A Sense of Place

Landscape Photography

 

It was while I was out with my photographer friend Darren, we had walked from Fairholmes cafe, along the Derwent and Howden Reservoirs up to Alport Castles, and in the middle of it all we got to this point somewhere between Alport Castles and Crook Hill, observing the crepuscular clouds, the rays of sun light bursting through into the valley below. We discussed what sells, and decided it was to do with a sense of place. A place where you would recognise and associate with immediately.

I hope to look a little further beyond the place. I sometimes sit and observe my surroundings before I take the camera out of my bag, or I will get the camera out and think maybe or maybe not. It is my interpretation above all. Maybe somebody will understand the photograph, maybe they don’t or just like it for what it is

This scene is about being about 300 or so metres up, looking out and down to the Snake Pass; the road that links Sheffield to Manchester running east to west. Manchester a huge conurbation in comparison to Sheffield. The journey along the Snake can be an extreme one, for the pace of the road can be fast and slow, the meandering stretches, sharp corners and then the drop into Glossop.

Running parallel to the road is the River Ashop, glistening in the sun shine. The river takes you to Ladybower Reservoir, the Ashopton Viaduct stretches over part of the reservoir. I know where we are at this point. I still wonder what the ridge is and where Kinder Scout is relative to the scene. I felt I could touch the sun rays; may be I did as the clouds passed over above.

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The Crest of Crook Hill

Landscape Photography

A perspective of Crook Hill from down below. I saw a crest of a wave from this vantage point.The rocky outcrop gives that curl before it breaks. The cumulus clouds passing over head with lovely definition that fair weather cloud gives. It was the golden hour, about 40 minutes before sunset.

In this field we discovered a bird that I had never heard its song before. After a bit of research on my smart phone, it turned out to be lapwings with their unusual whooping whistle mating call, flying up about 20 feet and swooping back down to the ground with its black and white feathers, almost like an oyster catcher, minus the orange beak. We could hear skylarks, curlews and big bumblebees like flying drones. The temperature was up at 12 – 15ºC last Saturday, when only a few days earlier it had been down to 5ºC; a little low for us Brits this time of year. Finally the sights and sounds of spring had arisen. We saw plenty of new lambs feed from the ewes and were careful not to scare them.

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Crook Hill Summit

Landscape Photography

 

I like my black and white conversions from time to time. It is about the white and the dark blues that contrast each other. The ground is still a bit sodden from the recent weather and the grass is a little yellow after the first proper sunny weather of spring.

Crook Hill in the Peak District; this particular rock formation is part of the double summit. It has some lovely detail in the rocks. The contrast was great against the blue sky and the wispy alto cirrus clouds. This is not a long exposure, as  I wanted to keep the detail in the clouds. The rocks look like weathered skin of an elephant to me, after basking in mud to cool down. The cracks and lines of weathering over millenia leaves feeling you have only existed for a moment

Now on slightly off tack agenda, too many spammers are coming into WordPress, the outlook spammers. This is becoming a bit tedious. Excited that somebody actually drops into my post and appreciates the work is one thing, however the constant barrage of fictitious followers of up to 10 per week is quite annoying. I know WP are trying to do something. It isn’t happening quickly enough there is someone commenting on the forum every day.

I hope no one else I follow is having the same problem. How are you finding it if you are?

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Crook Hill View

Landscape Photography

After a mammoth walk up the path to Alport Castles, and along the ridge of the Derwent and Howden Reservoirs, this view looks out towards the Edale Skyline, starting with Lose Hill, the peak that would defy its position looking from the summit of Crook Hill, and somewhere there is Mam Tor and Kinder Scout. Kinder being the highest of the Hills and Tors of this part of the Pennine range. Buggered if I can tell you what they are. I have looked the maps on google, and I still cannot fathom it. May be it is the wide angle of the lens at 17mm giving me the wider scope from my position.

I turned around after taking a picture of the second outcrop on the summit of Crook Hill (which has double summit). The sun had begun its final decent into the golden hour,  the back lit hills silhouetted with the hazy mist defining the landscape, the sun being rather bright and it was a tricky thing to do shooting with this level of brightness and into the sun. I did remove the lens flare spots in post processing.

Just out of view, if you follow the tree line from the breaking the trees to the left would be Win Hill. That  I do know for sure. The peak nearest the break in the trees I am going to say is Lose Hill. I am open for debate on this, so please feel free to comment.

 

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Derwentwater Icy Shoreline

Landscape Photography

I have lamented over this particular composition. I tried with a long exposure and I was not happy, not enough definition in the clouds for several minutes of exposure time, and I have stuck with the original test photograph

ISO50 f14 an 0.3seconds. I changed the white balance as it was rather flat, as sometimes RAW tends to produce a flat or washed out image. In Lightroom I used a custom selection, and the sliders to enhance colour.

The icy path is a focal point and a leading line within the image, drawing you to the cloud covered Skiddaw Fell.

Boot’s Folly

Landscape Photography

 

A 45ft tower that stands proud on the Strines Moor Landscape in the Peak District just outside of Sheffield

Please enjoy the gallery of the different compositions of the tower

As it is near by to me about 10 minutes or so in the car, and it can be a little challenging waiting for the right weather at sunset. The weather may be different 5 miles away down the valley; fair weather at home and then on the moor it may be totally clear of picture enhancing clouds. However last Sunday was just perfect.

I found it even more challenging as it was windy, and my camera and tripod were buffering in the wind. I did not have anything heavy to weigh down the tripod. I shielded it with my body as best I could.

I like the portrait finish. The colours are at the best with the pinky hues, at low-key light giving a bit of mystery surrounding the tower, with the vapour trail moving sideways during the 7 minute exposure time, and the cumulus clouds above the tree on the horizon

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