This shot was taken at a very small little duck pond just off the main road as you approach the Phoenix Monument. It is almost directly opposite Aras An Uachtarain [where the president lives]. It’s not something you would really notice that easily, very cleverly hidden by a circle of rather beautiful trees. To be honest I have seen it many times and have walked by on many occasions too. I was in the park on this particular day in September 2010, one of my first days out in the park in several months and at this stage I had taken about 60 shots but really didn’t feel I had anything really worth printing. I decided on a whim to have a stroll around this little pond and immediately noticed the perfect Autumn light just peeking through the trees where I was standing. The reflections in the water were truly stunning but still I was desperate to capture something of any value. As I walked around the pond this scene just opened up for me. I set up the tripod really quickly and snapped as soon as I could get the lens focused. Literally 30 seconds later the clouds had covered the sun and the entire scene changed again into some altogether rather dull. This is something I really love about this park, you find something new every time you visit and in the space of just a few minutes appearances can change from simply breath-taking to walk on by bland. I am so glad I took the time out to stroll in here, I have been back to the exact same spot twice since this photo was taken and neither occasion would have produced anything like this.

This little pond really feels very private at times, you can still hear the traffic going by on the road but with the trees providing protection all round it can feel like you are just all alone hidden away. It’s almost like the trees don’t want you to know whats in here, or even happening in here. Sometimes I feel like trees have their own little way of trying to keep certain things to themselves, it may seem a bit mad to say but you really do feel like they are trying to protect this little pond and all that goes on within. You are allowed to come in but you must stick to their rules. I must remember to back and visit this spot during the summer, I can imagine a very different scene, I would imagine the trees in full bloom would block out all the summer sunshine to create something very haunting indeed.