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
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.
The BEST View of Glencoe
Anyone who has driven through Glencoe will know what the view of Buachaille Etive Mor looks like. It's probably Glencoe's most iconic mountain. But what is the view like from the summit? In my latest video, I head to the summit to find out and take some landscape photographs.
Photography from the Summit of Buachaille Etive Mor
I’ve photographed Buachaille Etive More (Stob Dearg) many times before. So have a lot of other photographers. It’s probably one of Glencoe’s most iconic and striking mountains. You can’t help but admire it as you drive along the A82.
I did walk up to the summit way back in 2006 but that was just for fun and ever since then I’ve always wanted to go back to the summit with my camera. Finally, after gap of just over 16 years I’m given another opportunity to make it to the roof of Glencoe.
The day I was in Glencoe the conditions were looking great for an ascent, and despite having already walked up Beinn a'Chrulaiste for sunrise that morning, I knew I had enough energy (mental and physical) to get up there. So carrying a bag with (probably) too much camera gear and wearing my new walking boots I set off and made a video of my adventure.
WIN a Pair of Mammut Boots
This competition is now closed. Sorry!
Photographs from the Summit of Buachaille Etive Mor
Panoramic View from Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mòr), Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 71mm, f/8, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
Altnafeadh and Beyond, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 48mm, f/11, 1/160 sec at ISO 320.
Stob a Ghlais Choire from Stob Dearg, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 76mm, f/8, 1/250 sec at ISO 500.
The Mountains of Glencoe #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/8, 1/60 sec at ISO 64.
The Mountains of Glencoe #2, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 45mm, f/8, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
Coire na Tulaich, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 64.
View Down Coire na Tulaich, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/50 sec at ISO 320.
A Landscape Photography Project to Capture the Changing Seasons
Each season offers the landscape photographer something unique and wonderful. One of the best ways to discover those changes is to photograph the same location every season. Sounds like a great idea for a photography project, doesn't it? I thought it was, so I decided to photograph Holne Bridge on Dartmoor during summer, autumn, winter and spring. However, things didn't turn out how I expected them to.
The Value of Photography Projects
Undertaking a photography project can be a big commitment. In 2019 I began a yearlong photography project to capture a photograph every month from the same location and despite the tight brief, I still found it challenging. But a photography project should be challenging, shouldn’t it? I am also in the middle of my biggest ever photography project and despite 12 months passing by, I don’t feel like I’m making any significant progress.
Despite what I’ve said, a photography project is a wonderful thing, and every photographer should undertake one. They can be incredibly rewarding and stretch your skills as a photographer. The important thing is to make sure the project is achievable. There is no point in undertaking a 365 project when you know from the outset you won’t be able to capture an image every day.
A Failed Photography Project?
On the topic of completing photography projects, I have just completed a project that I’ve been working on for the last year. Well, I say completed, but that’s that not strictly true. Yes, it’s finished, but is it complete? I’ll explain everything in the video below.
What do you think? Is that a photography project failure? Let me know in the comments below.
Lastly, if you’re interested here is a list of gear and services, I used to create the print.
Photograph printed with the Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300 - my video review
Paper from Fotospeed
Picture frames from Picture Frames Express
Project Photographs - Holne Bridge on Dartmoor
Here are the final 4 photographs.
Holne Bridge, Dartmoor - Summer - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 20mm, f/11, 0.6 sec at ISO 200, Kase CPL.
Holne Bridge, Dartmoor - Autumn - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/11, 1 sec at ISO 800, Kase CPL.
Holne Bridge, Dartmoor - Winter - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 22mm, f/11, 0.5 sec at ISO 200, Kase CPL.
Holne Bridge, Dartmoor - Spring - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/16, 1/5 sec at ISO 64, Kase CPL.
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.
Discovering Beauty in a Winter Woodland
In the blog this week I head back to Holne Bridge to show you why I’m photographing one of my favourite autumn locations in the middle of winter.
Inspired by a Bit of Luck
I recently shared a blog post in which I talked about having a Plan A, B and C and how I ended up photographing one of my favourite autumn locations in winter. The photographs I captured surprised me and they made me realise that I was maybe missing a trick by ignoring Holne Bridge in the winter.
If I was missing a trick then I thought other photographers might be missing out on great photographs from their favourite seasonal locations by not shooting them off-season. As I already wanted to head back to Holne Bridge to capture some more winter landscape photographs I decided that I would create a video of my experience and share it with you in the hope that it will inspire you to do something similar.
Using a Circular Polariser
Over the last few weeks I’ve been chatting to a fellow photographer who is just starting out with his use of filters and I said one of the most important filters for most landscape photographers is the circular polariser. This statement was particularly true for me at Holne Bridge. In fact when it comes to photographing water the circular polariser is an essential bit of kit for me.
In the photographs below you’ll find an example of the same scene, one photograph was taken with the polariser on, and the other with no polariser. I think it clearly shows how much of a difference this filter can make. I’ve included a little demo of the effects of a circular polariser in the video as well. (If you are interested I use the Kase Filters K9 circular polariser).
I really hope you enjoyed this video and that it’s maybe inspired you to visit one of your favourite locations off-season. If it has or you already do something like this then please let me know in the comments below.
The Photographs
As always, here are the photographs that I captured in the video. Just click on them to see them in a larger format.
Holne Bridge at Winter, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 23mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters K9 holder and CPL.
The same image as above but without the polariser.
Winter River at Holne Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 400, Kase Filters K9 holder and CPL.
Have a Plan A, B and C
As my plan C location, I didn't think I would end up at Holne Bridge on Dartmoor to capture this image. But after a failed shoot at my plan B location I was pleased that I'd had the foresight to consider a backup to the backup location.
Plan A
I like Fridays. It’s the end of the working week, the weekend is just around the corner and I’ll probably open a bottle of wine in the evening and eat something with a few red lights on the packaging. More than all that its the day where I almost always get out for a dawn shoot. That doesn’t mean the weather will be good though!
The Friday morning of this blog I had planned to meet up with a friend and fellow photographer for a bit of a catch-up. We were going to head down to the coast to shoot some moody seascapes. The weather forecast was for showers and overcast skies, but hopefully perfect for what we had planned.
Unfortunately my friend had to cancel. This of course isn’t a problem. Life and work sometimes change your priorities. Something of which I’m all too aware of myself. I would of course need a plan B.
Plan B
I could of course stick with plan A, but the location was further than I probably really had time to travel to. This mattered less when I was meeting up with someone, but as this shoot would be on my own I decided that I would pick somewhere closer to home.
Combestone Tor in 2014 - my first and last visit.
As part of my plan to take more risks and be more spontaneous in 2020 I decided that I should try somewhere new. Having just read an article by Ross Hoddinnot on some Dartmoor locations I decided that I must try and photograph Combestone Tor. Though this location wasn’t completely new to me, I had only shot it once some 6 years ago, so I still thought it would still be somewhere fresh for me to shoot.
When Friday morning came round I went outside to take the dog for a quick walk before I headed up to Dartmoor. Despite the weather forecast predicting overcast skies I could see some high cloud and a lot of stars. It looked like it could be a great morning after all!
I had to make a decision. Do I go to the coast and make the most of the sunrise, or stick to my original plan of going to Dartmoor where the weather might well be very different. My closest coastal location is Dawlish Warren and it is very much the safe bet but I have photographed this location many times before. This would not achieve my goal of shooting somewhere new. Despite my gut instincts to go to Dawlish Warren I decided to keep to my plan of going to Dartmoor. I felt it was important to spend some time working on new locations.
The weather up on Dartmoor that morning was as predicted. Very windy and cloudy. Not worry, the point of the visit was not to get a great image but explore the location. And explore I did. However, I never really got inspired. I never even got the camera out. It seems like a location with plenty of potential but I just couldn’t find something I wanted to photograph. Maybe it was just the lack of morning light, or the chilling wind, or maybe I just need a few more visits so I can get to know the location better.
Whatever the problem, I wasn’t going to capture any images there so time for plan C!
Plan C
Holne Bridge, Autumn 2019
I hate to head out with the camera and take no photos, so knowing that this might happen if I went up to Combestone I decided I needed a backup plan. The route up to Combestone fortunately takes me past Holne Bridge. This is a location I’ve photographed a few times, but only in autumn. This tree-lined river location is perfect for catching those wonderful autumnal colours.
I’d never really considered shooting it during the winter. With most of the trees probably being bare I didn’t think it would make for an interesting photograph. However, if I had to drive past it on my way home why not stop and take a photo anyway. I wouldn’t even have to walk very far!
So on the way back from Combestone I pulled over, grabbed my gear and popped down to the river. This was my plan C location so I was a little short on time which meant I didn’t have a lot of time to go exploring for new compositions. I decided that if I wanted to get a shot I would go with what I already knew. I did try a few different angles from a couple of new spots, but I eventually decided that I would capture roughly the same composition that I’d done during a previous visit.
Winter at Holne Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 24mm, f/11, 0.5 seconds at ISO 320, Kase Filters K9 Holder and CPL.
OK, I’ll admit, it’s not the most original composition that I’ve made, but given it was a bit of a grab shot as part of a backup plan I’m pretty happy with the result. I’d much rather have this image than have nothing at all from the morning. Besides, it was actually rather nice shooting a location in a totally different season. This is something I learnt from my year-long project on Dartmoor that I recently published. In fact it has inspired me to visit this location again in the very near future and not just wait for autumn. I think there is more to this location than just autumn colours.
A bit of a long story from me in this post but I hope you’ve found it enjoyable and that if you don’t normally head out with a plan A, B and C, then it’s maybe time you did.
Is It Time to Ditch the Nikon D850?
In this blog post I ponder the idea of going to a mirrorless camera system.
Goodbye D850, Hello Mirrorless?
Some people consider the Nikon D850 the best DSLR there currently is. This might well be true, but cameras with a flapping mirror (DSLRs) are a dying bred. Mirrorless cameras have been on the rise for some time now and at some point I expect the DSLR to go the same way as the film camera.
There are many reasons why mirrorless cameras are better. They generally have better tech in them such as a wider spread of AF points and EVFs. While you could say that mirrorless cameras are technically superior, does that mean if you still own a DSLR that you should be looking to get rid of it as soon as possible and replace it with a mirrorless camera?
We all know that a camera doesn’t make a poor photographer great, but the correct choice of camera can make the process of capturing an image easier or more enjoyable. This is one of the reasons why I upgraded from my D750 to the D850. There was nothing wrong with my D750, it’s just that the D850 had some features that I wanted that ultimately improved my process of capturing images.
I’m now at the stage where I am seriously considering moving to a mirrorless system. Not because there is anything wrong with my D850, it’s just that some of that new mirrorless tech could improve my process of capturing images.
So is it time to ditch the Nikon D850? Let’s find out.
It’s a Matter of When Not If
For me, the move away from the Nikon D850 to the Nikon Z camera system is a matter of when not if. I’m not in a hurry though. After all, my current gear is hardly causing me issues. But, I do believe the Z system will offer me more. A better wide angle zoom in the 14-30 mm f/4, and that all important EVF. Unless I have a change in circumstances, I expect to have, at least in part, moved over the Z system in 2019.
If for some reason that doesn’t happen. I’ll still be capturing wonderful images with my trusty Nikon D850.
Are you considering changing from a DSLR to a mirrorless system? Do you already have a mirrorless camera? Do you have a Nikon Z camera? Let me know in the comments below.
Those Landscape Photographs from Dartmoor
If you want to take a closer look at those images I captured in video from Great Staple Tor, you can check them out below.
A Wintry Dawn on Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 25 mm, f/11, 1/4th sec at ISO 64.
Roos Tor and Great Mis Tor Panorama from Great Mis Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 VR at 70 mm, f/11, 1/40th sec at ISO 64, 11 stitch panorama.
A Dusting of Snow on Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 21 mm, f/13, 1/6th sec at ISO 64.
Wengen, Switzerland - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
In the blog this week I’m in Wengen in Switerzland doing a little bit of landscape photography in the snow!
Why Wengen, Switzerland?
If you are a regular reader of my blog or viewer of my YouTube channel, you will know that most of my adventures are based in the south west of England or occasionally in the wider parts of the UK. It’s rare that I’m on some epic international photography expedition!
My visit to Wengen in Switzerland over the festive period actually had nothing to do with landscape photography. I was actually there on a family holiday. A time to relax, eat too much food, drink a lot of glühwein, and maybe hit the slopes for a bit of skiing and snowboarding. This holiday was definitely not a photography trip.
I’ll Take a Camera Just in Case
No matter where I go, or who with, I normally have some sort of camera with me. It could be my current phone, the OnePlus 6, or my trusty old Sony RX100 M4, but it’s rare that I take my D850 with me on a family holiday. On a family holiday I generally don’t have enough time to spare to dedicate to landscape photography, and besides, sometimes you really do need to take a break from all that serious photography stuff!
When I booked the holiday though, I remembered watching a video from Mads Peter Iversen in which he photographed the Lauterbrunnen valley from Wengen. After watching his wonderful video again, I was inspired to photograph that location myself. Where Mads photographed it when it was all green and lush, I could photograph it in the snow.
Hopefully, I would find a spare hour during my holiday so I could get the shot.
On Location
When we arrived in Wengen there was a distinct lack of snow. This wasn’t a problem for my skiing aspirations as the slopes were quite a bit further up the mountain on a cable car or train, but down in the village, the snow cover was sparse. There was some snow cover, but it was patchy and it looked like I would not get any joy with the photography.
Then one morning it snowed and (mostly) covered the ground with a fresh blanket of snow. With no other snowfall forecast for the week, I knew this was my best opportunity to get a photo. Fortunately, I was able to get away that afternoon, capture an image and make another one of my 5 Minute Photo Adventure videos.
Here it is:
And here is the photograph that I took:
Cloud and Snow Along The Lauterbrunnen Valley, Wengen, Switzerland - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 35mm, f/13, 1/20th sec at ISO 64.
Challenges
It was actually a challenging shoot. As you saw in the video, a layer of cloud enveloped me at one point, there wasn’t quite enough snow to cover the ground completely, and I didn’t get much in the way of light in the valley or sky. However, I did anticipate the challenges of light on the valley and mountains thanks to some early analysis on The Photographer’s Ephemeris.
Despite all the challenges, I’m pretty happy with the photo. It was my first time at the location, I was really limited with what time I did have, and I was trying to video the whole experience! And besides, I had a lot of fun doing it all, and isn’t that the point?
I do hope you enjoyed this (slightly shorter than) 5 Minute Photo Adventure from Switzerland. Have you ever photographed Wengen or Switzerland? What Europeans countries have you photographed, and do you have a favourite? Let me know in the comments below.
30 Minutes at Great Mis Tor
In the blog this week I head to Great Mis Tor to capture some snow landscape images of Dartmoor. The trouble was I only had 30 minutes to do it!
Tight Timelines
When my friend, who also happens to be a photographer, called me to tell me snow was forecast for Dartmoor and would I like to join him on a morning shoot, I just had to say yes. What better way to start the day than a quick hike up to Great Mis Tor to capture some morning light, and hopefully a little snow.
As is sometimes the way, the timing of this too good miss offer wasn't great. I had commitments that morning that I could not miss. So I decided to work out all the timings to see I could fit it all in.
I would need to get up at 05:30 to meet my friend at 06:30. It would then be a short drive of about 20 minutes to get to the car park near the start of the walk. It's then about another 20 to 30-minute walk up to Great Mis Tor.
Sunrise was going to be about 08:04, and I would need to be back in the car no later than 09:00. It was going tight that was for sure!
Beautiful Dartmoor
On the morning of the shoot, things started off as expected. We started our walk up to Great Mis Tor with great enthusiasm and chat about the recent Star Wars film and the lack of Game of Thrones in 2018. As we walked up there was a distinct lack of snow, but as we approached Great Mis Tor we found the ground covered with a light dusting of snow. It looked beautiful.
I'd never been to Great Mis Tor before and I surprised by how large an area it was. With only about 15 to 20 minutes before sunrise, I was going to have to work fast to work out what compositions I was going to shoot. I could spot different weather conditions all around me so I also knew things could and probably would change rapidly.
Go Go Go!
After a little scout about, the action started fairly quickly. I was mostly relying on my instincts as I went from spot to spot capturing images. I was glad that I was well versed in the workings of the D850 so I was able to setup and shoot with the camera with ease, allowing me to concentrate on compositions.
As predicted the weather and conditions changed rapidly. We had everything from pink clouds to snow showers to beautiful light on the surrounding hills. It was fun and exciting, but hard work. Here are the photos that I captured:
In retrospect, I wasn't able to make the most of my time there and I perhaps could have captured stronger images. It was always going to be a challenge though given the amount of time I had there, and my lack of experience with the location (and it's many viewpoints). Did I regret my visit? Of course not!
There is almost always something to be gained from a trip out with the camera. Firstly I got to visit a new location. Great Mis Tor is definitely a location I will photograph again. It was also great being up on Dartmoor. A walk on Dartmoor is always a special thing, but when it snows it can be magical. (If you want to see what I mean check out my vlog from Belstone Common). And finally, it was great to have the opportunity to catch up with a friend. Overall, time well spent in my opinion!
So have you had the chance to shoot any snowy landscapes this year? Do you take every opportunity to squeeze in time with the camera? Let me know in the comments below.
Winter Solstice Adventure
In the blog this week I share with you the highs and lows of landscape photography as I head out on winter solstice to capture some images.
The Longest Shortest Day
Back in June of 2017, I headed out with the camera to create some landscape images on the summer solstice. You can see the images I created that day along with the video I made by clicking here.
I really enjoyed that day so I knew that when winter solstice came along in December I was going to spend the day out with the camera. Being the shortest day of the year it shouldn't have been nearly as tiring as the summer solstice.
Unfortunately when winter solstice did come around the weather was grey and overcast. I had checked the weather forecast the night before and had planned my locations to suit the weather. I'm all for "embracing the grey", but a full day might well be a challenge too far even for me!
As with summer solstice, I spent the day capturing images and filming my experiences. It was definitely a tough day. Maybe I was tired, maybe I was feeling challenged, but one thing is for sure, it sure did feel like a long day. However, saying all that I did have some great experiences, and if you watch all the video you'll see something special happen right at the end.
Enjoy!
A Winter Solstice Gallery
As always I do hope you enjoyed watching my adventures. I tried to make the most of the weather conditions and the images I took that day both reflect my varying moods and the conditions I had to work with.
You'll have seen these images in the video, but here they are again in case you want a closer look.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 19 mm, 180 seconds at ISO 64, f/11, Lee Filters circular polariser and Big Stopper.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 19 mm, 180 seconds at ISO 64, f/11, Lee Filters circular polariser, ND grad and Big Stopper.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 18 mm, 180 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters circular polariser, ND grad and Big Stopper.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 18 mm, 8 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters circular polariser, ND grad and Little Stopper.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 VR at 17 mm, 4.8 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters circular polariser, ND grad and Little Stopper.
Well, I do hope you enjoyed those images and my winter solstice video. Did you head out for winter solstice? Have you had days where landscape photography has been both a joy and a drag? Let me know in the comments below.
My New Winter Friends
In this blog post I discuss the importance of having a close by location that you can shoot so that you can scratch that photography itch during the winter months and why it's still important to do a bit of discovery.
Winter Restrictions
Landscape photography in winter has a few advantages. Sunrise is later, sunset is earlier, and it might just snow. (Oh please let it snow on Dartmoor this year, please, please, please!). However, while sunrise and sunset are at much more sociable hours the days are very short and so are my windows of opportunity for photography. During the summer months I can spend all day at work, casually jump into my car, drive to Lands' End and still be there in plenty of time for sunset. I can go out photographing virtually any day of the week.
With winter things are very different. I still have to work and I still have a family life, but now I can't just pop out in the evening to go out and take photographs. The shorter days that come with winter are no different from any other year but this year I'm feeling the restriction more than any other year. I think this is largely due to the level of commitment I have given my landscape photography this year. This year I have committed more time than any other year to improving my art. Now all of a sudden I can't get out as much and if the weather is very bad I sometimes don't get out all in a week. I'm starting to find it frustrating!
My Old Friend
It's not all doom and gloom tough. It's not as if I can't get out with a camera, it’s just I can't get out as much. As with most working parents I have the school run to do. My responsibility is to get the kids to school every morning, except Friday. So if I'm organised and the weather is looking favourable I can just about get out for a dawn shoot on a Friday and still be back in time for work. This means that I have to go somewhere local and this is where my trusty old friend Dawlish Warren beach comes in.
Dawlish Warren is only about 25 minutes' drive from my house and as I said in my video My Top 5 Locations to Shoot in Devon, it's also one of my favourites. I've photographed the beach and the groynes many times but each visit offers something different. With variable weather conditions, changing direction of sunrise and tidal waters, each time I go I need to think how I'm going photograph it that morning.
When I visited Dawlish Warren last week it was probably at the lowest tide I had seen so I had access to shoot some of the groynes I've never been able to access before.
Given the proximity of Dawlish Warren and my desire to still practice my photography as much as possible during the winter, I expect to be visiting my old friend a lot this winter.
My New Friend
While visiting on old friend is all very good, particularly when I'm really short of time, I also need to stretch my photographic wings a little. Though time at the weekends is really family time there are windows of opportunity and they need to be put to good use. There is the temptation to visit locations I've been before but winter is also a good time to go out and do a bit of discovery.
Last weekend I got up early and went to North Tor and Bench Tor on Dartmoor. These two tors are very close together and offer all round views of Dartmoor. I actually discovered this location by accident. I was looking through some old issues of Outdoor Photography and came across Bench Tor in the Locations Guide section (which is a great source of inspiration and ideas). I knew roughly knew the area as it's very close to one of my other favourite Devon locations to photography, Venford Falls.
Arriving at the car park in the dark I put on my head torch and began the relatively short walk up to Bench Tor. As with most dawn shoots in the cold I questioned my sanity but a blast of hot black coffee soon put me in the correct frame of mind. As most landscape photographers know it actually starts to get light around an hour before official sunrise so as I wondered about Bench Tor and nearby North Tor I could start to see lots of possibilities for compositions.
Very much an exploratory shot but as this was a new location for me I wanted to try and get a few shots for reference.
With so many possibilities, including options for sunrise and sunset shoots I think I have found a new friend for winter. Though I expect the best photographs will be had during spring and autumn months I think I will spend a bit of time up there working out how to make the most of it when winter finishes. That is unless it snows in which case the big views up there will be amazing.
So do you struggle to find time during the winter to get out with the camera? Do you have a go-to location that is nearby? Do you use the winter months to get out and discover new locations? Let me know in the comments below.