The fotoVUE Photographers’ Favourite Images of 2018

A happy 2019 to everyone and thank you for supporting us.

This year will be very busy with quite a few authors completing their books, and others busy working hard on theirs. The first publication of 2019 is Justin Minn’s Photographing East Anglia, and we will announce an availability month in the next few weeks when signed pre-orders can be purchased at the fotovue.com shop.

But first, we asked the authors to submit their two favourite photographs that they have taken in 2018, along with the story behind them.

There will be some people that you haven’t associated with fotoVUE books below. Some photographers in this article have <Photographing—?> next to their names. This is because we have not formally announced their book. Those announcements will happen in the next few months when there is time to introduce them properly. Meanwhile, you will to have to guess what the subject or area of their book could be.

A big thank you to everyone involved with fotoVUE and to all those who have bought a fotoVUE book.

As a final 25% off treat, which lasts for 7 days, use the discount coupon code ny2019 at the fotoVUE shop for 25% off all full price books with free UK shipping.

ALYN WALLACE – Photographing The ——? (an easy one to guess this)

website: alynwallacephotography.com

Infinito

Panorama (3 rows of 8 images) @ f/2.0 | 20 secs | ISO 6400 with Sony A7iii + Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art

It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the island of La Palma and this image I took on my first night there ensured it was a speedy process. Capturing the Milky Way with the moon can be quite difficult but with the quality of the dark skies there and the advantageous height of the Milky Way core it even remained clear to the naked eye. Adding to the fray was Mars, Saturn (just left of the Milky Way core) and Jupiter, shining brightly as it was approaching opposition. I always feel a connection to the night sky when I’m out under clear skies but this celestial show brought a unique sense of perspective that I had never felt before.   

 

Extraterrestrial

Single exposure @  f/2.8 |  20 secs | ISO3200 with Sony A7iii + Sony 16-35mm GM f/2.8 

It’ll be tough to forget the summer of 2018 where warm and clear weather became the norm in the UK for perhaps longer than anybody was expecting. It seemed to do wonders for bioluminescent plankton blooms along the coasts of Wales and I’ll never forget the childlike joy I had scoring the coastline for pockets of the neon sparkle. On this particular night Mars was close to opposition, meaning it was shining its brightest for the year. Not only that but an intense dust storm on the surface caused it to appear a lot more ‘red’ and what a sight it was to see its orange reflection mixing with the electric blue glow of the plankton. 


JUSTIN MINNS – Photographing East Anglia — coming soon (real soon)

website: www.justinminns.co.uk

Moraine Lake, Canada

Canon 5D MKIV, 16-35mm at 20mm, ISO 100, 5 sec at f/11

Arriving at this spot in the gloom before dawn to await the first light, I was excited to see snow had arrived very early in the season but the cloud was so low that the mountains were completely obscured and I wasn’t hopeful that I would even see them let alone any get any light on them. As is often the case, perseverance paid off and an hour later, gaps started to appear in the swirling clouds and the snow covered peaks drifted in and out of view, the perfect start to my birthday.

Southwold in the snow, Suffolk

Canon 5D mkIV, 16-35mm at 28mm, ISO 100, 1/3 at f/14

It’s rare to get more than a very light dusting of snow in East Anglia but back in March the beast from the east dumped several inches of the white stuff here and I prepared to tick a few shots of my ‘if it ever snows’ list. Unfortunately after just one trip out with the camera, snow-drifts blocked the roads out of our village, cutting us off and spoiling my fun rather prematurely but not before I’d made it to the coast to get this shot of the beach huts at Southwold.


JAMES RUSHFORTH — Photographing The Dolomites, and next Photographing Iceland

website: www.jamesrushforth.com

Not your regular crevasse

Nikon D810, 24-70 at 56mm, ISO 100, 1/80s at f/14, February. © James Rushforth

Exploring one of the many temporary ice caves created as the vast expanse of the Vatnajökull ice cap recedes. These subglacial meltwater channels create spectacular exits as they leave the glacier. The upper hole seen here is known as a relict portal, created by a previous higher meltwater channel. The textures and patterns created by the flowing water and melting ice look like they’ve been sculpted by a surrealist artist, especially when backlit by light filtering down through the ice from above.

The ephemeral location (it no longer exists), bizarre atmosphere and ‘James Bond’ look of this photo makes it one of this years favourites. I was lucky enough to win photographer of the year in the International Photography Awards and be awarded the Digital Splash Landscape Photographer of the Year with this image; it was also published in National Geographic.    

 

Iceberg Fortress

Nikon D810, 70-200 at 70mm, ISO 100, 1/160s at f/2.8, September. © James Rushforth 

A traditional two-masted oak sailing schooner passes behind one of nature’s most beautiful and impressive creations. Perhaps due to increasing temperatures in the Arctic, the icebergs calving off the Greenland icecap have been particularly large in recent years and, much like snowflakes, no two icebergs are the same, making them truly unique. We stumbled across this particular formation while returning back home from a sailing trip. The wonderfully blue arch was so perfect that we spent some time circling the iceberg with the boat’s sister ship, photographing each other through the hole in the centre.

The photo epitomises the arctic for me and captured the imagination of many Britons back home when it was published in the Guardian, Telegraph, Times and Mail Online. 


ADAM BURTON – Photographing Cornwall and Devon

website: www.adamburtonphotography.com

Wistman’s Wood

Nikon D850, 24-70 at 60mm, 10 sec at f/11, ISO 100.

Due to its chaotic arrangement of twisty trees, Wistman’s Wood is a notoriously challenging woodland to photograph.  I was fortunate to encounter the woodland on a foggy evening, where the fog helped to isolate several particularly photogenic trees and soften the woodland background.  This image was photographed right at the beginning of the year, which gave me great encouragement for the year ahead.  

 

Pollarded Dartmoor Beech Tree

Nikon D850, 24-70 at 52mm, 6 sec at f/13, ISO 100.

Pollarded Dartmoor Beech Tree.  Despite the early starts, Spring is possibly my favourite season for photography.  I love shooting woodland, and when I stumbled across this incredible tree in the winter, I made it a priority to return on a misty spring morning.  Thankfully I got lucky, and captured one of my favourite woodland images of the year.  

  


Drew Buckley — Photographing South Wales

website:drewbuckleyphotography.com

It’s quite tricky to pick my best two out of the……. goes to check ….… 326k images I’ve shot this year, however, here are two images that stand out in my mind.

Skomer Shortie

Canon EOS 5D Mk IV, EF 500mm f/4L IS USM – 1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800. Handheld

This one’s from Skomer and surprisingly from me, it’s not a puffin! There are not many things in nature as exciting as birds of prey, and these stunning Short-eared owls win the wow factor. We’re lucky to have a few pairs breeding on Skomer Island so in the spring and summer time, you’re bound to bump into one when walking around. Being close enough for a good frame filler and having the right light and conditions though are another thing. Thankfully everything came together when this individual stopped right in front of us, looking for prey. Perfectly set against the blue Pembrokeshire sea behind and hovering above a carpet of bluebells and red campion.

Church Rock Moonrise

Canon EOS 5D Mk IV, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM + 1.4x Extender II (420mm) – 1.3sec, f/10, ISO 1250. Tripod.

This is an image I had in my mind for a while and attempted three times before it came good. Bearing in mind you only get a full moon rise once a month, factor in good weather and my work availability schedule, this one took a while! There was lots of planning that went into the timings and camera position in relation to the rock, and it can only be photographed on certain months from the angle I wanted. Ready and waiting on the tide line, scouring the horizon for the first glimmer of moonlight was an immense thrill (and slight panic!). Also, I was timelapsing this moonrise for an upcoming natural history programme I’m working on – no pressure then! Happy with composition, set the time-lapse going until the moon reached the rock, then changed composition for the still image while I still had enough daylight left — The longer you wait with images like this it gets trickier to expose for due to the fact the moon gets higher and brighter while the rest of the scene gets darker (after sunset), so the perfect time around moonrise is where you can balance the exposure with enough ambient light — Some cloud appeared but not enough to ruin the shot resulting in what you see here. This image stands out to me as the reception on social media it received and commercial usages blew all my previous records, it’s also a firm favourite among my clients who purchase prints and canvas. Since I first posted it back in May I’ve seen various imitations of the idea so I’m glad it’s inspired others to head out and enjoy Pembrokeshire and the natural world.


Sarah Mason and Suzi Garlick – Photographing ——?

website:www.sarahmasonphotography.co.uk

Olive

The one with Olive on the hospital bed was taken the morning after she was born. I’d had to go home leaving Suzi and Olive in hospital, and when I came in the morning, Suzi had put her in this little hat that she’d knitted, and the sun came out from behind the cloud and filled the hospital room. We spent most of the day just looking at this beautiful poppet as she slept. This will always be right up there as one of my favourite photos I’ve ever taken. We can’t imagine a life without her, she has made our 2018 the very best ever.
Shooting info – I used Nikon D750 – 35mm – f 2
The next one was taken about a month ago. Olive’s little hand, always twirling, always exploring. Hands that are holding onto our fingers and reaching out for loose strands of hair. Hands that smell of milk and are often in her mouth feeling her gums. Hands that are above her head when she sleeps and outstretched when she yawns in the morning.
D750 – 50mm – f 1.4

Carsten Krieger — Photographing Western Ireland — coming soon

website: www.carstenkrieger.photography

Kilbaha Bay, County Clare

This was made only recently and is one of the first images I made with the Fujifilm GFX 50R. If you ask me in a few months time this image might have become “just another sunrise shot” but for now it is one of my favourites. The simple composition, the flow of the water, the strong colours and that special something that only a medium format sensor can produce make this image stand out. The fact that I suffered for three mornings in a cold, gale force wind to get the shot might also have something to do with it.

Crohy Head, Donegal Coast

This was made in summer and brings back pleasant memories. 2018 was one of the hottest summers on record with plenty of sunshine and subsequently beautiful light at sunrise and sunset. Add a location like this and all is good. This place, Crohy Head in Co. Donegal, had been on my to do list for years but it took a FotoVue book assignment to finally get me there. The main challenge was to find an angle where all the small stacks don’t overlap each other (too much), a long exposure softens the water and makes the sharp rocks stand out more and the light brings out the detail in the cliff. 


Simon Kitchin — Photographing North Wales

website: www.landscapephotographyuk.com

Sunset at the Llanberis Pass.

My favourite sunset of 2018. After an afternoon wandering around a very hazy Pyg Track below Snowdon the last hour of the day turned a little magical. As the haze faded the sun transformed into a glowing globe of light, a glorious sight from my vantage point above the Llanberis Pass.

 

Llanddwyn Island

Sometimes shots that don’t go to plan can have great results and that’s just how this night visit to Llanddwyn turned out. Heavier cloud than forecast reflected the light pollution from the distant Llyn Peninsula producing some surreal colour contrasts against the glimpses of the Milky Way.


 

Sarah Howard — Photographing The Cotswolds — coming soon

website: www.sarahhowardphotography.com

Castlerigg stone circle, Keswick, the Lake District  

Nikon D810, at 35mm 1/6 sec, f/11,  ISO 100, 0.6 LEE soft graduated filter, 4 stop Lee ND filter, tripod, cable release

Although I have photographed the ancient stone circle of Castlerigg many times, I have in the past usually tried to capture the entire circle. On this occasion, due to the number of people present which prevented that, I opted for just a section of it, and also a square format. I had to work really quickly as people kept threatening to enter my composition and the light was fading fast. I remember feeling both frustrated and also under pressure but at the same time excited by the light and the image I visualised before me.  

Lagangarbh Hut 

Nikon D810, 20mm 1/2 sec at f/11, ISO 64,, LEE 0.9 Lee soft graduated filter, tripod, cable release

It was a typical gloomy day in the highlands of Scotland with low cloud and no sun to be seen whatsoever and as such, I didn’t hope for much on arrival at this location. Having decided on my composition of the little Lagangarbh hut, backed by the imposing Buachaille Etive Mòr, I decided to add a grad to maximise the moody look of the sky and to add to the overall oppressive nature of the scene.  I was surprisingly pleased with the result – proof that sometimes an image comes to you when you least expect. 

 

 


STEPHEN BURT – Photographing ——?

Solar corona, Hampshire, UK

Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 mm lens at 88 mm,1/1250 sec at f/22, ISO 100, underexposed 1.5 stops, Hoya UV filter.

Photographing clouds and skies is not usually technically difficult, but you need to know what you’re looking for. Some of my favourite shots are of phenomena that are not particularly rare, such as this very bright solar corona, but that most people simply never notice. This exceptionally bright corona occurred in thin altocumulus cloud, and was photographed in Hillier Gardens, south Hampshire, at 1422 GMT on 11 June 2018. Coronae are frequently evident around the Sun or Moon (and occasionally the brighter planets), but the brightness of the Sun can make them hard to spot to the untrained eye. They are the result of diffraction of light through cloud droplets – the smaller and more even in size, the brighter and sharper the corona.

Uluru altocumulus, Australia

Canon 6D, Canon 17-40 mm lens at 17 mm,1/320s at f/11, ISO 100, underexposed by 1/3 stop. Hoya UV filter.

An attractive sky makes all the difference to landscape photography. This image of Uluru/Ayers Rock in central Australia would look flat without the dramatic colour and textural contrasts offered by this thin sheet of altocumulus in an otherwise clear blue sky, set against the striking red-orange geology and the parched Outback foreground. Slow-moving cloud shadows only emphasised the texture and depth of this iconic landscape. I tried several different ways to get this shot, including a three frame stitched panorama, but this 17 mm image worked best. Photographed at 1216 Australian Central Standard Time on 30 October 2018: the temperature was 36 °C at the time.


OLIVER WRIGHT – Photographing ——?

website: www.oliverwrightphotography.com

Abstract of a Dragonfly 

The settings used on the individual shots: 0.5 second shutter speed, f/13, ISO200.

It has always been a dream of mine to be able to take this type of image (a dragonfly covered in morning dew, backlit to look almost like the windows in a church) so I was delighted when all the conditions came together in May 2018. Cool temperatures in the evening, no wind, and then a clear sunny morning meant a 4:30am start was required to get to a local dragonfly pool. Then I had to find a dragonfly in the right place so I could have it back light with the rising sun. Here is about 30 images with a different focus stacked together to get enough the whole composite image in focus.

Colours in the Polar Night

The settings used on the individual shots 1/4 second shutter speed, f/16, ISO200.

I’m lucky enough to work in Northern Sweden in the winter and for around two months the sun stays under the horizon and we have the polar night. Some days as the sun is just under the horizon we have these amazing skies which look like sunrise for the whole day but the sun never comes over the horizon. This was one such day with beautiful red lenticular clouds and the iconic u-shapped Lapporten mountain in the distance. The shot has an ice covered boulder as the foreground. The ice has been formed by waves in cold temperatures from lake Torneträsk. As the boulder was so near this shot is also stacked to have the foreground and the background in focus it would have been impossible to do in one shot (it’s around 20 images merged together).


GEORGE JOHNSON – Photographing London — coming soon

website: www.syxaxis.com

Tower Bridge Reflection

24mm,1/125th sec at f/11, ISO200,  ( 7 handheld shot stitched pano )

It’s special to me as as the time I quickly made 7 handheld shots that I was later able to stitch together to give truly unique image of a world famous landmark. Most people simply don’t believe this is a genuine set of shots but simply it’s down to knowing your favourite locations well. It’s even more special as my hero and famous photographer Lee Frost said it was amazing and he’d wished he’d shot it, put me on “cloud nine” for days!

 

Whitby Steps

17mm,10 secs at f/16, ISO100 ( one shot )

We arrived on time but due to us spending too much time eating fish’n’chips on the far hillside of Whitby I completely messed up the timing and I was in a really bad mood by the time I got on locations. I moaned at my wife and daughter, then stomped off in a huff! ( Certainly not one of my proud moments. ) I was so annoyed I missed the actual sunset and thought the shot was ruined after waiting months to shoot this iconic location but I stayed put and managed to get something I feel has a lot more atmosphere than I would have otherwise got. The shot to me converys the warmth of this classic seaside town as it settles into the evening, the steps beckon you down into the town to enjoy the simple pleasure of an evening in one of the many pubs.


ADRIAN HENDROFF – Photographing ——?

website: www.adrianhendroff.com

Baily Lighthouse at Howth Head, Co Dublin

Canon 5D IV, 70-300mm f/4-5.6 at 100mm, 20s at f/16, ISO 100, Tripod, Polariser, 6ND & ND Grad, December 2018 (c) Adrian Hendroff.

Pre-sunrise colours above Baily Lighthouse at Howth Head, Co Dublin; with the Great Sugar Loaf and Wicklow coastline in the background. I had returned to this location thrice in a week in December, chasing the optimum light conditions in both sea and sky. I also wanted some large vessels along Dublin Bay in the mid-ground so I noted from the days before the rough time they might appear in the frame. After two botched attempts, there was a ray of hope when I checked the satellite imagery, cloud and rain forecast at 5.30am on the 17 December. Clear skies out to the east, some mid level clouds, lots of high level clouds and an advancing front from the west was the signal to make a dash for it: ‘Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning’. I returned a happy man, as this image shows. The light you see in this image only lasted the most of 8 minutes before sunrise. 

 

Reflections on Lake Gjende, Norway

Canon 600D, 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 at 22mm,1/125s at 4/4.5, ISO 100, Polarise, ND Grad, July 2018 (c) Adrian Hendroff.

Reflections on Lake Gjende, Jotunheimen National Park. My trip to Norway was no doubt, one of the major highlights of the summer. And it couldn’t have got off to a better start with the weather and light both playing ball during my hike of Besseggen from Memurubu to Gjendesheim. This image was taken before the scramble on the main ridge itself, with calm weather conditions giving rise to beautiful reflections of the sky on Lake Gjende. The lake is characterised by its light blue-green colour which is a result of a large quantity of glacial flour discharged into it by the Muru river. Besseggen is termed as one of the world’s most beautiful hikes by National Geographic and is a must-do in my books. 


DOUGIE CUNNINGHAM – Photographing Scotland

website: https://www.leadinglines.net/

Glen Coe

Canon 5D MkIII, 24-105mm f/4 L, 1/160th at f/13, ISO 200. April.

Glen Coe is one of those places you feel like you know inside-out and back to front. Which makes it all the more special when you find a good foreground feature that you’ve never seen before! This little collection of rocks had somehow escaped my attention over the years, so I was quite excited to stumble across it one afternoon, even if it was hopelessly backlit at the time. I stopped and visited it again the next time I was in the area, and quite like the muted tones that the light provided on that occasion. 

Rannoch Moor

Canon 5D MkIV, 16-35mm f/4 L, 5 seconds at f/11, ISO200. November.

Just at the other end of Rannoch Moor to my other submission, this is a rock that everyone knows! Right by the roadside, it is something of a marker for arrival on the moor as you drive north on the A82. There’s not really anywhere nearby that you can pull off the road, so trying to get a photograph of the tree growing from the rock means stopping when you’ve a bit of spare time and taking a bit of a walk, but on this occasion it was a perfect way to split the journey home from Arisaig. 


MARK BAUER – Photographing Dorset

website: www.markbauerphotography.com

Corfe Castle

Fuji GFX 50S, adapted Mamiya 55-100mm, ISO 100, 20 seconds at f/8.0
I’m lucky enough to live just down the road from Corfe Castle and over the years I’ve taken more pictures here I can remember, but I never tire of it. This image was shot in March and I was actually heading out with the intention of shooting elsewhere, but when I saw the mist at Corfe, I had to change my plans. As a result, I was there early, pre-dawn with the lights from the town shining through the mist. The patterns made by the mist were some of the most beautiful I’ve seen there. It was lucky I was there early, as the mist had almost cleared by the time the sun rose.

Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy

I lived in the north of Italy for two years and used to visit the lakes regularly, so it was great to be back there in April. I love the lakeside architecture in the Italian lakes – lampposts, railings, balustrades and so on – which really complement the natural beauty of the landscape. In my opinion, the best time to shoot scenes like this is in the blue hour, when there is a balance between the ambient and artificial light. This was shot in the morning blue hour, with a warm glow just beginning on the horizon.
Technical info: Fuji GFX 50S, GF23mm f/4, ISO 100, 1 second at f/13.


CHRIS GILBERT – Photographing The Peak District

website: http://www.ravenseye.plus.com

Kinder Downfall

Kinder Downfall, a popular Peak District feature on the western side of the Kinder plateau where the Kinder River falls over the edge of the hill toward the reservoir below. While modern cameras offer photographers easy access to aperture and shutter effects, more often than not good landscaping is simply about being prepared to put yourself in the right place at the right time to record amazing or beautiful natural events. Getting a photograph of Kinder Downfall completely frozen has been on my wish list for years. Rather frustratingly, the conditions that make it happen usually also make it very hard to get to it, particularly if there is significant snowfall, which makes getting around the local roads difficult and the trek up to the Downfall particularly arduous and risky. In February we had a prolonged spell of sub zero temperatures without any snowfall, meaning that not only was the Downfall frozen but it was also accessible so I made the drive around to Hayfield and climbed the western flank of Kinder from the car park at Bowden Bridge, below Kinder Reservoir. I took a route via the Kinder River, which brought me up below the Downfall and avoiding the need to make a tricky descent through the cliffs that surround it. The scene was spectacular. A huge arena of beautifully detailed icicles gleaming in the afternoon light. If a bonus was needed at all then it was the fact that four climbers were in the process of making several ascents of the frozen fall. The rarity of the event makes it something of a must-have bag for the ice climbers so finding someone on it wasn’t a huge surprise but their presence adds important scale and context to the scene. I was there for less than an hour but it felt like a real privilege to be there with the camera. The following day the snow arrived, obliterating the detail, so the timing here really was crucial to the end result.

Parsley Hay

My second image choice is, I feel, a good demonstration of the value of longer focal lengths to landscape photography, where wideangle often dominates. I spent a couple of days working out of the Peak District National Park Visitor Centre at Parsley Hay, which is on the High Peak and Tissington Trails, high up on the White Peak plateau in a fairly remote location. The view from the centre is fabulous and sometimes it’s just good to sit at the picnic tables and watch the world go by. My eye had been drawn by this tree in the distance. The angle of view that position of the centre created in relation to the intersecting lines of the drystone walls was very pleasing to the eye while the lone tree provided the perfect punctuation to the patterns. The broken sky and the dappling sun created the final touch of magic light late in the afternoon. The shot is handheld using a Canon 6D camera and a Canon 70-300 IS L lens at 300mm. There is enough light to allow the camera to operate at a high quality ISO speed of 200 and still obtain a shutter speed high enough to make a sharp shot without a tripod.


 

CHRIS SWAN – Photographing The ——?

Under A Crescent Moon

Luskentyre, Harris

Fuji X-T2, 18-55mm at 19mm, ISO 200, 1.5s at f/11. Feb.
Waking up on the first morning of my winter trip to Harris, I was greeted with the sight of fresh snowfall on the beach. I headed along the shoreline at Luskentyre alone, long before sunrise, taking in this amazing experience. This image looks south across the snow covered sands to Seilebost beach and the hills beyond.

A Cold Morning,

Tràigh Rosamol, Harris

Fuji X-T2, 18-55mm at 24mm, ISO 200, 1/15s at f/6.4. Feb.
This image is from the same day as the previous! I carried on walking across the dunes at Luskentyre until dawn started to break. As I headed down the dunes, I noticed that the snow had gathered around the base of the marram grass, accentuating their form and providing an interesting foreground. In the distance the snow capped peaks of North Harris are about to be swept by another snowy shower. It was a unique morning in one of my favourite places, so it’s no surprise my top two are from that day!


ANDREW MARSHALL – Photographing Wildlife in the UK

website: www.gowildlandscapesphoto.com

Mountain hare running towards us

Nikon D850 with 500mm f4 lens. 1/100th at f/8, ISO 800.

I run photography trips to the Scottish Highlands in winter. Every day on the mountains is different and this was the perfect combination of right place right time. We lay prone in the snow watching the mountain hares for some time when this male decided to run straight towards us, we got several shots from this moment as he got closer and closer, but this is my favourite showing movement but sharp in the eyes with a relatively shallow depth of field achieved with the big prime lens.  

White tailed Eagle on Mull.

Nikon D4 with 300mm prime lens. 1/ 1600s at f/10, ISO 800.

Another of my photography tuition trips, this time in spring on the Isle of Mull where I take clients frequently to photograph the otters and white tailed eagles. Again every day is different and this has the combination of this magnificent bird of prey in flight with fish, the shot is really nice and sharp, in beautiful light  with the magnificent mountains of Mull as a backdrop adding a bit of habitat to the action shot as well!  


ALEX HARE – Photographing ——?

website: www.alexharephotography.com

Sea Pool, Broadstairs, Kent

Canon EOS 5DMKIII, 60secs, f16, ISO 50, Lee Big Stopper & Lee 0.3 Graduated ND.

Shot at dawn on the north east tip of Kent overlooking the North Sea, this location can be a truly beautiful theatre of light to enjoy.  Shot as part of a series of images I’ve made in 2018 inspired by the work of JMW Turner, who painted Kent’s seascapes so beautifully, this photo draws on Turner’s approach to composition and creating tension between moving elements and fixed ones.

A full set of my Turner inspired images can be seen in the In Search of Turner gallery on my website and anyone interested in visiting Turner’s locations might enjoy one of my one day Turner Country photo tours, 2018 dates to be released shorty.

Shipwreck, Kent

Canon EOS 5D MKIII, 30 secs, f16 ISO 50, Lee Bigg Stopper & Lee 0.3 Graduated ND.

Also part of my Turner project, this old shipwreck on the north Kent coast harks back to both Turner’s era and indeed the very location of some of his Kent paintings.  Turner often used long brush strokes to combine and emphasise great movement in sea and sky and allowed the two great elements to become conjoined at an almost indiscernible point on the horizon and all with a central focal point, often a ship, at the heart of the composition.  Here, I’ve adapted his technique on a day where sea and sky are complimentary to one another in terms of texture and lighting and my long shutter speed has attempted to help create a similar, smooth effect in sea and sky whilst retaining he sharper detail of the vessel at the heart of the image.

A full set of my Turner inspired images can be seen in the In Search of Turner gallery on my website and anyone interested in visiting Turner’s locations might enjoy one of my one day Turner Country photo tours, 2018 dates to be released shorty.


NICK LIVESEY – Photographing The Snowdonia Mountains

website: nicklivesey.co.uk

Catrin Evans on Castell y Gwynn with the Snowdon range beyond – April evening

Canon 6D, 24 – 70mm at 26mm, 0.5s at f/11, ISO 100, 0.9 graduated filter, tripod

This scene is a Snowdonia classic and I have shot it many times in all four seasons and at every time of day. Castell y Gwynt is such a striking piece of rock architecture but for those who have yet to see it in the flesh it is difficult to get a sense of scale. One of the best ways to remedy this in my experience is to put a figure in the landscape and on this occasion young Catrin did the honours and patiently waited atop the the castle for the light to peak before we scurried down Y Gribin in the gloaming.

Arenig Fach and the wild Migneint from Y Gamallt – August

Canon 6D, 24 – 70mm at 66mm, 1/640s at f/8, ISO 100, 0.6 graduated filter, handheld

Snowdonia is a land of many contrasts with mountains to suit whatever mood I happen to find myself in. Living in the north of the national park I am well catered for when it comes to spectacular post-glacial landscapes of sharp ridges, pointed peaks and beautiful lakes. Sometimes, however, I feel the need to commune with a quieter, more spacious landscape and the vast Migneint moors which extend from Penmachno to the Bala fault offer a great opportunity to do just that. Landscape photography can be a challenge here when compared to the obvious attractions of Snowdon or the Glyderau but the rewards in creating images where light and form are more important that mere spectacle are just as keenly felt.


Beata Moore – Photographing ——?

website: beatamoore.co.uk

The Dunes of Stokksness and Vestrahorn

Canon EOS 6D, 24mm, 1/8s at f/16, ISO 125 

Iceland has been on my bucket list for some time, but many circumstances stopped me from travelling there until March 2018. Off I went, not knowing that what in fact I was going to experience, was the worst winter in Iceland for 20 years. I was determined not to have my spirit dampened, nor my plans changed by an inclement weather but they were, by snowstorms, gales, rain, hailstorm, frost and sandstorms. Eventually I managed to get to Höfn and nearby Stokksnes. This location very quickly became my favourite; its isolated position, black sand dunes and dramatic peaks rising out of the sea is a hard to beat combination.

Defying Gravity

Canon EOS 6D, 105mm, 1/20s at f/10, ISO 250 

Drinking countless very expensive coffees in Reykjavik for five days due to a rather challenging weather conditions in Iceland, I was pleased that eventually the wind speed dropped below 70 miles an hour and some roads were finally opened. Driving was still challenging however I was ecstatic that I would be able to photograph something else than rain drops on coffee shop windows. Pristine Icelandic landscape hasn’t yet quite revealed itself to me, but I was fascinated by some smaller waterfalls alongside the road leading to Vik. Gusts of wind effortlessly pushed waterfalls alongside the cliffs up, spectacularly defying gravity.


 

STUART HOLMES – Photographing The Lake District

website: www.fotovue.com

Flight from Clough Head

Canon 5D MkIV, 17-40 at 17mm,1/250s at f/9, ISO 100, May.
A ‘classic’ flying (paragliding) day in the Lakes made all the more special as I was flying with my brother. We launched from Threlkeld Knotts below Clough Head at the north end of the Helvellyn ridge. From there we climbed up to cloud base around 5000ft and pushed forward into wind, out over Keswick and to the Newlands Valley. We then turned left and flew over Catbells up the Borrowdale Valley before turning left again and flying high over the fells to Helvellyn and back to Threlkeld.
This photo is a stitched panorama of five vertical shots in the very clear air and taking in the whole of our flight path.

Late winter sun from Crinkle Crags

Canon 5D MkIV, 24-105 at 45mm, 1/800s at f/8,ISO 100. December.
After a superb day walking over Pike O’Blisco to Crinkle Crags I lingered on the final summit watching and photographing as the lowering sun rendered new and wonderful scenes in all directions. This is looking south west down the Eskdale Valley towards the coast.

LIZZIE SHEPHERD – Photographing The Yorkshire Dales — Coming Soon

Traigh na Beirigh, Isle of Lewis

Sony A7Rii, Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 lens,30s at f/11, ISO 100.
One of the many beautiful and secluded stretches of soft white sand on the Isle of Lewis – this was a beach I’d not visited for many, many years. It was lovely to return there this autumn with my great friend and fellow workshop leader, Alex Hare. Heavy rain was on the way but, at this point, we enjoyed some soft drizzle and just the simple shapes and textures of this gentle seascape. No drama. Just quiet, understated beauty.

Foggy birches, Guisecliff, Nidderdale

Sony A7Rii, Sony 24-105mm G f/4 lens at 24mm, 2.5s at f/11, ISO 10, 
I have passed these gnarled birch trees on so many occasions. No matter the season or light, they always demand my attention. Until this occasion last autumn, however, I have never managed to come close to doing them photographic justice. Lingering fog helped simplify the chaotic woodland backdrop and the warm autumnal hues of the remnant leaves and ferns were just the right amount to add a little sparkle and to capture a little of the magic of my favourite woodland.

GERALDINE WESTRUPP – Photographing Iceland — Coming Soon

website: wildphotographyholidays.com

Snæfellsjökull, West Iceland

Nikon D500, 80-400 mm at 80 mm 1/1250s, f/9 ISO 400. Handheld.
Winter Icelandic light at its most dramatic in one of the world’s most powerful energy spots

Egrets, Chinese Fishing Nets, Cochin, India

Nikon D500, Lens 80-400 mm at 400mm, 1/1600s at f/5.6, ISO 2500 , Handheld.
Loved the uniformity of these birds waiting for breakfast to arrive.


MARTIN SAMMTLEBEN  – Photographing Iceland — Coming Soon

website: wildphotographyholidays.com

Photographer setting up in a cloud of geothermal steam, Mývatn area, North Iceland

Full-frame, 24-105mm at 45mm,1/1000s at f/8.0, ISO 400. Handheld.

I noticed Jo wandering with her tripod behind a cloud of steam projecting an interesting shadow. For a brief moment everything aligned perfectly giving a glimpse of Jo through her own shadow.

Fish market, Cochin, India

Full-frame, 35mm, f/2.0, 1/160s, ISO 800. Handheld.
I love using very selective focus. It worked particularly well in this image drawing attention to the fish’s head and reducing the people in the background to simple, cartoon-like shapes and blobs of colour.

MICK RYAN  – Photographing The Peak District

website: www.fotovue.com

Martin Parr — the non-conformist

Sony A7rii, Sony 100-400mm lens at 209mm, 1/750s at f/5.6, ISO 3200, May.
Hebden Bridge and Calderdale, where I live, has a long tradition of photographers, including Alice Longstaff, Fay Godwin and of course Martin Parr. The area also has a long tradition of nonconformism, and not just the religious kind, the area has always been inhabited by people who do not conform to prevailing ideas or practices, from the early settlers of the area to the present day. Martin Parr embodies non-conformism in photography, from his early works such as Bad Weather ( a book of photographs taken in, well, bad weather) to his collection of Saddam Hussein watches (all photographed and available in a limited edition) or Signs of the Times an ‘hilarious look at personal taste in the British home, exploring the extraordinary range of emotions that lie behind our household décor’. It is his photo-journalism documenting British life however that he is most well-known for and I have always been a fan. In June last year I jumped at the chance to catch him talking about his work at Hebden Bridge’s Hope Baptist Church where he signed my copy of his The Non-Conformists and in return I gave him a signed copy Photographing The Peak District.

A wander up Colden Clough

Sony A7rii, Sony 100-400mm lens at 209mm, 1/750s at f/5.6, ISO 3200, May.
Mostly I am busy with other people’s books, navigating the path to publication is engaging, time-consuming (for all of us) but ultimately very rewarding. There really is nothing to compare to having a book in print if you are a photographer, especially one that people can use for their own photographic adventures. After co-authoring the Peak District book with Chris Gilbert I moved to Hebden Bridge, and early mornings often see me out the door working on a solo project to the Calderdale area. The whole of the valley I find magical, its history, houses, mills and factories, people and most of all its wild places, the high moorland and the steep-sided wooded valleys. Although I do plan and search out compositions when the light is at its best, I also sometimes just leave the house and go for a wander before the sun rises, and it was on one such morning that I happened upon this young roe buck in Colden Clough. I was prepared for a chance encounter; 100-400m lens at the ready with ISO on auto, shutter-priority, spot focus and continuous shutter shooting. He was only there for a few seconds, and I quickly took aim and pressed the shutter.

Author

       


Mick Ryan

Director of fotoVUE and Co-author of Photographing The Peak District
Mick Ryan is the founder and the director of fotoVUE. He is based in Calderdale having spent the last seven years in the Peak District. He also spends part of the year in Saratoga Springs, upstate New York. He is the founder of Rockfax guidebooks and introduced well-designed large-format photo-topo...
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