Autumn Colours in the Crags

The burnished browns of Autumn are abounding in Hardcastle Crags . Took Nigel for a photo Workshops on Saturday out into the Beech stands up Pecket Clough. Fabulous colours to work with and strands of sunlight beaming through what remains of the leaf canopy onto the golden carpet of fallen growth. Backlit images of leaves are great for effect - they really bring the colour out . try lots of close ups - landscapes are not just great wide affairs. Landscapes can be found in even the smallest of lichen growths on the stone walls of the valleys. Get up close to the moss - use a macro or extension tube - see what landscapes there are within what at first site appears to be an uninteresting green blot.
This was a one to one photo workshop - I am finding these work best for both - they are flexible and I can dedicate all my time in enthusing and advising ...check out www.penninephotos.co.uk for more details

A Wet Day out in the Crags

Took Bruce out for a one to one  Photo Workshop into Hardcastle Crags yesterday - in the pouring rain !One of the things you learn as a professional photographer over the years is to try and work with the weather when you have no chance to alter the shoot. It was raining hard and low grey cloud -not ideal but thiunking positively the light is very even and gives lovely subtle tones to the barks of trees and the ferns. The rain brings out the texture of the rocks and can make exposed tree roots stand out against the earth. There was also plenty of  flow  in Hebden Water so long exposures of rushing river brown water with solid static rocks and bright green vegetation.
But next time I am hoping for a little bit more warming sunshine !

New Workshops coming up....

Am working on setting up some new photo workshops for the comng Spring - latest on the 27th March and then some in April as the bluebells start appearing - check out http://www.penninephotos.co.uk/ for the latest - £85 a person for the day camera hire is available at £15

The Noonstone Fell Race and Photography

Saturday 26th Feb - Up on the Moor above the Calder Valley is the small Hamlet of Mankinholes. Saturday saw the ancient community host to the Noonstone fell race,  a 9 mile slog up unfeasibly steep hillside and across impossibily muddy moorland bog . I hasten to say that I was not tempted to take part merely to record the exertions of others.

I had never taken pictures of a fell race before and in fact had never entertained the prospect of spectating at one either until Saturday. The photography was limited to just after the start of the race up the really ridiculously first incline to Stoodley Pike a monument to celebrate the victory at Waterloo - I am hesitant to remark that it would not shock me to discover that some of the race participants met their Waterloo over that rain sodden afternoon . And the second opportunity was the final run in as the exhausted runners made a final desperate battle for the finish . Photographs of mud splattered calves and steaming torsos filled then frame.

An interesting exercise for a Saturday afternoon - some of the pictures were reasonably useful as action shots of the first climb and desperate faces running into the line but I don't think I achieved my goal of a strong static portrait of either elation or mud splattered despair. Oh well I guess I'll have to give another wet Saturday afternoon on some rain lashed moor and with my long suffering Canon kit .

Photo Workshop Hardcastle Crags

Good Day today . Took client Rob our for a one to one photographic yuition and workshop into Hardcastle Crags in Hebden Dale. The weather looked unpromising being drizzly sleaty and grey but in fact proved to be a nice soft light to photograph Hebden Water and the mosses , lichens and trees . Rob thoroughly enjoyed himself having the time and attention to concentrate on image making concentrating and looking for images in the landscape .
Back to the studio to downlaod and discuss - everyone happy