A curious yellowhammer observed me carefully during a winter walk near the Warta Valley — most birds flew away, but this one stayed
It was meant to be an ordinary walk — one of those gentle winter afternoons when the air softens and the low light warms everything it touches. I was moving slowly along the edge of the fields near the river valley, not searching for anything in particular.
A foggy winter evening by a small lake near my home — thin ice at the edges, quiet water, and reeds holding through the cold as the last light fades
There’s a lake near my home — close enough for an unplanned visit, yet distant enough to feel like a small escape. I come here often, especially in the evening, when the light begins to soften and the day slows down. Sunset has a way of doing that — turning a familiar lakeside view into something briefly new.
A young roe deer buck pauses in a snowy field, surprised by an unexpected encounter on a winter walk
Winter arrived suddenly this week — the kind of winter I remember from childhood. Not the hesitant, half-hearted versions we’ve had lately, with mud instead of snow and temperatures that never really commit. This one came quietly but decisively: frost in the mornings, fields turning white overnight, and that familiar crunch underfoot.
A curious vole peeks out of its burrow for a brief moment before disappearing again
During a family walk to a small lake near our house in central Poland, my son suddenly pointed toward the grass and whispered that something was moving. We stopped and waited. For a moment, nothing happened — only the faint rustle of dry stems and the cool scent of damp leaves carried by the evening air.
A calm evening encounter — a small bird resting confidently on bare branches, framed by the gentle colors of the setting sky
This small bird perched confidently on a bare branch, bathed in the soft light of an autumn evening. What caught my attention most was how unbothered it seemed — watching me quietly as if posing for the lens. The delicate pastel sky made a perfect backdrop for its patterned feathers.
Red rowan berries among golden leaves — a simple autumn detail brought to life with warm tones and gentle contrast in Photoshop
There’s a certain kind of light that only autumn brings — warm, honey-gold, and fleeting. It turns ordinary leaves into glowing mosaics of red, orange, and yellow. But capturing that feeling in a photo doesn’t always come straight from the camera.
Three roe deer in the evening light — photographed during a late-autumn cycling trip. The golden hour glow added warmth and texture to the scene
Late autumn often brings the best kind of light for photography — low, soft, and full of warm color. During one of my short cycling trips, I noticed three roe deer standing in a freshly ploughed field. The sun was setting, and the orange tones of the soil and the trees in the background created a beautiful golden hour atmosphere. It was one of those moments when everything aligns into a simple but effective wildlife composition.
A quiet forest path glowing with golden and red hues during Poland’s autumn
As part of my “From the Road: Stories & Photos” series, I often look for those fleeting moments when nature seems to pause — when color, light, and stillness align just right. This time, I found it on a quiet forest path during Poland’s golden autumn, where every shade from deep red to glowing yellow created a perfect seasonal harmony.
Horses playing in the golden hour light of an autumn evening
Golden autumn evenings offer some of the best light for outdoor photography. The low sun wraps the landscape in warm tones of gold and copper, creating a perfect atmosphere for portraits and nature shots. On this particular evening, the light filtered through birch leaves and reflected beautifully on the coats of two horses playing on a forest path. I also took a calmer portrait of a single horse, but the dynamic frame with two horses captured the energy and emotion of the season perfectly.
A quiet forest path glowing with autumn color — just a short bike ride from home
I’m always amazed by the hidden beauty right on our doorstep. This photo was taken in a forest I discovered only a year ago — despite having lived nearby for ages. It’s just a 20-minute bike ride from my house, one of those places you might pass by for years without realizing the autumn spectacle waiting just around the bend.
A mix of birch, pine, and maple trees glowing in the golden Polish autumn light — nature’s most vivid palette
The golden Polish autumn transforms familiar forests into glowing mosaics of yellow, orange, and deep red. The air turns crisp, the sunlight softens, and each path or clearing seems to shimmer with its own quiet warmth. It’s the kind of light that makes you stop — to watch, to breathe, to capture the fleeting beauty before it fades.
A black horse captured in golden light — autumn sunset photography in the countryside
There are moments in photography when everything aligns — light, subject, and atmosphere. Late one autumn afternoon, I found myself in a quiet field as the sun began its descent. The warm glow of the golden hour bathed the grass and trees in amber light, while a black horse moved gracefully across the pasture.