Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

  I took a visit to Norton Juxta Blooms directly opposite @TwycrossZoo in Leicestershire to see their spectacular Sunflower field, we made the visit at Sunset so as the sun slid below the horizon the field started to glow deep yellow and oranges. We also had an unexpected flypast by some Para motors which took off from an adjacent field flying low over the Sunflowers adding to the special atmosphere. In this film i explore the field finding a bright blue tractor contrasting against the Yellow flowers and exploring the maze of paths throughout, as the sun sinks lower the Sunflowers seem to be soaking up the last few rays and bow their heads till sunrise tomorrow. please see the Norton Juxta Blooms website for opening times and a special thanks to the team there for allowing us to film after hours.  

   I visited Corby Hazel and Thoroughsale woods to witness artist @lukejerram7742 's emotive piece #TippingPoint. The work created to simulate a forest fire raging uses smoke lights and and immersive soundtrack to bring the horrors of this natural disaster to life for visitors. In collaboration with award winning composers Dan Jones and Simon Birch the artwork includes an immersive soundtrack which includes audio of trees burning, chainsaws whirring, animals running and birds flying away, to bring the reality of deforestation to life. As I explore the explore the piece we also hear peoples recorded experiences of real forest fires. We see the strange juxtaposition of visitors taking photos with their phones whilst the forest seemingly burns around them !. Tipping Point was commissioned by University of Bristol Botanic Garden and the charity Make My Money Matter.  

  On BBC East Midlands Today a Weather Watcher photo from a viewer featured a spectacular bright red Poppy field noting its location as Witherley a small village in Leicestershire and only 20 mins drive from home one evening we set off to find and capture the stunning sight. As we arrived on the edge of the village the low hum of drones and sight of multiple parked cars told us we where close, sure enough through glimpses in the hedge we saw flashes of red colour, parking in an open gateway we where greeted by a spectacular carpet of bright red poppies stretching as far as our eyes could see. In the distance the village church spire could just be seen over the hedges and the birds where singing in the hedgerows and trees around us. Soon as the evening sun began to cast long shadows and back lit the flowers, bees moved buzzing between them and various smaller insects completed the scene. Overhead a plane makes a trail through a near cloudless sky as the warm graduations of sunset i...

Touring various locations across the country The Underwater Photographer of the Year interactive exhibition came to the Fosse Park Shopping Park, bringing multiple amazing images to visitors and shoppers alike. Regardless of whether visitors had made a trip to see the exhibition or had come across it whilst shopping they where treated to photography that captured the underwater world in all it`s colourful, vibrant & delicate beauty. The exhibition also had an Augmented Reality (AR) element for those using the Artivive app offering related videos & more for some of the photographs. My film takes a quick look at the exhibition which (at time of writing) is in place till October 6th and is free to see. All photos etc copyright of their various owners.

Step into the world of willow weaving with Amanda Rayner, the acclaimed artisan from Wyldwood Willow, boasting over two decades of mastery in this ancient craft.  Join me on a journey to Everards Meadows, where tradition meets innovation, as Amanda demonstrates her skill in crafting a traditional willow fence. In my video, you will witness firsthand the artistry and dedication poured into every intricate weave as Amanda showcases techniques passed down through generations.  Against the backdrop of Everards Beer Hall and brewery, the car park transforms into a haven of creativity, with willow sourced directly from the meadows and other carefully selected sources. See Amanda's work bring the raw beauty of nature to life, one strand at a time. Whether you're an enthusiast of traditional craftsmanship or simply curious about the magic of willow weaving, this video promises a glimpse into a timeless art form.

Once again the Cosby Crafters have come together to create another fantastic Yarnbomb in the Leicestershire village of Cosby, This years theme "Make A Splash !". There's a giant octopus attached to the side of the barn and at the fish and chip shop someone has just been eaten by a shark !, No its not the plot of a new Hollywood summer blockbuster film but some clever crochet creations by the Cosby Crafters turning the village into a water themed wonderland with this years theme of "Make A Splash !". There's lots to see with seahorses playing trumpets and a whole shoal of fish swinging in the summer breeze. Children run from creation to creation singing "just keep swimming" and "look mum, a shark !". Moo-ving on we find Daisy the cow enjoying a cooling splash of milkshake and is that Mr Toad simply messing about on the river ? maybe ratty was right after all. Attached to some railings is a knitted underwater scene with some fish sporting s...

The Blue (heart) rewilding project/campaign was founded in 2014 by wildlife filmmaker Fergus Beeley, The project was founded in response to dramatic biodiversity and biomass declines in the UK. The only requirement is to allow a patch of land to grow and see what plants and animals return. My film looks at the projects implementation in the Leicestershire village of Desford where village residents have enhanced the projects visibility by running bunting featuring the projects symbol (a Blue Heart) along a roadside verge. Desford Parish Council and Leicestershire County Council have agreed not to mow this verge during spring and summer 2021 in the support of the projects aims to see wild flower plants and animals return to the area.

I visited Thornton Reservoir in the National Forest in Leicestershire in hope of sighting a rare Mandarin Duck which had been seen in the area. The Mandarin Duck is held in high regard in Chinese culture as they, unlike other ducks, are believed to be lifelong couples, as a result they are regularly featured in Chinese art. Mandarin ducks are also known as "Wedding Ducks" in Korean culture and Lovebirds/Happily Married Couples in Japanese culture. At the reservoir a veritable menagerie of waterfowl could be observed with Swans, Mallards and a very noisy Chinese Goose making himself known to most of Leicestershire with his loud honking, but as yet no sign of the star of the show. Walking around the reservoir and keeping our eyes peeled for the elusive duck, we were told by some passing binocular yielding walkers that they had witnessed our colorful friend standing on a log in a wooded area just off the shoreline path, turning a corner the unmistakable brightly patterned duck ...

  Every year a small patch of ancient woodland alongside J21 of the M1 and a short walk from Fosse Shopping Park is carpeted in a sea of Blue Bluebell flowers creating a natural oasis in the middle of a busy built up urban environment.

I took a walk with my camera in some ancient woodland in Lei cestershire, above the sound of the nearby busy main road my attention was drawn to the sound of some woodpecker chicks and a perfectly formed small hole in a forked tree beside me, watching the hole for a brief period I noticed some of the chicks looking out and calling for their parents for food. It wasn't long before I was treated to the sight of the parent woodpecker returning with worms and more for the growing chicks.

I visited a small area of woodland sandwiched between several busy roads and a motorway junction near to fosse park in Leicester. The area is not visible from the road and requires passing under a graffiti lined subway giving an interesting contrast between the urban and the natural. Approaching the area your hit by the fragrant scent of the flowers before a carpet of blue stretches out beneath the trees, dappled sunlight shines through the leaves illuminating patches of the blue flowers giving the area a magical glow and the look of a living painting. on my visit a small spec of red caught my eye, a small ladybird (ladybug) was making his way across the stem of one of the flowers I quickly switched lenses and he happily posed for me with his black and red spotted shell contrasting perfectly with the blue of the bluebell.