On 6 August 2026, I was at King’s College on a photography assignment, accompanying a group to photograph their visit. The meadow harvest happened to be taking place at the same time, giving me the chance to capture a horse pulling harvesting machinery beneath the chapel towers. This was a commissioned photography job, separate from my guided and photography tours, none of which go inside colleges.
How the meadow became a tradition
The meadow first flowered in 2020, but its origins predate the pandemic. King’s College explains that the project was initiated in 2018 to improve biodiversity, transforming part of the Back Lawn into a wildflower meadow.
King’s records horse-drawn harvesting in 2021, at the end of the meadow’s second flowering season. The University of Cambridge describes the harvest as an annual August activity, carried out with the help of Shire horses. Cutting and removing the hay helps keep soil fertility low, giving wildflowers space to regenerate.
A familiar view, a different story
The chapel gives the scene its unmistakable setting, but the horse and the bright blue and red machinery draw the eye first. Rows of cut grass lead through the foreground, while the clouds add another layer of texture above the college buildings.
That combination is what makes an unplanned encounter so rewarding to photograph. A building you have seen many times becomes part of a new story. There is something happening in front of it, and a reason to look again.
Two ways to frame the moment
The landscape photograph leaves room for the long college façade, the chapel and the rows of cut grass. It places the activity within its surroundings, giving the viewer a sense of where everything sits.
The portrait photograph gives the chapel more height and presence. The horse and machinery anchor the lower part of the frame, with the towers rising above them. Neither format needs to do everything: each tells a slightly different version of the same moment.
An idea to try on your next photo walk
When something catches your attention, try a wider photograph to establish the setting, then turn your camera or phone vertically and look for a second composition. Notice where the main subject sits against the background, and whether the lines around it help guide your eye.
Keep an eye on the sky, too. With bright clouds and darker foreground detail in the same scene, check your exposure before moving on. On a phone, a small exposure adjustment can help retain cloud detail; with a camera, reviewing the highlights can help you avoid losing texture in the brightest areas.
Leave room for the unexpected
These photographs are a reminder of why I enjoy photographing Cambridge. Its architecture provides a beautiful setting, while the seasons and the activity around us offer new stories to tell.
I was inside King’s for the group’s commissioned photography assignment. My guided visits and photography tours take place outside the colleges, on public streets and paths; college entry and the meadow harvest are not part of those tours. There is still plenty to discover, from architectural details to riverside views and changing light.
If you would like to explore Cambridge with your phone or camera, take a look at my private photography tours. Tours are available in English or French, with practical guidance and plenty of room for your questions.