iJourneys

John Gough Photography

Planning Landscape Photography

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Stripe of Light / John Gough / Canon 6D (Fleetwith Pike taken from Buttermere Lake. See below to see how the photograph came about)

I listened to a talk by Justin Minns recently. Justin is a fabulous landscape photographer as you can see from his site. The talk was an inspiration. I was particularly motivated as I was just about to leave the following morning for a few days photography in the Lake District.

Planning Landscape Photography

Justin Minns described the research and preparation that he puts into a photo shoot. Planning the route, the parking, the weather, the time of day (usually dusk or dawn), and the position of the sun on that day. He will then walk the site prior to the shoot looking for that killer composition.

NB Subscribe to Ordnance Survey maps here

NB Calculate the direction of the sun here

Like other great landscapists like Charlie Waite and Joe Cornish, Justin will envisage the image that he would want to achieve. Plan to achieve it and then set up his camera and tripod and wait for the light. In landscape photography, it is all about composition and light.

The Lake District: Buttermere

The Lake District is a location with dramatic scenery. When it is not raining and the light is right, there is probably no location in the world that is better for landscape photographs. The Lake District is quite a compact only 912 square miles, so it can be traversed several times in a day. However, it does have 16 million visitors a year so try to visit off season so that you can park to get that shot.

It helps to have some guidance about where to find great pictures. So I use the following guidebooks:

On this visit, I decided to take Justin’s advice and plan in advance. I would catch the sun traversing Fleetwith Pike at the southern end of Buttermere Lake. There is a pebble beach on the road side of the lake. I would wait there until the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the mountain, profiling the trees on the shore of the lake.

 

I stayed there for about an hour waiting for the sun and suddenly there it was. The shot I had planned was in front of me.

I love street photography because you arrive at a location not knowing what is going to happen, so I was sceptical that I would enjoy this structured approach. However, there is some satisfaction in seeing a plan come to fruition.

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because of their exceptional customer service. I once returned a camera after 30 days, and the next day they called to return my money to my account. Their prices are always competitive and they offer good prices on the trade in of your used gear



 

This Image was Taken on a Canon

 

 

 

 

Photography in the Peak District

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Curbar Edge / John Gough / Canon 6D

The way to really appreciate Curbar Edge in the Peak District is to get there at dawn, and if you are lucky with the weather, the sun will rise behind you throwing the rocky outcrop into relief creating memorable photographs.

We did just that last week. Thanks to Clive Williams at Bedford Camera Club for organising the event. We set off from home at 4.00am and arrived just as the sun was rising at 6.45.

Curbar Edge

Curbar Edge, in the Peak District, is a high gritstone escarpment offering spectacular views across the idyllic countryside of the White Peak.

If you go there, the National Trust car park can be found at Clodhall Lane, Hope Valley, S32 3YR. Climb the steps at the rear of the car park and follow the path.

Photography

I did not take a long lens, but I wished I had so I could have got a better shot of the villages and stone walled fields further up the valley. If you are lucky then the valley may be clouded over below you, adding to the drama of any photographs.

I used a tripod, and a wide angle lens, with a small aperture around f22 for the shot above. This ensured both the rocks and the valley were in focus.

Just through the morning gloom is Chatsworth House. With a longer lens and mist or snow on the ground, this could be a fabulous shot.

 

 

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because of their exceptional customer service. I once returned a camera after 30 days, and the next day they called to return my money to my account. Their prices are always competitive and they offer good prices on the trade in of your used gear

This Image was Taken on a Canon

Photographing Dorset

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Old Hary Rocks / John Gough / Canon 6D

Yes, you could take the well worn path to Durdle Door and take the photograph that every other landscape photographer has taken. Or you could look for a different location. If you are photographing Dorset, then a similar scene with a different perspective can be found at Old Harry Rocks.

Photographing Dorset – Studland Bay

Head to Studland Bay, a terrific location for photographing Dorset and park at the South Beach car park. The path is signposted to Old Harry Rocks

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There is then a gorgeous walk out to the headland. This has photo opportunities all along the path until you emerge on the coastline. The vista is just magnificent. These pictures were taken in June this year, and I was so lucky with cloud formations which complemented both the sea and the sky.

Paddling in Dorset / John Gough / Canon 6D

 

Photographing Dorset: Reference

I used this book for my jaunt photographing Dorset, it was very useful giving precise details of how to access many locations. If you don’t know the area and have limited time a book like this is essential. I have used similar books for most of my location visits.

 

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex. I have genuinely found that they offer great advice and customer service.

This Image was Taken on a Canon