Can You Go Green and Still Get the Shot? Part 1 - Photographing Dartmoor by Train - Ditching the Car
Most of use a car to get to the locations that we want to photograph, but is it possible to go greener and use public transport? In this video I ditch the car and take the train to #Dartmoor. Will this save the planet or is it just too impractical?
Can I Make my Landscape Photography Greener?
Being outdoors with your camera seems to be an eco-friendly activity, doesn't it? But if you scratch under the surface, you'll find that the environmental impact of landscape photograph is a complex issue. To understand that impact you need to look at various factors including travel, camera gear, power & charging, and environmental footprint.
What I'm not going to do in this video and blog post is address these issues in full and provide solutions. And I'm certainly in no position to lecture anyone on the environmental impact that their photography may have.
But what I would like to do is to see if there are some small changes I can make that might reduce the overall environmental impact of my landscape photography. One of the most obvious factors that I can look to change is how I travel. Virtually all my landscape photography involves travelling by car. Even a trip to Dartmoor can involve a 50-mile round trip.
But what if there was an option for me to get public transport to Dartmoor. Well, back in 2021 the Dartmoor Line which runs between Exeter and Okehampton reopened, and ever since trains started running again, I've been itching to give it a try.
Could this train service become a regular form of transport for me and my landscape photograph? Let's find out in the video below.
Belstone Tor Landscape Photographs
Here are the photographs you saw me capture in the video.
Belstone Tor #1, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/11, 1/25 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor #3, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor #4, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Bite-Size Blog Post #43 - Belstone Common - Dartmoor National Park
In this blog post I share with you some of the photographs I captured from the recent snowfall on Dartmoor, and I discuss some of the compositional challenges when there is "too much snow".
A Reminder of the Dangers of Driving in the Snow
I recently wrote in blog about how I photographed Dartmoor in the snow over a period of three days. We are lucky to get one day of snow on Dartmoor before it clears, so I felt fortunate to get out with my camera three times over three days. Aside from a tricky exit from one car park, driving around Dartmoor in the snowy conditions wasn't too bad and it gave me a bit of confidence to try it again should there be another snowfall.
As if luck was on my side, it was early on in January when Dartmoor experienced another dumping of snow. Eager to get out there and add to my library of snowy Dartmoor pictures I ventured out in the car to photograph the area around Row Tor in the Okehampton military zone. The driving conditions on the main roads weren't too bad, but as always, a little extra caution was called for.
All was going well until I started heading up Station Road in Okehampton where there is less traffic and steeper roads. There was clearly ice and snow on the road, but I was feeling bold, and I was eager to capture some photos, so I kept going. Station Road soon turned into Tors Road, and this is where things got tricky. Tors Road is particularly steep in places, and with very little traffic on that road (and certainly no gritting trucks), I found my car sliding on the ice.
I thought I might be able to make it to the boundary of the military camp, but even if I did, coming back down would be horrible. With the likelihood of the car sliding even under gentle braking, I really didn't fancy descending Tors Road and then sliding into something and damaging my car or someone else's property. So, I made a very careful three point turn and slowly descended back into Okehampton. It was a sensible decision.
However, I didn't want to just give up on my desire to capture photographs that morning. With sunrise getting ever closer there was only one place that I thought I could get a car close enough to and that was Belstone.
I had to drive carefully up the country lane to Belstone, but it was passable. I did the sensible thing and parked in the main car park and started the walk up to Belstone Common. It was a beautiful morning and Belstone village looked like a winter picture post card. Up on the moor the walking was hard going as the snow was deep. I was glad I was wearing my Muck Boot Artic Sport wellies!
Too Much Snow for Belstone?
A Snowy Belstone Tor #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO64
I was surprised to see a few folk up on Belstone at that time of morning, especially with so much snow. My first concern was that they might have already walked through the snow and left foot prints but fortunately for me this wasn’t the case.
Belstone is a place I have photographed numerous times of the years, and I have compositions I know work well. However, as pretty as the snow was, there was more there that I'd ever experienced on Dartmoor and its presence considerably change the look of the location. Compositions featuring my favourite rock formations lost a lot of their definition under a blanket of snow. Don't get me wrong, the snow looked beautiful and some of the patterns that the wind had shaped the snow into looked amazing. But it was hard work finding compositions.
A Snowy Belstone Tor #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/30 sec at ISO64
Another challenge was the mostly clear blue sky. With a very white foreground and a blue sky, I felt the scene lacked interest or drama. It was certainly wonderful to look at, but that doesn't always make for a compelling photograph.
While I am often critical of my photographs because I either should have composed them better or the conditions weren't right, the one thing I always do is enjoy my time while I'm out with the camera and I most certainly enjoyed my morning on Belstone Common. Watching the sunrise over the rolling hills of a snowy Dartmoor was a joyous experience and one that I would happily do again.
A SNowy Irishman’s Wall, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 26mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO64
Saying Goodbye to My Nikon Z7
I'm changing my landscape photography camera so it's time for one last shoot with the Nikon Z7. Join me in as I visit two of my favourite Dartmoor locations to capture my final Nikon Z7 landscape photographs with the Z7.
One Last Adventure
Over the last four years my Nikon Z7 been a constant companion on my landscape photography adventures and it has helped me capture some of my favourite landscape photographs.
However, it is time to move on and the delivery of my new camera is just around the corner. I don’t get emotionally attached to my cameras, but I decided to celebrate the end of my photography journey with the Z7 by taking it out on one my last landscape photography adventure to Dartmoor.
So, join me on my latest landscape photography adventure and watch me press the shutter button on my Nikon Z7 for the very last time.
Bowerman’s Nose, Dartmoor
Bowerman’s Nose, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone, Dartmoor
Belstone Tor Sunset #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20m, f/11, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunset #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/11, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunset #3 , Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/11, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Some of My Favourite Nikon Z7 Landscape Photographs
Photographing Dartmoor in the Snow
Snow can transform Dartmoor into a winter wonderland for landscape photography. In this blog, I share with you not one, but two locations, where I was fortunate enough to photograph them in the snow.
Who Doesn’t Like a Snowy Landscape?
There aren’t many types of weather that get landscape photographers as excited as snow. Snow can transform even the most mundane of landscapes into something pure and beautiful. Depending on where you live, it can also be rare.
Living in the south-west of the UK, I don’t see snowfall that often. It will snow at least once during the winter months, but it tends to be a dusting of snow. This is unlike other places in the UK such as Scotland where snowfall can be significant.
Snow fall on Dartmoor for me is a double-edged sword. It transforms the landscape into a stunning winter wonderland but, accessing the moors can become challenging. Dartmoor has a mixture of busy A roads all the way down to narrow country lanes. Safe access to those roads during snow is not always possible. If I can’t get to Dartmoor, it doesn’t matter how great the snow is, I can’t photograph it.
The Transformation of Belstone Tor
I hadn’t been paying attention to the weather forecast and I certainly hadn’t considered that it might snow. That was until I got a message from a friend who was very excited about the prospect of snow and wondered if I wanted to join him on Dartmoor for a dawn shoot. I quickly checked the weather forecast and with a 95% chance of snow I immediately packed my camera bag for the following day.
There are a number of Dartmoor locations that sit on higher elevations but we chose Belstone because of its ease of access. It’s a short distance from the dual carriage way, there’s a car park in the village, and the elevation gain between the start of your walk to Belstone is sufficient enough that you can walk from no snow to the snow line (and beyond).
Arriving at Belstone village we were both pleased to see the weather forecast had been correct and it had snowed overnight. Excited, we started our ascent to the tor.
Arriving at the tor we found the landscape had received a good dusting of snow. It was far from a perfect white blanket, but definitely enough to give our photographs that wintery look. We still needed to be very careful where we walked though and we didn’t leave footprints in areas we later wanted to photograph.
A Snowy Irishman's Wall, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 37mm, f/13, 1/10 sect at ISO 64, 16:9 crop.
We arrived plenty of time to explore the area before sunrise. We both know this location very well but things can look different in the snow so it was important to do a bit of wandering about. The first composition I picked out was of Irishman’s Wall, just as the sun started to light it up.
A Snowy Belstone Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1/15 sect at ISO 64.
We then moved back to the main set of rock stacks to see what else we could pick out. I tend to shoot towards the sunrise at Belstone, but this morning all the action in the sky was towards the north. Perched high up on a rock I captured my image of Belstone Tor. The image still benefits from the light of the rising sun (to the right) and the incoming snow storms in the sky, but it could do with a little more snow.
Snow coverage is a tricky balance on Dartmoor. Too much and you lose a lot of the interest provided by those fantastic tors, and not enough, and it can look a bit messy. It’s still a good shot, but I would have liked a bit more snow. I’m never happy!
After a great morning in the snow, we headed off for some breakfast. We then planned to continue shooting Dartmoor and to make the most of the snow, but when we got the Great Staple Tor area, there was barely any snow. It also started raining. It looked like that was it for the snow on Dartmoor and we headed our seperate ways, both agreeing we’d had a brilliant morning.
A Surprise on Black Tor
A couple of days later I started to make plans for another dawn shoot. Black Tor (near High Willhays) had long been a location I wanted to photograph. It’s a location I’ve visited a number of times, but I’d never photographed it before. With the sunrising from a good direction, it seemed the perfect time to see what I could capture.
When I started my walk from Meldon Reservoir car park there was no sign of snow. I was expecting any either as I thought it would have melted since my visit to Belstone. So you can imagine my surprise when I reached Black Tor and I was able to capture the image below.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/3 sect at ISO 64.
Again, not a huge amount of snow but enough to make things interesting. The main disadvantage of shooting snow a few days after it has fallen is footprints. Even with some of the more remote Dartmoor locations such as Black Tor, you’re not going to be able to avoid foot prints in the snow. I’ve did my best to avoid them, but all I can do is minimise their impact.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/30 sect at ISO 64.
Despite that wonderful pre-sunrise sky, it was after the sun rose that the landscape came to life. As the sun broke the horizon and started to swing round, it started to illuminate Corn Ridge to the south and the foreground tor.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/16, 1/50 sect at ISO 64.
I don’t often shoot straight in to the sun, especially when it is clear, but some of the compositions I was picking didn’t leave me much choice, so I had to embrace it. As it turns out, including the rising sun wasn’t a distraction and I felt it worked well. If I’m being picky though, and I like to be picky, I prefer the composition below rather than the one above. The foreground rock formation is more interesting and it catches the light well.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/16, 1/40 sect at ISO 64.
Even as the morning progressed and the sun got higher in the sky, the light remained soft and I continued to find new compositions.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #5, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/11, 1/50 sect at ISO 64.
Looking at these images I’m convinced that if Corn Ridge in the distance had been covered in snow it wouldn’t have looked as photogenic as it does here. The colour of the ground in this area of Dartmoor during winter is a beautiful golden colour and it would have been a shame not to see it catching the morning light. The snow helps break it up and produce texture.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #6, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/50 sect at ISO 64.
Proper Snow at Darmoors’s Highest Point
After a fantastic, and unexpected morning of great photography at Black Tor I decided not to go home, but to continue my journey. I put the camera away and decided to go for a walk to see how things looked from High Willhays (Dartmoor’s highest point).
On the way up from Black Tor to High Willhays the snow got deeper. (Google Pixel 6 Pro).
It’s only a short walk east from Black to High Willhays but there is an elevation change of nearly 120m. As I ascended there was a noticeable change in snow coverage and depth. It wasn’t difficult walking but if you went looking for it you could find the snow knee deep!
By the time I got to the top of the hill, the snow was knee deep in some places. (Google Pixel 6 Pro).
Around High Willhays there was plenty of snow and it looked beautiful. Rather than get the camera out again I just decided to keep walking and enjoy it. And I wasn’t the only one. I saw runners, walkers, dogs and even someone on a bike. You never know how long the snow will last so people were deciding to make the most of it.
Along the summit ridge there was plenty of snow. (Google Pixel 6 Pro).
My walk continued to Yes Tor and then I descended back to Meldon where you wouldn’t have known that some 300m above there was a blanket of glorious snow.
Looking back it had been a brilliant couple of days. From not even considering there might be snow on Dartmoor to spending so much time making the most of a rare weather event. I’m not sure if it will snow again this winter, but even if it doesn’t, I at least know I made the most of it when it was here.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Have you had snow where you live? Have you managed to get out and take your own snowy landscapes? Let me know in the comments below.
Combining Landscape Photography with Wild Camping on Dartmoor
While most landscape photography locations on Dartmoor can be accessed during the day by those who don't mind a long walk, being at those locations for sunrise or sunset can be more of a challenge. Sometimes the only way to be at these remote locations for the golden hours is to wild camp.
Better Options, More Locations
Over the last couple of years, I’ve been exploring new areas on Dartmoor so that I have a wide range of locations to photograph. As I discover these locations for myself, I am finding that I need to go deeper into Dartmoor and even further away from the roads. It’s been an eye-opening experience and I have walked areas of Dartmoor which have taken my breath away.
However, accessing some of these locations now requires me to walk at least an hour, and sometimes an hour and a half or more. The distance and time to walk to these locations isn’t an issue, but to photograph them at sunrise or sunset is a little trickier. Often the best light can be found from around 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. Add that to the time taken to walk in or out of these locations and it all becomes a little more challenging. I love Dartmoor, but not even I’m that keen to spend 90 minutes walking over the moor in the dark.
A new approach would therefore be needed if I’m going to access these locations during the golden hours. For me, wild camping is a natural choice. I’m not what you would call a “tent person,” but needs must, and I’ve finally taken the plunge and bought a tent.
Before I headed out into the wilds with my tent and sleeping bag, I thought it was a good idea to try a solo wild camp at a location I know very well.
I hope you enjoyed watching my first solo wild camp. It was an enjoyable experience and a horrible reminder of how badly I sleep in a tent, but to me, the benefits outweigh and negatives. Expect to see a few more wild camping videos from me in the future!
As I said in the video, if you’ve got any wild camping tips, equipment suggestions or good locations on Dartmoor, do let me know in the comments below.
Landscape Photographs from Belstone Tor on Dartmoor
Belstone Sunset #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/25 at ISO 100.
Belstone Sunset #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/8 at ISO 100.
Belstone Sunset #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f16, 1/10 at ISO 100.
Irishman’s Wall #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/8 at ISO 100, 16:9 crop.
Irishman’s Wall #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/8 at ISO 100, 16:9 crop.
Belstone Sunrise #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/3 at ISO 100.
Belstone Sunrise #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/3 at ISO 100.
Belstone Sunrise #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc, Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 at f11, 1/4 at ISO 100.
Reviewing the SunwayFoto GH-PRO II + Geared Head on Location at Dartmoor
Why use a geared head? What's so good about the Sunwayfoto GH-PRO II+? What's new with the + version? Is this the best geared head for landscape photography? Join me on Dartmoor as I answer all those questions and I also capture landscape photographs in some unexpected conditions.
One Knob Makes All the Difference
When I published my video review of the Sunwayfoto GH-PRO II geared tripod head I was sure I’d found the perfect tripod for my landscape photography. So, when I heard that they had released the GH-PRO II+ I wondered how they might have improved it. What do you get in the + version that you don’t get in the previous version?
Fortunately for me, the team at Sunwayfoto were more than happy to send me out a GH-PRO II+ to review. With a new geared tripod head in hand, I set off to film my video review on Dartmoor. As always, if I am going to do a gear review video, I like to do it on location and do a little landscape photography at the same time.
While it came as no surprise that Sunwayfoto had improved my favourite geared head by simply adding just one knob, the real surprise of the evening was the beautiful, and very unexpected conditions I was able to photograph as the sunset.
In the video below you can hear all my thoughts on GH-PRO II+ geared head, why I use a geared head and you can see me capture all those wonderful images from Belstone Tor.
Landscape Photography from Belstone Tor on Dartmoor
Belstone Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Belstone Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 20mm, f/11, 1/8 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Belstone Tor #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 1/10 sec at ISO 64, pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Belstone Tor #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 0.5 sec at ISO 64, pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Belstone Tor #5, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 0.5 sec at ISO 64, pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Belstone Tor #6, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 1 sec at ISO 64, pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Belstone Tor #7, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/13, 1 sec at ISO 64, pre-processed in Dxo PureRAW.
Photographing Dartmoor - Beyond Belstone
Sometimes the best landscape photography adventures are unplanned. In the blog this week, I unexpectedly venture further into Dartmoor than I’ve ever been before.
Not What I Had Planned
As I write this blog post, I look back on my day out on Dartmoor with a smile on my face. The happy memories of my time on Dartmoor were not the result of careful planning though.
My original plan was to head up to Belstone Tor to film the first part of a video about printing your photographs. I chose Belstone due to my familiarity with the location, but also because it was the only place on Dartmoor not to have 100% cloud coverage!
As spectacular as Belstone can be at dawn, it can also be wild and unforgiving. As I approached the summit the wind had picked to such an extent that it was going to take a lot of effort just to compose a landscape photo and keep the camera still. The thought of managing a second camera for video and audio just didn’t seem like a clever idea. A previous trip to Belstone to make a video on a windy day had resulted in an expensive repair bill!
With the idea of creating a video gone with the wind (excuse the pun), I was half tempted to head home (via Belstone Services for coffee and breakfast). That temptation soon passed though. I wasn’t going to waste an opportunity to explore a bit more of Dartmoor. I looked into the distance and thought of a new plan.
Belstone Tor
I’ve been to Belstone Tor countless times. I’ve even ventured a little further and made it to Oke Tor, but I’ve never been further than that. This was the perfect chance for me to push on and see what is beyond Belstone!
The weather, despite being very windy, was holding. Broken cloud, no rain, and patches of sunshine. It all looked good for a big walk.
I’ve got lots of landscape photographs of Belstone Tor but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to capture another. There’s always room in my Lightroom catalogue for another image of Belstone Tor.
Belstone Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/8, 1 sec at ISO 64.
Oke Tor
My first and last visit to Oke Tor had been a positive one but I’d never managed to make it back there. It’s about a 45 to 60 minute walk to Oke Tor from Belstone, and it’s rare that I have that much time to spend walking to a location. But today I had lots of time for a walk.
The weather had indeed held and the light on the landscape was better than the golden hour that morning. There was still a big bank of clouds to the south, but the area where I stood was covered in scattered light from the low winter sun. Parts of the landscape were in shade, and others were illuminated. It’s the way I love to see Dartmoor.
It was still a challenge to hold onto the camera in the wind, but I was feeling inspired and most importantly I was enjoying myself.
Oke Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Steeperton Tor
As I left Oke Tor and headed south I realised this was the furthest I had ever ventured into Dartmoor and away from civilization. In all my years exploring Dartmoor, this was the first time I felt like I was going somewhere remote. I was out here on my own.
I wanted this walk to be a circular walk and as I checked my OS map, I could see that I could walk parallel to Steeperton Tor and then loop clockwise and follow the military road via East Mill Tor and back to Belstone. However, Steeperton Tor was calling me! I had often seen this tor from Belstone and wondered what it would like to be standing on top of this 532m high hill. I decided to make a diversion by jumping across the River Taw at Steeperton Gorge. Not as grand as it sounds given the low water level.
It was a steep ascent up to Steeperton Tor, but the views were outstanding!
Steeperton Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 20mm, f/11, 1/5th sec at ISO 64.
Steeperton Tor is deep within the Okehampton Firing Range and all around the area, you’ll find military buildings dotted about. While not particularly photogenic, they are part of the landscape, so I thought it was worth capturing an image of these remote buildings.
Steeperton Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 21mm, f/11, 1/200th sec at ISO 800.
Steeperton Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 21mm, f/11, 1/200th sec at ISO 800.
East Mill Tor
After enjoying the views from Steeperton Tor and trying to have a conversation in the howling wind with a wild camper, I headed west, then south to start my loop back to Belstone. The walking was a lot easier in this direction as I could benefit from the military roads. As the road ran close by the foot of East Mill Tor it seemed rude to not make a quick ascent.
At first, I wasn’t that inspired. I’d been walking most of the morning so perhaps I was feeling tired. It wasn’t as if the composition I had picked out was a poor one, it was just that the light was flat. However, experience has taught me that on days like this the light can change for the better very quickly for the better, and for worse.
Rather than wait for the light I decided to get my camera and tripod setup, so I’d be ready to shoot. Just as I was extending the legs of my tripod the sun broke through the clouds and I captured the last image of my walk.
East Mill Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 21mm, f/11, 1/200th sec at ISO 800.
A Glorious Morning
Leaving East Mill Tor, I soon joined back up with the parts of Belstone Common I was more familiar with. I started seeing more people, animals, and cars. It was nice to be back somewhere familiar but my long walk into a more remote part of Dartmoor had inspired me. Not only did I want to walk this route again, but I also wanted to explore more of these remote Dartmoor locations. I enjoyed that sense of remoteness. The sense of wilderness. Even if I hadn’t taken my camera with me, that was a walk to remember.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my unexpected adventure and seeing the photographs I captured. Next time, time and weather permitting, I’ll be sure the video it so you can see more of how wonderful Dartmoor can be when you venture just a little bit further.
Landscape Photography with the Google Pixel 6 Pro
Just a quick footnote to this blog post. I recently purchased a Google Pixel 6 Pro phone and I decided to take it with me on my adventure. I took it because it’s a phone and a GPS device, but it’s hard to ignore the camera specs on this device. This adventure seemed the perfect chance to put the camera to use so here are a few of the processed raw files from the Pixel 6 Pro. If you want to see more images from this camera or for me to make a video on it and how it handles as a landscape camera, let me know in the comments below.
Ultra-Wide Landscape Photography on Dartmoor with the Laowa 15mm
How wide do you go with your landscape photography? I love using ultra-wide angle lenses for my landscape photography and in this video and blog post, I attach a Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D lens to my Nikon Z7 and head to Dartmoor to capture some sunset photographs.
The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D Lens
Since purchasing my Nikkor Z 24-200 f/4-6.3 lens I have been reasonably satisfied with my collection of Z mount lenses for my Nikon Z7. However, things change, and I recently found myself with a gap in my lens collection. The gap had appeared because of a big photography trip I have planned for the end of 2021 and with that trip came the need for a lens that would be good for astrophotography.
Except for my Laowa macro lens, all my lenses are f/4 and even with my limited knowledge of astrophotography I know that’s not fast enough. It’s not to say that you can’t get good astro shots with an f/4, it’s just that the general principle of having a fast lens is beneficial.
After asking some trusted photographers what I might look for in an astro lens I decided to pick up the Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D lens. It’s ultra-wide, 2 stops faster than my other lenses (f/2 compared to f/4) and manual focus. Given that I’ll be using it for astro, the fact that it is manual focus doesn’t bother me.
Rather than leave this lens at home until my big trip in November I thought I’d take it out and shoot some landscapes with it. With Monty the dog super keen on a big walk, and an interesting weather forecast, I headed to a location on Dartmoor that I thought would be ideal for capturing ultra-wide landscape photographs in dramatic weather…Belstone Common. Watch how I got on in the video below.
Belstone Tor, Dartmoor Landscape Photographs
In the video you will have seen some photographs of wild garlic that I also took with the Laowa lens. I’ll be sharing those in a future blog post.
Irishman’s Wall, Belstone, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 1/15th sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
A Spring Sunset on Belstone Common #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
A Spring Sunset on Belstone Common #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
A Spring Sunset on Belstone Common #3, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 0.8 sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
The Joy of Landscape Photography
What does photography mean to you? In this blog post and video, you'll join me on my first trip out with the camera in 3 months and I'll tell you why landscape photography brings me so much joy.
The Pros and Cons of NOT Taking Photographs
Not being able to go out and take landscape photographs for the last three months has been an odd experience. At first, I really missed it, but as time went on and I gave it less thought the less I missed it. I stopped worrying about weather forecasts, what I was going to photograph next, and I could even look at a sunset without cursing myself for not being out with the camera.
The time spent planning for and going on photography trips was replaced with other activities like cycling and walking my dog.
Then the time finally came around when I could venture out with the camera the weather was what could only be described as uninspiring.
Had this three-month sabbatical from landscape photography showed me that I don’t care that much for it? Perhaps I was kidding myself about my passion for photography and I was merely caught up in an unsatisfactory game of constant content production?
Getting Back Out There
Deep down I knew this wasn’t true and as with the last lockdown what had happened was that I had lost a bit of my photo mojo. All I needed was to get out there and experience the wilderness again. I knew as soon as I was standing on top of Dartmoor tor, watching the sunrise with my camera again I would remember why there is nothing more fulfilling and creative than a spot of landscape photography.
Landscape photograph is and will remain an integral part of my life and I am passionate about sharing those experiences with you here on my blog. I wanted to take you along with me on my first trip out with the camera since 31st December 2020, so I of course created a video for you to watch. I hope you enjoy it!
So, what drives your photography? What makes you set a 4 am alarm call to photograph sunrise? Let me know in the comments below.
Those Photos from Belstone Tor, Dartmoor
Here are the photographs you saw in the video.
Belstone Tor Sunrise #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/11, 0.6 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunrise #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 1/6th sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunrise #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/11, 1/6th sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunrise #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 22mm, f/11, 1/8th sec at ISO 64.
Winter Landscape Photography On Dartmoor and Vallerret Gloves
In my latest video I head to Belstone for some Dartmoor snow and to capture some wintery landscape photographs. I’ll also tell you all about my new Vallerret photography gloves.
Dartmoor Snow
There can’t be many landscape photographers who are familiar with Dartmoor National Park that don’t excited about the possibility of snowfall. I’m certainly one of them and this was confirmed a few weeks ago when I found myself checking the weather forecast a lot more than usual! The forecast had been predicting varying levels of snowfall but it always seem that at the last minute, the forecast would change.
This went on for a few days. After spending days looking at my packed camera bag, I finally decided enough was enough, and to hell with the forecast, I was going to head out the following morning. I didn’t necessarily need a complete blanket of snow to capture the images I was hoping to get. I just needed Dartmoor to look a bit wintery.
Belstone Common
The forecast for the following morning was for light snow showers, but more importantly than that were the forecasted sub-zero temperatures. To maximise my chance of getting those wintery conditions I needed to go somewhere on Dartmoor that had an elevated viewpoint. For me, Belstone Tor at 479 m is a great balance between elevation and journey time (driving and walking time).
In the video below you can see how I got on and how I went about capturing the photographs you can see in this blog post.
Vallerret Skadi Zipper Mitt Review
In the video, you will have also seen me talk about an essential item of photography gear for winter, the Vallerret Skadi Zipper Mitt. I’ve always suffered from cold hands and these gloves have been a welcome addition to my kit bag, especially on frosty Dartmoor mornings! As it was such a wintery morning when I was shooting this video, I thought it was a good time to share my thoughts on them.
If you’d like to pick up a pair of these gloves, then just click the link here.
Dartmoor Landscape Photographs
Below you will find the photographs I captured in the video. As a bonus, I’ve also included the first image I captured just before sunrise, so you can see the difference the morning light from the sun makes. I have to say though, even without the golden light I still really like that first photography.
A Snowy Dawn at Belstone, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 20mm, f/11, 0.5 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND grad.
Sunrise and Snow at Belstone #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/11, 1/4 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND grad.
Sunrise and Snow at Belstone #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 1/4 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND grad.
Bite-Size Blog Post #8 - Friends, Dartmoor and Breakfast
In a rare treat I get to show my friend and fellow photographer Chris Sale one of my favourite Dartmoor locations.
Friends
It’s not often that I get to catch up in person with my good friend and fellow photographer Chris Sale. I live in Devon and he lives in the Lake District, so we aren’t exactly on each other’s doorsteps. When Chris mentioned he was making a trip to Cornwall he suggested we meet up. I was expecting Chris to select a nice coastal location in Cornwall but when he asked if I would take him somewhere on Dartmoor, I knew exactly where to go.
Dartmoor
Of all the locations I’ve photographed on Dartmoor, I think Belstone Common must be one of my favourites. I’ve taken a ton of photos here, published many blog articles and filmed a few videos from this location. Unless the weather is truly awful there is normally something to shoot. The 360-degree views provide lots of opportunity for shooting anything from wide-angle landscapes to telephoto landscapes.
That doesn’t mean its necessarily an easy place to shoot but it can be rewarding. Chris must have had luck on his side when we went up though. The weather forecast was looking a bit stormy but these are exactly the conditions that can work well up on Belstone.
We were treated to some excellent conditions. We had to work hard though as the light came and went very quickly, but it’s mornings like this that I live for as a landscape photographer.
Belstone Cloudy Sunrise #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 14mm, f/11, 1.3 seconds at ISO 64.
Belstone Cloudy Sunrise #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 14mm, f/11, 1 second at ISO 64.
Belstone Cloudy Sunrise #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 14mm, f/11, 1/4th seconds at ISO 64.
Belstone Cloudy Sunrise #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 14mm, f/11, 1/4th seconds at ISO 64.
Belstone Cloudy Sunrise #5, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 at 18mm, f/11, 1/6th seconds at ISO 64.
Breakfast
It was a fantastic morning. Great photographs and great company. The other thing that makes Belstone one of my favourite locations to go to is a visit to the Whitehouse Restaurant on the way back. They do a great breakfast and both Chris and I felt it was well deserved treat!
Bite-Size Blog Post #5 - Two Tors
In the blog this week I visit Dartmoor to photograph one of my regular locations and to photograph somewhere new.
Two Tors
Thanks to the weather, the long days and the company of a good friend I managed to make a few trips to photograph Cornwall. I love shooting the Cornish coast. There’s just so much variety and there always seems to be somewhere new to discover and photograph.
As much as I love Cornwall, I don’t want to completely ignore my local area. In this bite-size blog post, I’m going to share with you some of the photographs I’ve been capturing from Dartmoor. There is a panoramic image from a new location, Bell Tor, and a couple of images from an old favourite, Belstone Tor.
My eyes have been opened to Bell Tor, and the surrounding area and I hope to make a video from this location soon. It has a lot of potential and I’m excited about the possibility of sharing it with you in a bit more detail. In the meantime, though please enjoy the photographs I captured.
Bell Tor
Bell Tor Panorama, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/8, 1/20th sec at ISO 64, 8 image panorama cropped at 6:17.
Belstone Tor
Belstone Tor Sunset #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 0.6 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunset #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 1.3 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor Sunset #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 22mm, f/13, 1.6 sec at ISO 64.
Developing Compositions on Dartmoor
Creativity breeds creativity. A recent idea for a video got me to explore a location I know well in a bit more detail.
Creativity Breeds Creativity
One of the side benefits of having a YouTube channel is that I find myself constantly thinking of new creative ideas for videos. These ideas often drive me to try different types of landscape photography or even different genres of photography. Most of all though it gets me to push the boundaries of my landscape photography.
I recently had an idea for a video that would challenge my photography and force me to think carefully about how I was composing my images. At a minimum, I was going to have come up with some new compositions from a location that I knew well.
I’m not going to reveal what this idea is at the moment but what I will do is share some of the images I captured while I was out developing the idea on Dartmoor (16th March).
Belstone Common
Anyone who has been reading this blog long enough will know that one of my favourite spots on Dartmoor to photograph is Belstone Common. With 360-degree views and lots of interesting rock formations, it offers a lot of choices when it comes to compositions. It should be the perfect place for my latest idea.
Belstone Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30 f/4 at 16mm, f/13, 1.8 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
When I looked back at my collection of images from Belstone one thing jumped out at me. Despite me knowing there are a wide variety of compositions to be had at Belstone, I’d only captured a few of them. I had unknowingly got myself into a creative rut. My latest idea would be the perfect opportunity to sort that out.
As I was going to head up to Dartmoor to do some exploring and to try out new compositions, I wasn’t that bothered about how the weather was looking. I would have gone up there even in grey overcast conditions but as it turned out the weather forecast was predicting average to favourable conditions. Not conclusive by any stretch but with a bit of luck I might get something that I could work with.
Belstone Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30 f/4 at 15mm, f/8, 1/5th secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL. 4 Image focus stack.
Sunset on Dartmoor
Having shot Dartmoor mostly at dawn for the last 6 months the one thing I noticed straight away on my first sunset shoot there was that there were other people about! The locations I go to on Dartmoor rarely see other people first thing in the morning, so it was nice to go up there during the day and be greeted with smiles and hellos.
Belstone Tor #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30 f/4 at 20mm, f/8, 0.5 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL. 4 Image focus stack.
Being up on Belstone Common without my mind focused on capturing one image I found myself more relaxed and open to exploration. I walked the entire length of the Belsone Tor ridge, once north to south, and then in reverse. I stopped several times to take photographs either finding new compositions or variations in compositions I had previously taken. It was a surprisingly creative time.
Belstone Tor #6, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30 f/4 at 19mm, f/13, 1/6th sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
While I did get the old glimmer of nice light, I didn’t get anything too dramatic. That doesn’t bother me too much though. The main thing was that I discovered new compositions that will suit my new creative idea nicely. All I need now is a window of opportunity to return to Belstone Common so I can execute my idea! Stay tuned to my blog to find out what it is.
Practising Landscape Photography and Risk vs Reward
Is there value in practising your landscape photography? Do you consider risk vs reward? In the blog this week, I head to Belstone on Dartmoor National Park to capture some landscape photographs and to answer those questions.
The Value of Practising Landscape Photography
In the blog last week I spoke about the need to practise landscape photography. That trip to Dawlish Warren beach was my first trip out to capture landscape photographs in over a month. I certainly felt a little rusty so I was keen to keep the momentum going so I decided to head out again as soon as I could.
I decided I would head out a couple of days later and instead of shooting the coast again I opted to head up onto Dartmoor. The weather conditions weren’t exactly ideal for landscape photography. The forecast was predicting 100% clear skies (everywhere) and sub zero conditions.
Despite the weather forecast I was committed to going out and getting some practise in with the camera. Practising photography became really important to me after watching this video by John Free. I know John is a street photographer but the message is clear. It’s probably one of the most important photography videos I’ve ever watched.
Risk vs Reward
While the goal of my trip to Dartmoor was to practise my photography, I was still hoping to get some good photographs. This is where the risk vs reward bit comes in. It’s rare that the weather forecast is 100% accurate or the conditions are predicted to be perfect for landscape photography (whatever perfect might be), so there is always an element of risk.
Sometimes the risk is part of the excitement though. If you always knew what the the conditions were exactly going to do then some of the joy of landscape photography would be lost. While the forecast conditions wouldn’t necessarily yield a great photography, if I didn’t take the risk of going I might miss something special.
So did my trip to Dartmoor pay off? You find out in the video below where you will see the images I took and hear me talk more about the value in practising photography and risk vs reward. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoyed that 5 Minute Photo Adventure <insert playlist URL>. Do you practise your landscape photography? How do you measure risk vs reward? Let me know in the comments below.
The Photographs
As always here are the photographs from the video.
Dawn at Belstone #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Dawn at Belstone #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Imperfect Panoramas
In the blog this week I head up to Belstone Common on Dartmoor to capture some panoramic images. However, the results aren't exactly perfect.
Ho Ho Ho!
First of all let me wish you a happy Christmas! No matter how or why you celebrate over the festive period I do hope you a good time doing it. Even though I've written this blog post before Christmas day I can feel pretty sure I had a good time at Christmas myself. It's fair to say I'm probably a little fatter but also a little happier for having spent some time with my family. Besides, a little time away from the camera can also be beneficial.
I didn't write this blog post just to tell you how fat I've got but rather to tell you about a recent trip to Dartmoor I had and how the images I captured didn't exactly work out. Don't worry though, it's not a long tale of disasters and epic challenges that will take you half an hour to read. I just thought I'd briefly share the story of that morning. I'll have you back to mince pies and brandy before you know it.
Creating Panoramic Images
The reason I was up on Belstone Common was that I was looking for new locations to capture panoramic images, with a view of creating a video to show how I got about capturing them. My original plan was to shoot the video when I was up in Scotland at the end of October, but rubbish weather put a stop to that. Never mind though, it's not as if Dartmoor doesn't have any locations worth visiting is it!
Belstone Common is one of my favourite places on Dartmoor to capture landscape photographs but I don't ever remember going up there to take panoramic images. As I was already familiar with the location capturing panoramic images would be easy, right? Well, I hadn't really given much thought as to how different it would be and so when I got up to the location an obvious panoramic composition didn't jump out to me as I thought it might.
Belstone Panorama #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Panasonic Lumix S1R, Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 at 28mm, f/13, 1.3 seconds at ISO 100, Kase Filters CPL. Seven vertical image panorama at 16:7.
What I was finding was that just because I had a viewpoint that would normally work well with a wide angle lens, that didn’t mean I could also make a panoramic out of it. The main challenge was that the locations where I would normally stand were close to some of the tors, but I couldn’t get far enough away to make a panoramic image work, without losing sight of the tors. This was going to be more difficult than I thought. Difficult but not impossible though.
As I was up there for sunrise the conditions were changing quickly so I got myself in a bit of panic as I struggled to find a suitable composition. This is where the problems can start. Being in a rush is never a good thing for photography. I kept second guessing myself as to where I should be so I would take my shots in a bit of a rush. In addition it was also freezing up on Dartmoor. There was a bit of a wind and I was trying not to wear gloves so I could use the camera more easily (and quickly).
Belstone Panorama #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Panasonic Lumix S1R, Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 at 65mm, f/13, 1/4th second at ISO 100, Kase Filters CPL. Seven vertical image panorama at 16:7.
So here lies the problem with the images you see on this blog post. While I know the compositions still need a little work, they are technically flawed. You might not even notice the flaws with the resolution you are looking at them but trust me they are a little bit "soft". This purely down to poor technique because I was rushing things. I should have taken into account the strength of the wind, and also let the camera settle down between frames. All stuff I already knew I had to do.
Why am I telling you this and sharing these imperfect panoramas? This blog has always been about sharing my successes and failures. We all get things wrong every now and again, and I'm no different. Photography isn't all about 5 star images. In fact sometimes it's not even about 2 star images! So don't worry if you've got something wrong and a shoot went badly. It happens to everyone and it's part of being a photographer.
Belstone Panorama #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Panasonic Lumix S1R, Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 at 25mm, f/13, 0.4 seconds at ISO 100, Kase Filters CPL. Seven vertical image panorama at 16:7.
So was my trip to Belstone a waste of time? No. Being outside to witness the start of a new day on Dartmoor is never a bad thing. Have you had any photography disasters? Have you been out on a shoot that just went wrong? Let me know in the comments below.
Back to Basics at Belstone
Just because I don’t have a Nikon camera at the moment, doesn’t mean I can’t go out and take pictures.
Better Out Than In
For reasons that I will explain in a future blog post/video, I am without a full-frame Nikon camera at the moment. Now, I could use this time to have a break from landscape photography but that’s not really the way I roll. Despite the lack of a D850 I didn’t want to pass up on a perfectly good opportunity to get out and take some pictures. Well, I say perfectly good opportunity but that wasn’t exactly accurate.
Checking the local forecast it was predicting clear skies. Not just a little clear, but totally clear. No clouds. Clear blue skies. Everywhere. Devon, Dorset, Cornwall, and Somerset. When it came to selecting where to go it seemed to make little difference. My instinct told me to head to the coast so I could make the most of the sunset (which had been consistently good over the past few evenings), but with the lack of a “big” camera, I had no way of using any of my filters. At a bare minimum I always want to shoot seascapes with a polariser, but this wasn’t an option. So I decided to head to a location that wasn’t too far away but still had far-reaching views.
There really was only one location to head to and that was Belstone Common on Dartmoor.
Don’t Let Your Camera Hold You Back
I am in the very fortunate position where I have access to a number of different cameras so even without my aforementioned Nikon camera I still had a couple of options to take with me to Belstone. Like most people I have a mobile phone that is capable of taking decent images but I don’t really like that form factor for anything other than taking snapshots. I also still have my old Sony RX100M4 which is a much better option than the phone. However, I decided to take my most recent camera, the Panasonic Lumix G80.
I’ve had the G80 for a little while now but it is almost exclusively used for vlogging. I rarely take any still images with it. The G80 is a more than capable stills camera and even though it might not be in the same league as my D850, there shouldn’t be any reason why I couldn’t put it to good use. The only real challenge for me would be that I wouldn’t be able to use any filters as I didn’t have an adaptor ring for the 12-60mm kit lens. Effectively it was back to basics for me. Just me, a tripod and a camera.
Oke Tor, Belstone Common, Dartmoor, Devon - Panasonic Lumix G80, 12-60 mm lens at 14 mm, f/11, 1/6th second at ISO 200.
I wasn’t going to let my minimal camera setup hold me back, but the weather conditions were a different challenge. Those bright blue skies aren’t my favourite thing to photograph, but as the sunset there was some nice soft golden light which allowed me to capture these images.
Belstone Commoon and Irishman's Wall, Belstone Common, Dartmoor, Devon - Panasonic Lumix G80, 12-60 mm lens at 14 mm, f/11, 1/6th second at ISO 200.
I hope you enjoyed this short blog post. I was reasonably happy with the images I captured. One thing was for sure, the camera wasn’t the limitation. Having access to to a polariser and some grads would have definitely been useful, but they weren’t the limiting factor. I always knew the weather conditions weren’t going to yield amazing results but sometimes just being outside and watching the sunset from Dartmoor is all the reward you need.
7 AMAZING Devon and Cornwall Landscape Photography Locations
In this blog post I’m going tell you about 7 AMAZING locations in Devon and Cornwall for landscape photography. This post is PACKED full of photographs and videos to inspire your landscape photography!
Vignettes of Landscape Photography
Over the last week I’ve been publishing videos from my new series Vignettes of Landscape Photography. It’s a series of short videos on the locations that have inspired my landscape photography. Each episode is a mix of still photography and video clips that will hopefully not only show you the natural beauty and variety of the location but also inspire you to visit that location to capture your own photographs.
Now that all 7 episodes from series 1 have been published on YouTube, I thought I would bring them all together in a big blog post. Not only can you choose to play them all from the playlist I have created below, but if you scroll down you will find each individual episode along with a map and the images I captured from that location. I hope you’ll agree that these are indeed 7 AMAZING locations in Devon and Cornwall for landscape photography!
I really hope you enjoy this first series of Vignettes of Landscape Photography. Please leave me a comment below and let me know what you think. Did you have a favourite episode or a favourite image? What would you like to see from series 2? Have you been to any of these locations? Have you been inspired to visit any of the locations featured? Let me know in the comments below.
Bedruthan Steps
A Bedruthan Spring, Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 26 mm, f/11, 1/4 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and ND grad.
Spring Cliffs at Bedruthan, Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 22 mm, f/11, 1/2 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and ND grad.
Last Light at Bedruthan, Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 at 42 mm, f/8, 136 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL, ND and ND grad.
Venford Falls
The Twin Falls of Venford, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 28 mm, f/11, 4 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
The Fall, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 35 mm, f/11, 2.5 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
The Flow, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, f/11, 2.5 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
Belstone Common
Stormy Belstone #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, f/13, 1/3rd sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and ND grad.
Stormy Belstone #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, f/13, 1/3rd sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and ND grad.
Daymark Tower
The Daymark Tower, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, f/13, 1/5th sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and ND grad.
Tower in the Field, Devon - DJI Mavic Pro, 23 mm, 1/290th sec at f/2.2, ISO 100.
Stormy Belstone #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 at 70 mm, f/2.8, 1/125th sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
Trevose Head
Trevose Head #2, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 at 26 mm, f/13, 2.5 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
A Long Night Ahead - Trevose Head, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 20 mm, f/13, 13 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and 6 stop ND.
Botallack
Botallack #1, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, f/11, 1.6 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and 6 stop ND.
Botallack #3, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 30 mm, f/13, 90 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL and 6 stop ND.
Brent Tor
Brent Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, f/14, 1/13th sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
Brentor Church Sunset #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 19 mm, f/8, 1/6th sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL. Focus stacked image.
Feeling the Pressure of Landscape Photography
In the blog this week I head up to Belstone Common on Dartmoor to capture some landscape photographs. I also discuss some of the pressure I feel while out with my camera.
Is Landscape Photography Stressful?
Is landscape photography stressful? For me at least, no. Being outdoors with my camera is one of the most relaxing and sometimes exciting things I get to do. However, I do sometimes put myself under a bit of pressure. My time out with the camera is limited, so I always want to make the most of the time I do have.
The pressure really comes from trying to make the right decision on where to go. Sometimes the answer is clear and the location to go obvious. Other times, it can be a real headache. I probably spend too much time worrying about where to go if I’m honest.
When I’m out though, all that pressure goes. I’m outdoors, I’ve got my camera, and I’m having fun. Even if the photography is rubbish, I’m still outside enjoying the great outdoors!
While I was up on Dartmoor the other day, I decided to put these thoughts to camera while I was out capturing some dawn images of Belstone Common.
I hope you enjoyed the video. Do you put yourself under pressure for your photography? Is being outdoors generally more important than the photography? Let me know in the comments below.
Belstone Common, Dartmoor
Here are the photographs you saw in the video. Enjoy!
First Light at Belstone, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 @ 16 mm, f/13, 3 secs @ ISO 64.
Dawn on Belstone Common, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 @ 16 mm, f/13, 5 secs @ ISO 64.
Belstone Tor and Belstone Common at Dawn, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 @ 26 mm, f/13, 3 secs @ ISO 64.
Who Left All These Rocks Here, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 @ 17 mm, f/5.6, 1/13 secs @ ISO 64, focus stacked image.
3 GREAT Landscape Photography Locations on Dartmoor
What are the best locations on Dartmoor for landscape photography? In this blog article, I'm going to show you 3 GREAT landscape photography locations on Dartmoor that I think will inspire you to photograph Dartmoor!
Landscape Photography on Dartmoor
Dartmoor National Park covers over 950 km2 so you can be forgiven for being a bit overwhelmed with the sheer number of landscape photography locations to choose from. Fear not though! I’m here to help.
After the positive feedback I received for my video 3 GREAT Landscape Photography Locations in Cornwall, I decided to produce for Dartmoor locations. Guess what I called it? Yes, that’s right 3 GREAT Landscape Photography Locations on Dartmoor! The locations I visit in the video aren’t necessarily a top 3 or best 3, just 3 great locations that I think will inspire your landscape photography.
After many hours of being frozen and blown about, I’m very happy to share with you the video, 3 GREAT Landscape Photography Location on Dartmoor.
A Bonus 4th Location
I’m also very happy to share with you a bonus 4th location. Wistman’s Wood is a popular Dartmoor location for landscape photographers and for good reason. Unfortunately the day I visited there was very little wind and so the midges were out and that made capturing images and video very difficult. Despite the challenges of the day though, I still managed to create a video that I hope you will enjoy.
More Information on Those Locations
If you want a bit more information on these amazing locations or the images from the video, then I've already published blog posts on the featured locations:
You can also see my 5 Minute Photo Adventure video of Belstone Common (where I shot the intro to the video), right here.
All Those Landscape Photographs
Here all the images you saw in both videos:
What Next?
As with the Cornwall video, the Dartmoor video required a significant amount of effort to produce. However, despite the work required I would like to create more videos like this. If there are other locations in the south-west that you would like to me to make a video on then let me know in the comments below.
Snow on Belstone Common
In this blog post and video, I head up to Belstone Common on Dartmoor to catch the first snow of the winter.
Snow!
I think most landscape photographers like a bit of snow. It's rare to see here in the south west of England, so when it does come it can transform the winter landscape from dull and boring, to crisp and white. It can really change the look of a location and provide opportunities to shoot something a little different.
When my wife casually mentioned that snow was forecast my first reaction was for disbelief. It was November and probably a little early for snow. However, I'm not one to miss an opportunity so I checked the Will It Snow forecast and was happy to see that there was a 57% chance of snow on Dartmoor.
I got my thinking hat on and thought the higher up I went on Dartmoor, the greater the chance of snow there would be. I then remember Belstone Common, a location that I've photographed before. It's close to home, easy to access and importantly over 400m above sea level.
Despite the 50/50 odds on it snowing, I couldn't miss this potential opportunity, so I got my gear ready and made plans for an early start the next day.
You can see how I got on in my latest 5 Minute Photo Adventure video below:
The Images
Here are the images that I captured that you will have seen in the video.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 18mm, ISO 64, 3 seconds at f/13, Lee Filters 0.6 ND graduated filter.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 18mm, ISO 64, 1/5th second at f/13.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 18mm, ISO 64, 1/5th second at f/13, Lee Filters 0.6 ND graduated filter.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 19mm, ISO 64, 1/8th second at f/13, Lee Filters 0..6 ND graduated filter.
I hope you enjoyed the video and the images I captured. I certainly had fun up on Dartmoor that morning, despite the freezing temperatures. It really is mornings like that I look forward to. A lot of action, changing conditions, and plenty of opportunities to capture images.
So have you photographed any snowy scenes this winter? What is your favourite season to photograph? Let me know in the comments below.