Beech Tree Contre Jour

The photo above was of a Beech tree’s foliage on a sunny afternoon in June, in the woods of Fort Fareham in Hampshire, and taken as a contre Jour image (from the French meaning “against daylight”).

With the camera pointed toward the sun or light source, metering on the leaves allows the light to penetrate through showing the veins and capillaries, leaving the background dark. If the metering is carried out on the bright background it would still be Contre Jour, but the subject, the leaves, would be in silhouette.

Built in 1861, Fort Fareham lies just south of the town of Fareham near HMS Collingwood. One of many Palmerston defences dotted along the south coast, Forts Brockhurst, Elson, Rowner, Grange and Gomer to mention just a few. Fort Fareham was built as a bridge between the Gosport ones mentioned above and the ones aligning Portsdown hill.

Fort Fareham was occupied during the second world by the Royal Artillery on anti-aircraft duties, and also doubled as a nuclear fallout shelter during the cold war. The MOD sold it to Fareham Borough Council in 1965, and since then it has been occupied by businesses such as motor repair, double glazing and fencing contractors etc., there are about 20 units within the walls and is a hive of activity.

Surrounding the fort is a ditch which has no water to speak of, and the immediate area has now been reclaimed by Mother Nature, leaving a small woodland copse with many footpaths for ramblers to enjoy the flora and fauna with the Beech trees being resplendent in their majestic stature.