Forgotten Souls by Matt Oliver and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S07E08
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I look at Forgotten Souls by Matt Oliver and published by Kozu books. Is this collection of silver birch photographs a book for your bookshelf?
Souls and Memories
Do trees have characters and souls? In the eyes of Matt Oliver, they do and in his new book Forgotten Souls he takes on a journey around a land that was once a hub of industry but has now been reclaimed and revitalised by silver birch trees. On paper, this sounds like a narrow scope for a photography book, but as you'll see in this episode of On My bookshelf, a single subject can produce a huge variety of photographs.
I'm not going to say too much more as I cover it all in the video, but regardless of if you are a lover of woodland photography or not, this book is well worth a closer look. Enjoy!
If you'd like to learn more about Matt Oliver you can read his interview in Outdoor Photography magazine (issue 319)
🛒 You can purchase a copy of Forgotten Souls directly by Matt Oliver directly from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/forgotten-souls-by-matt-oliver
🎞️ See the other Kozu Books titles that have featured on and episode of On My Bookshelf in this handy playlist.
The Dance of Light and Shadow - How Black and White is Changing My Landscape Photography - Part 1
What’s the point in creating black and white landscape photographs? Is it just a last-ditch attempt to rescue a poor photograph? In this video I tell you why I’m now using black and white and with intent. Join me on #Dartmoor to find out more.
Dartmoor - A Land of Light and Shadow
It's funny, but probably not wholly unexpected, that the more experience you gain with landscape photography the more likely it is that your photography tastes will change over time. And this is what has happened to me. Kind of.
I say kind of because the style of landscape photographs that I like to capture hasn't changed. I still take natural looking photographs with minimal editing, using a wide-angle lens, and with lots of contrast and colour. It's just that now I'm happy to occasionally drop the colour element and work in black and white.
Capturing black and white landscape photographs is nothing new, and there are plenty of great photographers capturing black and white images of Dartmoor, but for me it's a style of landscape photography I'm getting increasingly comfortable with.
In the video below I talk more about my adoption of black and white landscape photography, how the Nikon Z8 is helping me, and I do it all from the land of light and shadow, Dartmoor.
Enjoy and let me know in the comments below your experience of black and white landscape photography.
Yes Tor Photography Gallery
Here are the photographs you saw me capture in the video.
Yes Tor #1, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 17mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64.
Yes Tor #2, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64.
Yes Tor #3, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64.
Yes Tor #4, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 23mm, f/13, 1/13 sec at ISO 64.
Yes Tor #5, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Stillness in Motion by Sally Mason and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S07E07
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I look at 'Stillness. In Motion' by Sally Mason and published by Kozu Books. Is this 'collection of images exploring motion in nature and the beauty of the ephemeral' a book for your bookshelf?
Stillness. In Motion
There is something powerful about the printed photograph. I am as guilty as the next person by not spending sufficient time to look at a photograph when I view it on social media. It's all too easy just to scroll and scroll and scroll until something catches your eye. And even when something catches your eye, I don't spend enough time to properly absorb the photograph.
This is why I love photography books. Looking at a photography book is a purposeful act and one I dedicate time to, as opposed to scrolling when bored. Giving myself permission to spend time looking at a photography book has allowed me to appreciate photographs that I might not have given much of a look if it had appeared on social media.
Sally's 'Stillness. In Motion' is an excellent example of where I might not have instantly connected with the photographs, but when I took the time to immerse myself in them, I found them to be works of art. The title 'Stillness. In Motion' couldn't be more apt.
Find out more about this wonderful book in this episode of On My Bookshelf.
Purchase 'Stillness. In Motion' by Sally Mason
ou can purchase 'Stillness. In Motion' by Sally Mason directly from Kozu Books at https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/stillness-in-motion-by-sally-mason
Summit Creative Metropolis Backpack Review
In this video I look at the Summit Creative Metropolis 16L Backpack. Learn more about this bag, how I’ve been using it, what I like, and what I disliked to see if this is a camera bag you should consider.
Small but Perfectly Formed
Camera bags come in many different shapes, sizes and price brackets! It’s also hard, if not impossible to find one camera bag to suit all your needs or one that you might consider perfect. There is always compromise to be had somewhere. So always be weary of a review that says a camera bag is perfect or it’s the “most amazing camera bag ever”.
I’ve recently identified the need to have a small camera backpack in my gear cupboard. Something that is lightweight, carries a decent amount of gear, is comfortable and can be used for more than just carrying camera gear about.
While I was at the Photography Show in London in March, I spotted a new brand of camera bag, Summit Creative. I’d never heard of them, but by being able to pick it up in person and have a proper look at it, it did at least on paper seem to fit my needs.
Fortunately for me the distributor for Summit Creative bags in the UK is Photo Specialist UK, the company behind Kase Filters UK. I am a Kase Filters partner, so I already have a working relationship with Photo Specialist UK. The team there very kindly gave me a Metropolis 16L so I could put it to good use.
Over the last 8 weeks I’ve been using the bag for all sorts of photography and non-photography related activities and I’m now ready to share my thoughts with you in this review video. I create these videos not to try and convince you to buy this bag, but because many of you ask questions about the gear I use so it helps to have a video. Enjoy!
🛒 You purchase the Summit Creative Metropolis 16L Backpack here - https://summitcreativebags.com/product/metropolis-16l-backpack/?ref=jbairdexp
🔗 Check out my review of the tripod you saw in this video - https://julianbaird.com/blog/2024/10/22/manfrotto-befree-gt-pro-carbon-tripod-review
How Early Would You Get Up to Capture a Landscape Photograph?
Early morning for sunrise or late evening for sunset? Which type of landscape photographer are you? In this video I explain why I’m happy to set my alarm for 03:30 so I can see the sunrise at Bowerman’s Nose on Dartmoor.
Why Such an Early Start Just to Capture a Photo
There’s early starts, and then there are EARLY starts. Here in the south west of the UK during late spring and early summer when we approach the longest day, sunrise is as early as 5am and sunset after 9:30pm. (It’s even earlier and later in Scotland!). With those times I expect most of you are thinking that if you had the choice of sunrise or sunset photography, you would almost certainly pick a sunset shoot.
It appears I am a wired a little differently. I actually like getting up early in the morning. But 03:30? That seems a little too much effort, and in most circumstances you’d be right. It would be much easier to give up on sunrise landscape photography until late summer or early autumn.
However, there are some photographs that can only be captured at certain times of year, and sunrise at Bowerman’s Nose is one such photograph. As it’s such an beautiful location in spring, and you get a very different angle at that time of year, it’s one location I will happily set my alarm for 03:30. But, as I discuss in this video, it’s not just landscape photography that inspires me to get up that early.
Landscape Photographs of Bowerman’s Nose on Dartmoor National Park
Bowerman’s Nose at Sunrise #2, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/13, 1/8 sec at ISO 800.
Bowerman’s Nose at Sunrise #3, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/13, 1/8 sec at ISO 800.
Bowerman’s Nose at Sunrise #4, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/13, 1/8 sec at ISO 250.
Kelp by Mark Littlejohn and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S07E06
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I dive into Kelp by Mark Littlejohn to see if this photography book is a book for your bookshelf.
The Beauty of Seaweed?
On paper, a photography book all about seaweed doesn’t sound that appealing. However, if that seaweed is kelp, and the photographer behind the camera is Mark Littlejohn, then you have to look at the prospect of such a book with very different eyes.
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I’m taking a look at Mark’s book of kelp photographs. Is it too repetitive, or is each photograph a unique work of art that highlights the colours, contrast, complexity, and elegance of kelp? Let’s find out.
Purchase Kelp by Mark Littlejohn
🛒 You can purchase Kelp by Mark Littlejohn directly from Kozu Books at - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/kelp-by-mark-littlejohn
More Episodes of On My Bookshelf
🎞️ See more titles from Kozu Books in this On My Bookshelf playlist.
🎞️ Watch any of the On My Bookshelf episodes here.
Photographing Row Tor on Dartmoor for the 1st Time - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
There are Still Places I Haven't Photographed on Dartmoor
Over the three years that I filmed my video series Discovering Dartmoor I greatly expanded my knowledge of Dartmoor and the locations worth photographing. That combined with my 10 years of experience in capturing of landscape photographs of Dartmoor, you might think that I've photographed most of Dartmoor. Nothing could be further from the truth though, and as Dartmoor covers over 365 square miles, there is plenty left for me to photograph.
One such location is Row Tor on the northern edge of Dartmoor. I'm familiar with Row Tor as I've parked close by numerous times on my way to photograph a neighbouring tor. And this is perhaps the reason why I've not photographed it before. With so many great tors nearby such as Belstone Tor, East Mill Tor, Yes Tor, Oke Tor and West Mill Tor, poor old Row Tor didn't hold much interest for me.
But have I been missing out? Just because Row Tor is small, doesn't mean it's not worth photographing. So, let's find out if it is in my latest 5 Minute Photo Adventure.
Row Tor, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 24mm, f/13, 1/4 sec at ISO 64.
Land and Light by Adam Gibbs - Episode 50 of On My Bookshelf S07E05
In this special 50th episode of On My Bookshelf I take a look at Land and Light by Adam Gibbs. Is this career spanning collection of photographs and stories a book for your bookshelf?
50 Episodes of On My Bookshelf
I want to start this blog post by announcing that this is the 50th episode of On My Bookshelf! When I started producing episodes in 2017, I never thought for one moment that I would reach episode 50! The fact that I've got to this number of episodes is testament to my passion for photography books. It's also a reflection that you like watching the show! So, thank you for all your support, no matter if you have watched just 1 episode or you are about to watch your 50th!
Land and Light
For this special 50th edition of On My Bookshelf I'm going to look at Land and Light by Adam Gibbs. I was lucky enough to receive my copy of Light and Land from Adam in person at the Photography Show in London earlier this year and I've been looking forward to reading it ever since. Now I can finally share my thoughts on it in an episode of On My Bookshelf. Enjoy!
🛒 You can purchase a copy of Land & Light by Adam Gibbs here - https://adamgibbs.com/books/landlight
Newbiggin Crags Limestone Pavement - Cumbria - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
Have you ever wished you could just pull of the motorway, take some landscape photographs, and then carry on with your journey? Then Newbiggin Crags Limestone Pavement just of the M6 could be the location for you!
That Was a Long Way for a 5 Minute Photo Adventure!
As many of you will know I grew up in Scotland, but I now live in Devon in the southwest of England. Even though the journey back to my homeland in the Highlands is over 500 miles, it's still a drive that I make several times a year. I go there to see family and of course to take photographs. This is why in amongst all my Dartmoor related content you'll see me post photos and videos about Glencoe and Kilchurn Castle.
It may seem bonkers, but I often make than journey in one go. I join the M5, start playing a new audiobook and drive until I get to my destination (stopping for comfort breaks of course). It takes approximately 10 hours and is frankly a little dull. The only thing that keeps me sane is the audiobook that is playing!
However, as I get older, my ability and willingness to drive for 10 hours dwindles. If I'm not stopping in Glasgow to see friends (which is still a long way), I now like to stop off overnight somewhere. This tends not to be anything flash. Just a Travelodge at a motorway service station.
Every time I stop though the photographer inside me wants to find somewhere to photograph, but I also don't want to drive miles away from the motorway. I'm not keen on adding 2 hours to an already 10 hour journey, regardless of if it is taken over two days or not. What I need are some locations near the northern end of the M6 (where I'm most likely to stop).
Fortunately, thanks my friend and fellow photographer Amy Bateman, I have been introduced to Newbiggin Crags Limestone Pavement, which is a very convenient 10 minutes from the M6. So, when I made my regular trip back to the Highlands last month I stopped off to take some photographs of the limestone pavement and I made it just as the sun was setting.
I hope you enjoyed that 5 Minute Photo Adventure. If you know of any locations close to a motorway, please do share them in the comments below.
Newbiggin Crag Limestone Pavement Photographs
Newbiggins Crag Limestone Pavement #1, Cumbria - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64.
Newbiggins Crag Limestone Pavement #2, Cumbria - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/11, 0.5 sec at ISO 64.
Photographing Dartmoor's Yar Tor - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
Yar Tor - A Dartmoor Gem Just off the Road
One of the things I love most about Dartmoor is the ability to wander away from the roads and venture into heart of the national park. It's in these remote locations you can find some of Dartmoor's finest tors and, in the right conditions, they can make for some truly wonderful landscape photography subjects.
But long walks and big climbs aren't for everyone, so fortunately there are plenty of Dartmoor locations worth photographing that are close to a road. One such location is Yar Tor which is just a 15 minute and relatively flat walk from the B3357. It might not be the biggest or the grandest of Dartmoor's tors, but for those photographers willing to work for their compositions there a few photographic gems to be had.
I wrote about Yar Tor for the first time last year, but I decided to return recently so that I could film one of my 5 Minute Photo Adventures which I am delighted to be able to share with you below!
PS - Yar Tor is definitely a location I will be returning to so that I can photograph it again so don't be surprised to see another video from this location in the future. Don't want to miss it? Subscribe to my YouTube channel and/or my newsletter.
Yar Tor - Landscape Photographs of Dartmoor
Yar Tor at Sunset #1, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30m f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Yar Tor at Sunset #2, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30m f/4 S at 22mm, f/13, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Yar Tor at Sunset #3, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30m f/4 S at 15mm, f/13, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Aqua by Hans Strand and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S07E04
Hans Strand is a world-renowned nature, environmental and landscape photographer from Sweden. In this episode of On My Bookshelf I look at his latest book from Kozu Books, titled Aqua, to see if it is a book for your bookshelf.
Beautiful Photographs, Beautifully Printed
I expect many of you will have seen the work of Swedish photographer Hans Strand. His nature, environmental and landscape photographs have a global reach, and he is recognised as a leading photographer in his field. He also loves to publish books, including Beyond Landscape, which I covered in a previous episode of On My Bookshelf.
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I’m going to take a look at his latest book, Aqua. Is Hans’ collection of photographs that documents the beauty and complexity of glaciers, wetlands, lakes and rivers, a book for your bookshelf?
Purchase Aqua by Hans Strand
🛒 You can purchase Aqua by Hans Strand directly from Kozu Books at https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/aqua-by-hans-strand
I Shouldn't Have Been Surprised - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure from Rippon Tor on Dartmoor
With little chance of capturing a compelling landscape photograph and filming a video that will likely never get published, I was ready to go home. But never right off Dartmoor. Dramatic conditions can be just a moment away.
That Was Truly Unexpected
The best time to make decision on where to photograph sunrise on Dartmoor is the night before. I like to make my choice, go to sleep, get up the following morning, grab my bag and a coffee then just go for it. Trying to make location decisions at 5am will lead to procrastination or worse, talking myself out of it and going back to bed (which is very rare).
However, sometimes it's worth just a quick scan of the weather forecast when I wake up, and the morning of this adventure, I'm glad I did. My original location on the western edge of Dartmoor had clouded over earlier than expected and so I needed a quick change of plan. The cloud was coming in from the west, so there was a chance that I might get a break in the cloud cover if I headed to the eastern edge of Dartmoor. With no time to consider a list of a possible locations I opted for one where I knew I'd stand the best chance of benefiting from a break in the cloud, and that was Rippon Tor.
As I drove along the M5 I could see it was looking a lot clearer towards the coast and I did consider making a very last minute change and heading to Dawlish Warren beach, but decided against it and thought it was best to stick to Dartmoor.
As I walked up to the summit of Rippon Tor, I thought I had made a mistake. It was very cloudy and the chances of seeing the sun looked very slim. As I was there I though, I might as well get my camera out. While the photographs I was taken were compositionally sound, they lacked the contrast and depth that the morning light would give them. They all looked a bit grey and flat.
Despite the flat light, I decided to start filming a video for YouTube. I honestly thought the video would never see the light of day, but after a 6 month break from making videos, this would at least be good practice and help me get back into the flow. What happened next was a surprise. It shouldn't have been. This is Dartmoor after all.
Unexpected Light on Rippon Tor - Dartmoor
Here’s the photo you saw me capture in the video:
Unexepected Light on Rippon Tor, Dartmoor National Park, Devon - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 22mm, f/14, 1/3 sec at ISO 64.
Capturing the Coastal Beauty of Dawlish Warren - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
There are few better ways to start the day than by watching the sunrise at the beach. So, join me in my latest 5 Minute Photo Adventure as I photograph first light at Dawlish Warren beach in Devon.
The Serenity of Seascape Photography
I am very fortunate to live in Devon as it gives me easy access to the (roughly) 365 square miles of Dartmoor National Park. It’s a photography location with almost limitless opportunities to craft beautiful compositions and to create inspiring photographs.
While I spend much of my photography life wandering Dartmoor and capturing photographs there, I all too often ignore the coast along the southern edge of Devon. This is done on purpose, nor done because I dislike it, I just don’t visit it as much as I should.
During a recent spell of clear blue skies lasting days, if not well over a week, I decided I was long overdue a trip to my local beach at Dawlish Warren. While some clouds in the sky is almost always my preferred state, the beach can sometimes work when there isn’t a cloud to be seen.
So, join me in this 5 Minute Photo Adventure to see how I approached capturing some seascape photos on a clear, and very pleasant morning down at Dawlish Warren.
Dawlish Warren - Seascape Photographs from the South West Coast Path
Here are the photographs you saw me capture in the video.
Dawlish Warren, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 29mm, f/11, 4 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Dawlish Warren, Devon - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/11, 90 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
From Dawn to Dusk - Mastering the Light in Landscape Photography - On My Bookshelf S07E03
Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott are two of the UK's leading landscape photographers and in this episode of On My Bookshelf I look at their latest book 'From Dawn to Dusk - Mastering the Light in Landscape Photography'.
An Updated Edition by Ross and Mark
Over the last few years Ross and Mark have been publishing updated editions of their co-authored books on landscape photography technique. Now it’s the turn of ‘From Dawn to Dusk: Mastering the Light in Landscape Photography’ to get the updated edition treatment.
I’m not going to say too much more here as I cover all the book essentials in the episode of On My Bookshelf below, but needless to say, if you are looking to improve your landscape photography technique and capture photographs no matter what time of day, then this book from two of Britain’s leading landscape photographers is probably for you.
Enjoy the episode!
Purchase Ross and Mark’s Books
🛒 Purchase 'From Dawn to Dusk: Mastering the Light in Landscape Photography, by Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer' here - https://amzn.to/4jPF8Ib
🎞️ Watch my 2018 interview with Mark and Ross about the 1st edition of 'From Dawn to Dusk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9M-V_75604.
Check out these other great books by Mark and Ross
🛒 Purchase 'Landscape Photography Workshop (Updated Edition)' - https://amzn.to/3qBTHIW
🎞️ Watch On My Bookshelf S06E02 'The Landscape Photography Workshop by Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott' - https://youtu.be/TCoLXnzInxs
🛒 Purchase 'The Art of Landscape Photography (Updated Edition)' - https://amzn.to/45Z3WHn
🎞️ Watch On My Bookshelf S05E02 'The Art of Landscape Photography by Ross Hoddinott & Mark Bauer' - https://youtu.be/OMLKcikpoJw
Please note that these are affiliate links (but not paid links or ads). By buying through these links I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.
West Mill Tor on Dartmoor - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure
In this 5 Minute Photo Adventure I head to West Mill Tor where I find one of the most interesting clouds I think I’ve ever seen in the skies above Dartmoor.
Clouds - Sometimes You Only Need One
For me, the inclusion of a tor in one of my Dartmoor landscape photographs is one of the most important elements I can include in my compositions. While the foreground is critically important, it doesn't mean I dismiss what the sky is adding to my photographs. However, more often than not it's clear blue or flat grey skies on Dartmoor. Occasionally, these types of sky can be used effectively in compositions, but I much prefer a sky of broken clouds. This allows light to break through to the ground as well as providing visual interest to the composition.
A forecast of clear blue skies will normally be enough to put me off getting up very early in the morning to capture sunrise, but everyone now and again I'm willing to risk it just so I have the pleasure of getting out with my camera to watch the start of a new day.
This is exactly the attitude that got me to West Mill Tor one morning. It was forecast for blue skies and high winds, but I just wanted to get out and sometimes the conditions can be surprising and lead to interesting photographs.
When I arrived at West Mill Tor it was indeed very windy and the skies clear. Well, the skies were almost clear. There was one cloud in the sky, and it was a belter. It was the type of cloud that I don't think I've ever seen over Dartmoor before, and I therefore had to try and include it in my photographs. It was in an awkward position in the sky which limited my compositions, but I wasn't going to miss photographing it.
Was it worth sacrificing a better composition just to photograph a cloud? Judge for yourself in the 5 Minute Photo Adventure I made that morning. Enjoy!
West Mill Tor - Dartmoor Landscape Photographs
Here are the photographs of West Mill Tor that you saw in the video.
Explore and Discover Liverpool - A fotoVUE Guidebook by Geoff Drake - On My Bookshelf S07E02
In this special on-location edition of On My Bookshelf I show you how I used the book Explore & Discover Liverpool in the real world to make the most of my short visit to photograph the city of Liverpool.
Using a fotoVUE Guidebook to Explore and Discover Liverpool
If you've been reading this blog or watching my YouTube channel for a while, you'll know that I'm a big fan of fotoVUE books. Over the years they have published a wide range of photography centric guidebooks for locations across the UK and beyond. These guidebooks have been an invaluable guide to me and my photography. They haven't replaced my desire to go out and find my own locations, but they are there when I’m going somewhere new and I need some essential information such as how to get there, where to park, and what I could shoot. They help me make the most of my time at a location.
I have also featured some of the fotoVUE titles on the On My Bookshelf series. You can watch those videos here and you can see how I have put the information in these books to good use in a real world scenario.
All of those videos though have one thing in common though. They were predominately about outdoor or landscape photography (which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as I am a landscape photographer!) I do also own copies of Photographing London Volume 1 and Explore & Discover Liverpool but these have been sitting on my bookshelf unused I'm ashamed to say. That is until now!
I was planning a trip up to Scotland from Devon to see some family and I thought that rather than driving for 10 hours, I might take a break somewhere. I was scouring through my fotoVUE books looking for somewhere to stop to take some landscape photos when I spotted my copy of Explore & Discover Liverpool. Liverpool is only a small diversion from my route up M6, so it seemed like the perfect place to spend a few hours. And a few hours is all I had so a good guidebook was going to be essential to help me maximise my time in Liverpool capturing photographs.
If you'd like to know more about this book and how I used it to capture photographs of Liverpool I produced this special on location edition of On My Bookshelf. Enjoy!
Buy Explore & Discover Liverpool
*** Use the discount code JULIAN to get 20% off all books at fotovue.com ***
If you want to add Explore and Discover Liverpool to your bookshelf, you can purchase it directly from fotoVUE here - https://fotovue.com/shop/books/explore-discover-liverpool/
My Liverpool Gallery
Here are the photographs I captured while I wandered around The Waterfront in Liverpool
Possibly My Favourite Viewpoint for Landscape Photography in Glencoe
Join me on another 5 Minute Photo Adventure to see why the view from Beinn a' Chrùlaiste towards Buachaille Etive Mòr is probably my favourite viewpoint in Glencoe.
Glencoe - A Landscape Photographers Favourite
Ask any landscape photographer which areas in Scotland are on their must shoot list you'd be hard to find a photographer that doesn't have Glencoe on that list. You might argue that there are better areas in Scotland to photograph, or areas that have been photographed less, but Glencoe resolutely remains a go to location for those armed with anything from a mobile phone to a large format film camera.
It's close proximity to Glasgow makes it relatively easy to get to but what really attracts photographers are it's many stunning viewpoints, many of which are on or close to a road. You'll find plenty of rivers and lochans to photograph, but the main star of the show has to be the mountains which dominate the area. I don't how many times I driven up onto the plateau at Glencoe, but each and every time the view takes my breath away.
Favourite or Best Glencoe Viewpoint
I would of course never proclaim that any particular Glencoe viewpoint is the best. The term best is very subjective and will vary from photographer to photographer. Even if you ask just one photographer, the answer you will most likely get is "it depends". Time of day, time of year and weather all play role in selecting which viewpoint is best for that moment in time.
There is one viewpoint in Glencoe that I keep coming back to you. It's a viewpoint that I will make the effort to photograph on just about every visit I make to Glencoe. With the exception of a small window in the winter where the sun rises from an awkward angle, it is my go to viewpoint. The viewpoint I am referring to is the view of Buachaille Etive Mòr (Stob Dearg) from the side of Beinn a' Chrùlaiste.
Buachaille Etive Mòr Sunrise #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 28mm, f/8, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
It's not the easiest of viewpoints to reach. With a full camera backpack on, the all up hill walk takes me 45 minutes (on a good morning). The walk isn't particularly technical (unless its snowy or icy), but it is a bit of a lung buster (depending on your fitness). Despite the effort required, I have never stood on the side of that mountain, watching the light from the rising sun illuminate the peak of Stob Dearg regretted. Sure, I've been cold, wet and hungry sometimes, but it's never taken away from the enjoyment of that special moment.
Buachaille Etive Mòr Sunrise #2, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 41mm, f/8, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
A 5 Minute Photo Adventure in Glencoe
So it should come as no surprise that on my recent visit to Scotland and to Glencoe I did that very thing. I set the alarm (very early), drove to Glencoe, and marched myself up to what is possibly my favourite viewpoint in Glencoe. If you want to know why I did this, then grab yourself a cup of coffee and watch the 5 Minute Photo Adventure video I made that morning.
Bonus Location - Lochan na h-Achlaise
My route home that morning took past another one of Glencoe's finest locations, Lochan na h-Achlaise. Normally by this point hunger would have me driving straight home for breakfast, but when I saw the reflections on Lochan na h-Achlaise there was no way I couldn't stop to take a closer look. It was late in the morning (relatively speaking to sunrise) so I already knew I probably wouldn't get any great photographs, but I had to at least try.
Lochan na h-Achlaise Reflections #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 59mm, f/11, 1/60 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters CPL.
The most interesting thing about stopping there wasn't the stunning reflections but the fact that as I was walking along the lochan I met another photographer from Exeter! I travel all that way and I bump into someone from Devon! It's a small world for sure.
Lochan na h-Achlaise Reflections #1, Glencoe, Scotland - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 46mm, f/11, 1/60 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters CPL.
I hope you enjoyed this short blog post and video. What are your favourite Glencoe locations and what you most like to shoot next you are there? What's the furthest you've travelled only to bump into someone from your local area? Let me know in the comments below.
Natural Landscape Photography Awards Competition Books - On My Bookshelf S07E01
On My Bookshelf is back for a 7th series, and this first episode I look at the Natural Landscape Photography Awards competition books. Are these fine art hardback books for your bookshelf?
On My Bookshelf is Back for a 7th Series!
Photography books have always been an important part of my photography life and over the years I’ve collected enough photography books to fill numerous bookshelves! However, even with my healthy photography book obsession did I think I would have produced over 40 episodes, over 6 series, of On My Bookshelf! But here I am with the 46th episode and the start of series 7.
I’m starting the series with a category of book that I wouldn’t normally cover on On My Bookshelf, and that’s the photography competition book. But as you’ll see in the video, there’s two good reasons why I’m talking about the Natural Landscape Photography Awards books. Enjoy!
🛒 Purchase the Natural Landscape books - https://naturallandscapeawards.com/product-category/fine-art-photography-books/hardback/
✔️ Enter the Natural Landscape Photography Awards - https://naturallandscapeawards.com/
The 400th Blog Post - I'm Back on YouTube - Oke Tor, Dartmoor
That's right, I'm back on YouTube and giving my channel a reboot! In this first video of a packed schedule of upcoming videos, I visit Oke Tor on Dartmoor to capture some landscape photographs. I also talk about where I've been and more importantly, what I've got coming in the channel over the next few months.
I’m Back on YouTube!
The last time I shared a video on YouTube was back in August 2024 when I published the last episode of Discovering Dartmoor. If you are a regular visitor to my website, you know that the lack of videos didn’t mean a lack of photography though. Far from it. The Exposed Blog has been kept well up to date with all my photography adventures. So much so that I’m extremely proud to announce that this is my 400th blog post! When I started the blog back in 2016, I never thought I’d get to 400 posts but one thing I am confident of now is that I will definitely get to 500!
In my first video back, I keep things fairly simple. I head out to Oke Tor on photograph sunset over Dartmoor, and I talk a little bit about where I’ve been and more importantly what I’ve coming up in the channel over the next few months. Enjoy!
Oke Tor, Dartmoor
Here are the landscape photographs you saw me capture in the video,
Oke Tor #1, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30 f/4 S at 14mm, f/13, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Oke Tor #2, Dartmoor National Park - Nikon Z8, Nikkor Z 14-30 f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 1/5 sec at ISO 64.
Photographing and Exploring the Cornwall's South West Coast
To celebrate my recent birthday, I got together with some friends who also happened to be photographers celebrating birthdays and headed to the Land’s End for a weekend of photography.
A Birthday Weekend Away
I recently had what one might call a "significant" birthday and since a couple of my photography friends had their birthdays within a few weeks of mine, we all decided that we should celebrate being older, more mature, wiser, or something like that. Basically, our birthdays just became an excuse to go away for the weekend with our cameras, drink some wine or beer, and eat cake, pizzas and pasties.
The world was our oyster though so we got a globe out, started spinning it, and randomly stopping it with our finger to see where we might go. Back in the real world though we had to be a lot more practical. We only had a couple of days for photography so we wanted to minimise the amount of driving we would undertake. There was also the consideration of the time of year, and the direction of the rising and setting sun.
To cut a long story short we decided that we would go down to very ends of England and go to the south west tip of Cornwall. It's an area that none of use frequently visit so we knew that we'd all get something from it photographically speaking.
Just a few weeks after booking our accommodation we hit the road and started our drive to the end of the world! Well, the end of England anyway.
Porth Nanven, Cornwall
First stop was the stunning beach at Porth Nanven. It's a location I've only visited twice, once in 2015 and then again in 2017, so I was long overdue a return visit. As soon as I arrived, I was reminded of why I love this place so much. The beach is littered with large boulders embedded in the sand. As the tide comes in the sea laps up around the rocks creating channels in the sand. Finding a composition at first can look a bit daunting, but once you get your eye tuned in, it’s a treasure trove of creative possibilities.
Porth Nanven, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 30mm, f/11, 1 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
It was the middle of day when we arrived but there was plenty of cloud cover to help diffuse the light. I had a wonderful time finding different compositions and opting for black & white when I wanted to focus more on contrast and texture. It was a great way to start our photography holiday!
Botallack Mine, Cornwall
Botallack mine was made famous in the Poldark TV series, but for many photographers it was already iconic. Arriving at Botallack we did the most important thing first and head to the café for coffee and cake! Refuelled we headed down to look upon the crown engine houses which seem to precariously built of the edge of a cliff!
But it's the dramatic location of these buildings that make this such a great scene to photograph. Ideally you want some stormy conditions, so the waves crash against the rocky coastline, but we appear to have turned up on very calm day. However, in the right light, it's still well worth photographing. We had hope the light would continue right up to sunset but a heavy covering a cloud prevented any colour appearing in the sky. That wasn't a reason to leave early though, so we kept shooting right up until it got dark.
Botallack, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 37mm, f/11, 10 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Logan Rock, Cornwall
The heavy cloud we had been experiencing on the first day was replaced by blue skies the following morning. There was a little bit of cloud here and there, but not enough to add interest to the compositions we were making from the viewpoint towards Logan Rock.
I wasn't feeling inspired, so I decided to walk along the coast path to get closer to Logan Rock. This proved to be a positive step as photographing Logan Rock from a different angle brought in what little cloud there was into the frame. The downside was that from this different angle there wouldn't be much in the way of light hitting the land. It did however catch a couple of the rocky peaks on Logan Rok.
Logan Rock, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 35mm, f/11, 10 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Though not the greatest morning of photography, it was a real delight to be on the coast watching the sunrise somewhere new.
Logan Rock, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Walking and Return to Botallack
To fill the time between sunrise and sunset we decided to go on a long walk to look at some new viewpoints. It was a beautiful day. Not great for photography, but for a walk & talk with friends, it was perfect. We ended up back at Botallack for more coffee and cake, and to take a couple more photos of te crown engine houses..
Botallack, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 39mm, f/11, 2 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Land's End, Cornwall
To end the day there really was only one location we wanted to photograph and that was Land's End. With it's unique geology, high cliffs, and dramatic coastline it can be exciting place to photography. However, the clear skies and calm conditions from earlier that day had continued into the evening. With neither crashing waves or clouds to catch the light from the setting sun, I felt it left the photographs without much punch. As always though, despite the conditions not being what I might have wanted, just being there was a treat. There is something about being on the coast at sunset that can fill your heart with joy! And that's exactly how I felt as it got dark, and we headed home.
Land’s End, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 20mm, f/13, 5 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
I would very much like to spend more time in this area, but it’s a 2.5 hr drive there so it's not exactly a drive you make on a whim to catch sunset. But it has made me appreciate what a spectacular part of the world I live in for photography. So of course I'll be back. Hopefully with friends again. Hopefully to capture even better photographs!
Land’s End, South West Coast Path, Cornwall - Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 16mm, f/13, 5 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.