A Decade Photographing Dawlish Warren
Ten years ago, to the day I took my first photograph of Dawlish Warren beach. In this blog post, I look back at the photographs I have taken at Dawlish Warren and discuss why I keep going back.
That First Photograph of Dawlish Warren
I can’t remember exactly how I was inspired to visit the beach at Dawlish Warren for the first time. It could have been a black and white image of the beach huts that I saw in one of my LPOTY books or I simply saw an image of the beach somewhere, realised how close it was to home, and decided I’d like to photograph it
Whatever way I was inspired, I made my first trip to photograph Dawlish Warren ten years ago to the day, the 29th August 2011. This is the image I took.
1st Dawlish Warren Sunrise (2011), Devon, South West Coast Path - Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 at 18mm, f/18, 13 seconds at ISO 100.
While I do hope my compositional skills and camera technique have improved since taking this image, the photograph does represent the start of a love affair I have with photographing Dawlish Warren. It’s difficult for me to remember what it is I saw that morning that made me keep coming back over the next 10 years. Perhaps it was the stunning sunrise, or the simple joy or being on the coast. If it had been a grey and overcast morning, would I have written the location off? Who knows and to be honest it doesn’t really matter. It was a special morning, and I did keep going back.
My 10 Favourite Photographs of Dawlish Warren
Over the next ten 10 years I continued to return to Dawlish Warren to photograph the beach at sunrise. Not all visits have been fruitful but some of them have been spectacular.
It’s not just epic sunrises that keep me going back. There are other reasons. Firstly, it’s close to home. With a 20-minute drive, it’s one of the closest photography locations I have access to. It’s also a constantly changing environment. Every visit is unique. Being a tidal location, the tide is constantly rising and falling, resetting, and changing the beach. The final reason is that the coast is one of the best places to witness sunrise. With no hills or mountains to block the sun, as soon as it starts to rise you can get the benefit of the light. That is assuming it’s not overcast. Not that it being overcast is a problem as I’ve captured some perfectly good images on cloudy days.
Below are ten of my favourite Dawlish Warren photographs that I’ve captured over the decade. These have been captured during my many adventures there which have been well documented both here on the blog and my YouTube channel. If you want to know more about all those adventures, then why not sign up to get my free landscape photography locations map. There you’ll find links to all my published adventures (of which there are at least 18).
My Most Recent Collection of Dawlish Warren Photographs
A decade on from that first visit to Dawlish Warren I continue to return to this wonderful location. Here is a collection of photographs from Dawlish Warren that I took on a recent visit. It’s not often that I’ll publish six images from one shoot, but it was one of those mornings where the conditions were just right for creating photographs.
I hope you have enjoyed this look at Dawlish Warren. Let me know in the comments if you’ve photographed Dawlish Warren or if you have a similar location that you photographed over the years.
A Question of Preservation
Should I share the location of the photographs in this blog post? Let’s discuss!
Sharing is Caring
I’ve always been happy to share the locations of where my photographs have been taken. There’s been no need for secrecy as most of the spots I have photographed have already been visited by photographers many times before. That’s not to say that I don’t think they are worth photographing. Far from in fact. While the location may have been photographed, my photograph will be unique to me and the conditions I experienced. (If you are interested in hearing more of my thoughts on this topic, why not check out this blog post here.)
At the start of 2021, I even went as far as to create a free locations map on which I plotted all the locations that featured photographs from this blog. Since creating the map I’ve been keeping it up to date so you can easily see the locations I visit and the photographs I’ve captured there. Just click on Free Locations Map in the menu above or click on this link here.
Woodland - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR at 16mm, f/7.1, 1/80th sec at ISO 3200, handheld.
To Tell or Not to Tell
While I will continue to share my locations and update my map, I photographed a location the other morning which has made me question if I should share the location. Some photographers like to guard their locations. I do sometimes find this amusing. It can be rather presumptuous that they assume that their photograph is so amazing that people will be so inspired that they just must go there. Or it could be because they are worried that someone will take a better photo? Or that they believe photographers must discover a location through hard work?
Woodland - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR at 16mm, f/5.6, 1/80th sec at ISO 6400, handheld.
None of those reasons apply to this situation. For me, this is a question of preservation. These ancient woodlands are precious and beautiful. As has been seen with Wistman’s Wood, an increase in footfall (from both photographers and tourists alike) has led to the woodland being damaged. I don’t want to see this happen to this woodland. While I’m not suggesting that my photographs will inspire a legion of people to visit this location, I’d still rather not put a GPS pointer on it.
The location of this woodland isn’t a big secret though. It’s on the OS maps for all to discover. I just happened to discover it when I was out walking my dog one day. Even if I did publicise the location, the effort required to get there would put most people off anyway. Perhaps it won’t matter if I tell you all where it is?
Woodland - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR at 26mm, f/5.6, 1/80th sec at ISO 6400, handheld.
I’m also fully aware of the impact my visit had on the location. I recently published a video called “Is My Photography Impacting the Environment?”, and through the production of that video, I have become a lot more aware of the potential impact my photography has on the places I love. As I walked through the woodland I found myself carefully considering where I was stepping and what I was putting my hand on. I was very aware of the sensitivity of my environment.
If in Doubt, Ask the Internet for an Opinion!
I also thought this topic would make for a good video as well. I thought it would be interesting to see what comments people would leave.
So, the question is, am I right to hold back on sharing the location? As I’ve explained in this blog post, it’s not because of some selfish photography-related reason, I just don’t want to be, even partially, responsible for an increase in footfall. What are your thoughts? Please let me know in the comments below.
Woodland - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR at 16mm, f/5.6, 1/80th sec at ISO 6400, handheld.
Nikon Z fc - Landscape Photography and Video Review
Is the Nikon Zfc all style and no substance? Is it just a camera for hipsters or for those with penchant for retro styled products? Would you really use this camera for landscape photography and for video or vlogging? In this blog post I tell you why I purchased the Nikon Z fc and why I LOVE it so much.
I’ve Finally Gone All Nikon
Ever since I purchased my first DSLR, the Nikon D80, I’ve stuck with Nikon cameras for my landscape photography. I’ve tested a couple of other cameras like the Panasonic S1R and even the mighty Fujifilm GFX100S, but I’ve never found a compelling reason to move away from Nikon. The Nikon Z7 remains the best camera I have used for landscape photography, and you can read why here.
The camera I use for my video work is a different story. I’ve changed the camera I use for YouTube content creation many times over the years! However, I’ve never used a Nikon as my primary camera for video work. Even though the quality of the video has been superior to my other cameras, they were never easy to use when you are a one-man camera crew and in front of the camera. A lack of a flippy out screen and reliable AF (and more recently face and eye AF) have always relegated Nikon cameras to landscape photography only.
With the release of the Nikon Z fc all that changed. With a flippy out screen and the AF system from the Nikon Z 6/7 II cameras, it appeared that the last of the blockers I had for using Nikon cameras for video had finally gone. I would also have the bonus of being able to use my ever-expanding collection of Nikon Z mount lenses.
Those changes were enough for me to pre-order the Nikon Z fc as soon as it was announced. The more I looked at the specifications of this camera though, I started to see how it could be used for more than just video. I could easily end up using this camera as an additional body for landscape photography, and thanks to features such as animal AF, I could lift the quality of my family photography and video.
So, on paper, this camera was ticking a lot of boxes for me. But now that I have it, how does it stack up? Let’s find out in the video below.
Nikon Z fc Landscape Photographs
Here are the photographs you saw in my video. I’m really impressed by the quality of the still images captured with the Nikon Z fc.
Wheal Coates with the Nikon Z fc
Wheal Coates, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
Wheal Coates, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Bowerman’s Nose with the Nikon Z fc
Bowerman’s Nose, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Bowerman’s Nose, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Dawlish Warren with the Nikon Z fc
Dawlish Warren, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Dawlish Warren, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Dawlish Warren, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Holne Bridge with the Nikon Z fc
Holne Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Holne Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
And finally…Monty!
Monty at Haytor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z fc with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Stowe's Hill - Bodmin Moor - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
Sit back and grab a cup of coffee because it's time for another 5 Minute Photo Adventure! In this episode I head to Stowe's Hill on the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall for a spot of landscape photography. With some of the most unique rock formations and tors I've ever seen, I wonder why I've never been there before.
The Photographers Guide to Cornwall
I first read about Stowe’s Hill when I got a book called The Photographers Guide to Cornwall. In fact, I picked up the entire series of The Photographers Guide books and filmed a special episode of On My Bookshelf all about them. You can see that episode right here.
From the Cornwall book, I selected to go to Rough Tor for the episode of On My Bookshelf, but I made a note that I must try and photograph Stowe’s Hill at some point. Unfortunately, Stowe’s Hill fell down the priority list and I eventually forgot about it. That was until I got my copy of The Photographers Guide to The Norfolk Coast and Broads.
As well as being inspired to go to Norfolk, I remembered the Cornwall book and that I had yet to visit Stowe’s Hill. Given that the long summer days were giving me plenty of opportunities to travel a little further afield I decided to jump in the car and make (the very pleasant) journey to Bodmin Moor to film one of my 5 Minute Photo Adventures!
You can see how I got on below.
Stowe’s Hill Landscape Photographs
It was a bit of a shame that the light was a bit flat. I can see how this location might come to life in the right light. I want to return to Stowe’s Hill soon and I hope these photographs will inspire you to visit Bodmin Moor. I think I’ve been missing out!
I hope you enjoyed the video and photographs. Let me know in the comments below what your favourite Bodmin Moor locations.
Stowe's Hill #1, Bodmin, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/11, 0.6 secs at ISO 64.
Stowe's Hill #2, Bodmin, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 1 sec at ISO 64.
Cheesewring - Stowe's Hill, Bodmin, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/11, 0.6 secs at ISO 64.
Why I Won't Buy Another Sony Camera
There are few things more frustrating than poor customer service and support. Unfortunately, that's exactly what I got when I contacted Sony camera support recently for an issue with my ZV-1.
Updating My Sony ZV-1 Review
Last year I published a video review of the Sony ZV-1, a camera that I was very impressed with. It has helped me make some of my favourite videos over the last twelve or so months. However, a good product isn’t just the sum of its specifications and components. For me, knowing that the item is backed by great customer support is also part of the buying decision.
Unfortunately, a recent experience with Sony camera support has left me with a poor opinion of Sony cameras. So much so that I wouldn’t buy another Sony camera. Given that I published a positive review of the ZV-1, and that I expect that some people that watch that review will also want to take into account customer support as part of that buying decision, I have decided to publish this video.
I hope some of you find it useful.
Is My Photography Impacting the Environment?
Access to Daymark Tower has been closed off because of the environmental impact from visitors. In my latest video, I look at the reasons why, consider the impact my photography has on the environment, and capture some landscape photographs of this iconic Devon location along the South West Coast Path.
Daymark Tower - Closed to Visitors
It was a few months ago that people started to mention to me that one of my favourite locations along the South West Coast Path, Daymark Tower, was closed to the public. As I got more information it appeared that the short path that leads from the track to the tower had been locked shut by the farmer due to the damage that was being done to his crops by visitors. This didn’t exactly come as a surprise to me.
As I know the location well, I knew that it was still possible to get good shots of the tower from the track side of the fence. Experience has also taught me that the crops start to look their best (photographically speaking) around June and July, so I thought it was time to visit the tower to take some photographs and look at the access restrictions myself.
Here’s how I got on and what I saw.
While it’s easy for me to criticise other people, making this video has made me think about the impact my photography has on the environment. Issues such are carbon emissions are easy to identify, but what I need to start thinking about is the damage my feet (including those on my tripod) are doing to the ground around me. Over the years I’m sure I’ve been careless so the best thing I can do is to learn from those mistakes and improve my behaviours.
I hope by reading this and by watching the video that a few of you will also consider how you impact your local environment when you are taking photographs. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Daymark Tower Photographs
Aspen by Adam Gibbs and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S04E02
On My Bookshelf is back and in this episode, I'm looking at Aspen, a photozine by Adam Gibbs and published by Kozubooks. Is this collection of autumnal landscape photographs from Abraham Lake and the Kootenay Plains a book for your bookshelf?
OMBS Is Back!
After a break of a few months, I’m pleased to say that On My Bookshelf is back! To celebrate the start of a new season of On My Bookshelf I’m looking at a photozine by Adam Gibbs called Aspen, It’s published by Kozubooks, who have been building up an amazing line of photography books including Tides and Tempests by Rachael Talibart (which featured on OMBS last year).
I’ve been following the work of Adam Gibbs for a few years now. I first became aware of his work when he won the International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition 2018. This then led me onto his YouTube channel where I found his photography compelling, and I enjoyed his style of presentation. In particular, Adam was photographing areas of the world that I had not seen before.
When Adam published his video of a recent trip to Aspen, I knew that I needed to look at the photozine he later published of that trip. Now that I’ve got my copy, I wanted to share my thoughts about the zine so you too can decide if it should be a title for your bookshelf. Enjoy!
Sharing the Joy of Printing
What's the best way to show someone the benefits of printing their landscape photographs? Simple. Take your Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300 and some Fotospeed papers to Boscastle in Cornwall, meet a friend, take some photos, and then print them from your car!
From Discovery to Sharing
I first started printing my landscape photographs back in 2017. Since discovering the joy of printing, I have been sharing my passion for printing photographs at home on my blog, YouTube channel, and by talking about it at The Photography Show. I’ve even got this handy “playlist” of blog posts of my printing-related content here.
Over the years, I have been rather evangelical about printing but sometimes the only way to really get the message across is with a practical demonstration. Even better than that, why not take a printer on location with you, capture some photographs, and then print them! What could be more satisfying and exciting than capturing a photograph and then making a print all before breakfast?
This is exactly what I do in the video below. I’m joined by friend and fellow photographer Chris Sale as we both attempt to battle the thick fog of Boscastle harbour to capture a photograph that we can take back to the car and print.
<insert video>
I hope you enjoyed this video. Chris might not be rushing out to buy his own printer, but he certainly appreciated the quality of the print and the experience of making one. It was a real pleasure being able to share my passion for printing in such a beautiful location and with such a good mate. It’s mornings like that one that makes photography such a rewarding thing to do.
Boscastle Coastline Photographs
The Nick Livesey Experience - A Documentary About Snowdonia’s Leading Mountain Photographer
Nick Livesey is a writer, photographer, mountain leader, and composer living in Snowdonia National Park in Wales. He is also a very grumpy man. But Nick’s life is changing, and for the better. In this new documentary, Nick shares his day and the stories of his life in the only way he knows how, with wit, honesty, and passion. Find out how and why Nick is changing in The Nick Livesey Experience.
Who is Nick Livesey?
The world of photography is full of personalities but when you think of Snowdonia the name that most people think of is Nick Livesey. Known as a mountain man and photographer, he is also infamous as the grumpy waiter from the Moel Siabod Café in Capel Curig.
During lockdown, Nick decided to make some fundamental changes to his life. He left behind the world of the café to focus on a life that would make him happy and allow him to establish an even deeper connection to Eryri.
But what motivates a person to give themselves so completely to just one place? I wanted to find out, so I decided to make a documentary about this legend of Snowdonia. In the film, you’ll discover that there is so much more to this person than just his photography. He’s a writer, a composer, and a mountain guide to name just a few of his talents. Most of all though, you’ll see that while he might still be a little grumpy, he is a person of great positivity, passion, and wit.
Welcome to The Nick Livesey Experience.
Bite-Size Blog Post #18 - Trevose Head
Sometimes the weather forecast changes for the better and the gamble to stay out pays off!
The Need to Be Flexible and Positive
The ability to be flexible in landscape photography is an important skill. I had made plans with my mate to shoot the thrift along the Cornish coast, but a worsening forecast was making that prospect less and less likely. Our desire to eat chips and catch up overrode any concerns we had about the forecast, and we decided to meet up regardless.
After a good chat and some excellent chips, we headed to our first location. We were only there a few minutes before we came to the rapid conclusion that shooting thrift was not going to work. The wind was strong, the cloud heavy and getting a soaking was a real possibility.
We could have just given up and gone home, but with a positive attitude and a bit of local knowledge, we decided that Trevose Head might be a good bet. We’d both shot Trevose Head many times before, but with good reason. It’s one of those dramatic coastal locations that can work well in unsettled conditions.
When we got to our regular viewpoint though there was a nasty area of seafoam. Not something that could be avoided or cloned out in post-processing. Too late to try another location we started to explore the area. As we did the clouds started to break a little and for the briefest of moments, we got some half-decent light.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 13 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
I wasn’t in the best spot for my first shot. While the light is good, I feel the composition doesn’t work as well as I thought it did when I took the shot. In retrospect, the foreground area dominates the photograph.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/13, 20 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
The 2nd shot addresses that problem and there is a better balance between the two areas of land. However, the light isn’t as good.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 49mm, f/11, 15 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
My final shot was a bit of a salvage shot. This is a vertical crop from a horizontal frame. Though I took a few vertical shots of this composition, I had failed to clean my polariser and those frames were ruined by some unsightly water droplets! This version gives you an idea of what I was aiming to capture, but I much prefer the water patterns in those original vertical frames.
Image critique aside, given the last 12 months, it was just good to be out again on the Cornish coast. I’ll be going back again soon.
Bite-Size Blog Post #17 - Killerton Close-Ups
Have you ever been inspired to capture an image because of a location smells and sounds? In the blog this week I share with you the images I captured from the Killerton estate after my senses were awoken by the arrival of spring.
The Smells and Sounds of the Woods
Owning a dog has had an unexpected impact on my photography. I’ve always enjoyed walking and being outdoors, but since Monty arrived in my life, I have found myself doing a lot more exploring. With more reasons to go out walking, I’ve had to broaden my horizons a little and as a result, I have discovered new locations for my landscape photography.
Bluebell, Killerton Estate, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro, 1/100th sec at ISO 400.
I’m not much of a woodland or flower photographer but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that I was inspired by what I saw and heard when walking Monty on the Killerton estate this spring. Killerton is just a couple of miles from home, and I’ve visited many times with the family. It wasn’t until I started doing long walks around the estate with Monty that I realised how big it was.
Wild Garlic #1, Killerton Estate, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 1/100th sec at ISO 250.
A few weeks ago, I was doing one of those long walks and I came across an area that was carpeted in bluebells and wild garlic. Not only was it a striking sight, but the smells and the sounds excited my senses. The gentle sound of the wind in the trees, the bird song and the strong smell of the wild garlic was invigorating and peaceful at the same time.
Wild Garlic #2, Killerton Estate, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 1/160th sec at ISO 320.
I knew I had to come back with my camera to try and capture some images. It would be the perfect opportunity to dust off my macro lens and put my new wide-angle prime lens to good use. Unfortunately, Monty would have to stay at home. He really doesn’t have the temperament or bodily control to not ruin a perfectly composed shot of a flower.
Wild Garlic #3, Killerton Estate, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 1/25th sec at ISO 50.
While this type of photography might not be my strong point, I’m still very happy with the results and I’ve already placed a reminder in my calendar to return next spring.
Landscape Photography with the K&F Concept SA255C1 Carbon Fibre Tripod
Don’t be me, get a decent tripod! I wish I’d got the @kfconceptglobal SA255C1 carbon fibre tripod sooner and I might have saved myself from an expensive camera repair bill. In my latest video, I head to Beardown Tors on Dartmoor National Park to capture landscape photographs and to share my thoughts on my new lightweight tripod.
Some Accidents Are More Preventable Than Others
I’d known for a while that I needed to replace one of my tripods. It had served me well for many years, but it was a little too lightweight for what I wanted to use it for, and it had a broken foot. My continued use of this tripod was an accident waiting to happen.
Sure enough, I left the replacement of that tripod a little too long and I had an inevitable accident. Some careless placement of the tripod legs and a gust of wind was all that was needed to send my ZV-1 crashing to the ground. Cameras smashing on rocks never results in a cheap repair bill.
While the ZV-1 was being repaired by Sony I decided that it was past the time to get a replacement tripod. Fortunately for me, K&F Concept had just released a new carbon fibre tripod and they wanted me to try it out (with no strings attached).
Though I’m a little ashamed I let such a preventable accident happen, I thought by sharing my experience I might be able to prevent someone else from having an expensive accident. In the video below I head to Beardown Tors on Dartmoor for a spot of landscape photography and tell you all about my new K&F Concept SA255C1 Carbon Fibre Tripod.
If you'd like to pick up one of these tripods, the kind folks at K&F Concept have shared the following discounts with me:
Website - K&F carbon tripod: https://bit.ly/3fVcaHl Coupon code: KF10UK (10% discount, valid until 31/12/2021）
Amazon - K&F carbon tripod: https://amzn.to/3wSD5dU Coupon code: KFCUK007 (10% discount, valid until 30/06/2021）
Beardown Tors Landscape Photographs
Here are the landscape photographs of Beardown Tors on Dartmoor that you saw me capture in the video.
Beardown Tors #1 - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 26mm, f/13, 0.5 secs at ISO 64.
Beardown Tors #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 26mm, f/13, 0.4 secs at ISO 64.
Beardown Tors #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 24mm, f/11, 1/5th secs at ISO 64.
Beardown Tors #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 24mm, f/11, 0.5 secs at ISO 64.
Fujifilm GFX100s - The Ultimate Landscape Photography Camera
Is the Fujifilm GFX100S the ULTIMATE camera for landscape photography? In this video, I test and review this medium format 100MP camera the only way I know how, and that's by heading out into the real world and taking landscape photographs.
A Rare Opportunity
I try not to talk about gear too much on blog and YouTube channel. When I do, I try and make the gear chat part of a landscape photography adventure. I’m not much for sitting in my office making videos about camera specs and shooting test charts.
The gear that I do talk about, whether it’s cameras, lenses or even outdoor clothing, is normally something I already own. I think I’ve only ever talked about an item of gear that I didn’t own once. It was at least for a camera that I had a genuine interest in and not for a random item that some company wanted me to make a video about.
So, when there was an opportunity to spend the weekend with the Fujifilm GFX100S, I jumped at the chance. How could I miss the chance to use this 102 megapixel, digital medium format camera? I would of course have to put it to good use and head out into the real world to capture landscape photographs with it.
A Fujifilm GFX100s Review for Landscape Photographers
As a YouTube content creator, I was also not going to miss the opportunity to make a video of my experience with this camera. Despite the price being out of reach for most landscape photographers, like me, I expect many of you have an interest in this camera.
The video I have made of my experience with the camera could be considered a review, but it’s very much a personal review. What I mean by that is that I’m reviewing it from the perspective of if I would buy the camera. So, I don’t really care about fast autofocus, stabilisation, frames per second, etc. I want to know if I would buy this camera as my next landscape photography camera, or at the very least, aspire to own it.
Though I’m not trying to convince you to buy the camera, I do hope you will enjoy this personal video review of the Fujifilm GFX100S. As with the other gear related videos I make, the video is also dedicated to the experience of creating landscape photographs as much as it is about the camera.
I hope you enjoy both the gear elements and the landscape photography elements of this video, but I accept no responsibility for a reduction in your bank balance should you buy a Fujifilm GFX100S!
Fujifilm GFX100S Landscape Photography Gallery
Here are all the photographs I captured in the video. Enjoy.
Essential Outdoor Photography Gear - Muck Boots Apex Zip Short Boots
There's more to landscape photography gear than just cameras and lenses. The clothing I wear can make the difference between being comfortable and creative, and being cold, wet and miserable. In my latest video, I head to Dartmoor to capture landscape photographs and tell you about an essential item of gear, my Apex boots from Muck Boots.
The Importance of Good Outdoor Clothing
As a landscape photographer, it’s all too easy to focus on making sure you have the best camera gear you can afford. While good camera gear is obviously important, the need for good outdoor clothing should not be ignored. I’ve learnt this the hard way. I’ve been cold, wet, and miserable when out with my camera. For the last few years though, I’ve always budgeted for good outdoor clothing as part of the photography kit bag.
Back in January, I talked about the winter photography gloves I use, but good outdoor clothing isn’t just for winter conditions. The latest addition to my kit bag is a pair of Apex Boots from Muck Boots. These boots are shorter and lighter weight than my Arctic Sport Boots, and for me, are better suited for the warmer months.
Thanks to some very wet weather over the last few weeks, my new Apex Boots were given a good workout. I put them to further use when I went out recently to capture some photographs of Holne Bridge and Venford Falls. As I was making a video as well, I also I thought this was the perfect time to talk about my thoughts on the boots. In the video below you can join me on my photograph trip to Dartmoor and see the boots in action.
I’m always happy to talk about the gear I use, whether it’s cameras or clothing, but I will always try and include some landscape photography as well. I hope you enjoyed watching my adventure to some of Dartmoor’s damper spots and learning about my new boots. Let me know in the comments below if there are any other items of outdoor clothing you might want to see a video about or let me know what your best item of outdoor clothing for photography is.
Holne Bridge Photographs
Here are the photographs you saw in the video in a bit more detail.
Holne Bridge at Spring #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1/5th sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Holne Bridge at Spring #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/16, 1/5th sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Venford Falls Photographs
Venford Falls at Spring #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/9, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Venford Falls at Spring #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 30mm, f/8, 1/8th sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Ultra-Wide Landscape Photography on Dartmoor with the Laowa 15mm
How wide do you go with your landscape photography? I love using ultra-wide angle lenses for my landscape photography and in this video and blog post, I attach a Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D lens to my Nikon Z7 and head to Dartmoor to capture some sunset photographs.
The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D Lens
Since purchasing my Nikkor Z 24-200 f/4-6.3 lens I have been reasonably satisfied with my collection of Z mount lenses for my Nikon Z7. However, things change, and I recently found myself with a gap in my lens collection. The gap had appeared because of a big photography trip I have planned for the end of 2021 and with that trip came the need for a lens that would be good for astrophotography.
Except for my Laowa macro lens, all my lenses are f/4 and even with my limited knowledge of astrophotography I know that’s not fast enough. It’s not to say that you can’t get good astro shots with an f/4, it’s just that the general principle of having a fast lens is beneficial.
After asking some trusted photographers what I might look for in an astro lens I decided to pick up the Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D lens. It’s ultra-wide, 2 stops faster than my other lenses (f/2 compared to f/4) and manual focus. Given that I’ll be using it for astro, the fact that it is manual focus doesn’t bother me.
Rather than leave this lens at home until my big trip in November I thought I’d take it out and shoot some landscapes with it. With Monty the dog super keen on a big walk, and an interesting weather forecast, I headed to a location on Dartmoor that I thought would be ideal for capturing ultra-wide landscape photographs in dramatic weather…Belstone Common. Watch how I got on in the video below.
Belstone Tor, Dartmoor Landscape Photographs
In the video you will have seen some photographs of wild garlic that I also took with the Laowa lens. I’ll be sharing those in a future blog post.
Irishman’s Wall, Belstone, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 1/15th sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
A Spring Sunset on Belstone Common #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
A Spring Sunset on Belstone Common #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
A Spring Sunset on Belstone Common #3, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z7, Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D, 0.8 sec at ISO 64, f/11, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Bite-Size Blog Post #16 - Thurlestone
After some encourage from a friend, I finally make a long overdue trip to Thurlestone to capture some long exposure seascapes.
Thurlestone - Finally!
I’ve had the coastline around Thurlestone on my list of places to photograph for a long time. While Thurlestone isn’t particularly far away, like most places in the South Hams it’s a bit of a pain to get to. I’m happy to drive twice as far to some locations in Cornwall, but those narrow, twisty roads in the South Hams always makes the journey seem a little more of an effort.
So, when a friend and fellow photographer asked if I wanted to join him one evening for a spot of seascape photography at Thurlestone, I jumped at the chance! To hell with the twisty roads. Chat and photography would make it all worthwhile.
Thurlestone Sunset #1, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200 f/4-6.3 at 36mm, f/8, 30 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
When we arrived at the beach, I could instantly see the appeal of this location and I could understand why my friend frequented it. Due to the lack of cloud cover and the direction of the light, I had to wait till the sun was nearly set before I started capturing images I was happy with.
Thurlestone Sunset #2, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 3 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
I’m not normally that keen on clear skies but the light was producing some lovely tones and pastel shades of colour in the sky. The main element in the compositions is of course the rocky outcrops which offered me plenty of different ways to shoot the scene.
Thurlestone Sunset #3, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/8, 15 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
As is often the case when you visit a location for the first time you spend a lot of time changing composition, changing lenses, swapping out filters and moving to different parts of the beach. It was an exciting evening, but I also remember not being that excited by my photographs when I viewed them on the camera. It wasn’t until I got home, and I processed some of the images I took later in the evening that I realised I had some photographs I was happy with.
Thurlestone Sunset #4, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/8, 25 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Now that I’ve been to Thurlestone, I will most definitely be making a return.!
Bite-Size Blog Post #15 - Crackington Haven
Do you spend too much time looking for the perfect landscape photography forecast? Tired of postponing a trip Crackington Haven I throw caution to the wind and just go for it. I’m so glad I did.
Postponements
Too windy, too cloud, too clear, too rainy. There always seemed to be a reason not to meet up with my friend and fellow photographer. It’s not that we lack the motivation, but our time is precious, so we want to make sure what time we do invest in our photography together is well spent.
Sometimes though you need to look past how successful a photography trip might be and focus on friendship instead. It had gotten to the point where if we stood any chance of having a good old catch up, we would have to make the photography aspects of our meetups less of a priority. With that in mind, and despite the poor forecast, we decided that the thought of chips and chat was enough of a reason to justify a trip to Crackington Haven.
Chips and chat aside (both of which were excellent), the photography turned out to be rather successful. It was an important lesson for me that I shouldn’t rely on the weather forecast too much. In fact, the less than favourable conditions produced some heavy, moody skies which suited the types of photographs I was capturing.
Crackington Have #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 30 seconds at ISO 64.
Weather forecasts only tell half of the story. The other half of the picture (if you excuse the pun), comes from experience, both from the field and understanding what that forecast really means in the real world.
Crackington Have #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 30 seconds at ISO 200.
My trip to Crackington Haven was an important lesson. Not only should I visit more new locations (it was my first visit), but that I should also take more risks with the weather forecast. Sometimes that cloudy sky is just what I’m after.
Cheap Lens, Expensive Camera - Dartmoor Landscape Photography - Bowerman's Nose
Is there any point in really cheap lenses? In this video, I marry my Nikon Z7 with a Pergear 10mm f/8 pancake fisheye lens and head to Dartmoor to photography Bowerman's Nose. Can a £65 lens produce decent landscape photographs?
The Pergear 10mm f/8 Pancake Fisheye Lens
Back in 2018, I published a blog post called Shoot, Print, Surprise. If you haven’t seen that blog post (and watched the video), then now is the time to watch it because there’s a SPOILER ALERT coming up.
In that video, I capture some of my all-time favourite images of Dawlish Warren beach. The best bit though was that I did it using a 15-year-old Nikon D80. I did have the advantage that I was using a Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 lens though. One of the key messages in that video was that the camera body is a lot less important than the lens you attach to it.
Here we are in 2021 and I’ve decided to flip the idea on its head. This time it’s a cheap lens on an expensive camera. To be precise it’s my Nikon Z7 with a Pergear 10mm f/8 pancake fisheye lens. I picked up this lens in the height of lockdown as I thought it would be a bit of fun. And fun it is!
In the video below I head to Bowerman’s Nose on Dartmoor to put this lens to good use. The point of the video is not to tell you that you should all ditch your expensive glass but that you should try different things and have fun with your photography.
Enjoy!
Bowerman’s Nose, Dartmoor
Here are the photos you saw me capture in that video. While they will never compare in quality to the photographs I can capture using a Nikkor 14-30mm f/4, I think the lens has done a pretty good job of capturing the scene.
Bowerman’s Nose #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Pergear 10mm f/8 pancake lens, 1/30th sec at ISO 64.
Bowerman’s Nose #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Pergear 10mm f/8 pancake lens, 1/30th sec at ISO 64.
Bowerman’s Nose #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Pergear 10mm f/8 pancake lens, 1/30th sec at ISO 64.
ICONIC Dartmoor - Landscape Photography at Brentor | A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
Dartmoor National Park is packed full of amazing locations for landscape photography, but few are as unique as Brentor. In this 5 minute photo adventure, you can join me as I capture photographs of this iconic location at dawn.
St Michael de Rupe
The church of St Michael de Rupe, commonly known as Brentor church, sits on the outer edge of Dartmoor. This 12th-century building sits on the peak of Brent Tor (334m) and thanks to the surrounding landscape being mostly flat, the view from the top is far-reaching. With big views, steeply sloping sides and an old church, it’s no wonder it’s one of Dartmoor’s most well-known locations.
It’s a location I have photographed many times before (with varying degrees of success) but I’ve always done so at sunset. I thought it was about time I tried to photograph this iconic location at dawn and with the possibility of some low-lying fog I decided to set one of my unnaturally early alarm calls and head off to see what I could capture.
So, join me on another 5 Minute Photo Adventure as I photograph Brentor on a cold spring morning.
Dartmoor Landscape Photographs | Brentor
Here are the photographs you saw in the video. Apologies for the banding in the sky but I believe this is due to the JPG compression and small file sizes I use on the blog.
Brentor Church #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/11, 1/25th sec at ISO 64.
Brentor Church #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 1/10th sec at ISO 64.
Using Light to Add Depth to Your Landscape Photographs
How does light transform the landscape and add depth to your photographs? In this video, I head up to Great Staple Tor on Dartmoor where the changing light provides me with the chance to show you how to use light to add depth and contrast to your landscape photographs.
Chasing the Light
Photographers often use the phrase “chasing the light” and for good reason. Light is possibly one of the most important elements in a landscape photograph. Light can change the look, feel and mood of an image. Light can add depth and contrast to a photograph. Nowhere is this more evident to me than it is up on Dartmoor. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve been stood in front of a spectacular tor only for my photograph to look dull and two-dimensional thanks to flat light.
Dartmoor is also a great place to see how light can add depth and contrast to your landscape photographs! I recently visited Great Staple Tor where the constantly changing cloud cover reminded me how quickly the light can change on Dartmoor and how that changing light can be used to good effect.
Not one to pass up the opportunity to create a video on the subject I created this video. Enjoy!
Landscape Photographs from Great Staple Tor
Below you’ll find the photographs you saw in the video plus a bonus photo that I took early on that didn’t make the video.
Dawn over Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/18, 1/4 sec at ISO 64.
Dawn over Great Staple Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 20mm, f/11, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Dawn over Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor, Devon #3 - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Dawn over Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor, Devon #4 - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 1/15th sec at ISO 64.