hold on, water, a canal basin? Well here at Langley Mill Canal Basin, the basin itself is part of the historic Cromford Canal, which is no longer navigable, but it is also the starting point, just underneath a bridge, a seemingly ordinary road bridge is where you will also find the equally historical Erewash Canal, which leads all the way to Trent Lock at Long Eaton - meaning that many years ago, freight and cargo would have been transported down the Cromford Canal, and onwards to the rest of the country and rest of the world. Now though all that remains is this little oasis of calm. 

And it was on Saturday the 28th of September 2024, that I had the chance to capture this glorious canal basin, from a completely unique angle, and from above, a lack of Autumn Colours, but a sure moody looking sky along with the contrasts between industry and the oasis of calm below.

"The Oasis of Calm, Water and The Basin, an Urban Surrounding."

"The Pub, The Basin, Moody Skies."

"Water, and a Langley of a view."

"Looking down on a Basin of a view, Barges, Boats and Green amongst the industry."

"From above, a unique perspective of The Basin."

Friday the 27th of September 2024, Views and academia, an interesting light and looking down on Highfields from a unique perspective.

Highfields Park, is a place that over the years I have always enjoyed visiting, and whilst it is something akin to "an oasis of calm, one in which you forget that the city centre of Nottingham is just a short distance away." It somehow makes you even forget that you are surrounded by the suburban sprawl of Nottingham and Beeston. Yet after what had been a dismal week weather wise of rain, grey skies, on Friday the 27th of September 2024, what happened? A spell of decent weather, and with that the chance to visit Highfields Park - a walk around the lake and I was also seeking anything Autumnal, but for the first time ever, I decided to capture this beautiful and delightful parkland that is located within the grounds of Nottingham University from the air, a glorious blue sky was a delight to capture, yet a the same time it was also quite complex to capture, hence why I had to carry out some edits and transform some photos of Highfields, that you can see below into Black and White. But from the air, there is just something else about Highfields Park, no idea what that might be apart from here the landscape of the parkland is combined and blends in nicely with Academia, and science, plus of course people who have studied here who have gone on to find fame. 

"The Bright Blue, The Lake down Below."

"Just above the lake, just here to the left, The Trent Building."

"One fine Building, A Trent of a perspective."

"Floating above academia, the lake below."

"Highfields, Contrasts and Beauty in Black and White."

Taking a look at a historic Nottinghamshire Church, St Mary's Church, Greasley from a different perspective.

St Mary's Church, in the parish of Greasley in Nottinghamshire is a location that I have photographed on many occasions before, throughout each season it always seems to have a certain charm about it with swathes of beautiful colours, in the Autumn it the surrounding trees become full of beautiful colour and in the spring, beautiful and opulent Cherry Blossoms can also be seen, yes I have also carried out more "abstract styles of photography" at this beautiful historic 15th century church in the past by observing the intricate patterns and beauty of the sandstone used in the construction of this beautiful and delightful church that is located within the rolling hills of the Nottinghamshire countryside, close to the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire Borderlands of The Erewash Valley, a short distance away from St Mary's Church in Greasley, the town of Eastwood can be found (home of DH Lawrence) along with Kimberley, another town that has a quirky and unique history to it and some interesting architecture, but somehow St Mary's Church, and its location seems to be something of an oasis of calm, yes the suburban sprawl is not far away and yet here you tend to forget that. Yet, on Tuesday the 17th of September I had decided after what had previously been a rather grey and damp day, to head to Greasley Church, this time around to capture it from a unique perspective, from the air! And with a glorious blue sky and a lack of wind, here is what I had managed to capture. Of course another random and interesting fact about this historic church, is within the graveyard - the grave of "Benjamin Drawater" can be found ho was ship's surgeon on one of Captain Cook's voyages. 

"Under a Greasley Blue September Sky, A Unique Perspective can be Seen."

"Greasley, Bathing in the September Sunshine Golden Glow."

"The Patterns, The Trees, Fields and Greasley from Above."

"Greasley, Fields and A Glorious Golden Light that bathes a Rolling Landscape."

"The Tower, The Golden Hues."

"The Beauty, The Simplicity, Blue and Greasley Glow."

Tuesday the 24th of September 2024, Seeing somewhere familiar, seeing change, clues of Autumn at Shipley Country Park.

Shipley Country Park, is one of those places that I have been visiting for many years, and no matter what season it is, no matter what the year it is or has been, there is always something to capture, from glorious Spring meadows teaming with life, to delightful arts, that Autumn and nature provides, and this afternoon a visit to Shipley Country Park was on the cards, I had visited Shipley Country Park just the other week and managed to capture the beautiful vistas of Shipley Hill, along with a golden light, yet despite looking for signs of Autumn, there were not that many to be seen, this afternoon however thankfully the weather was also a little better, and a different kind of walk was had, this time around the footpath around what has been lovingly known as The Trim Track, but of course I just had to see if there were any more signs of Autumn, and it goes without saying that from above, some of the trees of Cinderhill/The Woodlands in the middle of The Trim Track, a slight and subtle change in colour could be seen from above.

"The Slow Turn, from Green to Autumn, in Autumn."

"Pathway through changes, When colours begin to turn."

"A Path towards Autumn, A Path through green to colours of changes."

"Patchwork and Changes, Subtle only."

"Looking down, Looking towards Shipley Hill."

"A Carpet of Green begins to Change."

"The Hill, The Vista, The Space."

Monday The 16th of September 2024, At the end of the day, a certain magic was found.

Perhaps one of the most interesting things with Ariel Photography, is the perspectives that can be seen within a landscape, and well as the evening of Monday the 16th of September 2024, drew to a close, I could notice a change in the light outside, naturally I just had to see what the sky was like from above, and within a few moments over the Nottinghamshire town of Eastwood - famed for DH Lawrence, I had captured this glorious sunset, nature of course was the artist this time around and I was just completely blown away at what I had seen, a truly painted sky, right before my eyes.

"When Nature Is The Artist."