Slick Bark and Shadows

Walking through the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh on a dark, wet afternoon, most people might have kept their cameras pocketed. I did the opposite. Rain acts like a natural varnish on old wood, deepening the blacks and creating specular highlights that you just don't get on a dry, flat day.

For this shot, the colour was actually a distraction. The greens were muddy and the light was low, so I stripped it back to monochrome. By focusing purely on the structural chaos of the branches, the image became about the age and the twisting form of the tree. If you are shooting in the rain, look for these high-contrast textures; the water helps separate the subject from the background, giving the image a metallic, almost silver quality that feels incredibly tactile.