The Snow Trees by photographer / director Martin Brent celebrate a man made moment over sixty years in its evolution but only being completed by the temporary covering of snow that lasted no more than 24 hours.

This was the silent moment just after the last flakes of had fallen.

Possibly planted as a commercial venture by long forgotten foresters the trees in their near perfect ranks await a harvest that never came.

The main composition represents choice, to the right a safe path into the light, an easy route that can easily be made but no discovery or mystery awaits, to the left the path is soon lost amongst the trees, their uniformity becoming confused, the path no longer clear, the light decreasing.

Each path has a guardian, a dominant force that prevents us moving forward until the options and possible consequences are considered the view ahead blocked, maybe a little risk is required just to leave where we now stand, this is where the artist leaves the viewer in the silence of the forest.

Martin has learned that in recent months the forest portrayed here has tragically been felled, thus this image represents an historic document and truly unrepeatable moment, only 5 of these panoramas will ever exist in this form, one will be retained by the artist, two are sold and within collections, one of them belonging to the drummer of a very well known British rock band.

The Snow Trees will be on display at the Royal Birmingham Society Of Artists Gallery, St Pauls Square, Birmingham until 18th October.

Dating back to 1821, in 1868 the Birmingham Society of Artists received its royal charter and was given official consent to use the term “royal” in its title. The RBSA has had some very notable members throughout its history and played an influential role within the Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts movements. Members and past presidents include Sir Robert Peel, William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, John Everett Millais, Lord Leighton, Bernard Fleetwood-Walker, Sir Charles Wheeler PRA and William Gear.

Read more about RBSA Gallery here.