A Study in Winter’s Stillness

I was walking through the grounds surrounding Forty Hall in Enfield when this scene caught my attention. The bare trees, their branches twisting and reaching into the grey sky, stood out against the soft mist in the distance. There was something peaceful about it simple, quiet, and unassuming.

What drew me in was the feeling of stillness. The trees seemed to anchor the scene, while the empty space between them felt like the kind of place where you’d stop and take a moment to think or just breathe. I knew I had to capture it.

How I Captured It

To create this image, I used my Fujifilm X100F, a camera I enjoy for its compact size and reliability. My settings were:

Lens: 23mm (35mm equivalent) A versatile focal length that gave the scene a natural perspective.

Aperture: f/2 I kept it wide open to allow more light in, given the overcast sky, while keeping everything sharp enough.

Shutter Speed: 1/200s A fast enough speed to capture the scene cleanly without any motion blur.

ISO: 200 A low ISO to keep the image noise-free and preserve the fine detail.

Exposure Compensation: +0.3 EV I added a slight boost to lift the highlights and avoid the scene looking too dark.

Film Simulation: Fujifilm Acros I chose this black-and-white simulation because it worked perfectly with the mood of the scene, emphasising contrast and texture without the distraction of colour.

These settings worked together to create a clean, minimalist feel. The Acros simulation, in particular, brought out the details in the trees and the mist, giving the photo a timeless look.

I’ve always liked photographing trees in winter they show their structure and character without any distractions. For me, this image is about appreciating the beauty of simplicity. It’s not a loud or dramatic scene, but it’s the kind of moment that makes you stop and pay attention to what’s around you.

What do you think of when you see this image? I’d love to hear your thoughts.