Dark Forests

This is really one of my favourite subjects. I love looking at photographs and paintings of dark forests, especially forests at night time. Forests in black and white photographs. Forests darkened by winter gloom. Forests with damp wet darkened trees and mist. Forests with plenty of shadow and not enough sunlight. Forests that look spooky. Forests with dead trees. Forests with trees that appear menacing. Forests with eyes peering between bushes and leaves. Forests full of ghostly shapes. Forests that contain predatory animals such as wolves and bears that anyone will avoid camping in.

There is not enough websites featurng galleries of such magnificence of nature: darkest forests.

To me, the dark forest conjurs up spectral things like the subconsious, inner fears, a feel of danger lurking and an atmosphere like broken romance.

I cannot emphasise how much this appeals to me.

The dark forest is tremendously beautiful in a chilling way. It causes me to imagine things that are either supernatural or artistic, making me want to live there just as the wild wolfhead woman Maid Marion. To hide in trees, erect wooden shelter and be one with the elements. It seems pretty cheesy but it's nature!

I would simply love to spend a week all by myself in a wooden log cabin bang in the centre of a forest with ghosts, wolves, bears and complete darkness from the thick density of trees all around. I would feel as vulnerable as Little Red Riding Hood or Snow White. Any woman would feel scared. Most people get a thrill out of bunjee jumping, sky diving, mountain climbing or racing. I would get a thrill out of spending a night on my own in a dark forest. That would freak people surely unless they're used to it. People choose anything but isolation and being just cut off from humanity but with unfamiliar animals of the forest is scary.

Whenever you watch a horror film, be it gothic, chiller, psychological thriller, paranormal, even historical fiction with a grim storyline, the dark forest sets it off. The forests frighten people. I've heard people say this and they even dislike trees in gardens.

Browsing at images of "dark forests" is a kind of therapy. What stands out is the elegance of the pictures, whether or not they're painted or photographic. Any picture of a dark forest without anyone in it, not a single creature, gives the forest a very imposing look. I can almost sense being there.  The forest appears threatening just as it's own.

Black metal album covers often feature dark forests.