Ash Grove Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

This picture was taken at Äskhult, an old village a bit south of Gothenburg.

The name Äskhult is derived from Ask, which means the tree ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and hult, which means a small group of trees (grove). The Swedish word hult is related to the German Holz = wood.

The 19th century character of Äskhult village has been preserved, with tightly packed farm buildings collected around a village square. The village, which is located on the top of a beautifully rounded moraine ridge, today comprises four farms in their original position. The farms were inhabited right up to the 1960s.

Äskhult is a uniquely preserved village environment that offers a good idea of what many villages in West Sweden looked like 200 years ago, before the great redistribution of land holdings (”storskifte”) in 1825.

Our guide here is Linda, who showed us the village and talked, with great knowledge and enthusiasm, about life in those days. She was also dressed accordingly, in the typical fashion of about 200 years ago. Some more pictures of her in the WS:s.

You may also note that all buildings here are unpainted. The Swedish fashion to paint all houses with Falu Red Paint is actually from the later part of the 19th century. Before this, only rich people could afford to paint their houses with this typical Swedish paint. So at Äskhult, all buildings are grey and unpainted!

dareco, dip, besnard, fanni, jbemmels, mikolaj_kawa, Kielia, windosil, bukitgolfb301, feather, hispic, paura, UlfE, Cretense, Graal, ellelloo, asajernigan, molla has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dareco (17024) 2009-06-29 0:18

WOW! This could just blend right in with my series. I would love to visit this place too. I like the bare feet :) Nice lighting and detail. I hope you have lots more to show us from this place. TFS

dip (12402) 2009-06-29 0:20

Hi Gunnar,
interesting image of the old village and the traditional dressed woman,
a very good clear and sharp photo with amazing lighting and nice natural colors,
Greetings,
Dimitris.

besnard (30044) 2009-06-29 0:22

Bonjour Gunnar
Un joli cliché net et bien cadré avec cette jeune femme en costume d'un autre temps. C'est du bon travail.
Merci pour le partage et bonne journée.
Nicole

Jobak (191) 2009-06-29 0:33 [Comment]

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fanni (8677) 2009-06-29 0:53

Hej Gunnar,
a very nice guide and a very picturesque view (even though the houses are not painted red)! Just like a scene from a long time ago where people did not know any cars, telephones and TV :) Almost a postcard-style shot, but very pleasant - also thanks to an excellent light management on this very sunny day!
I like the composition very much.
Have a nice day!
varma hälsningar,
Elena

emka (21127) 2009-06-29 1:44

Hi Gunnar, Nice to go back in time twu hundred years. It is fantastic to see the guide dressed accordingly. I saw such scenes in some places in Norway . Lovely view of the village.

Regards

Malgorzata

mafegan (3933) 2009-06-29 2:30

Hello Gunnar
Great to view this scene and to see how people lived in Sweden 200 years ago. A nicely balanced scene. Tfs, Marlene

holmertz (9208) 2009-06-29 3:24

Hej Gunnar,
A very fine composition with the guide in the front and the trees separating the grey buildings. Excellent light, colours and sharpness and an interesting note.
Hälsningar,
Gert

jbemmels (327) 2009-06-29 3:28

Hey Gunnar,

an interesting note and certainly very interesting place to visit. She is not wearing shoes! (Nor looking at the camera). Both of these are great details: adds to the possibility that this scene could very well be from a time long ago...

Cheers,
Jordan

mikolaj_kawa (29322) 2009-06-29 4:30

Hello Gunnar! Beautiful girl. Amazing village. Nice scene. Very nice lightness and colours. Good picture. Well done!

nirvana73 (8452) 2009-06-29 5:17

Hello Dear Gunnar
very nice place
great atmosphere
i like colors and light / shadow of the woman
very interesting she's feet to be bare
thanks for sharing
best regards
Ozhan

gildasjan (23241) 2009-06-29 12:36

Bonsoir Gunnar
Une image très bien construite devant ces architectures,ici j'apprécie le cadrage de cette jeune fille et la bonne luminosité de cette image.
Bonne soirée
Amicalement
gildas

Kielia (8111) 2009-06-29 12:39

Hej Gunnar,
this is really a storybook image from Sweden! It is fascinating how concentrated and naturally Linda is acting. Very pleasant colors and an excellent management of the strong light. TFS!
Warm regards
Harriet

Fis2 (45126) 2009-06-29 12:59

Witaj Gunnar!
A very curious place.
Interesting buildings.
I like thecolors and light.
The woman add savor of photo.
Good work.
Regards
Krzysztof

windosil (762) 2009-06-29 13:08

Oh, Gunnar, this is really beautiful. And your guide knew the colours to wear to help you make a perfect picture.
There is a great sense of freshness and space here. I like the silvery grey colour much better than the red for these wooden houses!
Winifred

Vasa (4742) 2009-06-29 13:49

Hej Gunnar, friend,

many thanks for your note which is precious addition of this perfect photo. Complete story about Goteborg's village. Composition is authentic with the perfect dispotition of all elements. The girl is lovely. My wife also like it very much. Many thanks freind, warm regards for you

Branko

feather (49848) 2009-06-29 13:52

It's good that these old villages are preserved to show how people lived in the past. Despite the strong light you have managed the exposure well with no harsh shadows. Well framed with the guide off-centred, leaving space for the house behind the bush.
Kath

hispic (7399) 2009-06-29 20:01

Hello Gunnar,
The old unpainted buildings and your guide Linda wearing clothes of those days are shining bright in the summer sunlight. She looks comfortable barefoot. I like these natural moderate angle of view, colour, and sharpness like unplugged music sound.
Regards, Hisashi

aadilj (17950) 2009-06-29 22:35

Hi gunnar, this is a typical and a quintessential shot with the lady posing so coyly in the midst of such beautiful environs. Youve captured the scene well

jasmis (49559) 2009-06-30 4:52

Superb rural scenery with amazing model.
Regards.

paura (37682) 2009-06-30 5:08

Gunnar,
A lovely photography here. Supperb compositoin to show the beautiful scene. Well done.

Regards

Paulo

COSTANTINO (22104) 2009-06-30 11:10

Hello
Another sweet,simple and pretty photo fro a village..
Everything is well composed with natural colours and the pretty lady is looking at the photographer..
thanks for sharing this nice postcard
regards
Costantino

UlfE (8831) 2009-06-30 11:22

Hej Gunnar,

What an idyllic palace a very fine compostion and beautiful colours. The lady is perfect there. If you had transformed it into a sepia picture. It would have looked like it was taken a hundred years ago. Excellent job. TFS and have a nice evening!

Hälsningar

Ulf

anesugur (16490) 2009-06-30 14:40

Excellent capture .
Impressive composition and nice POV.

Thank you, nice days. Uğur

barrufeto_77 (25591) 2009-06-30 14:50

Hi Gunnar.

I really love this kind of typical dresses! They're great.

Do you know what I miss in the pic? Only one thing...the girl looking at you.

Anyway, well done!

Rgs, Oscar

danyy (67844) 2009-06-30 23:07

Bonjour Gunnar,
belle photo typique de l'endroit avec un personnage du terroir, dommage que cette jeune femme a l'air de poser.
Des couleurs bien naturelles.
Best regards.
Daniel.

Cretense (54578) 2009-07-01 1:42

Hello Gunnar!

Excellent portrait, with interesting architecture elements in the background! Perfect framing and composition, great light managment and beautiful colours! Congratulations!

Hercules

scroller (2877) 2009-07-01 11:06

Hej Gunnar,
The Ash Grove as you surely know is a welsh folk song. This girl in her costume is very well fit in to the environment. Great catch and as some one noticed the bare feet is unbeatable!
Hälsningar från ett soligt Stockholm
/Stefan

jemaflor (38801) 2009-07-01 11:44

Hi Gunnar,
Well composed this traditionnal photo, good light and colors, interesting contribution from your country.

Graal (57156) 2009-07-01 23:59

Hi Gunnar,
good village reportage. An interesting informations. Pretty woman on FG. Well done photo. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

ellelloo (4626) 2009-07-02 5:54

Hej Gunnar,
A great shot! A perfect balanced composition, where the traditionally dressed guide is a nice element. Excellent control of light in strong sunshine and very beautiful and natural colours. Thanks for the excellent note too!
Hälsningar,
Lasse

asajernigan (13859) 2009-07-03 7:12

Gunnar,
Your composition is great placing the traditionally dressed girl off center in the shot and balanced by the tree. The lighting and colors are great with nice sharpness and detail.
TFS,
Asa

molla (6871) 2009-07-17 2:06

excellent Gunnar,
A a great description about the place. a true folklore that takes us backwards a long long time. you have presented the photo in a very good waywith a perfect comp and very attractive colors (and girl aswell9
have a nice stay in naboland if your still theere.
Anders Mohlin

pablominto (39848) 2009-07-17 2:11

Hei Gunnar,

I have wondered what happened to Heidi in all Swiss photographs lately, now I know: She went to Sweden for a better paid summer job..!
Romantic and nostalgic Åskhult, and wow! She is bare feet...
A fine postcard!

Greetings,
Pablo -

skoogmi (39) 2009-09-12 13:23

Hej Gunnar
En välkomponerad bild med mycket bra färger. Som en illustration till ett gammalt skillingtryck!
Hälsningar
Mikael