A Trip to Trevose
I learnt a valuable lesson last week when I visited one of my favourite Cornish coastal locations!
Not a Guarantee of Success
I often find myself being lured back to locations where I’ve created photographs that I’m pleased with. This lure is often intensified if I’ve not only captured one great image there but several them. I will hear the voice in my head telling to return to the location rather than go somewhere new because “you always get a good shot there!”. The simple fact is that this isn’t true. While I may well have a higher number of keepers from certain locations, there is always a whole stack of failures from that location as well
Last week I decided that I would make a trip to the north Cornish coast for a spot of seascape photography. I decided to wait until I got to Cornwall before making a final decision on where to go. The weather forecast wasn’t offering up the answers I was looking for so I decided that I would assess the situation when I got there.
Sitting in a park near Camelford, eating some nice chips, I pondered where to go. Looking up at the sky it was looking a bit overcast and grey. I had a few locations I was considering but they would all require some good light to make the most of them. I therefore, decided it was a good time to embrace the grey!
As I wasn’t too far from Trevose Head I decided that would be a good place to go. I’ve photographed that location many times before and I’ve captured some of my favourite images there. Some of those favourite images have been in grey overcast conditions. Given all my previous success at Trevose, I was confident I’d be able to capture something I’d be happy with.
There are a couple of spots worth photographing at Trevose Head. There is, of course the lighthouse itself but if you wander just around the headland it is well worth taking the time to photograph the lifeboat station as well. If you are interested in seeing these locations in a bit more detail then why not check out the 5 Minute Photo Adventure, I filmed there a couple of years ago.
Back to my most recent trip and things weren’t exactly going as I hoped. I started at the lifeboat station and while I managed to find a different composition from my previous visit, the photographs weren’t any better than some of my previous efforts. I can’t decide if I like the vertical or horizontal composition best. Perhaps you can let me know in the comments which one you prefer.
Padstow Lifeboat Station #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 @ 27mm, f/11, 240 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser and 10 stop ND.
Padstow Lifeboat Station #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 @ 27mm, f/11, 201 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser and 10 stop ND.
I then moved back along the path to my favourite viewpoint featuring the lighthouse. My first instinct was to go for an exposure of several minutes. This would not only smooth out the water, but it was also smooth out the sky. This is an approach I’ve used a few times when dealing with poor weather on the coast, but in this instance, it simply didn’t work (from a creative point of view). There was enough white water to create interesting lines in the composition and the grey sky just went even more flat and grey.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 @ 19mm, f/11, 316 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser and 10 stop ND.
Some of the clouds in the sky that had definition so I decided that I should try and capture the detail of those by going for a much shorter shutter speed. This did work a lot better, but the photograph still didn’t excite me in the way that some of my previous efforts did.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 @ 22mm, f/11, 1 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser.
While I very much enjoyed my visit to Trevose Head, I learnt an important lesson. Previous success at a location does not guarantee future success. While I probably wouldn’t have done any better anywhere else that evening, perhaps I should have used the time to explore somewhere new. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it!
Exploring More of the Cornish Coast
In the blog this week I share with you some of the photographs I took over a couple of evenings exploring the Cornish coast looking for coastal thrift.
Trevose Head
Trevose Head on the north Cornish coast is one of my favourite coastal locations to photograph. I’ve created a couple of videos for my YouTube channel there and published a few blog articles on the location as well. There is something about that location that keeps me coming back.
I doubt I will ever get bored of photographing the view of Trevose Head lighthouse from Stinking Cove, but I know there is so much more to explore to the east and the south. I just needed to find the motivation to do it. It’s all too easy to keep going back to the spots you love and therefore missing something new and exciting.
With the thrift season ending soon I was eager to get out and to photograph some of it before it all disappeared. The obvious choice would be to visit Bedruthan Steps, but I wanted to go somewhere new. Fortunately, coastal thrift is common along the north Cornish Coast so I felt that if I explored the area around Trevose I could get lucky.
Clear Blue Skies
Sometimes the best time to explore a new location is when you know the weather isn’t going to be great for landscape photography. There is always a risk that a new location might not be any good for photography but if the weather isn’t any good any way you will at least not be kicking yourself for not going somewhere else!
With a weather forecast of clear blue skies, I set off to have a wander along the coast to look for thrift. I never get bored of walking along the coast. It felt fantastic to be out and breathing in lots of fresh sea air. I hadn’t even got the camera out and I was having a wonderful time.
Spring Thrift #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/13, 5 seconds at ISO 64, Kase circular polariser.
I soon came across an area where the thrift was looking pink and plentiful. I already knew I wasn’t going to get any spectacular shots but that wasn’t the point of the trip. I was looking for new locations where I could photograph the thrift and I could see that in the right light this spot would make an excellent location.
Spring Thrift #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/13, 10 seconds at ISO 64, Kase circular polariser.
After taking a few pleasant enough shots I decided that I wasn’t going to get anything better that evening. The sun was disappearing behind some distant sea haze so I packed my bag up and vowed to return as soon as I could.
Unexpected Weather
The amount of time that the thrift looks its best is short, so I knew I needed to return to my new location quickly. Unfortunately, the weather continued to be warm, sunny, and clear blue skies. Eventually, I decided that if I didn’t pick a day soon it would be too late. Despite the forecast for another clear evening I decided to head back and take my chances.
As I set off from home and entered Cornwall all the indications were that it was going to be a clear night. There were hints of some high-level cloud that might catch the light, so I was optimistic about getting some good conditions. As I got closer to the coast though I noticed a blanket of low-level cloud coming in. By the time I got to my location, it was the opposite of clear blue skies. It was grey and misty!
Spring Thrift #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 25 seconds at ISO 64, Kase circular polariser.
Though I couldn’t find anything other than a cloudless sky forecast there I was surrounded by a blanket of sea mist. Well, I wasn’t going to let the conditions put me off. While I knew I wasn’t going to get any photographs better than my previous visit, I could at least explore some different compositions and still make it a valuable trip.
Maybe Next Year
I consider both my trips a good use of time despite the photographs being nothing special. Through exploring these locations and taking some test compositions I can visualise how the light and tide could be used to create some strong coastal images. The only thing is that with the thrift now being passed its best I will have to wait to next spring to turn my vision into reality. I can’t wait!
Bude Sea Pool
I always like to try different things with my photography so I set my alarm for 4am and headed to blustery Bude to capture some images of the sea pool
OMG, Sunrise is Early
I love sunrises. It’s my favourite time of day to shoot. I love the excitement of driving to a location not knowing exactly what is going to happen. With sunsets, I will have spent the day reading updated forecasts and looking at the sky. With sunrises, I just wake up, get in the car and go!
As much as I like sunrise though, getting up early is not always that easy. Often it’s less about the actual sunrise time and more to do with the additional time you need to get to a location and still be there well before sunrise itself. I think the earliest I’ve ever been up for sunrise is 03:30 and at the time of year when these images were taken a 05:00 alarm call can be classified as sleeping in!
When a friend and fellow photographer asked if I fancied joining him one morning (13th March) to shoot the sea pool at Bude I knew the answer was yes, but I also knew this would be a 04:00 alarm call. I needed time to get up, make a cup of coffee, drive to Bude and still be there before the sun rose. This wasn’t going to easy but with the lure of photographing something different and the chance to catch up with a friend I was happy to miss out on a few hours sleep.
Blustery Bude
My friend was looking to capture some seascape images of the sea pool at Summerleaze Beach in Bude. With a high tide and strong winds forecast the conditions were ideal for the type of images he wanted to create. The type of images that I would be able to capture that morning would be very different from the wide-open vistas and landscapes that I usually take but it’s always fun to try something a little different.
I had most of the gear that I needed for this type of shoot but the one thing I’m currently missing at the moment is a long lens. I no longer have my 70-200mm f/2.8 F mount lens, and I’m waiting for delivery of my 24-200 Z mount lens so the longest focal length I have is from my 24-70 f/4 Z mount lens. I knew that not having a longer lens would limit my compositions and getting closer to the action would not be possible.
Bude Sea Pool #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 at 70mm, f/8, 0.5 secs at ISO 160, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Lack of gear is rarely an excuse for not giving things a go and that is exactly when I did when I arrived at Bude. Conditions were as expected and the waves were crashing around and over the sea pool. It didn’t take long for me to realise why a long lens would have been useful as some of the interesting compositions that included the pool steps were out of reach for me. Not to worry though, there were still compositions to be had closer to where I was standing.
To mix things up a little I tried stepping down to the pool edge but this proved to be a little risky. Before getting too close I watched for a little while to see how big the waves were and if there was a chance of getting soaked. Getting wet wasn’t the issue though. As I know from experience, it’s less about getting wet from the waves as it is more about what is in the waves in terms of debris. I noticed that pebbles were being washed up by the waves and I didn’t fancy myself or my camera getting hit by one.
Bude Sea Pool #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 at 70mm, f/8, 0.5 secs at ISO 160, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Work With What You’ve Got
All that aside I enjoyed the experience of trying to capture something different and working within tighter constraints than normal. While my shots aren’t necessarily original and won’t win any awards I am none the less pleased with them. They have at least given me a taste for this type of photography and are a good basis from which to build up my creative skills in this area.
Bude Sea Pool #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 at 45mm, f/8, 0.5 secs at ISO 160, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Looking at the images with a slightly critical eye I would have liked some of the compositions to have been a bit tighter and contained fewer subjects. Perhaps a little more minimalist. The wind and waves were also a little strong which meant there was a little bit too much white water. I think the shutter speed is about right giving me some nice texture in the water, but there are too many areas where it is just white water.
Bude Sea Pool #4, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 at 45mm, f/8, 0.5 secs at ISO 160, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
As I said though, I’m pleased enough with the images. It was a great way to spend the morning and it was made even better as I got to spend it catching up with a mate. The only downside was that there is nowhere in Bude to go and get breakfast at 7 am!
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.
Photographing Boscastle and Using Kase Filters
I'm back with a new video! This week I head to the picturesque village of Boscastle in Cornwall to capture some images of the distinctive S shape harbour. I also talk a little bit about filters and what I like about the Kase Filter system which I'm now using.
Back to Boscastle
Boscastle has a special place in my photographic heart. It was about 5 years ago that I decided I really wanted to start learning the craft of photography so I spent the day with local photographer Ross Hoddinott for a bit of 1-2-1 tuition. The first location we visited was Boscastle and from that viewpoint on Penally Hill I probably learnt more about composition than I'd done in the previous 5 years.
Since that day I've been returning to that viewpoint every year to capture images the harbour. Some years have been more successful than others but I've always enjoyed looking down onto that distinctive S-shaped harbour and the hills that run along with it. There's more than just the harbour to shoot as well. There are a couple of great viewpoints closer to the coastline that are worth checking out. Read my blog post Sunrise at Boscastle to see them.
A Slight Break in the Weather
While the lovely summer weather we've been having here in the south-west is fantastic, it's not exactly been optimal for landscape photography. I love the extended hours of light that allow me to travel further and get out more, but those pesky blue skies don't always translate well into good landscape photographs.
After a few weeks of "great" summer weather there was finally a break from the blue skies and the weather forecast was predicting some decent cloud cover that would hopefully make things a bit more interesting. Fortunately for me it was also going to be high tide around sunset as I was keen to shoot some long exposure seascapes. All I had to do was pick a location. Boscastle immediately sprung to mind!
Kase Filters
Even though I'd already made one of my 5 Minute Photo Adventure videos from Boscastle I was so optimistic about the conditions that I thought it would be worth making another vlog from there. As I was going to be shooting long exposures seascapes I thought it would also be an excellent opportunity to talk about Kase Filters. A few months ago I needed to purchase a new filter system and after recommendations from some fellow photographers I know I decided to go with the Kase Filter system. You can hear what I think about them in the video and watch me put them to use.
If you'd like to see how I got on with my latest photography adventure to Boscastle and hear my brief thoughts on the Kase Filter system, then check out the video below.
A Summers Evening in Boscastle
So was my evening in Boscastle a successful one? Let’s find out.
As you will have seen in the video I actually got the better light early on in the evening. Normally the light gets better the closer you get to sunset but due to atmospheric conditions the light fizzled out a bit as the evening progressed. The following image is my favourite because it has the golden light on the foreground rocks as well as the hills surrounding the harbour.
Last Light at Boscastle Harbour, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 20mm, f/13, 100 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL, 6 Stop ND and ND Grad.
The other two images I took are pleasing enough but compared with the first I think they lack some depth and colour.
Boscastle Harbour at Sunset, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 19mm, f/13, 100 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL, 6 Stop ND and ND Grad.
Out to Sea, Boscastle, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 160 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL, 6 Stop ND and ND Grad.
Overall though I was very happy with my adventure to Boscastle and the photographs I took. Does that mean I won't go back? Of course not! There will always be new compositions to found and different conditions and lighting to work with.
I do hope you enjoyed the video and photographs and that it has inspired you to visit Boscastle. If you are looking for more Cornwall locations to inspire your photography then check out some of my other posts from Cornwall. If you've got a favourite Cornish location that you want to share then let me know in the comments below. See you next time!
Tricky Trevose
In my blog this week I head out to Trevose Head where I discover that previous success at a location doesn’t guarantee future success.
High Hopes
It’s been a while since I captured an image that I really connected with. Or it at least feels that way. Sometimes when the last few shoots don’t go as planned and you come away with a few OK images it’s all too easy to become negative about your own photography. I was starting to feel that way and what I needed was a really productive session out with the camera.
To get some inspiration I opened up Lightroom and looked through my catalogue of images. I was immediately drawn to my photographs of Trevose Head. It appeared that every visit had resulted in a decent image. In fact, some of my favourite images were taken from this location. With such an apparent high success rate at this location how could I go wrong?
I checked the weather forecast and tide times and decided that conditions were favourable enough to make the 1 hour 45-minute drive there. I had high hopes for this trip and I had visions of me capturing an image like this one I took back in 2016:
Last Light at Trevose Head, Cornwall - Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 22mm, f/11, 97 seconds at ISO 100.
Challenges
When I arrived at Trevose Head, conditions looked as predicted. The majority of the cloud was starting to clear revealing a lovely blue sky. Not great for photography I admit, but if the forecast was right, more cloud would arrive around sunset so I wasn’t too worried. At the car park it was very windy and I thought this might make long exposures a bit tricky, but as I descended to my favourite spot on the rocks it was a lot more sheltered.
I had arrived a couple of hours before sunset so I had plenty of time to work out my compositions. I already had a couple in mind. These were either based on existing shots I had taken or some new ones that I thought might prove interesting. Taking test shots this early on was tricky though due to the contrast of the scene. The sky was very bright and the rocks dark making getting a balanced exposure difficult. It’s a hard scene to grad as well as the horizon is broken by the lighthouse.
As the evening progressed and it got closer to sunset some cloud started to roll in. It was some of that nice high-level cloud you sometimes get so I was feeling optimistic. That feeling didn’t last long though. Though I was happy enough with the compositions I had I was finding it a difficult scene to photograph. The problem was that between the cloud and the horizon there was a very bright band of sky where there was no cloud cover. Even when the sun (which was at 90 degrees to me) was behind the cloud, the band of cloudless sky was very bright.
Tricky Trevose Head, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 22mm, f/11, 90 seconds at ISO 64.
Unfortunately I couldn’t use an ND grad effectively. The band of bright sky was close the horizon and given that the lighthouse breaks the line of the horizon, I couldn’t get the grad close enough without cutting through the lighthouse. I guess I could have bracketed some exposures, but my post-processing skills in that area aren’t that good, and I wasn’t convinced it would have delivered a natural looking result anyway.
Out to sea I could see a very impressive storm cloud approaching (see image below). This would have really added some drama to my coastal scene but it wasn’t going to get to my location before I lost the light so I decided that I’d had enough and packed my bag.
Isolated, Trevose Head, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 VR at 50mm, f/8, 1/3rd second at ISO 64.
I was really optimistic and excited about my trip to Trevose Head, but it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. I don’t think I ever really got into my stride. Yes, the photography was challenging, but I also suspect I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten properly for a few hours and I know from past experience that being hungry really can ruin your creativity!
This hasn’t put me off from shooting Trevose Head again. Far from it. It still remains one of my favourite Cornish coastal locations to photography. If I ever want to be reminded though I’ll just watch the video I made from there.
Sunrise at Boscastle
The blog this week I head to Boscastle. Though I've visited this location many times before for some landscape photography, this is my visit at dawn.
Dawn at Boscastle
Boscastle has been one of my favourite locations in Cornwall for landscape photography for some time now. Perhaps my favourite Boscastle spot is to be up on Penally Hill around sunset. You get the perfect view up there of the harbour inlet as it snakes its way out to sea. If you are lucky the light from the setting sun lights up the sky and surrounding hills and islands. I have, however, never really considered shooting Boscastle at dawn.
This all changed when I recently visited Boscastle to finish off my video 3 GREAT Landscape Photography Locations in Cornwall. I just needed to film the video intro and outro sections but as autumn approached and the number of daylight hours got smaller, it was becoming increasingly difficult to get to Cornwall before the sun set.
While autumn months make sunset photography more challenging for me, it does, however, mean that sunrises are a bit easier to get up for. So I decided that I would give sunrise at Boscastle a go. The priority was to shoot the video, but that didn't need great light, and if I got some photographs, that would just be a bonus.
Wind, Clouds and Running
As usual, I arrived about one hour before sunrise to give myself plenty of time to get to my favourite spot up on Penally Hill. When I got there though I soon decided that this was the perfect time to explore a few other spots. So I descended down Penally Hill towards the sea giving me a much better view of the ocean and the island of Meachard.
The view down there was obviously very different from that up on Penally Hill. Gone was any view of the harbour inlet and of Boscastle itself. I did, however, have excellent views of the ocean, the coastline and surrounding islands. I could also see all the turbulent weather out at sea including some low-level rain clouds, and some towering but beautiful cumulonimbus cloud. I was though getting battered by some very strong winds but the views were worth it.
The first composition that caught my eye was this view of Meachard island. Normally this island appears a lot smaller in compositions from Penally Hill, but down here I could make it my main focus. I really like the mood of the image as it rains just above the island. The image isn't as sharp as it should be because I had a real job keeping the camera stable in the wind, but I think it's worth sharing.
Meachard Rock Standing Strong - Boscastle, Cornwall. Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 at 56 mm, 5 seconds at ISO 64, f/11, Lee Filters Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
As I mentioned earlier, from the location where I was taking this photograph I couldn't see Boscastle or the harbour. As it was getting near to sunrise at this point I was worried that I might be missing some good light so I packed up and moved on. As the harbour came into view it soon became apparent that there was nothing exciting about the view on this morning. I decided that I would maybe start doing the filming I had planned on doing.
As I set up the shot I could see behind that a big cumulonimbus cloud out at sea was turning orange from the morning light. It looked spectacular, but was it worth packing up all the gear again and running back to get the shot?
Storm Rising over Meachard Rock - Boscastle, Cornwall. Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 at 27 mm, 0.5 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Looking at the image above, I believe that it was indeed worth running back to the coastline. I had to move a little further north along the pathway to get this shot. This is so I could position the cumulonimbus cloud more effectively in the frame. I wish I'd been there a minute or two earlier as the light was slightly better, but I at least still managed to capture some of that orange glow reflected in the water. It was still a tricky shot to get as the path is very narrow where I was and the wind was still strong enough to make getting a sharp image tricky.
Pleased, and somewhat surprised by the photographs I managed to capture I happily returned to my harbour location and shoot the video I needed. I've been doing more exploring recently and I've been finding inspiration in unusual circumstances, but my dawn shoot at Boscastle on further affirmed that this type of exploration is well worth the effort.
So have you photographed Boscastle before? Have you ever tried shooting a favourite location at a new time of day? Let me know in the comments below.
3 GREAT Landscape Photography Locations in Cornwall
What are the best locations in Cornwall for landscape photography? In this blog article, I'm going to show you 3 GREAT landscape photography locations in Cornwall that I think will inspire you to photograph Cornwall.
Landscape Photography in Cornwall
When it comes to landscape photography in Cornwall, where do you start? With so many amazing and inspiring locations to pick from it can be a challenge selecting locations to visit. So a few months ago I decided to put together a video of 3 locations that I think you should visit. It's not a top 3 or best 3, but just 3 great locations that I think will inspire your landscape photography.
After driving hundreds of miles, dealing with challenging weather, and hours of editing I'm delighted to be able to share with you my video, 3 GREAT Landscape Photography Locations in Cornwall.
A Bonus 4th Location
Gurnard's Head was probably one of the most challenging locations I visited while creating this video. It was so windy that it made shooting video and taking images very difficult. However, I thought it was a great location and worth sharing as your bonus 4th location.
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:
Sandymouth Beach - this blog post was written before I shot the video, but it still has location information in it plus a couple of photographs to inspire you to visit.
All Those Landscape Photographs
For your viewing pleasure here are all the photographs from all 4 locations:
Even More Landscape Photography Locations in Cornwall
If those 4 great Cornish locations weren't enough for you, I've also compiled a playlist of all my other videos that I've made from locations in Cornwall. Enjoy!
What Next?
Though the creation of this video was quite the effort I would like to do more videos like this. I'm already planning one for Dartmoor, but are there any other others in the south-west you would like me to do a similar video on? Or where there any locations in Cornwall that you think I should visit? Let me know in the comments below.
Sandymouth Beach
Does bad weather inspire your landscape photography? In the blog this week I head out to Sandymouth beach in Cornwall to discover that inspiration can be found even in the dullest of evenings.
Friendship over Photography
When it comes to weather forecasts I tend air on the side of optimism. I often find myself looking at different forecasts to find one that gives me the best outlook. Sometimes those risks can really pay off. However, there are some weather forecasts that are just so poor that you'd have to be mad to go out.
In the world of landscape photography there aren't many more things that are a depressing as going to a location that has a forecast of 100% low cloud coverage and heavy showers. But that's exactly what I did recently.
So why would I drive all the way to Cornwall when the weather forecast was so rubbish? To see a mate of course! It had been a couple of months since I'd see my friend and as he is a photographer also, we are always looking for an excuse to head out with the cameras. The trouble was the weather forecast was rubbish.
Though we were both keen to do some photography, the lure of chips, chat and the chance to finalise our plans for an upcoming photography trip won the day and we decide to meet up anyway. We would of course both turn up with cameras, just in case the weather wasn't that bad.
Beach Life, Cornwall
Even with a hefty sense of optimism there was no way we were going to commit to a big drive given the weather conditions, so we decided to settle for a local location. I had never visited Sandymouth beach before so when it was suggested we go there I jumped at the chance.
When we arrived at the beach we were surprised to see the car park completely empty. Even on the worst of evenings you normally see a dog walker or two on the beach. It soon became apparent why no one was here as a heavy rain shower came overhead. There was nothing else to do but to sit in the car, eat chips and discuss all the latest mirrorless camera news from Canon and Nikon.
Once the chips were done and the rain shower passed we thought we might as well take a walk along the beach and see if anything catches our eye. It soon became obvious why my friend comes to this location. Miles of sandy beach, sea pools, and rocks could all be used to make some very interesting compositions. Despite the poor weather I felt really inspired and decided to get my camera out!
Tidal Pools at Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 20 mm, 1.6 secs at ISO 64, f/11, Lee Filters ND Grad.
Out to Sea, Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 20 mm, 5 secs at ISO 64, f/11, Lee Filters ND Grad.
As you can see the weather had cleared just enough to make the sky a bit more interesting, but it was those pools of water that really caught my eye. It's not that I think those images are amazing, it's more that I think how great the future possibilities of this location might be. With some evening light and the sky being reflected in one of those pools, I think it could make for a great image. As the beach is a constantly changing thing, I could end up with a unique image on every visit.
I had been searching for a interesting beach location for a while, and one that wasn't too far away. Despite the poor weather, I was really inspired by this location and I will definitely be heading back there again soon. Just shows how you get can inspired even in the dullest of conditions.
Do you get inspired in sorts of weather? What is your favourite beach location? Let me know in the comments below
Gurnard's Head
In the blog this week I head down to Cornwall again to check out a new location, Gurnard's Head.
Back to Cornwall
For me, the spring and summer months are the time to visit and photograph Cornwall. It's not that I think these are the best seasons to photograph Cornwall, it's just that the longer days means it's more practical to get there for sunset.
Now that the autumn season is upon us I can already sense a chill in the air and the days are getting noticeably shorter. Soon the clocks will change and the opportunities to get to Cornwall will be very much reduced. So while it is still reasonably practical for me, I'm trying to get to Cornwall as much as I can.
Gurnard's Head
One of the great things about my custom Google map is that I should never be short of locations to visit. My map contains a huge number of pins, and a lot of them I haven't even visited. Many of these unvisited pins are locations that I discovered from magazines or social media channels.
For this trip out with the camera, I was looking for somewhere new to photograph down on the north-west coast. A quick look at my custom Google map revealed a location that I had pinned some time ago, Gurnard's Head.
From the text I had added to the pin I could see that I had discovered this location in an issue of Outdoor Photography magazine. Fortunately, I have been buying digital copies of this excellent magazine for a number of years now so it was an easy task to bring up the issue on my computer and get a feel for this location again.
Windy Cornwall
One of the reasons I was heading to the north-east coast of Cornwall was it was one of the few areas of Cornwall that had a forecast that could help yield a good photograph. As with a few of my recent trips to Cornwall though, it was still going to be a bit of a punt if it would work out or not.
After a 2 hour drive to get to my location I made the short walk down to Gurnard's Head. It soon struck me how windy it was. While the sky was relatively clear, and the sun was out, the wind was very strong. Even stronger than my recent visit to Wheal Coates tin mine.
Normally the wind isn't too much of a problem, but it was almost certainly going to be too strong for any long exposure. The wind was coming straight in from the sea so I wouldn't be able to shield the camera either. However, I could at least stand up so no excuses for not taking a couple of pictures!
Gurnard's Head Sunset #1, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 32 mm, 0.4 secs at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters ND Grad.
Gurnard's Head Sunset #2, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 16 mm, 0.4 secs at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters ND Grad.
I really enjoyed my time at Gurnard's Head (despite the wind). One observation I did make is that the area around the headland is covered in heather and if I visit there again I'll do so at the start of August. I can imagine Gurnard's Head is a sea of purple at the right time of year.
Despite the strong winds, I was happy to have explored this new location (something I'm trying to do more of). Unfortunately, the predicted cloud cover never transpired that evening (it was painfully beautiful a few miles further east), but sometimes it's the experience of being outdoors that's important.
So have you been to Gurnard's Head before? Which of my two images did you prefer? Let me know in the comments below.
Windy Wheal Coates
In the blog this week I head to a windy Wheal Coates tin mine on the coast of Cornwall. With the weather forecast being less than favourable, would I be able to capture an image? Read on to find out if my creativity beat the windy conditions.
A Return to Wheal Coates in Cornwall
It doesn't seem that long ago that I last photographed Wheal Coates tin mine on the coast of Cornwall. When I looked in my Lightroom catalogue to find my last photograph from Wheal Coates I was shocked to see that it had been nearly two years to the day since I had last visited this great Cornish coastal location. Where does all the time go?
It's not as if I had forgotten about it. There's a pin for it on my custom Google map but for some reason, I just haven't been back. It was time to go back that was for sure.
If you read my blog on a regular basis you may remember reading my recent post on Dartmoor. In that post, I tell you why I headed up onto the moor when the weather forecast said I should really be at home. My most recent visit to Wheal Coates was in a similar situation. Any sane photographer wouldn't have even considered the 4-hour round trip if they'd looked at the weather forecast. But there was a small gap in the clouds predicated and given that I had the evening free, I thought it was worth a punt.
Typically Cornish Weather
As I drove along the A30 from Devon to Cornwall, I really started to question if I had done the right thing. Unlike my trip to Dartmoor the previous week which only involved a small drive, the drive to Wheal Coates was significantly longer. The further I drove into Cornwall the worst the weather got. At one point my windscreen wipers were on full and I was driving through a low-level cloud.
However, I was still clinging onto that predicated break in the cloud. It is well known that you can get some amazing light from cloud breaks after a storm passes by, so I just kept thinking about how pleased I would be with myself if I got a really nice shot.
As I pulled into the National Trust car park for Wheal Coates I looked out to the sea where I could see broken cloud, bits of blue sky and even the sun. I though that maybe this could turn out to be an amazing evening of photography.
Windy Wheal Coates
As I wandered down from the car park and onto the slopes, I was pleased to see that there was still a lot of heather about. Unfortunately, I was probably about two weeks too late to get it at its best, but it was still a wonderful sight to see.
You would, of course, think that with so much heather on the slopes that picking a composition is easy. It can however be a little more tricky than just sticking your tripod on the ground and snapping away. The slopes are a complex mesh of paths, gorse, heather and unsightly dead vegetation. So it's worth taking a little time to wander about and finding a nice clump of heather that also doesn't have too many unwanted distractions around it.
While I was wandering about looking for my composition I noticed the wind was picking up. I looked out to sea to see a very large bank of cloud heading my way. Well, there goes my sunset I thought! So I quickly got set up and took my first composition of the evening:
A Splash of Colour on a Grey Day at Wheal Coates #2, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 26 mm, 3 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
As you see in the image above I had already lost much of the light and clear sky. The cloud appeared very quickly and anyone who photographs Cornwall a lot will tell you that even in the summer the weather can change rapidly.
While I would have loved some light from the setting sun on the slopes I decided that I would #EmbraceTheGrey and make the most of the moody skies. For the next shot, I headed a little further down the slopes and closer to one of the old mine buildings.
A Splash of Colour on a Grey Day at Wheal Coates #1, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 20 mm, 2 seconds at ISO 64, f/13, Lee Filters Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
As I looked back out to sea all I could see was cloud and the light was fading fast. I decided that I'd probably had the best of the conditions and it was time to head home, happy that I'd managed to capture a couple of images.
I mentioned in my post from Godrevy a few weeks back that I was producing a video on photographing Cornwall for my YouTube channel. I'm pleased to say that I also did some filming for that video on my visit to Wheal Coates. So be sure to say tuned to the blog and make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube channel.
I do hope you enjoyed this blog. Which of the two images was your favourite? Have you photographed Wheal Coates before? Let me know in the comments below.
Landscape Photography at Godrevy Point and Lighthouse
In the blog this week I head to Godrevy Point in Cornwall to capture some seascape photographs. As I discovered, there is more to photograph than just lighthouse.
Cornwall's Spectacular Coastline
The coastline of Cornwall is without a doubt one of Britain's best natural features. The seemingly endless coastline features everything from golden sandy beaches to rugged cliffs that get battered by the never-ending power of the sea.
As a landscape photographer, Cornwall has to be one of the top locations in Britain for seascape photography. I'm lucky enough to live near Cornwall, so during the summer months when the days are longer I will often find myself crossing the border from Devon for a spot of photography.
Discovering to Godrevy
One of my favourite locations in Cornwall is Trevose Head. It's a cracking location with rugged cliffs, big crashing waves and a lighthouse. However, further down the coast is Godrevy Point, a very similar bit of coastline that also has a lighthouse.
I first discovered Godrevy Point when I was taken there by professional photographer Ross Hoddinott. I was there with my father-in-law to do a feature called "Photo Challenge" for the magazine Digital SLR Photography. Ross had us "competing" against each other in a series of challenges. We visited St Michael's Mount in the morning (somewhere else I must return to), and then later in the day we went to Godrevy point.
It was a fantastic day and a lot of fun. If you want to see the article, it was in the December 2014 issue of Digital SLR Photography, so if you have a copy kicking about check it out! I captured some images that even today I'm very happy with (see below).
Since that initial visit, Godrevy Point has been on my locations map. However, as it's 2 hours from home, I've always favoured going to Trevose Head which is a little closer.
Returning to Godrevy
This week I finally decided to return to Godrevy Point. The weather forecast and tides were favourable, and I had enough time to drive there and still have time to take photographs before the sun would set.
As it had been nearly fours years since my last visit the first thing I did was have a little walkabout. There are all the cliff top locations to look at, as well as locations down on the beach and the rocky ledges. As I knew the tide was going out, I felt OK about going down onto the ledges. I still had to keep a very close eye on the waves though. It's always best to watch the water for a few minutes before moving onto your next spot as the strength and reach of waves can vary.
My first image from my visit, shown below, was taken up on the cliffs along the South West Coast Path. It's a pleasing enough image but it lacks dramatic light. Some light on the island or cliff face to the side would have really lifted the image. Normally I would have also gone for a long exposure here, but I wanted to capture the movement of the waves so went for the shorter exposure time.
Godrevy Lighthouse from the South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35 mm f/4 at 25 mm, f/11, 1/10th sec @ ISO 64, Lee Filters Landscape Polariser and 2 stop ND Grad.
For my next spot, I decided to leave the South West Coast Path and head down onto the beach and Godrevy Cove. While the lighthouse is a prominent feature of coastline at Godrevy, not all photographs need to include it. The photograph below is actually my favourite of the evening, so it pays to explore an area before digging in your tripod legs.
Again for this image, I really wanted to capture the movement of the waves. Using a polariser not only enhanced the colours, and reduced glare, but it also reduced the amount of light entering the camera, allowing me to get a slightly longer exposure without the need for an ND filter.
Godrevy Point Waves (Godrevy Cove), Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 VR at 24 mm, f/13, 1/8th sec @ ISO 64, Lee Filters Landscape Polariser and 2 stop ND Grad.
It's important to try new things every now and again, and it's OK to experiment with your photography. While the photograph of the beach stones below might not win any awards, it was still fun to take and provides a welcome break from photographs of waves!
Godrevy Point Beach Stones (Godrevy Cove), Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 VR at 70 mm, f/8, 1/4th sec @ ISO 64, Lee Filters Landscape Polariser.
As the sun started to set, I headed down to the rocky ledges to get ready for my final shots of the day. I was hoping for better light, either to illuminate parts of the scene, or for it to go dark and stormy, but I ended up with something in the middle. So while I like the composition of both of the images below, they just lack something to make them special. Maybe I'm just getting fussier with my photogrpahy these days!
Dusk at Godrevy Lighthouse, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 VR at 27 mm, f/13, 1.3 sec @ ISO 64, Lee Filters Landscape Polariser.
Just a little note on the photography below. Unfortunately, both my main tripod and cable release were away for repair making capturing this photograph tricky. I needed to use the self-timer so there wasn't any camera shake from pressing the shutter button. Normally 2 seconds would be enough, but because the tripod wasn't as stable as my normal tripod, it needed to be 5 seconds. This makes timing really difficult as waves aren't as predictable as you might hope!
Godrevy Lighthouse from Godrevy Point, Cornwall - Nikon D850, Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8 VR at 38 mm, f/13, 0.5 sec @ ISO 400, Lee Filters Landscape Polariser.
More Godrevy
I really enjoyed my visit to Godrevy. It was great to be back and I really must make the extra effort to return there again. Looking back at my images from 2014 and those I captured this week, I'm not sure that I don't prefer the images from 4 years ago. I think it probably has something to do with the moodier skies of the images back then. Still, I was very happy that I undertook the 4 hour round trip to Godrevy.
I also have some exciting news. While I was there, I actually did a little filming for my YouTube channel. I'm producing a video on photographing Cornwall's coastline and Godrevy is one of the featured locations. I'm not sure when the video will be ready, but be sure to head over to my YouTube channel and subscribe. Remember to click on the bell icon as well so you'll receive a notification as soon as I post up a new video.
So have you photographed Godrevy Point before? Did you photograph the lighthouse or exclude it? Did you prefer my 2018 or 2014 photographs? Let me know in the comments below.
Trebarwith Strand
In this blog post, I tell you about my recent visit to Trebarwith Strand, how it paid off to get there early and my experience with the Nikon D850.
Trebarwith Strand
I've photographed many different locations in Cornwall. It truly is a wonderful part of the UK and has so much to offer the landscape photographer. Some of my favourite spots include Boscastle and Trevose Head which are amazing coastal locations.
Opportunities to get out and take photographs seem to be rare at the moment, so when the weather looked good for the north Cornish coast I went looking for a spot that I hadn't shot before or hadn't been there for a while. Checking my trusty custom Google map I remembered that I hadn't been to Trebarwith Strand for over 3 years. I checked the tides and my luck was going to be in! What a great location to put my new Nikon D850 to the test.
Getting There Early
On my last visit to Trebarwith Strand, I noticed how busy the location can get, especially at high tide. For me, the best composition is standing on the rocky ledge and using it as a leading line out to Gull Rock. Problem is that the ledge doesn't fit many photographers so if I wanted to get the shot I was after I would need to get there early. (It was just as well I did because by the time sunset came there were at least 6 other photographers there!)
It's not a long drive so I managed to get there with plenty of time to spare. So I set up and waited. And waited. There wasn't much to do but enjoy the Cornish coast. With no mobile phone signal, I had nothing else to entertain me apart from my own thoughts.
It was actually a rather relaxing time. I stood there and listened to the waves crash around me. I made subtle changes to my tripod position, checked my composition and made sure I had the camera setup. There would be no excuses for not being prepared when all the action started!
Getting to Know the D850
Having said goodbye to the D750 the week before I was now trying to get know the D850. Most of the controls were familiar but there were some subtle differences and some new features that I was still learning how to use. Most of these changes I talk about in my recent D850 video and blog post. Overall the camera was living up to my expectations and I was having fun using it.
As sunset approached I started taking some test shots. I was shooting into the sun but my foreground was some very dark, wet rock. I thought this would be a good test of the dynamic range of the camera.
Sunset Action
As the sun started getting close to the horizon I could see a bank of cloud out to sea that would surely kill the sunset early. So rather than waiting right to the end, I started shooting while the sun was still quite strong in the sky. It was a balance between an overpowering sun and loosing the reflected light from the rocks.
Nikon D850, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 26mm, f/13, ISO 64, 20 seconds, Lee Filters Big Stopper and ND Grad.
As you can see the camera did an admirable job of balancing the highlights and the shadows. The level of detail that was recorded in the shadows was impressive and post-processing was relatively straightforward.
Though I didn't get the sunset I was after I was still very happy to get out with the camera and to spend some time outdoors. I may have been standing on that rocky ledge for a long time but I enjoyed the experience, and for me, that is half the fun of photography. Just being outside and enjoying the outdoors.
Do you have a favourite location that requires you to get there early? Do you enjoy the experience of being outside almost as much as the photography? Let me know in the comments below.
Same Spot, Different Photo
In this blog post I discuss why I was back photographing Trevose Head again and how despite putting my tripod legs in almost exactly the same spot as before I ended up with a unique image.
The Perfect Location?
I like shooting at Trevose Head on the north Cornish coast. I never seem to leave that location without having taken a decent photograph. Sometimes I even leave there with a great photograph. I also just enjoy being there. It's an amazing bit of coastline with its lighthouse, rocky cliffs and crashing waves. It can get very windy, and salt spray on your equipment can be a challenge, but just being there and watching the sunset over the coast is a pleasure.
If you want to see what I'm talking about then you should check out my 5 Minute Photo Adventure video from Trevose Head.
But what makes Trevose Head so special? Why do I keep putting my tripod legs in the same spot? I think one of the great appeals with Trevose Head is that it works in a variety of weather conditions. It doesn't seem to matter if the weather is good or bad, overcast, windy, or even what season it is. Don't get me wrong. It's not the perfect location. No location is. However, if you can vary your technique and adjust your style to the conditions then it's one of those locations where you stand a good chance of making a decent image.
Here are some of my previous images from Trevose Head.
Whose Tripod Holes Are They?
I've just returned from another visit to Trevose Head and the image I captured there inspired me to write this blog post. Though I've previously captured some images that I'm really happy with from Trevose Head, I still thought I could capture something new. So when my friend asked me if I wanted to join him for an evening's shoot at Trevose Head there was only one answer.
It was going to be tough to get there before sunset though. The earliest I could leave home was 7 pm, and given that it is around a 90-minute drive that would only leave me about 40 minutes to jump out the car, make the short walk, setup, and capture something. But the weather forecast looked good and based on my previous experience from that location, I knew the journey would probably be worth it.
When I got there my friend had been shooting for a while and after a quick catch up, I got to work. For me, the best location to shoot Trevose Head is from Stincking Cove looking north east towards the lighthouse. Being a cliff top location there isn't a huge amount of room to move about, so my tripod legs were probably placed in the same spot as they usually are. However, even with my inability to move around a lot there is still plenty of variation to be had by shooting different focal lengths and exposure times.
What made my image different this night was the light. Photographers, including myself, do talk about the "light" an awful lot, but hopefully in this image you can see what a difference the light can make:
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 22mm, 0.5 sec, ISO 100, f/16, Lee Filters circular polariser, ND grad.
I'm not saying this image is necessarily any better than some of my other images taken from the same spot, but it is a very different image from my darker, moodier images that I've taken there previously. The light was only there for a few minutes but I love the way it reflects off the sea, the cliffs and the lighthouse. It just shows you that every visit to a location can be unique and therefore produce a unique image.
To ND or Not To ND
I'm a big fan of the ND filter. I use them a lot and you can see how I use them in this video. That doesn't mean I will use them in all my images though. I try to use them creatively if I think the image will benefit from a slightly longer exposure. I do tend to go for longer exposures for my seascapes as I like the resulting smooth water or the patterns that are painted by the moving water. You'll maybe have noticed though that the image I've just shared above isn't a long exposure. At the time I felt that smoothing out the water wouldn't be the right thing to do for the image I wanted to create. I liked the choppy water and the way the light reflected off the tops of the waves.
I did take a long exposure and while I am of course very happy with it, I still very much prefer the shorter exposure.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 22mm, 30 secs, ISO 100, f/16, Lee Filters circular polariser, ND grad.
Ignore Those Who Say...
All this talk of returning to a location to take the "same" picture reminds me of a Twitter post that I saw recently. I can't remember what it said exactly but it seemed to involve a number of photographers talking about a photograph of a few sets of tripod legs all crammed into the same spot. The general gist of the conversation was that these photographers lacked any original thought and were just copying each other or those that were there before them.
Though I didn't reply to the Twitter post, I couldn't have disagreed more for two reasons. Firstly, who's to say that just because a photograph has been taken from a spot before that another photographer can't take a similar image. If you are just starting out in photography I would actively encourage you to visit locations that you've seen in other peoples images. I even don't see any problem with trying to replicate the composition. It's often a good way of learning. If you have been inspired by an image you have seen then why not try your hand at that location.
I bring this topic up now because even though I have visited Trevose Head a few times and taken photos from the same spot, I get different results each time. So I would encourage you to put your tripod legs where my legs were and take the same photo. Your image will be unique and hopefully special to you.
The other reason I disagree with that Twitter post is that if you put two photographers in the same location at the same time you'll likely end up with two different images. An example of this was when I met a very nice photographer called Johnny Baird during a trip up to Scotland to photograph Glencoe. We both stood in the middle of the River Coupall, photographing Buachaille Etive Mor at sunset and despite the close proximity of our tripod legs, we shot very different images. Just because we were in the same location at the same time, how we choose to interpret the scene, choice of equipment and setup all meant we ended up with different images.
Don't let anyone tell you that a location has been overshot or that you must find a unique location for your photograph to be worth anything. So next time you're in Dorset, go to some of its most iconic locations such a Durdle Door and join the dozen other photographers that will be there and get your very own image.
Do you have a location that always delivers results for you? Did you prefer the long or short exposure that I took? What are your thoughts on visiting well shot or iconic locations? Let me know in the comments below.
The Rumps - 5 Minute Photo Adventure
In this blog post I take you on another 5 Minute Photo Adventure. This time I'm back in Cornwall to photography the twin headland known as the Rumps. This is a great coastal sunset location and offers fantastic views of the surrounding coast. Read the blog and watch the video to see why.
Seeing More
The more 5 Minute Photo Adventure videos that I make the more I realise how amazing the coastline around the south west of England is. Over the last few years of photographing my local coastline, I've discovered many wonderful and dramatic locations. I am indeed very lucky to live in a place where I can access a wide range of beautiful photographic locations.
By shooting these videos I have started to discover more about the locations I photograph. For each video, I try to shoot lots of B-Roll so that I have additional footage to help tell the story of the location. This could be me walking around the location or using the drone to capture some aerial footage. It's from this aerial footage that I have seen some amazing coastal sights and views. It could be the elevated view or the view that would otherwise be inaccessible that provides me with a new way of looking at a location. A great example of this would be my previous 5 Minute Photography Adventure video from the Valley of the Rocks (insert link).
When I get home from shooting a video and I look at the B-Roll I often see how much more that location has to offer. Sometimes I get very focused on making an image that I forget to look around me and see what else there is. The B-Roll not only adds the video itself but also reminds me to keep my eyes open when I'm on location and not to just look through the viewfinder.
The Rumps
With so many great locations to pick from in the South West, it was hard to decide where to shoot my next video from. So, as I often do I checked out my custom Google Map and spotted the location known as The Rumps. The weather forecast was looking OK, but I thought it would be worth the risk so I packed my gear and headed out in the car. Here is what happened:
The Images
In the video, I showed you just one of the three images that I took that evening. Here are all three for you to look at:
While these images are pleasing enough, I don't feel any of them stand out. When shooting one of my 5 Minute Photo Adventure videos it's always nice to get a standout image to finish the video with, but the video is more about my desire to share the location with the viewer, tell them about my process of shooting the image, and hopefully inspire them to visit the location. So I don't necessarily consider it too much of an issue not to have a portfolio class image at the end of each video. It would be nice if every trip out with the camera did produce a portfolio class image but this simply isn't the case. For me, any time out with the camera is time well spent. Getting an awesome image is a bit of a bonus.
Looking at the images now I don't think the compositions work particularly well. Sure, not having great light didn't help, but I'm not entirely sure nice side lighting or a pink sky would have helped. The images lack balance and in some cases, they need more negative space in the lower part of the foreground.
So while these images might not necessarily be my best work, they are still important. Every image I take, good or bad, I will personally critique to see how I might improve next time. Photography is a journey of constant learning and improvement, but one that I still very much enjoy.
Looking back at my previous visits though, I think I prefer this viewpoint. This image was taken south of the viewpoint in the video and shows a bit more of landscape around The Rumps.
Have you been to The Rumps before? How much do you critique your own images? Are there any locations you like to me make a 5 Minute Photo Adventure video on? Let me know in the comments below.
Trevose Head - 5 Minute Photo Adventure
In this blog post I take you on another 5 Minute Photo Adventure. This time I'm off to Trevose Head on the north Cornish coast. This amazing location has a lot to offer the landscape photographer. Read the blog and watch the video to see why.
As a landscape photographer I'm extremely lucky to live in the south west of the UK. Even if I didn't have Exmoor and Dartmoor, I would still have over 630 miles of the South West Coast Path to photograph. With so much to choose from I couldn't possibly pick a favourite location, but when it comes to Trevose Head, I'd have to say it's up there in my top 10 Cornish coastal locations to photograph.
So what makes Trevose Head so special? Well, for me it's the drama of the location. It's got the lighthouse perched on a cliff edge, the rocky inlet where the waves come crashing in and it makes for a great sunset location just about all year round. And did I mention you can drive within 200m of the best spot to shoot from?
On the downside it is very exposed and getting blasted by rain, wind and sea spray isn't to be unexpected, so sometimes it's nice to have the car nearby after you've been battered by the elements!
If this sounds like the kind of location you might want to photograph, why not check out my 5 Minute Photo Adventure video below:
Padstow Lifeboat Station
As I showed in the video, the lighthouse isn't the only spot to photograph at Trevose Head. Located not farm from the lighthouse is Padstow Lifeboat station. As you can see on the map below both locations are close together and so if you have time it's worth visiting.
This was my first time visiting the lifeboat station. I remembered it after looking at the area on my custom Google Map while I was wondering about. It's not that easy to photograph if you want to include the surrounding elements such as the stairs down to the entrance, but with the right lens and a bit of moving about, a good image can be made.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 22mm, ISO 100, 30 seconds, f/13, Lee Filters circular polariser, Little Stopper and ND grad.
Trevose Head Lighthouse
Though the forecast for Trevose Head was to be for relatively clear skies, as you can see from my first image this wasn't exactly the case.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35 f/4 at 19mm, ISO 100, 2 seconds, f/11, Lee Filters circular polariser, 3 stop ND and ND grad.
While I do like this image what I was really hoping for was for some golden light from the setting sun (off to the left) to illuminate the rock faces. This would have really lifted the tone of the image. However, sometimes you just have to work with the light you have so I decided to adopt a slightly different style.
By embracing the grey and opting for longer exposures I was able to create a set of darker and moodier images. I also varied the exposure times by choosing different ND filters. The longer exposures allowed the crashing waves to paint white lines and create shapes on the image.
I'll be back...
Though I didn't manage to create the image I had planned for I still came away with some images that I'm very happy with. I also got a chance to to photograph Padstow Lifeboat station, so it was good to get two locations for the price of one! One thing is for sure, I'll be heading back to Trevose Head again in the near future.
So have you been inspired to visit Trevose Head? Have you photographed this location before? Let me know in the comments below.
Bedruthan Steps Photo Adventure
In the blog this week I share with you the story of my latest trip to Bedruthan Steps to photograph the coastal thrift. Not only will you see the images from that trip, but I also share with you my top tips for photographing Bedruthan Steps. And if that wasn't enough for you, I also share with you my latest 5 minute photo adventure video!
Why Shoot Bedruthan Steps
I have a great many locations on my custom Google map, many of which can be shot at any time of year. There are a few however that are best shot at particular times of the year. Bedruthan Steps on the north Cornish coast is one such location. It has plenty to offer the photographer with golden sand beaches (at low tide) and miles of dramatic Cornish coastline.
It's spring time though when Bedruthan Steps comes to life. Like many areas along the coast, springtime brings on the flowering of the thrift, a beautiful pink flower that likes to cling to the side of the coastal cliffs. If you can find a nice clump of thrift and you are lucky enough to get some great morning or evening light, you'll have everything you need to produce an amazing image.
While there a number of locations to shoot the thrift in Cornwall, my favourite place to shoot them is at Bedruthan Steps. There is nothing quite like seeing the thrift flowering all along those stunning coastal cliffs.
The Clock is Ticking
The thrift flowers in spring but it may only be in its prime for a couple of weeks. This unfortunately isn't exactly the same time every year so knowing when to go isn't easy. Bedruthan Steps is a 1 hr 40 minute drive so I want to be reasonably assured of good conditions if I go. I would also need to the good conditions to match up with a free evening for photography!
However, time was ticking for me. I had started to see some spectacular shots of the thrift at Bedruthan Steps on Instagram so I was starting to panic that I was going to miss the best of the thrift this year. Luck had not been with me. When I had a free evening the weather was rubbish, and when the weather was forecast was good I didn't have free time. I was getting frustrated!
As mid May rolled round I came to the conclusion that I would have to go now or forget about for this year. So with a dubious Sunday evening forecast I decided to put caution to the wind and go for it regardless of the conditions.
A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
As I announced in my recent blog post for Daymark Tower, I've started a new series of videos that aim to give the viewer an introduction to a location and inspire them to photograph it. So for the 2nd of my 5 Minute Photo Adventure videos I've created this video of Bedruthan Steps which I filmed on my recent trip there:
I hope you enjoyed that video and that it has indeed inspired you to visit Bedruthan Steps. If you want to see the images from the video in a bit more detail you'll find them below.
So if that has inspired you to visit Bedruthan Steps, here are my 3 top tips to help you make the most of your visit:
Lenses - Take a wide angle lens for shooting the thrift, but also take a medium telephoto (like a 24-70mm) and shoot and isolate some of those rocky sea stacks.
Walk the Walk - Though there are a couple of great viewpoints just a short walk from the National Trust car park, you'll find so much more by walking along the coast path. So give yourself sometime to explore the area. The beach at Bedruthan Steps is also worth checking out, but only at low tide and you don't mind the steep descent.
Be Careful - It should go without saying, but do be careful on the cliffs, especially when photographing the thrift. It's all too easy to get very close to the edge in search of some nice thrift, and if it's windy up there you don't want to loose your balance.
Though I was keen to get to Bedruthan Steps to photograph the thrift, it is a location I will visit at anytime of year. The coast line is beautiful and spectacular there and given the right like it can make for some epic photographs.
So have you visit Bedruthan Steps? Have you photographed thrift before? Let me know in the comments below.
Beautiful Boscastle
In the blog this week I tell you about my most recent trip to Boscastle, show you the images I took, and share a few tips should you decide to visit this picturesque Cornish coastal village.In the blog this week I tell you about my most recent trip to Boscastle, show you the images I took, and share a few tips should you decide to visit this picturesque Cornish coastal village.
Classic Cornwall
Even if you aren't a photographer there is a lot to love about Boscastle. This picturesque little village in Cornwall is always busy with tourists enjoying the village, wondering along the harbour and ascending the surrounding hills for some fantastic views of the coastline. It has everything you would typically look for in a Cornish fishing village.
The things that make this village a popular tourist spot also make it popular for photographers. From happy mobile phone shooters to those who take their photography a little more seriously there is something for everyone to shoot.
The Photographers View
For me though, I go to shoot the harbour. The entrance of the harbour has dramatic cliffs on either side and the beautiful turquoise water snakes its way into the village to meet the River Valency. There are paths on both sides allowing you to walk the length of the harbour, but for those who have a little more puff in their lungs, there are paths leading up the hills. This is where I like to shoot from.
On this visit to Boscastle, I decided to take the path on the north side of the harbour. The view up there really allows the photographer to make the most of the S-shaped harbour entrance. With the sun setting in a westerly direction I was hoping that the last of the light would illuminate the hillside on the opposite bank with nice evening light. The weather forecast was looking good and with an incoming tide, I was optimistic.
Subtle Changes
After a short ascent to the top of Penally Hill, I just had to stop for a little while and admire the view. It's all too easy to get to your location, unpack your gear, and get shooting, but sometimes you need to pause and take in the scene. Though I have photographed this scene a couple of times now, each visit has been unique and I wanted to walk about a little to see how I might shoot it differently this time. I was hoping to see some Thrift flowering but unfortunately, there wasn't any. Well, you can have everything, can you?
After taking in the view I decided on two compositions, one vertical, one landscape. Both would include the S-shaped harbour entrance and the foreground rocky ledges, but I would shoot the landscape picture closer to sunset and include Meachard island in the composition.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 20mm, f/13, 30 secs, ISO 100, Lee Filters Circular Polariser, Lee Filters 0.6 ND Grad, 4:5 crop.
Though the light isn't fantastic in the above image I do like the composition. To get it right I had to make a number of minor adjustments. If I was too low down, the flow of the harbour water is cut off at the bottom of the frame and if I went too far to the left the curvy pier gets lost behind the foreground rocks. Too far to the right and the headland (Penally Point) on the north side is cut out of the frame and you lose the S shape of the harbour.
I also had a to take into account the foreground rocks which play an important part of leading the viewer out into the rest of the image. Overall, I had to make a lot of small tripod changes to get things just right.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 19mm, f/13, 56 secs, ISO 100, Lee Filters Circular Polariser, Lee Filters 0.0 ND Grad, 4:5 crop.
It was a similar story for the landscape orientation image above but as you can see I then had to take into account the placement of Meachard island. These aren't necessarily difficult compositions to get but you do need to pay attention to where everything is in the frame in order to get the most out this view.
Unfortunately, as you can see by the images, I didn't get the light I was looking for but I never come away from Boscastle feeling like it was a wasted trip. It's a lovely location and even in less than optimal weather conditions you can still get good images. It also makes you work at your composition skills as you try to get all the most interesting elements into your frame.
So if this blog has inspired you to visit Boscastle, here are my three top tips for shooting the view from Penally Hill.
Take a Polariser - The waters of the harbour are a beautiful turquoise colour and using a polariser will help you take the glare of the water and emphasise those colours.
Explore the Hill - There are a number of compositions to be had up on Penally Hill. Try shooting up into the harbour and village as well.
Thrift - If you can time your visit, try and go there when the Thrift is flowering. There isn't a lot of it up there, but adding it when it is can really add something to a composition.
If you want to see how I went about shooting these images, check out my latest 5 Minute Photo Adventure video on Boscastle.
I'm going to try and get back to Boscastle again soon. I've been a few times but never managed to truly capture in the way that I would like. I have a number of compositions I like from Penally Hill but so far I have always missed out on some great light. As with Colmer's Hill and Bowerman's Nose, I will just have to persevere until I get an image that meets my vision!
So have you photographed Boscastle before? What viewpoints do you shoot there? Let me know in the comments below.
Mentoring and Porth Nanven
I'm constantly striving to improve my skills as a landscape photographer and in this blog post I tell you about my latest meet up with my mentor and share with you the photographs I took while we were at Porth Nanven in Cornwall.
Long Overdue
I have previously written about how important it is to continue developing my skills as a photographer. Sometimes I do this by attending a workshop or by getting some 1-2-1 training. Though I had been on a workshop recently it had been nearly a year since I had a 1-2-1 session with my photography mentor. I had been very busy with my landscape photography over the last year so I had a lot to discuss and a good number images to review.
So we got a date booked in the diary and as the day got closer the weather forecast was scrutinised carefully. After all, we couldn't possibly meet just to discuss photography, we would definitely have create some images as well.
Image Review
For the first part of the day we went through the best of my images I had taken since our last session. This is a really important part of the session for me as it's probably the only time I can really get some honest and open feedback about my images. But it's not just about the feedback around the composition but I also get useful feedback on the processing. "Have you tried a square crop", or "try cooling this image down". Critique is often just one person's opinion but getting other people's opinion or view of your images allows you to see them in a different way which should mean you grow as a photographer.
All this reviewing of images is hard work so we did it over lunch at Strong Adolfos, a fantastic cafe on the A39. So if you are ever in the area it's highly recommended!
Life as a Photographer
On our way to Porth Nanven, our chosen location for photography that evening, we discussed all things photography. We chatted about everything from other photographers work, to the state of the photography market, and to our gear. One thing we were both keen on seeing was some new FX (full frame) Nikon bodies. Our camera bodies (D810 and D750) are 3 years old now and we're ready for some new tech!
Aside from just chewing the fat over the world of photography it was really good to talk about my continuing journey as a landscape photographer. Since our last session I had started this blog and created my YouTube channel so there was a lot to talk about. Both these forms of self publishing are hard work but I enjoy producing content for them.
However I have recently been concerned that they might be impacting my development as a photographer. Was I focusing more on delivering content rather than creating images? Was I going to locations that suited my content plan rather than where I would get the best images? It was good to talk about these concerns and how it might impact my goals as a landscape photographer.
After much discussion on photography we headed to Porth Nanven so we could create some fresh new images.
Porth Nanven
I first photographed Porth Nanven in March of 2015 and since then I've been back once. So when the conditions looked good for a sunset shoot at this popular location I was keen to go back. Porth Nanven is near to Lands End so it's a bit of drive, but sometimes you need to go that extra mile if you want to get some extra special. Due to the limited number of spots to shoot the beach of Porth Nanven we decided we would get there early as being a Friday evening it was sure to be a popular location for photographers.
Arriving some 2.5 hrs before sunset we found what we thought the ideal spots would be and started to eat our doughnuts and pasties as we chatted about Star Wars and Game of Thrones. After all, sometimes there is only so much photography you can talk about!
As the sun began to set more photographers arrived so we were glad that we had made the decision to get there early. We started getting our gear setup and discussed compositions. Anyone who has been to Porth Nanven will tell you about the wonderfully large, smooth boulders that cover the back of the beach. Using these boulders and the water from the stream flowing out to sea seemed to be a great first composition of the night.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 16mm, 4 sec, f/16, ISO 100, Lee Filters 0.6 medium grad.
As the tide continued to go out some beatufiful patterns started to appear in the sand so we moved from shooting the more traditional boulder shot to a more minimalist composition.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 @ 24mm, 10 sec, f/16, ISO 100, Lee Filters 0.6 medium grad, 3 stop ND.
I was really happy with these last two compositions. Porth Nanven is known for its big boulders so if you look up the location on Flickr for example you will see most of the shots will include boulders. So I found it really satisfying and interesting to make images that are a little different. As I mentioned in my recent post about Colmer's Hill, it can take many visits to really get to know a location. Next time I visit Porth Nanven I will now have a number of different compositions that I could shoot allowing me to vary my plan on the fly.
Satisfied with our shots we started the long drive home.
A Good Day
Overall it was a fulfilling day. As always it was really useful to have a portfolio review and to review my progress and goals as a landscape photographer. My personal development as a landscape photographer is more than just about creating beautiful images. Having a mentor allows me to develop not only my creative skills but my skills in the business of photography. It was almost a bonus to capture some lovely images from Porth Nanven!
Have you photographer Porth Nanven before? Have you ever had a 1-2-1 session with a photographer? How do you develop your skills as a photographer? Let me know in the comments below.
Back to Boscastle
In this blog post I tell you about my trip to Cornwall to shoot Boscastle one cloudy Saturday afternoon in January.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
It's been a reasonably busy start to my photography in 2017. January had already seen me visit Dawlish Warren, Dartmoor and Colmer's Hill in Dorset, so when faced with a photography free weekend I was content to stay at home and clock in some family time.
However, it appeared that the photography gods were looking down on me and unexpectedly my wife decided to take the kids to the cinema. So while the offer to go and see Sing was tempting, I was also offered the chance to go and do something myself. What could I possibly do with a few spare hours on a January afternoon….?
Well, it wasn't going to be DIY that was for sure so I got busy looking at my photography locations map and got to planning a shoot. I had already shot Devon and Dorset this year so I thought why not finish January by going to Cornwall. But where would I go? This is the good thing about keeping a locations map, it allows me to visualise possible shooting locations so I could see which of my Cornish locations would suit my time constraints, weather and time of day.
I eventually decided on Boscastle, a location I've shot a couple of times before. The high viewpoint above the curvy harbour entrance, dramatic coastline and forecast cloud cover would, I decided, make for an excellent sunset coastal location.
An image of Boscastle that I took in May 2016.
Taking a Friend
Landscape photography can often, for me at least, be a solitary past time. After all, getting up at 5 am to visit Dartmoor in freezing conditions in the off chance there is a good sunrise is not exactly on top of everyone's list of things to do. However, this was a Saturday afternoon and while it wasn't exactly a warm and pleasant day I did think my father-in-law would be up for a session with the camera. So I gave him a call and he jumped at the chance. So we packed our stuff and hit the road to Cornwall.
Dramatic Boscastle
It's just over an hour's drive to Boscastle from home so there was plenty of time to analyse the weather as we got closer to our destination. Things were looking very positive. The heavy, but intermittent rain showers meant the sky was full of cumulonimbus clouds as well as the odd thunderstorm cloud with high altitude anvils. As we drove we had visions of a setting sun illuminating these big clouds in a golden orange colour as they travelled along the dramatic Cornish coast. It might just be one of those great trips out with the camera.
It's a short walk from the harbour car park to the viewpoint, but it does require a small ascent to get an elevated viewpoint. It's worth the effort though and the excitement of the shoot gave us more than enough energy to get up the hill.
Once at the top we set up our cameras and got ready to start taking some epic images. However, as has been the way for me recently, I could spot a few problems. The big dramatic rain clouds had now for the most part all passed by leaving only small patches of cloud. There was also a big bank of low cloud on the horizon which I knew would block the last of light when the sun dipped down behind them. Still not to be put off I got shooting and took this image just as the sun dipped below the distant cloud line.
Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 at 16mm, 0.8 seconds, f/16, ISO 100, Lee Filters Circular Polarizer, Lee Filters 0.9 ND Grad. Processed in Lightroom CC.
We kept shooting until sunset but the conditions obviously did not improve. Landscape photographers bang on about the quality of light all the time but for very good reason. I know Boscastle is a fantastic location for capturing images but in flat winter light, even the most dramatic of locations can look a bit drab. I tried taking a few long exposures which provided the movement in clouds I was looking for but without good light, the image remains flat and grey.
As it started to get dark we decided to call it a day and head back to the car. Though the conditions hadn't been as we had hoped, we had at least had a good old chat and most importantly been out with the cameras.
Being Positive
Though January hasn't resulted in the capture of any portfolio class images, I am, as always, very happy to have got out with the camera. Despite work and family commitments, I have managed to get out with the camera every weekend in January. I even managed to create a video on how I use ND filters.
I rarely consider a trip out with the camera to be wasted effort. I often talk about the value in practising the craft of photography on this blog and so if anything this trip to Boscastle was still time well spent. Photographers can often set unrealistic expectations on ourselves to capture amazing images each time we go out. However, unlike full-time photographers, my time out with the camera is set around work and family commitments rather than when the conditions are likely to be optimal. I can't always capture amazing images, but I can make sure I'm well prepared for when they are.
So how do you balance your photography with other commitments? Will you wait for the best conditions or head out for the fun of it? Do you like to go out shooting with a friend or prefer solitude when out in the landscape? Let me know in the comments below.