A DAY OUT AT CLIVEDEN

In previous years we've been several times to this magnificent NT property near to Maidenhead - they turned out to be really successful days with so many different things to photograph and it has become a bit of a favourite. It really does have something for everyone with a majestic house built in the C19, a magnificent terrace, designed in the C17, large gardens, ranging from formal japanese, and walled gardens to the beautiful woodlands surrounding the house and beautiful views over the River Thames. .

(Please come whatever your experience or whatever camera you use as it will be a fun day in a magnificent setting with lots of opportunities to chat and learn from each other)

Cost of entry is: free for NT members, otherwise £23.00. + £5.00 meetup fee - please bring £5 cash exactly (as I probably won't have change) for you and for each guest.

So we'll meetup at 10.30am and head off at 10.45 sharp.

We can decide as we set off whether to stick together as a specially distanced group or arrange to meet somewhere at a certain time.

The gardens are full of statues and sculptures and the finest being perhaps the beautiful Fountain of Love (see above), at the end of the long impressive driveway to the house. There are many more though scattered in the woods and around the house itself.

The house itself and Parterre (levelled lawn area) make for lots of photo opportunities of the architecture in its Italianesque style. There is also a formal Japanese garden, a walled box hedged garden, a maze and woodlands on both sides of the house. To the west side of the woods a path leads down to the river Thames, and you can walk right up to the water line. Also of interest is the small 1735 temple on the west side and also the War Memorial Garden with its peaceful and respectful atmosphere, remembering the troops lost in WW1. The view from the terrace and the Parterre to the south is amazing, looking down on the river valley.

These are the challenges and they are all based around composition. If you're not familiar with compositional 'rules' you can find them here: Here (just one of many sites on the net that I googled composition)

1. A photograph of the Fountain of Love.....When taking a picture of this or any statue remember less can be more and just taking a small part at the right angle might be good. Think depth of field, and colours, although they often look great in B&W. Try and avoid clutter and people in the background.
2. A photograph of any statue - see above but think about the angle, the light, what is in the background, depth of field to blur the background or part of the sculpture, maybe black and white?
3. A picture of the War Memorial Garden - containing 42 graves from WW1. This beautiful and secluded setting creates an intense feeling of peacefulness and humility to all who visit - the challenge is to take a photograph that reflects this. Use your eye and your emotions to guide you to that photograph!
4. Flowers - either singly or en masse - think composition again - foreground, background, depth of field......
5. The Japanese ornamental garden - lots to take - water, reflections, the pagoda, flowers, heron, fish sculpture.... - try to incorporate some of these.

Why not give the challenges a go and of course all other photographs are welcome. Please upload them to the album after the meetup and please look at your fellow photographers' photos and give feedback on these so that we all learn.

TIPS AND TRIVIA:

1. Bring sturdy shoes, hat if sunny and sun screen, coats and or brolly if wet - some of the best shots are when it is raining.
2. In 1893 the house was bought by William Astor (later Lord Astor) and then remained with the Astor family until 1949 when the estate was handed to the NT, with the Astors staying in the house until 1968 after the Profumo Affair and Astor's death.
3. In 1984 the house lease was bought by a hotel chain and it has remained as a hotel since...."Nothing ordinary ever happened here, nor could it"!
4. In WW1 a Canadian red cross hospital was built in the grounds of Cliveden - the HRH Duchess of Connaught Hospital, and then a second hospital was built in WW2 which only closed as a hospital in 1980. A Canadian war memorial has 42 graves of soldiers that died, mostly in WW1.
5. In 1894 Lord Astor built a maze in the grounds and this has recently been renovated and reopened to the public - maybe a challenge could be to photograph the entrance and the the exit afterwards..........if you can!
6. There are many sculptures in the gardens, mostly acquired by Lora Astor at the turn of the C19.

This will be a great meetup - a fantastic venue - Don't hesitate on this one.

See you all there.

Peter