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The Journey Begins 

Lyndhurst and Bolton’s Bench: Capturing the First Light of 2025

The first proper photography session of 2025 arrived with a chilling bite! Lyndhurst and Bolton’s Bench marked the beginning of my journey, capturing stunning locations from Lyndhurst to Lymington. This blog aims to document these beautiful places and share the photographs I take, predominantly during the morning hours, which is when I find the light most enchanting.

Bolton's Bench

I chose Bolton's Bench as the starting point of this series, hoping to capture the sunrise behind the iconic tree atop the hill. The frost-covered ground and the rising sun provided the perfect backdrop for my initial shots. Using my tripod and Sony 24-50mm f2.8 G lens at 50mm and f8, I experimented with bracketing five photos. Bracketing is relatively new to me, as I’ve only had my tripod for a couple of months and typically shoot in the morning. Additionally, I attempted focus stacking to ensure the entire frame was in sharp focus. While it has its challenges, I’m pleased with the final edit, which features the tree prominently centered with the silhouettes of other trees on either side, illuminated by a halo effect from the rising sun.

Editing Process

The editing process proved to be more complex than anticipated. My Microsoft Surface 7 with X Elite chip struggled to manage the 30 photos I intended to stack. I’m uncertain whether the issue lies with the Snapdragon chip or the 16GB of RAM. After numerous attempts, I opted for HDR Merge with 12 photos in Affinity Photo 2, adjusting contrast, brightness, highlights, and shadows before exporting the final JPEG. Applying a colour gradient to the top and bottom of the image gave it the finishing touch. Overall, I’m quite satisfied with the result.

The Lone Bench and Tree

Another captivating image from the session was of a lone bench and tree, which I used as a leading line towards the cricket hut, framed by another tree. At 24mm and with the tripod set at a 2-foot height, I aimed for a low-angle shot, using the bench to draw the viewer's eye to the Lyndhurst cricket clubhouse. I found a pair of forgotten sunglasses on the bench and placed them at the far end for added interest. There was also another tree to the left which I used the overhanging branches to help frame the image. By bracketing and focus stacking, I captured multiple exposures and focus points. Although the merging process resulted in clouds that appeared somewhat unnatural, the final image is pleasing. Moving forward, I’ll consider the number of photos I take when the sky is a prominent element.

Lyndhurst Cemetery

My next stop was Lyndhurst Cemetery, where I aimed to photograph a charming church-like building. Due to limited space among the graves, I shot handheld, ensuring I moved respectfully. The light was flat, with trees blocking sunlight and few clouds in the sky. Editing these photos required only basic adjustments to contrast, brightness, highlights, and shadows, along with a high-pass filter.

Final Thoughts

After the cemetery, I returned to Bolton’s Bench, climbed the hill, and enjoyed a well-deserved coffee while taking in the soothing view. The orange glow cast across the frosty ground was a perfect end to a rewarding photography session.