Diary of a Landscape Photographer

November 14th, 2006

Saturday

My self and seven other photographers are heading to the Lake District for a week of photography. I’m the only professional, and therefore am often found shooting subjects the others would not consider. That’s just how it is, and frankly they’re all so happy to be out doing what they love that they really aren’t fussed about what I shoot.

We leave early – 6.30am, to meet at the local services – three cars are travelling up, and we head for North Yorkshire & Swale dale en route to Keswick & our holiday cottage for the week.

On the way we run into another set of photographers, who assume we’re all from a camera club, and I don’t say anything to alter that view. We stop lots of times on the way, as there is a lot of potential opportunities as the sun plays peek a boo with us.

I have one shot I am pleased with and others I am happy with.

Sunday

Get up at 4.30am to drive to Buttermere.  Seems to take a while to get the others moving, and having hurried them up, my car doesn’t start first time, but does start the second time. Phew!

I’d forgotten how scary Honister pass is in the dark – and it was really dark at 5.30 a.m.– the road climbs steeply twisting & turning along the way, and is equally as thrilling the other side. It’s only when we have first light that we realise just how many fell sheep are grazing close to the road, and had they chosen to sleep in the road – as their Welsh cousins seem to – I’m not sure what the outcome would have been.

We arrive safely and it so wasn’t worth it. Great location, but no visible sunrise, and very flat lighting afterwards. So we all start photographing obscure things – details shots of walls or rocks. I even photographed sheep meandering down the road.

Heading back we stop at Manesty Wood – another photographer had recommended it to me as a possible location. We head straight down to the water’s edge (Derwentwater), and discover a little fence heading into the water at the shore. This has potential, as do the beech trees inside the wood, which are a stunning gold colour.

After lunch we headed up to Surprise view – again great view, but the horrible grey sky did nothing for me. Ashness Bridge was littered with walkers when we passed through – so we decided to save that one for better light and another day. And hopefully when there are fewer walkers around – as I want photographs with people in and without.

I’ve already had two of my friends walking down paths to add depth and perspective to a composition, and I’m sure they’ll get me back.

Our final stop is at Watendlath Tarn. I take a few photographs, but the scene needs warm light to show of the Autumn colours and it was still really overcast. So I stop after a while and end up falling asleep over the map book in the car whilst thinking about where would be good to go tomorrow, whilst the others photograph the bridge, the stream, and the views from every possible angle.

Monday

We head out early – too early for a sunrise at Castlerigg Stone circle.  We leave empty handed, but whilst on location two other photographers also turn up. In fact it sets a theme for the day – every location we visited we ran into other photographers. There must be a dozen other guys up here for the photography.

Next we head to Thirlmere, and leave very happy. Parking at the Steel End car park and walking along the lakeside. The weather by this time had improved and although cloudy we were enjoying lots of sunny intervals.

Next we headed back to Castlerigg Circle, but eventually gave up as the volume of people made capturing the circle as a whole difficult. So off to Ashness Bridge – too late it was now in shadow (mid afternoon), and Surprise view was already hosting four other photographers, and there really wasn’t room for anymore. Shame because the light was nice. So we headed back up to Watendlath Tarn, climbed the hill for the panoramic view, before deciding that was another location that had lost the light.

We did nip down to the shores of Derwentwater for a sunset shot across the water, but by this time there was hardly a cloud in the sky so nothing to reflect the glorious pinks & reds of sunset we were hoping for.

Home. Shattered. And now my hard disk is full from all the photographs I’ve taken, so I can’t download anymore until I’ve sorted that out!

Tuesday

The weather is really poor today – heavy cloud, mist and showers, but we still head out for a sunrise along the shores of Derwentwater. We come back with nothing – except a few arty type photographs of fences running into the water. The only good thing is the car park is free until 9am, by which time we had left.

A few other photographers drive by the location, and promptly leave.

Once the rain had eased we head to Thirlmere again, but this time we climbed (literally) the steep path from Doghill car park up to tarn. One of the others had seen a picture of this tarn with water lilies on it. A bit unusual for the Lakes District, and as we like unusual we went to take a look. It’s a site with potential, but needed a bit of sun to light the reeds, and the water lilies to be at their peak. Coming down was hair raising. Three of us decided to descend the opposite side of the river in the hope there would be photographs to be had that way down – there weren’t, and the path was even steeper & very rocky, and after so much rain very slippery.

Not somewhere I’d return to on my own, as it took us an hour to climb down. Funnily enough we didn’t run into any other photographers up there.

We ended the day at Castlerigg Stone Circle – now empty of visitors, and looking very grey and moody. I’d just got the camera onto the tripod, when the heavens opened. And with no cover it was a case of packing up and retreating to the car, and then back to base.

Wednesday

Four of the group are off walking, and the rest myself included have a day of photography ahead of us. Again it’s raining, but we travel via Ambleside, heading for Coniston Lake, stopping at a couple of likely spots along the way, as the sun teases us. Coniston yields the jetty I am looking for, but rain stops photography.

The clouds look heavy so we head off again toward Windemere. It’s getting brighter, but frustratingly we cannot locate a specific location – a boat house with reeds. We eventually realise it’s down a path that is now private property, and having driven up and down the road three times we haven’t found any alternative locations so give up and head back to Keswick, stopping on the way at Rydal water for a sunset that never arrives.

The walkers are home when we finally arrive home, full of takes of falling over and stopping the pub on the way back to help Doris celebrate her 90th birthday. The beer was gratefully received.

Thursday

My last full day in the lakes, and it’s a glorious start. Still not much of a sunrise, but at least it’s not raining. And because it’s a good day we are tripping over photographers left, right and centre. By the time we leave Ashness Bridge, there is a queue for our rock. All very polite – no one speaks (despite our efforts at conversation) and waits their turn.

By early afternoon the light is too bright and a bit hazy. We seem to drive and drive – whipping through locations looking for inspiration, but the light does not suit us. We come to the conclusion that in November the Lakes have plenty of locations that suit early morning or later morning afternoon light, but best to forget afternoons when shadows are harsh and lit areas too bright. Then back out for sunset – not that we’ve found one yet!

 

 

Friday

Despite listening to a less then promising weather forecast we were still out for sunrise. Nope didn’t get one this time either, but fortunately our decision to return to Manesty Wood was a safe one. Even with low cloud there’s enough details shots to keep eight photographers happy for a couple of hours. Well the others may still be there, as I left them to it to drive home after a couple of hours.

Interestingly the water level in Derwentwater had dropped, so the compositions for the shots I’d gotten of the fence leading into the water had completely changed, and to my eye it didn’t work so well. Plus when you know it’s your last day somewhere, I seem to wake up restless, as all the jobs to be done at home & the studio flood back into my head.

As I drove south down the A66 the clouds looked heavy with rain, which was forecast, but who knows what they managed to find to photograph. It’s not automatically a ‘rain stops play’ situation, especially not in a wood, where macro shots can be found.

Speaking of which, I borrowed the Canon f2.8 100mm lens from one of the others and the promptly washed it in the lake. Accidental of course, the tripod just toppled over, as I turned round to look for something else to “macro”.  It survived, and it now very clean – as is my camera. And yes it still works. And yes it’s on my shopping/wish list. The lens that is.

I came home a day early as I have a craft show to do at Hylands House in Chelmsford this weekend.  The M6/M1 combo was not kind, and my journey took 7 hours, which after waking up at 5.30a.m. means I’m shattered.

I’ve partly packed the car ready to set up first thing, but have now realised that I only just have sufficient canvases to cover the display boards, have completely forgotten my Christmas card selection & unframed prints, but do have the handmade greeting cards with me. There seems to be a lot of space left in the boot as a result. So that’ll mean everyone will want Christmas cards & unframed prints then … on the upside it won’t take me long to set up!

And no I won’t be photographing a sunrise on the way either! Although I dare say the others will be – the forecast was better for Saturday. So fingers crossed they get something.

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