Subtle Signs of Autumn.
When the coast is chaos, Cornwall’s woodlands offer a quieter kind of magic. Just outside the village of Troon lies The Reens, a damp and atmospheric woodland where autumn first whispers its arrival.
On this shoot, I worked through the woodland step by step — from fallen leaves on the path, to the canopy above, to tiny details on the forest floor. It wasn’t about dramatic light; it was about slowing down and noticing the subtle signs of change.
🎥 I also filmed the entire session for my Cornwall Unfiltered YouTube series — you can watch the video to follow the process in real time.
Composition 1: A Fallen Leaf
The first frame was simple — a single leaf resting on the damp woodland floor. Nothing dramatic, but it set the tone: autumn is beginning, quietly. Shooting low down, I used a wide aperture to separate the leaf from the busy ground.
Composition 2: Handheld in the Canopy
From there, I looked up. The canopy still clung to summer greens, but pockets of yellow and gold were starting to creep through. Shooting handheld let me move quickly, catching patterns of colour without worrying about tripods or filters.
Composition 3: Ivy Leaf on the Wall
The next image was slower and more deliberate — a yellow ivy leaf standing out among the green moss on a tree trunk, Here I brought out the tripod to control the composition and make sure the focus was pin sharp. Against the moss, the leaf glowed like a spotlight of autumn.
Composition 4: Wider Woodland Scene
With the tripod still set, I stepped back to capture the woodland as a whole — trunks rising in layers, ferns browning in the undergrowth. It’s easy for woods to look messy, but by shifting position until the trunks separated, I found balance in the frame.
Composition 5: Fungi on the Forest Floor
Finally, I turned my attention to the fungi. The damp conditions were perfect — clusters of golden caps crawling along a fallen trunk, delicate turkey tails fanned out in patterns. These are the woodland’s storytellers, reminding us that autumn is as much about decay and renewal as it is about colour.
Lessons from The Reens
The Reens reminded me that woodland photography is about patience and observation. There’s no chasing light here — just slowing down, noticing details, and letting the woodland reveal itself piece by piece.
On a grey Cornish day, that feels like a gift.