Target Wood in Northumberland is one of my favourite locations not just to photograph, but also to just chill for a while. Though small, it is secluded enough to have little footfall and you can wander uninterrupted with your camera and just zone out. There is of course the added bonus of Birkey Burn Falls which is situated just to the right of this image and it was these falls I was visiting when I took this shot.

Just before the sun was about to dip below the brow of the hill, it felt like it shone a spotlight on this young beech tree, illuminating the first touches of Autumn in its upper branches. Standing in the perfect spot at the perfect time, I set up my tripod without hesitation and grabbed this image.

I find it striking how the light glances against the trunk, illuminating its texture and casts it in stark relief against the background of the forest. A very lucky moment and one that seems to give character to a tree that would ordinarily be lost to its woodland environment.