The beginning of May usually brings with it the first warm days of Summer - gentle breeze, sun beams overpowering stagnant clouds and the blooming of bluebells. Unfortunately for us the change in weather hadn’t arrived yet and we were still stuck in the April showers as we pulled up to the Balcombe Viaduct. Hopping out of the Jimny into a puddle we grabbed our tripods and cameras and ran for shelter. We didn’t look up to appreciate the sheer size and impressiveness of the viaduct until we were standing underneath. The brickwork stretched out as far as we could see into the green abyss of fields and flora, and we were taken aback by the grandeur of the architecture. 

We reached for our Tripods out of their bags and attached our Leica’s. Each of us instinctively went for a different location - one on an arch, one on the floor and one back outside of the viaduct into the downpour to capture its magnificence in size. Both the mini tripod and the standard tripod performed perfectly - each showing off its strengths to their maximum potential.                        

After shooting every angle of the viaduct, we decided it was time to head back to the Jimny to escape the elements. On our way home, the car came to a startling halt as we caught sight of a huge field of blue. Pulling up onto the verge, we decided it was too good an opportunity to lose. The bluebells would only be out a few more days and they were flourishing in the rain. The flowers led us on a trail into woodland where they were surrounded by beech trees and ended in a lake - a true fairytale setting. Once again, we grabbed both tripods, and with them we managed to capture the movement of the flowers while including the stillness of the scenery. The mini tripod performed particularly well for real floral close ups, while the standard tripod showed off its macro skills spectacularly whilst holding the Leica inverted. After we were happy with the shots we had taken, and thoroughly soaked through, we headed swiftly back to the car. Another successful morning made all the better with Gearing.