Walking Up One of Scotland's Finest Mountains with Monty and a Camera
I always look forward to returning to Scotland, but my latest visit to the homeland was made even more special as Monty joined me. Being a cocker spaniel, he is full of energy, but could he summit Ben Cruachan? And could I capture some landscape photographs from the summit?
What a Legend!
I try to bring a variety of content to my blog. Some of it might be educational, I hope most of it is inspiring but most of all I want it to be fun. This blog post and video definately falls into the fun category.
As many of you will know that I have a cocker spaniel called Monty. He has been my constant companion for nearly 4 years as I wander the hills of Dartmoor. He has limitless energy and there is nothing better he likes than a long walk.
I’ve seen plenty of dogs being walked on the British mountains, so I was keen to give Monty the same experience. Last month I finally got the chance to see if Monty could scale a Munro (a Scottish mountain over 3000ft). He’d driven all the way up from Devon with me to Argyll, and after a few days acclimatisation I thought he was ready for some bigger walks.
We started with a walk up the banks of Loch Etive. That turned out to be a 22km walk and he managed that without issue. So, a few days later I decided it was time to take him up my home mountain of Ben Cruachan.
As this was such a special occasion in Monty’s life, I decided to make a video of our adventure and share it with you all. You might not learn anything or be impressed by the photography, but hopefully you’ll enjoy it and be inspired as well. Enjoy!
A GREAT Landscape Photograph Deserves a GREAT Print
I love printing my landscape photographs from Dartmoor almost as much as I love taking them! In this video, I capture images of the iconic Great Links Tor, and then I’ll make prints of them using my new Hahnemuehle fine art papers that I got from Fotospeed.
The Wind - Friend or Foe?
Windy. It’s a word that I am using a lot recently to describe the conditions I’ve been experiencing while out photographing Dartmoor. The wind can make landscape photography challenging with fear that your camera will get blown over or that you’ll end up taking blurry photographs. As for shooting video, leaving my camera on a tripod (even with spikes) on its own while I go off and talk somewhere always makes me nervous!
The wind can also be an asset. Strong winds often mean fast moving cloud, providing me with the hope that any gaps in the cloud, while short lived, will shortly be followed by another gap.
The Journey to Great Links Tor
Looking at the weather forecast before I set out for Great Links Tor, I was hoping that the strong winds that evening would be my friend. There was lots of low cloud forecast, but some gaps were also predicted. I was hoping the wind would make sure those gaps kept coming and provide me with a few breaks in the cloud.
As I started my ascent to Great Links Tor; things didn’t look brilliant. There was a lot of cloud, and it was very low down. So low down that Arms Tor (around 130 lower down) was barely visible. As I ascended further, the cloud level did appear to rise, and I could just about now see Great Links Tor.
Patience is the Key to Landscape Photography on Dartmoor
Arriving at Great Links Tor, the full brunt of the wind hit me! The wind was fierce, which made it cold, and as I now was above the base of the cloud layer, it was also eerily dark. So, I did what every landscape photographer should do and that’s wait. And wait some more. And get cold. T hen frustrated. Then I considered going home.
However, patience is key and in true Dartmoor fashion I could see breaks starting to appear in the cloud, and patches of light formed on the landscape. I filmed a few pieces to camera to pass the time and then it clouded over again. I waited some more and then…. well, you’ll just have to watch my video to find out what happened!
Landscape Photographs of Great Links Tor on Dartmoor
Here are the Dartmoor landscape photographs I captured in the video. Let me know which is your favourite.
Great Links Tor at Sunset #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/11, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Links and Other Videos
I mentioned a lot of videos, playlists, and products in the video, so I’ve decided to list them here as well:
💰💰💰 Special offer from Fotospeed - Hahnemuehle Test Packs are half price until end of April at Fotospeed.com 💰💰💰
🛒 Get your Hahnemühle test pack here - https://fotospeed.com/papers/hahnemuhle.html?paper_test_pack=1
The paper I used to make the prints are
🛒Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta 325 - https://fotospeed.com/papers/hahnemuhle/fine-art-baryta-325.html
🛒Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308 - https://fotospeed.com/papers/fine-art-paper/photo-rag-308.html
🔗 Check out Fotospeed's free ebook, Art of Printing, at https://fotospeed.com/ebook/artofprinting
🎞️ The printer I used in this video is the Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300. 🎥 Watch my video review of this printer here - https://youtu.be/QF3_JXuu_Ag
🛒 Purchase the Pro-300 here - https://fotospeed.com/canon-pro-300.html
🛒 Finally, I purchased my matt board from Picture Frames Express - https://www.pictureframesexpress.co.uk/
🎞️ You can see how I use Picture Frames Express designer software here - https://youtu.be/FJYOckTLbyA?t=443 🎥
🎞️ See more of my printing videos in this handy playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJU6FMi6Tvo_kuUIioDAagRJ6zsvo1X3P
🎞️ See how I manage and process my photographs in Lightroom in this playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJU6FMi6Tvo97OcghsCsBlKGLXY2BcMdx
Capture and Print - Landscape Photography from Dartmoor
Is social media the final destination for your photographs? In this video, you can join me in the experience of capturing a landscape photograph from Dartmoor, and then doing the most important part of the photographic process, making a print!
Photographing Dartmoor - East to West
In my last blog post, Why I Love Dartmoor 2, I shared with you the experience of capturing a landscape photograph of East Mill Tor on Dartmoor. Thanks to some planning and a little fortune (always a requirement), I managed to capture a photograph of East Mill Tor with which I was incredibly happy.
Looking west from East Mill Tor you can see the appropriately named West Mill Tor. It’s not a location I photographed very often so with the excitement of my East Mill Tor visit still inspiring me I made plans to go west!
The Last of Those Early Alarm Calls (For Now)
While the weather forecast wasn’t as promising as my visit to East Mill Tor, it still had enough potential for me to set a 04:30 alarm call. It would be the last of those very early alarm calls as the clocks would be going forward in a few days. This would be only a temporary reprieve from the early alarm calls. Some of my favourite Dartmoor photography locations are best shot at dawn in the summer. It’s not unusual for the alarm to be set at 03:30 for those locations! (I’ll be doing more wild camping this year which will hopefully negate the need for some of those alarm calls).
Photographing Dartmoor Requires Patience
Though my alarm call for West Mill Tor might be early, you can at least park close by. It’s not much more than a 15-minute steady walk up to the summit, however, upon reaching the summit I was greeted with what can only be described as a strong and constant wind. This would make the photography hard and shooting video even harder!
And it’s at this point you pick up the story in the video below…
Links and Other Videos
I mentioned a lot of videos, playlists, and products in the video, so I’ve decided to list them here as well:
🎥 Watch my editing and printing session at Fotospeed here - https://youtu.be/1prQocy-GoI
🎥 The printer I used in this video is the Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300. 🎥 Watch my video review of this printer here - https://youtu.be/QF3_JXuu_Ag
💳 Purchase the Pro-300 here - https://fotospeed.com/canon-pro-300.html
Use the discount code Julian15 and get 15% off Fotospeed papers at Fotospeed.com
💳 The paper I used to make the print is @FotospeedUK NST BW 315 And you can purchase the paper here - https://fotospeed.com/nst-bright-white-315.html
💳 Finally, I purchased my matt board from Picture Frames Express - https://www.pictureframesexpress.co.uk/
🎥 You can see how I use Picture Frames Express designer software here - https://youtu.be/FJYOckTLbyA?t=443
🎥 See more of my printing videos in this handy playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJU6FMi6Tvo_kuUIioDAagRJ6zsvo1X3P
🎥 See how I manage and process my photographs in Lightroom in this playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJU6FMi6Tvo97OcghsCsBlKGLXY2BcMdx
Landscape Photographs of West Mill Tor on Dartmoor
Here are the three photographs I captured in the video. Let me know which is your favourite.
A Wild West Mill Tor Sunrise #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm S f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1/2 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL
A Wild West Mill Tor Sunrise #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm S f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1/2 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL
A Wild West Mill Tor Sunrise #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm S f/4 at 16mm, f/13, 1/3 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL
Photographing & Discovering East Mill Tor on Dartmoor
Knowing more about the locations you photograph will give your images more meaning and connection. In this video, I photograph one of my favourite Dartmoor viewpoints and I also take the time to discover what really makes that location so special.
Motivated to Photograph Dartmoor at Its Best
How often do you set your alarm for 04:45 on a Sunday morning? Not very often I bet! But setting very early alarm calls is part of the course for landscape photographers if you want to capture photographs in the best light.
If I’d been sensible, I would have scheduled my dawn shoot of Dartmoor to the following week. The clocks would have slipped into British Summer Time and sunrise would have been a much more socially acceptable 07:30, and as a result I could have woken up an hour later.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee the weather forecast would be as favourable the following week. The conditions I like to photograph Dartmoor in are rare, but they are also infrequent enough that when they are forecast, I make sure I do my best to be out with my camera. Even if that does mean a 04:45 alarm call. Watching the sunrise over Dartmoor is all the motivation I need.
Photographing East Mill Tor on Dartmoor
On Dartmoor, there is a distinct difference between the forecasted weather and the actual weather. You can check all the weather forecasts for the following morning, only to turn up at your chosen spot and the weather is doing something completely different. The not knowing exactly what the weather is going to be like is part of the magic of photographing Dartmoor though.
After getting over the shock of my alarm call, I made a cup of coffee and jumped in the car with a sense of optimism. Arriving at the car park just short of East Mill Tor, I looked up at the sky and I could see lots of broken cloud. This could mean the ideal conditions I wanted for my photograph.
It had already rained the previous few days so I knew the pool that would form my foreground had water in it. I also needed the soft, warm light from the rising sun to illuminate the grass surrounding the pool and the tor itself. I didn’t want it to be too clear in the sky though as having some cloud in the sky is just as important as an interesting foreground. It’s a very specific set of conditions I was looking for!
As it got closer to sunrise, I could see a bank of cloud on the horizon which would block the light from the rising sun. I tried not to worry too much as the cloud was moving fast across the sky. It was going to be a game of patience and it would test my nerves!
Sure enough, my nerves were tested! Just as I thought the sun would break through, it would be covered by another bank of cloud. Sometimes the light would break through and cast beautiful light on the surrounding landscape, but never quite where I needed it!
The later it got the more difficult it would be to get the shot I wanted. The higher the sun gets in the sky, the harsher the light is. You can’t beat that early light just as the sun rises above the horizon. The cloud above East Mill Tor was also starting to clear, possibly leaving me with clear blue skies.
At one point, I honestly thought it was going to be another one of those mornings where I come very close to capturing the photograph I had envisaged, but ultimately gone home disappointed (but never disappointed that I’d spent time on Dartmoor).
Just as I was about to give up and go home in a grump, things started to change. Did I get the photograph? Well, you can find out by picking up the story in the video below. The video is much more than just the story of the photograph, it’s all about all the other things that make Dartmoor so special. Enjoy!
Dawn at East Mill Tor on Dartmoor - A Special Landscape Photograph
Here’s the photograph I captured in the video. I’m incredibly happy with the way it has turned out, particularly as at one point I was ready to give up. For me though, that is the magic of Dartmoor. It’s a rugged and raw landscape, but also a beautiful landscape. With all its micro-climates it can be difficult to predict the weather, but when you get those magical conditions, there is no other place I’d rather be photographing.
A Perfect Dawn at East Mill Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/20th sec at ISO 125, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
There’s More to Dartmoor Than Beautiful Viewpoints
I do have a specific set of conditions I prefer to capture my landscape photographs of Dartmoor in, but that doesn’t mean they are the only conditions I will venture out into Dartmoor. Far from it! You’ll find me wandering Dartmoor (often with my dog Monty) in all sorts of weather conditions.
Monty - my constant companion on my long adventures around Dartmoor.
Over the last few years, I’ve been trying to learn more about Dartmoor. While my photography is at the heart of what I love about Dartmoor, I’m also aware there is so much more to Dartmoor than just beautiful viewpoints. The more I learn about Dartmoor, the deeper the connection I have to it.
This is why in the video you have just watched, I took the time to explore the area around East Mill Tor. I’ve photographed East Mill Tor many times before, but this was the first time I took the time to find out more about the area and what I discovered was fascinating!
The exploration of Dartmoor, while fulfilling in its own right, has also led me to become a better Dartmoor photographer. I might not feel compelled to photograph all the things I discover on Dartmoor, but through the process of exploration I have found new locations and areas that I might never have been to before.
Now when I’m standing at a viewpoint waiting for the light, I feel I have a much better understanding of the area, and as result I have a better connection to the photographs I capture.
I am by no means an expert on Dartmoor. I have only just scratched the surface. Dartmoor offers a lifetime of discovery, but that’s a good thing!
APOLLO Remastered by Andy Saunders - On My Bookshelf S06E01
Many of us will be familiar with the photography of the Apollo missions but thanks to some painstaking work by Andy Saunders we can now see the highest quality Apollo photographs ever produced. In this episode of On My Bookshelf, I look at Apollo Remastered to see if this is the definitive record of the Apollo missions.
History Restored
I’ve always had a fascination with space, particularly with the Apollo missions. Despite the advances in technology since those early lunar missions, in my lifetime no one has been back to the moon. Most of my understanding of the Apollo missions comes from movies such as First Man or Apollo 13.
One of the best Apollo films I’ve seen though is a documentary called Apollo 11, directed by Todd Douglas Miller. Despite using the original film footage from that mission, this film when viewed in 4K Ultra HD simply looks (and sounds) stunning. It blows me away every time I watch it. The clarity of the footage must be seen to be believed.
In Apollo Remastered, Andy Saunders has taken the latest high-resolution scans of the original film stocks and painstakingly remastered them to create the highest quality Apollo photographs ever produced. Like the documentary footage from Apollo 11, it looks like some of these photographs were captured just a few years ago.
But Apollo Remastered is more than just a collection of photographs. It has pages of text which describe all the missions, from Mercury, Gemini, and all the way to the final lunar mission, Apollo 17. It also tells you about the importance photography had for Apollo, the equipment used, and how Andy used the latest techniques to restore these wonderful, and historically important photographs.
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I look at Apollo Remastered to see if this is now the definitive record of the Apollo missions.
✔️ You can purchase of a copy of Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders here - https://amzn.to/3xR940D
✔️ You can purchase of a copy of Apollo 11 on 4k Ultra HD/Blu-Ray/DVD here - https://amzn.to/3KF6KRL
🎥 Apollo Remastered - An interview with Andy Saunders by Mc2 Photography - https://youtu.be/HgYSdOi4u5A
No Tripod Head Photography - Kingjoy C85 Tripod & RB-40 Review
Most landscape photographers use a tripod. But what if I suggested you don't need a tripod head? In this video, I head out on location to capture landscape photographs with the Kingjoy SolidRock C85 Carbon Fibre Tripod and RB-40 Compact Head. Is it really practical to capture landscape photographs with no tripod head?
Have You Lost Your Head?
The idea of using a tripod without a ball or geared head for landscape photography sounds a bit odd doesn’t it. But the suggestion of leaving a bulky or heavy tripod head behind is exactly what tripod manufacturer Kingjoy is now giving you as an option. You may remember the name Kingjoy as I reviewed their C83 carbon fibre tripod recently.
The RB-40 Compact Head (yes, I know it’s still a head) isn’t like any other tripod head I’ve seen before. It’s small, flat, and light. The reason it can be this small is that aside from have an arca-Swiss style slot, and the ability pan, it does nothing else. It can’t tilt or tip. So, with the head locked flat, and therefore the camera as well, how do you adjust your composition?
This is where the Kingjoy C85 tripod comes in. The C85 has a levelling bowl as standard, allowing free movement of the surface area where the RB-40 attaches. To tilt or tip the camera, you simply do so by adjusting the levelling bowl (plate). But is this system any better than a traditional head? Will the limitations on the amount of tilt and tip be, well, too limiting for landscape photography?
To find out I head out on location to review and put to the test the Kingjoy SolidRock C85 Carbon Fibre Tripod and RB-40 Compact Head.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
If you’d like to purchase either or both items, you can do so using the links below:
💳 You can purchase the Kingjoy SolidRock C85 Carbon Fibre Tripod HERE.
💳And you can purchase the Kingjoy RB-40 Compact Head HERE.
🎥 And you can watch a video review of the Kingjoy SolidRock C83 Carbon Fibre Tripod HERE.
Use the code kjbaird5 and you'll get a 5% discount.
Dartmoor Landscape Photographs - Belstone Common
Here are the photographs you saw me capture in the video.
Belstone Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 64.
Belstone Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/30 sec at ISO 64.
Irishman’s Wall, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 26mm, f/13, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
A Dartmoor View #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/13, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
A Dartmoor View #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/20 sec at ISO 64.
Why I Love Dartmoor
DARTMOOR is home to some of Britain's great viewpoints for landscape photography, but if you dig a little deeper, you'll discover so much more. In my latest video, I’ll show you one of those viewpoints and some of things that make Dartmoor such a special place.
Dartmoor - More Than a Great Landscape Photography Location
I’ve been photographing Dartmoor for over a decade, and I love the grand vistas of the open moorland. As a landscape photographer, I am truly fortunate to have a National Park with such a varied landscape on my doorstep.
For much of that decade, I was capturing photographs of Dartmoor without knowing or understanding what I was photographing. I would turn up to a location, photograph it, and then head home. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with that approach. When I go on photography trips to other places it’s an approach I often have to adopt.
As time went on though, I felt that I should know more about my local landscape and visit more locations on Dartmoor. If I was going to claim my love for Dartmoor, I needed to know and understand it. I’ll never know everything thing there is to know about Dartmoor, so my learning journey would be a journey that takes a lifetime.
You must start somewhere though. And started I have. To give you an example of how I’ve been expanding my knowledge of Dartmoor I’ve created a short video. In the video below I head to one of my favourite Dartmoor viewpoints, Rippon Tor. As far as Dartmoor tors go, it’s on the small side, but as I found, there is so much to discover. There’s a granite cross, granite mill stones, stone reaves, cairns, and 360-degree views.
I might not want to photograph all those things, but just knowing they are there makes the location more interesting. Suddenly you aren’t just looking at some magnificent views of Dartmoor, but you are standing on a place steeped in history. Even if I don’t photograph everything, looking for these items of Dartmoor history introduces me to compositions that I might not have seen or considered before.
Knowing more about Dartmoor has undoubtably enriched my photography and I hope this short video shows you why.
Rippon Tor - Dartmoor Landscape Photographs
Rippon Tor #1. Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1/10 sec at ISO 64.
Rippon Tor #2. Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 2.5 sec at ISO 64.
Rippon Tor #3. Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/11, 1 sec at ISO 400.
Rippon Tor #4. Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 22mm, f/11, 2.5 sec at ISO 64.
Boscastle to Bossiney - A Photography Walk Along the Cornish Coast
The north coast of Cornwall is one of the most dramatic stretches of the South West Coast Path. In this blog post I meet up with a friend to see if we can find some new landscape/seascape photography locations on this stretch of stunning coastline.
Photography Is Not Always the Priority
It can be hard as a landscape photographer to not make every walk and outdoor adventure all about taking photographs. The trouble with that approach is that I find myself only going out when there are photographs to capture. I’m therefore not taking enough risks and there is little chance of discovering something new just by going out for a walk.
Last week I met up with a friend (who is also a photographer) and we took a short walk along a stretch of South West Coast Path neither of us had explored before.
Before we met up, we’d both spent lots of time looking at weather forecasts trying to work out where to go, but each forecast told us something different. After much head scratching, we decided we both just needed to get out and be social. Yes, we would take the cameras, but the priority would be getting out for a walk and having a catch up.
We decided to meet in Camelford, not only because it’s an easy place for us to meet but because Peckish Fish and Chips probably does the best fish and chips in Cornwall, if not the south west. All good social meetups should start with some food. No one wants to go on a walk hungry!
Near Boscastle, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 56mm, f/11, 4 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Notes - I like the light in this image but a 4 second exposure has left the white water trails a little messy.
With our bellies full we moved onto Boscastle and started our walk towards Bossiney. The weather was difficult to judge. Sometimes we felt too warm, then it would rain, then we would see blue sky, then it would overcast. It was four seasons in one day. Very Cornwall! But the one constant was the stunning views you get as you walk the high cliffs along that stretch of the South West Coast Path.
Near Boscastle, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 56mm, f/11, 30 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Notes - The longer exposure works more effectively here, but the light has gone and the far headland is no longer visible.
As we meandered along the path we’d stop and take in the view. Sometimes we’d agree that while the view was stunning, it would be difficult to make a visually appealing image. Not all nice viewpoints make for good compositions! If a viewpoint did look like it might have potential, we got the cameras out and take some test shots. Seeing a viewpoint through the viewfinder can make a huge difference on your assessment on the location’s potential.
Three hours later we’d reached Bossiney, tired, refreshed, inspired and still with full bellies thanks to some enroute consumption of doughnuts and chocolate cookies!
Near Boscastle, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 57mm, f/11, 164 secs at ISO 400, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Notes - I like this composition but the scene lacks any side light. I’ll just have to come back!
I only released the shutter on my camera four times on that walk, but it was one of the rewarding photo walks I’d been out on. Just giving myself the time and space to relax has paid dividends. I feel mentally refreshed, and I have a couple of new viewpoints that I must go back and photograph.
But probably the best thing, as always, watching catching up with a friend, eating chips and going for a long walk. Happy days.
Photographing Dartmoor in the Snow
Snow can transform Dartmoor into a winter wonderland for landscape photography. In this blog, I share with you not one, but two locations, where I was fortunate enough to photograph them in the snow.
Who Doesn’t Like a Snowy Landscape?
There aren’t many types of weather that get landscape photographers as excited as snow. Snow can transform even the most mundane of landscapes into something pure and beautiful. Depending on where you live, it can also be rare.
Living in the south-west of the UK, I don’t see snowfall that often. It will snow at least once during the winter months, but it tends to be a dusting of snow. This is unlike other places in the UK such as Scotland where snowfall can be significant.
Snow fall on Dartmoor for me is a double-edged sword. It transforms the landscape into a stunning winter wonderland but, accessing the moors can become challenging. Dartmoor has a mixture of busy A roads all the way down to narrow country lanes. Safe access to those roads during snow is not always possible. If I can’t get to Dartmoor, it doesn’t matter how great the snow is, I can’t photograph it.
The Transformation of Belstone Tor
I hadn’t been paying attention to the weather forecast and I certainly hadn’t considered that it might snow. That was until I got a message from a friend who was very excited about the prospect of snow and wondered if I wanted to join him on Dartmoor for a dawn shoot. I quickly checked the weather forecast and with a 95% chance of snow I immediately packed my camera bag for the following day.
There are a number of Dartmoor locations that sit on higher elevations but we chose Belstone because of its ease of access. It’s a short distance from the dual carriage way, there’s a car park in the village, and the elevation gain between the start of your walk to Belstone is sufficient enough that you can walk from no snow to the snow line (and beyond).
Arriving at Belstone village we were both pleased to see the weather forecast had been correct and it had snowed overnight. Excited, we started our ascent to the tor.
Arriving at the tor we found the landscape had received a good dusting of snow. It was far from a perfect white blanket, but definitely enough to give our photographs that wintery look. We still needed to be very careful where we walked though and we didn’t leave footprints in areas we later wanted to photograph.
A Snowy Irishman's Wall, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 37mm, f/13, 1/10 sect at ISO 64, 16:9 crop.
We arrived plenty of time to explore the area before sunrise. We both know this location very well but things can look different in the snow so it was important to do a bit of wandering about. The first composition I picked out was of Irishman’s Wall, just as the sun started to light it up.
A Snowy Belstone Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1/15 sect at ISO 64.
We then moved back to the main set of rock stacks to see what else we could pick out. I tend to shoot towards the sunrise at Belstone, but this morning all the action in the sky was towards the north. Perched high up on a rock I captured my image of Belstone Tor. The image still benefits from the light of the rising sun (to the right) and the incoming snow storms in the sky, but it could do with a little more snow.
Snow coverage is a tricky balance on Dartmoor. Too much and you lose a lot of the interest provided by those fantastic tors, and not enough, and it can look a bit messy. It’s still a good shot, but I would have liked a bit more snow. I’m never happy!
After a great morning in the snow, we headed off for some breakfast. We then planned to continue shooting Dartmoor and to make the most of the snow, but when we got the Great Staple Tor area, there was barely any snow. It also started raining. It looked like that was it for the snow on Dartmoor and we headed our seperate ways, both agreeing we’d had a brilliant morning.
A Surprise on Black Tor
A couple of days later I started to make plans for another dawn shoot. Black Tor (near High Willhays) had long been a location I wanted to photograph. It’s a location I’ve visited a number of times, but I’d never photographed it before. With the sunrising from a good direction, it seemed the perfect time to see what I could capture.
When I started my walk from Meldon Reservoir car park there was no sign of snow. I was expecting any either as I thought it would have melted since my visit to Belstone. So you can imagine my surprise when I reached Black Tor and I was able to capture the image below.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/3 sect at ISO 64.
Again, not a huge amount of snow but enough to make things interesting. The main disadvantage of shooting snow a few days after it has fallen is footprints. Even with some of the more remote Dartmoor locations such as Black Tor, you’re not going to be able to avoid foot prints in the snow. I’ve did my best to avoid them, but all I can do is minimise their impact.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/30 sect at ISO 64.
Despite that wonderful pre-sunrise sky, it was after the sun rose that the landscape came to life. As the sun broke the horizon and started to swing round, it started to illuminate Corn Ridge to the south and the foreground tor.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/16, 1/50 sect at ISO 64.
I don’t often shoot straight in to the sun, especially when it is clear, but some of the compositions I was picking didn’t leave me much choice, so I had to embrace it. As it turns out, including the rising sun wasn’t a distraction and I felt it worked well. If I’m being picky though, and I like to be picky, I prefer the composition below rather than the one above. The foreground rock formation is more interesting and it catches the light well.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/16, 1/40 sect at ISO 64.
Even as the morning progressed and the sun got higher in the sky, the light remained soft and I continued to find new compositions.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #5, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/11, 1/50 sect at ISO 64.
Looking at these images I’m convinced that if Corn Ridge in the distance had been covered in snow it wouldn’t have looked as photogenic as it does here. The colour of the ground in this area of Dartmoor during winter is a beautiful golden colour and it would have been a shame not to see it catching the morning light. The snow helps break it up and produce texture.
A Snowy Sunrise at Black Tor #6, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/50 sect at ISO 64.
Proper Snow at Darmoors’s Highest Point
After a fantastic, and unexpected morning of great photography at Black Tor I decided not to go home, but to continue my journey. I put the camera away and decided to go for a walk to see how things looked from High Willhays (Dartmoor’s highest point).
On the way up from Black Tor to High Willhays the snow got deeper. (Google Pixel 6 Pro).
It’s only a short walk east from Black to High Willhays but there is an elevation change of nearly 120m. As I ascended there was a noticeable change in snow coverage and depth. It wasn’t difficult walking but if you went looking for it you could find the snow knee deep!
By the time I got to the top of the hill, the snow was knee deep in some places. (Google Pixel 6 Pro).
Around High Willhays there was plenty of snow and it looked beautiful. Rather than get the camera out again I just decided to keep walking and enjoy it. And I wasn’t the only one. I saw runners, walkers, dogs and even someone on a bike. You never know how long the snow will last so people were deciding to make the most of it.
Along the summit ridge there was plenty of snow. (Google Pixel 6 Pro).
My walk continued to Yes Tor and then I descended back to Meldon where you wouldn’t have known that some 300m above there was a blanket of glorious snow.
Looking back it had been a brilliant couple of days. From not even considering there might be snow on Dartmoor to spending so much time making the most of a rare weather event. I’m not sure if it will snow again this winter, but even if it doesn’t, I at least know I made the most of it when it was here.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Have you had snow where you live? Have you managed to get out and take your own snowy landscapes? Let me know in the comments below.
The Best Day for Landscape Photography on Dartmoor?
With a late sunrise, an early sunset, and a sun that stays low in the sky, the winter solstice is one of the best days for landscape photography on Dartmoor. However, as I find out, trying to do too much on the shortest day can lead to problems.
A Dartmoor Photography Adventure on the Winter Solstice
I learnt a few years ago that on or around the winter solstice is one of the best times to photograph Dartmoor. Sunrise isn’t too early, sunset isn’t too late, and the sun remains relatively low along the horizon during the day. This means that for the roughly 8 hours of daylight that you get, it is possible to shoot all day and still have a relatively short day out.
Another advantage of such a short day is that it is possible to reach some of Dartmoor’s more remote locations for sunrise and not have to set an alarm for 3am! This winter solstice I decided to take advantage of this by walking to Wild Tor for sunrise. It takes me an hour to drive to the car park, and then it’s another 1hr 15 min walk to Wild Tor. I was certainly glad that sunrise wasn’t until 08:10.
My plan was to photograph Wild Tor for sunrise, then walk back to the car and take in some other locations, hopefully benefiting from sun remaining low on the horizon. Then after my mornings work, I would get a late breakfast or lunch, and find somewhere else to photograph sunset.
A great plan for sure. However, I decided to try and squeeze in something else between my morning locations and afternoon locations. This led to a few problems. You can find out what and watch me capture the photographs you see below in this video.
I hope you enjoyed the video. Despite the challenges I had with finishing the video on location, there were still many more positives than negatives to take away from my day out with the camera.
Links Mentioned in the Video
Here are some of the links I mentioned in the video.
💳 Fotospeed Platinum Gloss Art Fibre 300 - https://fotospeed.com/platinum-gloss-art-fibre-300.html
💳 Fotospeed Platinum Etching 285 - https://fotospeed.com/platinum-etching-285.html
💳 Print mounts from https://pictureframesexpress.co.uk
💳 Ikea Mosslanda Picture Ledge - https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/mosslanda-picture-ledge-white-40291766/
🎥 My video on the Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300 - https://youtu.be/QF3_JXuu_Ag
🎥 All my videos on printing - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJU6FMi6Tvo_kuUIioDAagRJ6zsvo1X3P
Landscape Photographs from Dartmoor
Wild Tor
Wild Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64.
Wild Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/11, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Wild Tor #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Wild Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Oke Tor
Oke Tor, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/30 sec at ISO 64.
Yes Tor
Yes Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 1/3 sec at ISO 64.
Yes Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 1/3 sec at ISO 64.
Landscape Photography Audiobook - Ross Hoddinott & Daniel Lezano - On My Bookshelf S03E12
Have you just got a CAMERA? Are you new to LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY? Are you looking to gain a better understanding of landscape photography TECHNIQUE? If so, then "Landscape Photography: For Mirrorless and Digital SLR Users" by Ross Hoddinott and Daniel Lezano could be for you. In this special audiobook edition of On My Bookshelf, I tell you all about this unique title.
Learning Landscape Photography While on the Move
I spend a lot of time in the car travelling to locations for my landscape photography. Even though I’ve spent most of 2022 photographing my local area (i.e., Dartmoor), I still spend anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes just getting to a location. That’s not to mention how long it takes to walk to the spot I want to photograph after I’ve parked!
I’m not complaining. I’m just highlighting how much time I spend on the move. To make those car journeys pass a little quicker I love to listen to audiobooks. If you’ve ever been put off by the size of the Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones books, then the audiobook could be the perfect option.
However, I’d never considered listening to an audiobook to learn landscape photography. Sure, I listen to a lot of photography podcasts, but can you teach landscape photography from an audiobook. After all, photography is such a visual medium how can you teach landscape photography without seeing anything?
Ross Hoddinott and Daniel Lezano believe they can and they sent me a copy of their audiobook “Landscape Photography: For Mirrorless and Digital SLR Users” to try out. I must admit that I was rather curious, so I put it to the test, and I share my thoughts on this audiobook title in this episode of On My Bookshelf.
If you like to pick up a copy of “Landscape Photography: For Mirrorless and Digital SLR Users” by Ross Hoddinott and Daniel Lezano, you can do so here - https://amzn.to/3YVL1tR
We May As Well Dance by Valda Bailey and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S05E11
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I look at We May as Well Dance by Valda Bailey. Is book of abstract and expressionist images, by one of the leading photographers in this genre, a book for your bookshelf?
The Art of Photography
Photography is a wonderful medium, and whether you believe it to be art or not, the sheer variety of genres and styles is enough to give any lover of photographs a lifetime of images to enjoy.
While my own bookshelf is dominated by books on landscape photography, there are also books on people, locations, wildlife and even a TV show. I enjoy them all, but they all have one thing in common. Everyone will identify the images in those books as photographs.
The images in We May As Well Dance are very different. They are still photographs (captured using a camera), but the use of ICM and multiple exposures that Valda has expertly adopted produce images that take on an abstract, expressionist style. At first glance, they could be mistaken for paintings or some other form of art.
With We May As Well Dance being such a big departure from the types of photograph I enjoy, would I still be able to enjoy it? Let’s find out in the latest episode of On My Bookshelf.
You can purchase a copy of We May As Well Dance by Valda Bailey directly from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/we-may-as-well-dance-by-valda-bailey
The BEST View of Glencoe
Anyone who has driven through Glencoe will know what the view of Buachaille Etive Mor looks like. It's probably Glencoe's most iconic mountain. But what is the view like from the summit? In my latest video, I head to the summit to find out and take some landscape photographs.
Photography from the Summit of Buachaille Etive Mor
I’ve photographed Buachaille Etive More (Stob Dearg) many times before. So have a lot of other photographers. It’s probably one of Glencoe’s most iconic and striking mountains. You can’t help but admire it as you drive along the A82.
I did walk up to the summit way back in 2006 but that was just for fun and ever since then I’ve always wanted to go back to the summit with my camera. Finally, after gap of just over 16 years I’m given another opportunity to make it to the roof of Glencoe.
The day I was in Glencoe the conditions were looking great for an ascent, and despite having already walked up Beinn a'Chrulaiste for sunrise that morning, I knew I had enough energy (mental and physical) to get up there. So carrying a bag with (probably) too much camera gear and wearing my new walking boots I set off and made a video of my adventure.
WIN a Pair of Mammut Boots
This competition is now closed. Sorry!
Photographs from the Summit of Buachaille Etive Mor
Panoramic View from Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mòr), Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 71mm, f/8, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
Altnafeadh and Beyond, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 48mm, f/11, 1/160 sec at ISO 320.
Stob a Ghlais Choire from Stob Dearg, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 76mm, f/8, 1/250 sec at ISO 500.
The Mountains of Glencoe #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/8, 1/60 sec at ISO 64.
The Mountains of Glencoe #2, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 45mm, f/8, 1/50 sec at ISO 64.
Coire na Tulaich, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/15 sec at ISO 64.
View Down Coire na Tulaich, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/50 sec at ISO 320.
Sea Signatures by Marianthi Lainas and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S05E10
In this episode of On My Bookshelf, I discover not all photographs are created using cameras. Sea Signatures is a collection of cyanotype photographs created by Marianthi Lainas as she explored the littoral zone of her local coastline. Reading this book has opened my eyes to a whole new type of photography and art, but is it a book for your bookshelf?
Cameraless Photography
Photography comes in many forms, styles, and genres. Even though my own photography journey is leading me towards the development of a particular style of landscape photography, I like to expose myself to a wide range of photographers and styles. I’ve always found that by digesting the images contained in books by photographers that have a vastly different style to me, I can normally learn something about my own photography.
However, Sea Signatures by Marianthi Lainas is something quite different. The images contained in this book aren’t even taken with a camera. Marianthi has used the cyanotype process coupled with her use of mixed media to create a body of work that is unique. They are images created by the sea, but they aren’t seascape images as I would imagine them.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew with this book? Are the images in this book to artistic and abstract? Join me in the latest episode of On My Bookshelf to find out.
You can purchase a copy of Sea Signatures by Marianthi Lainas directly from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/seasignatures
On Location Review of the Kingjoy C83 Carbon Fibre Tripod
All tripods are the same right? Not exactly. While they all have three legs, some are better than others. When it comes to landscape photography you need something that is lightweight, stable and easy to use. In this video I review the Kingjoy SolidRock C83 Carbon Fibre Tripod out to Dartmoor to see if it can fit my needs as an outdoor photographer!
The New King of Tripods?
It’s very easy to assume that all tripods are the same. They all have three legs, and they support your camera. However, if you are a landscape photographer a tripod is an essential item and your tripod needs to be lightweight, stable, and easy to use.
I’ve had the same two tripods for years and it’s only recently that I’ve been looking about for something new. Why two tripods I hear you ask? One for stills photography, and the other for video. And yes, I need to do both at the same time otherwise I couldn’t make my YouTube videos. The reason I’m looking for something new is that as my cameras and lenses change, so do my requirements for tripods.
For my current setup of cameras and lenses I needed something robust, stable, and well built, but not at Gitzo level prices. I had heard some good reports about Kingjoy tripods but it’s not a brand I immediately think of when considering a new tripod. But when they reached out to me and asked if I wanted a loan of their C83 carbon fibre tripod I said yes. I’ve got nothing to lose and I might find myself pleasantly surprised.
With my loan C83 in hand, I head off to Dartmoor for some landscape photography to see if this is a tripod that I would buy.
If you’d like to buy a Kingjoy SolidRock C83 Carbon Fibre Tripod, you do so direct from Kingjoy UK here - https://kingjoyuk.com/products/kingjoy-solidrock-c83-carbon-fibre-tripod?sca_ref=2948686.NWDrPIWIBg
*** Use the code kjbaird5 and you'll get a 5% discount ***
Landscape Photographs of Beardown Tors
Beardown Tors Sunset #5, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/25 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Beardown Tors Sunset #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/13, 1/8 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Beardown Tors Sunset #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Beardown Tors Sunset #3, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/13, 0.6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL, 4:5 crop..
Beardown Tors Sunset #4, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 15mm, f/13, 1.6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Kingdom by Norman McCloskey - On My Bookshelf S05E09
What makes a great photography book? Is it the inspiring photographs? Is it the layout and sequencing? Is it the print quality and how it feels in the hand? Or is the feeling you get when you read it? Every now and again a book comes along that ticks all those boxes. Find out why Kingdom by Norman McCloskey is one such book in the latest episode of On My Bookshelf.
A Book That Truly Inspires
I have now made thirty five episodes of On My Bookshelf. That’s a lot of books and that doesn’t even take into account all the books I haven’t made episodes for. The point is, I love photography books. One of the things I try and do though is look at photograph books that don’t always align with the style of photographs I aspire to take. These books could still be on the genre of landscape photography or sometimes something completely different such as street or documentary photography.
Every now and again a book comes along that delivers exactly the style of photography that I aspire to take. One such book was Beara by Norman McCloskey. It rapidly became one of, if not my favourite landscape photography books. I loved it for both for its photographs and for the layout and sequencing of the photographs.
Nearly three years after the release of that book, Norman has just published his third book, Kingdom. Is Norman’s latest body of work still the book I reach for when I want to be inspired? Is it a book for your bookshelf? Let’s find out.
You can purchase a copy of Kingdom by Norman McCloskey directly from Norman at - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/books/kingdom/
The Story of Scotland's Mountains - A Documentary
Murray Wilkie (AKA Scotland's Mountains) has been documenting his adventures in the Scottish mountains for over a decade. In this special documentary, I join Murray on one of his world-famous walks as he takes on a new route to discover one of Glencoe's finest viewpoints. Along the way I ask Murray about his passion for hillwalking, his photography, his life on YouTube, and most importantly, what his favourite mountain snack is!
A Journey to Glencoe's Finest Viewpoint with Murray Wilkie
The primary goal of the video content I produce is to share my passion for landscape photography. By sharing my adventures, I hope that my films inspire more photographers to head outdoors with their cameras to capture beautiful landscapes.
As well as providing inspiration, I also gain inspiration from other photographers and YouTube content creators. One of my favourite channels is Scotland’s Mountains. On the channel you’ll find Murray Wilkie hill walking and climbing the hills and mountains of Scotland. Not only is his content inspiring, but more sentimentally than that, it reminds me of home.
One of the things I like to do on my channel is to share the stories of the people that inspire me by making documentaries about them. You may have already seen my documentaries about Chris Sale and Nick Livesey. Though I don’t make documentaries very often, I am passionate about them, so you can imagine my excitement when Murray agreed that I could make one about him.
What you are about to watch is the result of that collaboration. I join Murray on one his world-famous walks, on a route he’s never walked before to (hopefully) find one of Glencoe’s finest viewpoints. Along the way I ask Murray about his passion for hillwalking, his photography, his life on YouTube, and most importantly, what his favourite mountain snack is!
Sit back, relax, and enjoy “Scotland’s Mountains - The Murray Wilkie Story”.
Murray’s Video of that Day
If you’d like to see the video Murray made of that day then check it out below. It’s well worth a watch!
Check out Murray's excellent Instagram feed - instagram.com/scotlandsmountains
Buy Gerry's book "Day Walks in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs" - https://amzn.to/3thXXLG
Glencoe Photos
As with any of the documentaries I produce, filming my subject is my primary focus. However, I did manage to find the time to take a photograph of the mighty fine view Murray guided me to.
Glencoe Valley from Meall Mor, Scotland - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/8, 1/60 sec at ISO 64.
A Return to Coastal Photography in Cornwall
After a long break, I return to Cornwall for some seascape photography. It’s also an excellent opportunity to catch up with a mate.
A Day Out in Cornwall
Looking through my Lightroom catalogue I was surprised to see that I hadn’t been to Cornwall or done any seascape photography since June. As part of my long-term photography project, I have been focusing my efforts on capturing images of Dartmoor. While there’s no doubt that this focus has paid dividends for my project, it has left me missing the coast.
There is also the cost of driving to Cornwall to consider. With fuel being so expensive it can be hard to justify burning through £25 of fuel on the off chance you might capture something new, unique, or special. However, there is one reason I will always head to Cornwall no matter what the cost of fuel is and that is to spend the day with my mate (who is also a photographer).
We hadn’t seen each other since my last trip in June and despite trying to organise something we found it impossible to align our availability and a half-decent weather forecast. Finally, when things did align, we just decided that we would make it a proper day out. Dawn to dusk.
Padstow Lifeboat Station
The first stop on our day out was Padstow Lifeboat Station near Trevose Head. When we arrived, we could sense the conditions might be favourable for us. Our first viewpoint was what you might call the classic viewpoint, close, and looking down on the lifeboat station. It’s a photograph we’ve both taken before and given that access is even more restricted these days, we decided to head along the coast to see if we could find a different angle.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #1, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 30 sec at ISO 64.
As we approached our alternative viewpoint the warm light from the rising sun started to illuminate the scene. While the sky lacked some contrast in the clouds, the rest of the view was a joy to shoot. I spent a bit of time wandering from one rocky outcrop to another and adjusting my focal length trying to decide whether to include the beach or not.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #2, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 10 sec at ISO 64.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #3, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 10 sec at ISO 64.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #4, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 25mm, f/13, 3 sec at ISO 64.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #5, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 13 sec at ISO 64.
In the end, I think both the wider and slightly tighter shots work well. I think we were both happy with our efforts. However, not happy enough that we didn’t think we ought to shoot those viewpoints again!
Snacks, Chat and Walking
I’ve never been much for capturing landscape photographs during the day unless the conditions are particularly special. Unfortunately for us, the conditions were less than special. So, what do you do then to fill the time until sunset? Easy! Eat, chat, and walk.
Things started with a cooked breakfast and coffee. This was followed by a bit of a walk. As photographers though, our walk still had a purpose. We used this valuable time to scope out new locations and discuss ideas for compositions. It wasn’t all photography chat though. We also covered other life critical issues such as the various Star Wars TV series and the new GoT show. Much was said on those two items.
It was then time for a cake stop, another walk, lunch somewhere, an ice cream, and another walk looking for new locations and viewpoints. Despite not taking any photos since sunrise, it was a most enjoyable way to spend the day.
Holywell Bay
The weather forecast for sunrise is what I might have called, inconclusive. It was hard to tell what was going to happen when comparing what we could see in the sky, and what the forecast was telling us. We ultimately decided to go to Holywell Bay. While my mate has shot this location many times, this was my first visit.
Arriving at Holywell Bay we wandered up and down the beach for a while, looking for compositions. Because of the settled conditions, the outgoing tide hadn’t created as many ripples and textures in the sand as we might have liked, but we did eventually find a composition we thought might work.
It had some of the elements we were looking for. Rippled sand, a pool of water, and a view directly out to Gull Rocks. There was even a chance that the sun might set between the two islands that make up Gull Rocks.
The only problem with shooting Cornwall’s beaches in peak season is that they are busy. Naturally, a calm, somewhat sunny evening means that the beaches can be full of people, even near sunset. There’s not a lot you can do about that, and people wandering in front of your beautifully crafted composition is just part of sharing the beach. I don’t get upset about it I just get the clone tool out!
Holywell Bay #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 27mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Holywell Bay #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 27mm, f/13, 3 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
With our day coming to an end, we looked back and concluded it was a successful day out. Though we’d captured some photographs, our primary goal, the highlight of day was catching up with a mate. Well, almost the highlight. We did get some chips on the way home from our favourite chippy. After all, we’d barely eaten anything all day!
Even The Birds Were Afraid To Fly by Al Brydon and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S05E08
In this episode I take a look at Even The Birds Were Afraid To Fly by Al Brydon and published by Kozu Books. Is this collection of "lo-fi" photographs a book for your bookshelf?
Challenging But Rewarding
The On My Bookshelf playlist now has thirty-five videos in it but my passion for photography books shows no signs of slowing down. However, I’m not only looking at books that align with and inspire the style of photographs I like to take, but I’m also trying to expand my photographic horizons by embracing photography from a wide range of styles and genres.
Even the Birds Were Afraid to Fly is a book that falls into the latter category. Sitting down to look through this book I initially struggled to connect with the photographs. I would go as far as to say that I found it challenging and I wasn’t sure what I would say about the photographs.
My experience of looking at so many books has taught me that some photographs need more viewing time before you start to appreciate them. This is very much the case for this book. Well, for me personally at least. It’s time I’m glad I spent though.
Find out why I’ve found this book so rewarding in the latest episode of On My Bookshelf.
You can purchase a copy of Even the Birds Were Afraid to Fly directly from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/eventhebirdswereafraidtofly
East Mill Tor - Dartmoor - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
Is there any point in returning to a location if you've already captured a great landscape photograph there? In this video I return to the spot where I took one of my favourite landscape photographs of Dartmoor to try again. But was this new photograph better, worse, or just different?
Better or Different - Just Keep Coming Back
The north has become my favourite area of Dartmoor to photograph. This is especially true now that we are getting closer to winter. The long Dartmoor grasses start to lose their green colour leaving them a pale yellow colour which beautifully reflects the light from the rising or setting sun.
A new favourite location in that area is East Mill Tor and I decided it was time to return to the location from which I captured one of my favourite Dartmoor photographs. That photograph, which I captured back in March 2022, hangs proudly on my office wall.
So why have I returned? Did I capture an image that was better than my previous image? Does it matter? Let’s find out in my latest 5 Minute Photo Adventure.
East Mill Tor - Dartmoor - Landscape Photographs
Autumn Sunrise at East Mill Tor #1, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/11, 1/13 sec at ISO 400.
Autumn Sunrise at East Mill Tor #2, Dartmoor, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/11, 1/20 sec at ISO 400.