The Quiet LightThe deer of Knole.
Knole is a beautiful park, but it is the deer that keep drawing me back. It feels like a sanctuary for them: a place where they can roam freely and be themselves. There are plenty of visitors, yet the deer still seem a little unsure of us. I often feel that they are allowing us to be there, and that it is a privilege to walk amongst them.
Looking through photographs from several visits, I noticed two kinds of progress. The small beginnings of antlers had grown into full crowns, and my own photography and editing had moved forward too. I cannot be sure whether any of these are the same deer across the visits. But seeing the pictures together brought back the days I took them, and reminded me why I keep returning with my camera.
Among the trees
Standing among the trees, they seemed completely at home. Knole feels like a sanctuary to me: somewhere the deer can roam, rest and get on with being themselves. Walking here with my camera feels like being allowed a little glimpse into their world.
Small beginnings
Looking back at these earlier photographs, it is the small beginnings of the antlers that catch my eye. At the time, I was simply pleased to be there and to have a deer pause long enough for a photograph. Now, beside the later pictures, this moment feels like the beginning of a story.
Getting on with the day
Some of the moments I enjoy most are the ordinary ones. A deer feeding, briefly unconcerned with me, is enough to make me stop. I like being able to watch without needing anything dramatic to happen.
Returning
Returning to a place gives me the chance to notice what has changed. The antlers are becoming more distinct, and the photographs begin to connect across visits. I cannot say whether these are the same deer I photographed before, but together the images hold something of the passing time.
Taking shape
The antlers have begun to take on a shape of their own. Looking through this selection, I can see changes in my photography too: how I frame the deer, what I notice around them, and how I edit the pictures afterwards. Their growth is visible; mine is quieter, but I can see it.
The full crown
This was the detail I wanted to spend time with: the face, the shape of the antlers, and the presence of the animal beneath them. From those small beginnings to this full crown, there is something wonderful about seeing the photographs together. I am proud to have been able to record it.
A quiet ending
This deer, resting on its own among the fallen leaves, made me pause for a different reason. There was a feeling of solitude in the scene. I do not know what its being apart from the others meant, but the quiet of that moment stayed with me. It felt like the right place to finish.
It is a privilege to walk amongst them. To bring home a photograph feels like something to be grateful for.
The Quiet Light / Knole