A look back at my top five photos from 2025, the stories behind them and why are they my favourite.

 It really does go without saying that 2025 has been a rather interesting year. I look back at 2024 and whilst 2024 was a good year for landscape photography, 2025 has been a little more complex, challenging in some ways, but the weather of 2025 - well that has also been strange, an incredibly warm spring, followed by an incredibly warm summer followed of course by the arrival of autumn, and autumn to begin with, well that was rather warm - still though that could be down to that little element of something called "Global Warming." But in terms of photography this year, well it has been a year that I have managed to capture some really quite interesting photos, and of course selecting my top five, well that has been a challenge. That being said though these top five photos, well they have a certain story to them as to why they have made it onto this top five photos from 2025. 

"Art in the Sky from 400ft." - Now the photo on the left was actually taken in June of 2025, and yes whilst June (and of course Summer of 2025 was incredibly warm) June itself did throw up some surprises and one of those surprises of course was one particular afternoon in which I noticed outside that the clouds were beginning to change, darker skies to the east, and out of the window I could see a rainbow, or the elements of a rainbow. 

Now yes, I have attempted to take photos of rainbows before, but they always end up being a bit "meh!" To, say the least - but this time around I decided to very quickly grab the drone aka "the flying tripod with a camera attached to it" and send that into the air, I turned the drone towards the east and I could see right ahead of me a truly glorious Rainbow in the distance, Coronation Park down below and of course to the right, Winston the infamous Wind Turbine in The Erewash Valley and the glorious rainbow ahead of me, when I launched the drone, I had only x2 bars of battery, just enough time to capture some photos and then bring the drone down, but something told me that I needed to put the camera into Wide Angle Panorama Mode and capture the entire rainbow, I did and this was the end result, something truly amazing that I doubt I shall be seeing for a while. Yes I did get some other photos of the Rainbow, but to me this is one of my favourite photos from 2025, and it is not that hard to see why. But it also goes to show "that you really should have your camera at the ready for any eventuality, no matter what camera you have, then you can capture that one incredible moment in time."

But of course I have to fast forward from there to November of 2025, and well November has been a month in previous years that I have always had the following thought about,

"As soon as October has gone, that is it, Autumn as a season is over and immediately Winter arrives. For November is the month in which colours fade away and the dull bland elements of Winter seemingly arrive."

But even that is wrong and I have learnt that this year. Yes the month of November is a month of transition, it is a month that can "still very much hold the elements of Autumn Colours within it" and it is still a month of Autumn, well the first few weeks are, and it was at the beginning of November 2025 that I was at Shipley Country Park, over in Derbyshire, an area of Parkland that I have visited over the many years that I have been alive, and it is a parkland that is located between Ilkeston, Heanor and Smalley, and would look like a roughly triangular shape parkland if you were to sketch it out in a rough manner as well. Now throughout the years I have loved capturing the seasons at Shipley Country Park, especially in the Autumn, but one Saturday in November of 2025 and there was something magical, for the conditions were perfect and a walk was on the cards. 

"A moment of Autumn Gold." The walk this Saturday afternoon of course just so happened to be at one of my favourite places within Shipley Country Park, and that is an area called Horsepool Hill (if anyone knows the naming convention behind that, then do let me know.) And having had a lovely and delightful lunch at the fantastic Barefeet Lodge Tearooms, it was then time to start the walk, all around me I could see things had changed, and I had also noticed,

"That the colours this time around seemed a little bit more slightly sporadic, yes there were colours of Autumn, but a few weeks before hand that I had visited, there was a lot more Autumn Foliage."

This time around though, that Autumn foliage was as I said above, seemingly gone into a more sporadic stage, there was colour, but there was also signals of Winter waiting patiently in the metaphorical wings, and amongst the Autumnal colours, bare, dull trees without life, without leaves could also be seen, in the back of the mind though, part of it was thinking - at least the spring will bring with it a welcome return of colour. But as I was walking along the footpath through the woodland at Horsepool Hill, I had arrived at a corner, in front of me a glorious light shone through the canopy and it was just something else to behold, magical, fleeting golden light and wow! I was literally astounded, I got the camera out and captured the photo that you can see here, which is aptly named "A moment of Autumn Gold." for obvious reasons, for it was just something else to behold and it was nature creating a work of art in front of me. But as I look back on Autumn of 2025, it was just something else to behold quite literally. 

Now though I travel slightly back in time to Spring of 2025 and something that came about after watching a Photography Video, on the channel of Craig Yates, a superb landscape photographer from the Nottinghamshire area, and it was one that involved an Iron Giant, plus a sunrise and the third favourite photo of mine from 2025 has to be the following, 

"That light, a Purple, and Pink Hue, the valley Shines Below." Now me I am really more of a "Sunset over a Sunrise Photographer." And that goes without saying, but there are exceptions and it was towards the end of February 2025, that I had sent a message to Craig Yates, a fellow landscape photographer from the Nottinghamshire, the following message, or something at least along the following lines, 

"Bennerley Viaduct and a Sunrise would be something interesting to capture."

And well the reply to that was a sure yes it would be, but we need the conditions to be right. And sure enough one early March Morning, the sound of the alarm went off, silly o clock had arrived and it was time to venture out, for in the distance I could see a rather dark kind of sky, but thankfully it had a streak, an element of colour within it, a deep orange/red glow and it was rather promising to see, but was it going to turn into anything? For that was the question. After a short drive I had arrived at the location where Craig was waiting, and then it was time to head down through the Erewash Valley, and onto the top of the Iron Giant, otherwise known as The Bennerley Viaduct, one of only a few remaining Iron Built and Constructed Viaducts still within the UK that can be visited, at one time a railway used to run over the top of it, now though it has people, pedestrians and visitors, although at silly o clock, that really was not the case, instead a glorious silence could be heard, the odd break in that silence a freight or passenger train passing by, and as we were walking to the viaduct, emerging light could be seen. Once on top of the viaduct, my jaw dropped, and the light was just magical. 

Me though I wanted to capture the sunset using the drone, Craig, he was busy vlogging for his channel, and also getting some footage and photographs, and well I just had to send the drone into the air, and that is what I did, I turned the drone slightly and in a due south direction towards Ilkeston, this is what I could see, a truly glorious sunrise and a truly glorious and beautiful work of art being created right in front of me, for it was ethereal to witness and was magical. Now how many others saw this sunrise, probably not that many, and if you want to see the vlog that Craig did, it can be found here, 

But after that Sunrise photo shoot, even I was kind of converted to the beauty that early mornings can hold, the works of art that nature can also produce and the stillness and magic of being with nature and the surroundings of beauty without other people to spoil it, and that was just something else to behold, for I think that everyone needs to experience and photograph a sunrise at least some point in their lives, and to me at least it was nothing short of beauty, the beauty of being at one with nature. But also do give Craig's channel a Subscribe!

Now of course I head back to Autumn, but this time around October of 2025, and I look back at Autumn of 2025 and think the following, 

"Autumn of 2025 really was something else to behold, for it really was an Autumn of vast theatrical colour and beauty, nature really was putting on a bit of a show in terms of arts, and those arts made the landscape look like a painting, even the colours of Autumn 2025 they seemed to stand out a lot more, and yet all of that colour after what had been an incredibly warm Spring and Summer. Nature eh? It never ceases to amaze and surprise us all."

"Along The Autumn Pathway." To the right is a photo that I just love - and it was taken one October afternoon whilst on a walk along the footpath that runs alongside Moorgreen Reservoir (heading in the direction of Felley Mill/Felley). For this is of course a footpath that throughout the years I have always loved walking along and that throughout each season constantly changes, in the Spring and Summer it is full of foliage, greenery and of course colour, come the Autumn the greenery and foliage begin to change and of course Autumn colours begin to get painted and that is what I had managed to capture just here, that change from the summer greenery giving way to the Autumn Elements and that was just spectacular to see, for no matter what the woodlands at the side of Moorgreen Reservoir that lead to Felley and the woodlands of Felley, well me I think they are akin to a truly magical and magnificent Art Gallery of living works of art, those living works of art being the nature, the soundtrack of nature that plays in the background as you walk along and the various shapes, textures, colours and layers of foliage, and of course the sculpture of the trees that can be found, and that is what makes this stretch of pathway so magical and magnificent to capture throughout the year, but in the Autumn well that is when things truly excel and shine through. 

"Floating Above The Christmas Lights Of Suburbia." December 2025, Winter and well Winter of 2025 so far has been an interesting one, mild to some extent, and also cold at times, but a lack of Snowfall as well. But it was earlier in December that I had visited an ordinary looking part of Suburbia, that ordinary looking part of Suburbia being, 

"Giltbrook, and a seemingly ordinary looking street called Brackenfield Drive."

Which throughout the rest of the year you would just think looks like any ordinary street and it does, yet in December that changes and what happens? Well it completely changes as the whole street lights up and is transformed into a festive Christmas Wonderland with LED Christmas Lights creating a magical glow, and with a bit of careful flying with the metaphorical flying tripod with a camera attached to it, I had managed to capture this photo showing a unique view and perspective of the Christmas Lights on Brackenfield Drive in Giltbrook which was something else to behold. 

For they are my five top photos from 2025 and the stories behind them, and well 2025 what an interesting and curious year you have been for photography, from glorious sunrises, sunsets and scenes of colour and beauty, I just wonder if 2026 will be even more spectacular? I for one certainly hope so, but looking back at things, at 2025 it has also been a year of many surprises in which you have just moments to capture scenes that are in front of you, and that is one of the best things about photography, the documentation process involved within it and the stories that it can tell. 

Light there be magic. Taking a more unusual look from a slightly different perspective at the glorious Christmas Lights.

December eh? For it is a month in which things change, the Winter arrives, the afternoons that lead into the evening and subsequently the night, well they are longer and darker, but hold on? Is that "Christmas" that also arrives on the 25th? It sure is - but despite the afternoons and evenings and nights being darker, there is also light, a magical kind of light that can be found and they are the shining lights of Christmas, and over the past few days, well I have been fortunate to capture some amazing scenes of Christmas Lights, and it was just the other day when I was visiting Giltbrook, and a road within the Giltbrook estate called Brackenfield Drive, well it is a location that always seems to put on a truly glorious light display, all in the aid of Charity, and in the past I have photographed it from the ground, but this year, just the other day I was fortunate enough to capture it from a truly different and unique perspective, and that was from a metaphorical flying tripod in the sky with a camera attached to it, and below are the following photos that I managed to capture. 

"Floating above the Christmas Lights of Suburbia." - (This Photo was shown on ITV Central for The East Midlands, on Tuesday the 2nd of December 2025.)

"A portrait of Giltbrook Christmas Lights, the magical Glow."

And it was just yesterday afternoon on the afternoon of Friday the 5th of December 2025, that another opportunity arose, and that was something that I had in the back of the mind and that was to capture a location that I have always captured from on the ground, and that of course happens to be the fantastic Nuthall Christmas Lights, that this year is sadly their last year. However though on Friday the 5th of December, thankfully a break in the afternoon rain that had lashed down, prior meant that I could again get the metaphorical flying tripod into the sky yet again, and below is what I had managed to capture. 

"The Portrait of Christmas, a Nuthall Kind of Glow."

""Floating above a Nuthall kind of Christmas."

A "Nuthall Kind of Light?" Taking a look at the beauty and delight of Nuthall's Unique Christmas Lights.

It was on Friday the 28th of November 2025 that yet again I had the opportunity to stop off at the fantastic Nuthall Christmas Lights, and this time around, well the conditions for capturing them was just perfection to say the least. Yes, it might be the last year that they are doing them, and for the opening of this years Nuthall Christmas Lights - it was of course opened by Torvill and Dean. And no matter what year it has been that I have stopped off here and seen these lights, I am always amazed at how beautiful they look, and this year, well again they are truly superb, and if you get the chance to see them, you certainly should do. Below are the photos that I captured on Friday the 28th of November 2025 of the spectacular Nuthall Christmas Lights. 

"Christmas Lights, an LED of a Nuthall Sight."

"The Light and Colour, a Nuthall Festive Wonderland."

"Festive Lights, that shine a Nuthall kind of Bright."

"A Nuthall Kind of Christmas."

A carpet of cloud, the magic and serenity, thus views from above of a morning of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness.

"Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness." 

For it was the poet, John Keats who used those opening words for his poem, named simply as To Autumn. And it was on the morning of the 26th of November 2025 that those opening words for his poem seemed incredibly apt, for down on the ground, mists and a delightful crisp frost along with fruitfulness, and yet as the morning slowly went on, what happened? The skies slowly began to break, and a break in the clouds meant that I could send the metaphorical flying tripod with its camera attached to it into the air, and below are the photographs that I managed to capture this time around, of a rather shrouded Nottinghamshire town of Eastwood, looking slightly ethereal, yet magical, underneath the carpet of cloudy/misty conditions below, and from above I was taken away by what I could see below. 

"Gentle arts of a Crisp Morning."

"Stillness above the landscape."

"Shrouded is Suburbia. The peace of floating gently above."

"As the view goes, the atmosphere below. A delightful Morning of Beauty."

"Peaking down towards Eastwood Church, and a sea of Cloud."

"Above the white sea, a glow."

"The light, the magic of a white sea below."

"The sea of Cloud, meets the Suburban Shore."

Finding Gold and Fire, the magical November Light as it creates artwork over the landscape and Suburbia.

"The end of November, a time in which a transition takes place, one minute it is Autumn, the next well Winter will soon be arriving, and whilst it seasonally is still very much Autumn, there are already hints and signs as to what season will soon be here. But the season of Autumn offers colour and magic with the light, so does the Winter, and this transitional period in which one season slowly embers away before the new season arrives. And well the skies, yes the skies during Autumn or Winter, get them when the conditions are right, and they seem that little bit more magical."

And today, well the afternoon of the 25th of November 2025 was not exception, for it was on a walk at Brinsley Headstocks Nature Reserve, in the afternoon when from the ground I noticed a magical kind of light, the clouds had a certain shine to them, and well what did I have to do? Well that was to send the metaphorical tripod with a camera on it, into the skies, and below are the photos that I had managed to capture. 

"Do you see a face in the sky over The Hill?"

"A Crisp and Delicate Brinsley Light."

"Green Fields Below, and a Golden Glow in the Distance."

"Rays and November Gold."

"Over Brinsley Hill, finding November Gold."

"A November Sky, a Golden Beauty of a Glow."

But a short while after the walk at Brinsley, was finished, what did I notice? Well that would be a sky that truly lit up, even if it was for a matter of moments, and again I just had to send the metaphorical camera with a tripod into the sky, and this is what I had managed to capture. 

"Fire in the November Skies."

"The Sunset of November Fire Glow."

"A glorious November Crisp, Sunset Glow."

Colour and Arts. Taking a look at the Fireworks of Eastwood Christmas Lights Switch On, from a slightly different perspective.

November 2025 has seemingly gone by rather too quickly, and despite November still being classed seasonally as Autumn, there is a noticeable transition and change taking place - for already the Autumn Colours have disappeared and instead now, well the landscape looks a little bit more bare and colourless as the season of Winter approaches. But towards the end of November what happens? Well up and down the country, from the end part of November to early December, various towns, cities and other communities have their annual Christmas Lights Switch On, and (for some reason on Saturday the 22nd of November 2025) the town of Eastwood in Nottinghamshire, well it was their turn for the Christmas Lights Switch On and well I just had to get out and try something different, with safe flying I sent the metaphorical tripod with a camera into the sky, and managed to capture the following photos of the spectacular Fireworks, and below are the photos that I managed to capture. 

"The Light Show."

"The Green Fire Birds a Glow.."

"A Portrait of Colour."

"Slow and Colourful over Suburbia."

"Elements and Light."

"Light Effects, a Magical Glow."

"Light Trails, a final Glow."

Moods and November Views, a slightly unusual look at The Erewash Valley after Storm Claudia.

November really is a month of "transitions, one minute there are the colours of Autumn that end up becoming the final embers of colour before everything turns that little bit more grey." And along with the grey and bare weather, what else is late Autumn and this transition period into Winter known for? Well storms - and it was on November the 14th 2025 that Storm Claudia arrived, bringing with it an entire deluge of rain in just one day, and whilst Monmouthshire has been affected, here on the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire Border, it was time to see what effects Storm Claudia had, on The Erewash Valley. And from the ground near Shipley Lock, the best way to describe things was lets just say, 

"Typically Moody and Grey, atmospheric and strangely beautiful yet haunting."

And here are the photos from the ground overlooking The Erewash Valley, with Winston in the distance and of course The River Erewash. 

"November Deluge and Golden Embers Remain."

"Embers of Gold, the River Runs High."

"Moods and Grey, the Flood Plains, the River escaped on the Way."

"The Water, the Turbine of Winston."

But from above, with the drone it was clear to see the extent and amounts of water that had fallen, that had made it onto the flood plains, and looking towards Giltbrook and the direction in which Bennerley Viaduct is, well that was dramatic to say the least. Towards Langley Mill, again, dramatic but not so much in terms of water on the flood plains, and below are the photos taken with the metaphorical flying tripod with a camera attached to it. 

"Moods and November Valley Views."

"Water World. A Grey November Storm Claudia Aftermath."

"As the water Wanders."

"Bleak over Erewash Fields, towards A Langley Mill Grey."

"River, Canal, A Sense of Erewash Grey."

"Erewash Fields, to Storm Aftermath Fields."

"Floating above the water, under the November Grey."

Atmosphere, Colour and the incoming elements of Winter.

Already we are into the middle of November, and it was a conversation a little while ago, that I had with the fantastic Nottingham based landscape photographer, Craig Yates, who simply said something to the following effect,

"November is still Autumn, at least for the first two to three weeks, the third week of November is when we will more than likely see the last part of Autumn, before the more muddy, grey, bland elements take over and the colour of Autumn finally disappears."

And he certainly was not wrong at all, it was just a few days ago that I had ended up heading past the historic Beauvale Priory, and to the top of the strangely named, New Road, in Moorgreen, and at the top of New Road, what can be found? Woodland, yes Woodland that always throughout the year seems spectacular to capture, even from the side of the road, and this time around was the first time since mid Autumn that I had visited, and what did I notice this time around? Well an atmosphere, yes the weather was not fantastic, but the woodland seemed moody, the colours of Autumn - questionable, and whilst I did come across some Autumn colours, what I saw was the last embers of Autumn, and instead a woodland with the incoming elements of Winter, which could be felt, and below are the photos that I had managed to come away with. 

"Fading from Autumn to Winter and Bland."

"As Green and Colour Fades Away."

"Delicate Colours of Autumn Fade."

"As the last embers of Autumn Glow."

"Gold, Green and Trunks."

"As the final symphony of Autumn Colour gives way, to a Woodland Winter KInd of Grey."

"Colour and Bare as the Eye can See."

"The Final Strand of Autumn Gold."

"Shimmering Delicate Strands."