![Acer at Batsford Arboretum Acer at Batsford Arboretum](http://www.pauldebois.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_0586-copy-335x450.jpg)
Acer at Batsford Arboretum
![Mill Dene Gardens Mill Dene Gardens](http://www.pauldebois.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/PDB_1_11_10_0019-copy-450x300.jpg)
Mill Dene Gardens
Just over a week ago, I visited Batsford Arboretum, near Moreton in Marsh and the garden at Mill Dene. I had a great drive through the Cotswolds on fantastic Autumn day, to see trees at their best. What a difference a week makes. On a shoot at Capel Manor a few days later, I had to create a large plastic tent to shelter from the wind and rain whilst photographing garden products. Then today, I photographed journalist Sally Nex at her allotment. Despite the best efforts of the various weather sites, we couldn’t find a time slot to keep us dry. Even my camera had a fit of the vapours. I guess winter has arrived.
![Danny Coope (left) and me during a shoot at Capel Manor Danny Coope and me during a shoot at Capel Manor](http://www.pauldebois.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/PDB_8_11_100248.jpg)
Danny Coope, picture editor at Which? Gardening (left) and me during a shoot at Capel Manor.
![Sally Nex at her allotment Sally Nex at her allotment](http://www.pauldebois.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/PDB_14_11_10_0150v21.jpg)
Sally Nex at her allotment
Actually this was Sally’s last day at this particular plot. Not only did she put up with standing around in the rain for a portrait – she took down a greenhouse in under two hours (smashing just two panes of glass), loaded a van with tons of gardening paraphernalia accumulated over six years and even solved a dispute over jelly babies and Jaffa cakes. Now here’s a woman who can multitask!
Despite frequent inclement weather, winter can actually be a great time to take photographs. The sudden weather changes offer many opportunities and trees and plants take on a new form. Unfortunately, commercial photography becomes difficult to plan. But this is far outweighed by the unexpected. I think the unexpected in this case was the fact that Sally kept smiling!