Bastejkalna Park Oak Tree

Bastejkalna Park is a winding piece of greenspace on the edge of Riga's Old Town,that dates back to the 1860s after the city tore down its fortress ramparts. A canal curls through it with little bridges criss-crossing the waterway, one of the bridges is overflowing with lovers' padlocks. Below the old bastion hill, a dolomite waterfall from 1898 still runs. The park is also a memorial site. A series of memorial stones mark where five people were shot by Soviet special police on 20 January 1991, during the barricades that defended Latvian independence. Flowers are still laid there each year. One of the park's main centrepieces is a large oak tree that is covered with ribbons in the deep red and white of the Latvian flag. People tie them on the tree as a reminded of independence, during the folk festivals throughout the year, and in memory of those who have died for freedom. By day it is a peaceful portrait of an old tree covering in Latvia's colours. Come back after dark and it changes completely. Floodlights make it pop against the black sky so the ribbons seem to glow, making this tree a unique spot to experiment with night photography. Autumn is the best season to aim for, when the leaves turn gold and the red ribbons sing against the warm canopy. The gates never close, so you can easily catch the tree quiet at first light or brightly lit in the darkness depending on your shooting style. (Riga, Vidzeme, Latvia)