Photographing Belvoir Castle: Architecture and Formal Gardens

My wife has a selective memory; it’s just not her that does the selecting. She had wanted to go to Belvoir Castle for ages, right up until I mentioned we could go there since we were staying in Market Harborough. At that point, she forgot everything about the place!

Despite the memory lapse, we went, and it is a genuinely stunning stately home to visit. It also has—and I think this ages both my wife and me—the best outdoor toilets we have ever seen. The tiling in the exterior loos round the back of the castle is top-tier. I suppose that’s the sort of thing you notice once you’ve tiled your own bathroom; my daughter certainly didn’t seem to care.

Anyway, to the photo. This isn't a traditional architectural shot of the castle. Rather than centering the building, I chose to include the large tree on the left to frame the shot. The formal gardens in the foreground add a bit of "clutter," but I think it provides a sense of place. I especially love how the clouds turned out—they are incredibly pronounced against the stone of the castle.

Weirdly enough, I didn't find one "perfect" angle for the building, but perhaps I was enjoying the walk through the Leicestershire countryside too much to notice.

Photography Notes:
Location: Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire.
Composition: Off-center framing with natural elements and foreground garden detail.
Subject: English Stately Homes / Heritage Photography.