Photo challenge – Inside

What a month it has been – the number of my childhood heroes who lost their battle with cancer is heart breaking. For me it has also been an exciting month with too many things to mention.

The last few months I have not done any posts for the A Lil’ Hoohaa’s monthly photo challenge. This month I have been able though to turn my camera to the theme of “inside” with all my adventures this month.

I knew one photo right away that I would be able to share but at the start of the month I had no clue of what photos I would have.

Half way through the month my best friend came to visit all the way from Birmingham. With three days to spend together and her car to let us explore outside of Brighton for once, we headed one of the days to Lewes a little town hidden in the Sussex Downs.

While you may not have heard of the tiny old town you have been effected by it – it’s stamp on history is huge and includes triggering American’s battle for independence and the French Revolution just to name two. Hidden in the middle of this ancient town is a partially knocked down castle. Originally with two mounds only one has a building still standing at the top and even then there is only half of the original tower standing.

It was a beautiful day with the sun slipping in and out of the fluffs of clouds scattered across the sky. When the sun breaks through the clouds almost golden sun seems to light up the old stones making it breath taking. Before you walk up the long steps and slopes up to the tower overlooking the town you pass an old canon in a stunning garden.

The depths of the canon seemed haunting compared to the sunlit colourful surroundings. Void of colour inside it echoed some of its dark history of destruction. The canon its self stood out in the greenery with its grey iron casting, but when the sun shone bright it glimmered green as it reflected its surroundings – only the inside stayed forever dark.

After leaving the sweet smelling garden though we trekked up, stopping to admire the town and country side gradually spread out more and more. The sights were amazing – Lewes castle had a perfect location so that it could see for miles in every direction.

Each step and more of the land spread out for us to see until we reach the top of the mound. Although once stood a tower taking up the whole of mound now only a quarter of the tower remains. A huge indent for a fire place still remains and two doors – one open and one locked.

For us the mystery of finding out what the locked room held had to be investigated. It was in the end just a room for chairs and other items for weddings or celebrations held at the top of this aging castle.

As my friend gazed inside, it was such a wonderful moment. The deep channel down to the door seemed to really frame her as she peered through. I love how the only colour comes from my friend or the brass door knob. Everything else that surrounds her is cold crumbling brick work almost devoid of any hue.

I love the idea of looking inside things and I adore how this captures that interest of finding out.

The other door atop of the mound was wide open and inviting. Inside was room after room that you made your way up tiny spiral stairs to reach a new level. Each level seemed to have its feeling while the wall unfolded the long history of this castle.

Ever higher we seemed to go – it felt there couldn’t be yet another level but we were surprised as it felt we reached higher and higher into the sky.

As we reached each level, the windows seemed to get wider. The first level had just arrow slits while the final windows were a metre wide.

Inside this tower the pictures by the windows were haunting – the light dances off a dark figure with glimpses of colour appearing. After taking so many of my friend, I finally had a photo taken sat in the wide window – I loved this photo. It seemed to capture my nose and hair really well but also those different levels of light. Yes I didn’t take the photo but I did spend a long time sorting out all of the settings and discussing the set up of the photo its self.

The level after this was the top of the tower with the open air to reach us after levels of dust and crumbling stone filling our noses. The views were amazing though I struggled to capture its incredible beauty. It was not long until the sound of young kids echoed in the spiraling staircase. We headed back down descending back into town. It was an incredible time and I adored the photos the came from our adventure.

I could share more photos from our exploration but there were other photos that I really loved that I felt captured the theme better. This month I have purchased myself a fruit water infuser and have filled it with all sorts of fruit. Most fruit looks normal but the frozen raspberries inside this clear design just enchanted me. The frozen air and ice shone every time and added with the refraction it just seemed like a thing of beauty. It tasted it too.

In the morning light, I loved the colours and bubbles captured inside the plastic casing so had to photograph it. All of the photos from this collection but this particular one seemed to capture the twisting of light inside the plastic and water best.

After last month, where I was hardly sociable at all, I have had an exciting month. Along with visits from a far, I also had friends locally visit. One, grateful for impending homemade Mac and Cheese and game night, she came with some beautiful flowers as a thankful.

For me I loved capturing the different flowers hidden inside the bouquet adorned in the inside with light and dark.

In this photo the morning light was flitting through the curtains covering the flowers hidden inside my flat with a dash of light. This just made the colours and shadows even more drastic than normal than had they been outside.

Finally – I wanted to share the ultimate inside photo though I can not take any claim to taking it. When I found out the theme was inside I couldn’t help but laugh – this would be the month I had my first ultrasound of our first little one. For me it was clear, this is how I’ll share on my blog about the baby – an inside photo of our little bundle of joy. It turns out either I have a poser already or they were having a nap in the perfect position – we got the perfect first picture.

It is such an exciting time and why I haven’t been able to blog much as appointments and morning sickness has eaten up my time. Out of all the photos this month, this is definitely my favourite.

So these are all my inside photos from this week – what is your favourite? Do you have a favourite inside photo? I would love to hear from you so leave a comment below!