October 2024 Top 3
As we start a new month it’s time to look back and for me to pick my top 3 photos from last month.
This time it’s October 2024. This month has been a little light on photography due to starting a new job, but I did manage to get a quick sunset trip out into the Cotswolds on Halloween to Minchinhampton in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds. All 3 picks come from this little outing.
Let’s take a lot at my top 3 for October 2024.
October 2024 Winner - Gloucestershire Hills Painted by Autumn
Gloucestershire Hills Painted by Autumn - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ2.8, 1/320, ISO200
My favourite for October 2024 is Gloucestershire Hills Painted by Autumn. This scene captures the hills and valleys south of Minchinhampton, showcasing the Cotswolds in its most beautiful season: autumn. As the ancient forests and rolling hills transform into countless shades of red, gold, yellow, and orange, there's a feast for the senses everywhere you look. On this particular day, the scene was enhanced by that unique golden light that appears in the early afternoons just after the clocks go back.
I felt incredibly lucky to get this shot. I’d spent the day procrastinating about going out to shoot – it had been a perfect blue-sky autumn day, and I kept thinking, I’ve got loads of time. But I left it a bit too late, got caught in traffic, and made a last-second decision to pull into Minchinhampton as the sun was setting sooner than I’d realised. I was hoping to capture the leaves bathed in golden light, hoping to finally capture this spectacular place at its best. But as I got out of the car, the clouds began to descend, dimming both the light and my optimism for any good shots.
I spent a good hour traipsing through Minchinhampton’s narrow streets, trying to find something worth shooting, but the light just wasn’t cooperating. About to give up, I took one last detour down a small footpath south of the main road through the village, and suddenly found myself facing this view. As luck would have it, the setting sun had decided to make an appearance too, popping out from behind the clouds to illuminate the scene. I quickly took a few shots and knew I’d got what I came for – relieved that I’d been lucky, but reminding myself that I need to stop procrastinating, or I might miss something magical next time.
October 2024 Runner-Up - Autumn’s Little Watcher
Autumn’s Little Watcher - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ2.8, 1/1000, ISO200
October’s runner-up is Autumn’s Little Watcher, a surprise resident I found along a lane I’d wandered down. At the end of the small footpath, I emerged to find a row of stone houses overlooking the scene from this month’s winning shot. One of these houses had fully embraced Halloween, with the garden decorated with spiders, pumpkins, and a scarecrow witch hosting a tea party at the garden table. Naturally, I took some snaps of this quirky scene, but as I turned to walk back up the path, I spotted this little elf, perched on the roof, quietly taking in the spectacular autumn scenery.
I have a feeling this little figure has been perched here far longer than just this Halloween. He must have watched the seasons come and go in the valley behind Minchinhampton countless times, seen the colours change, the leaves fall and return, and watched as the free-range cows graze their way along. I know he’s surely witnessed many more spectacular sunsets here than I ever will.
October 2024 Third Place - Autumn Leaves Reaching for the Sky in Minchinhampton
Autumn Leaves Reaching for the Sky in Minchinhampton - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/4 ASPH, ƒ4.5, 1/160, ISO200
October’s third-place image is Autumn Leaves Reaching for the Sky in Minchinhampton. I managed to catch this shot during a brief moment of clear blue skies. I love how this image captures every hue of the perfect autumn day, reminding us that nature truly is a master of colour and texture.