When I made my last post in February I had no idea how much our lives were about change.
I spent the second and thirds weeks of March in the Lake District with family on a walking holiday. At first everything was going on around us as if nothing was amiss, but as the holiday wore on the news that greeted us each evening became increasingly grim. Towards the end of our stay we started noticing things around us changing such as social distancing signs in cafes, hand sanitiser on shop counters, empty restaurants and the odd face mask being worn around Ambleside. I love the lakes and we all had a great time – I came back with a hard drive bulging having taken a new infrared camera with me – but we were all very glad to be headed home by the end. Not unexpectedly, lockdown came a few days later and here I am at home partway through my second week of lockdown.
The realisation that I cannot go out and make the pictures I was planning on making has not been easy. It’s a small issue compared to the problems and hardship many now face, but the long-term loss of income as a result of this and the short-term loss of cancelled jobs is a worry. I am still making prints and fulfilling orders and I have a backlog of images to process in my newfound spare time. I am lucky to live where I do and there are still woodlands etc. within walking distance that I can visit over the coming weeks and months. Also, I have already noticed with so little traffic on the roads and almost zero aircraft flying, our skies are so clear and quiet, and nature seems to be thriving all around us.
Wherever you are, stay safe everyone. Our beautiful countryside will still be there when it's safe to venture out again.
