Early starts in photography are always exciting, but only once you have set things in motion. As soon as the alarm goes off, I am on a mission. This time, my destination was Chesterton Windmill to see its newly restored sails. Sunrise at the spring equinox made the occasion even more significant. Since the clocks had not yet gone forward, the start was not too early.
Driving towards Chesterton, I noticed a lingering mist over the fields. On arrival, the scene was too good to pass up, so I pulled over, took out my camera, and captured the ethereal landscape. This was one of the first photographs of the windmill with its restored sails, and the conditions were perfect—a leading fence, mist-covered trees, and in the distance, the windmill’s sails standing proudly.
When I reached the top of the hill, the moon was still visible, adding to the atmosphere as I prepared for the arrival of the day. The sunrise was beautiful, and though there were no clouds, the first rays of sunlight made the trip worthwhile. As the sun rose higher, its light reflected off the white sails, making them shine brilliantly. I took several more photographs with both my camera and iPhone before heading home for breakfast.
I plan to return in a few weeks, as the windmill holds a special place for our family, particularly during those bleak lockdown days.
A pleasant surprise awaited me later—my early morning photograph of the windmill in the mist was featured by the BBC, and another image served as the backdrop for the Midlands Today weather bulletin.
I hope you enjoyed reading this entry which marks the conclusion of my earlier entry, where I documented the restoration of the windmill’s sails.
