Landscape Archives - Mike Barrett Photography

Fraisthorpe Beach and a 10 Stop ND Filter – Yorkshire Coast

10th September 2021 By Mike Barrett

The Location

On a recent trip to the east coast of Yorkshire with a tog friend of mine, we took a walk south from Bridlington along the beach front to find the numerous pillbox guard posts and various other structures scattered along the landscape. Where we ended up was a place called Fraisthorpe Beach. It is about a 3-4 mile walk from Bridlington harbour along the beach front. These salt water battered and barnicled concrete structures are remnants of the british defence effort during the second world war. Installations such as these formed an effective defence from the threat of invasion from Germany via the sea.

There are many locations along the east coast of Britain that were fortified with these types of structures. Bridlington Bay with its flat sandy beaches was an ideal place for all manner of vehicles to land. Tanks, amphibious landing craft and many other attack vehicles would have easily been able to slip up onto the land. Anti tank cubes are scattered in their dozens, in long lines up and down the beach. Most of them sit where the wave break line occurs at high tide, which made for some interesting photograph opportunities.

The Photography

A note was made of the location but it seemed prudent to return a couple of days later when the high tide was at its highest. The intention being, to make sure that there was a good volume of water lashing at these old structures in order to get the proposed shots. My goal was to get some super long exposures using a 10 stop ND filter. This would enable me to flatten out the seascape and achieve some clean, stylised shots. There was a good light for this type of photography. I made a multitude of compositions during the three hours that we were there. Some shots didn’t work out so well. Some, however, worked out wonderfully.

The images below are some of my favourites from the time spent at this location. I have deliberately presented a colour and a black and white version of each of the images. They work equally as well, but somehow are strikingly different in their appearance. Particularly when viewed next to each other.

The lens I used was an EF 17-40mm F/4L USM with a 10 stop ND filter, using various focal lengths. All at F/20, ISO 50, with a mixture of exposures ranging between 213 seconds and 361 seconds, tripod mounted, in bulb mode.

My objective was to flatten out the water as much as possible and get a good contrast between the wave break line and the horizon line. Composition wise, I really wanted to show some of the beauty of these wonderful structures. Covered in barnacles and seaweed, you can see how they have eroded over time, with bits of steel poking out the top of some of the blocks. Many have broken down almost completely. There are, however, many that have kept their shape and integrity and would no doubt still repel a landing army of old. Or new, for that matter.

Click on the images to enlarge.

Local Waters and Woodlands

29th July 2021 By Mike Barrett

I know, I can hear it now… “Out shooting water again Baz? It’s not like you!” Yes indeed, I just can’t help myself.

When shooting water in woodland you usually get a gap in the tree canopy where the light floods in and brightens up the water course. Obviously this depends on how wide the river or stream is. In the case of these shots, in each instance, the canopy was still rather closed as both the streams were fairly narrow. Trees on each side of the bank were close enough to form a closed canopy above the water where the foliage merged into one big umbrella.

There were one or two areas that opened up and light was able to flood in. It made for some interesting atmospherics. It’s not a bad thing though, especially when you’re taking long exposure shots on a tripod, as you have full control of your exposure times and how you want the available light to work in the image.
A closed canopy can serve to diffuse the light and you end up with shots with interesting light dotted around the composition. Even if ever so subtly, as is the case with the images below. You get lots of pockets of light and dark areas juxtaposed against each other which makes for some good contrasts throughout the composition. The only thing you might have to be considerate of is movement in the foliage if the conditions are breezy. But this can also work for you depending on the type of image you are after. There is always so much to consider when photographing this type of landscape. It’s what makes it so much fun.

For me, there is a sweet spot where long exposure, fast water river shots are concerned. I have seen many images where photographers have just opened up the shutter for as long as possible to capture a huge chunk of movement in the water and made it look like a blanket. A whited-out watery wilderness. You tend to get a huge amount of over-exposed areas in the water when this occurs. When it is overdone it can spoil the image and detract from the beauty of the scenery. So the sweet spot for me is a compromise somewhere between this and a normal snapshot. I want those smoothed-out elements in the flowing water, but I also want some of the energy left in too. Of course, this changes from shot to shot and it all depends on what you think works well within the composition at the time. Mostly though, I want to show the ever-changing course of the water as there is so much movement to be captured. So I tend to do a few test shots. I find the exposure I want and then play with the shutter timing and aperture until I hit the sweet spot which contains both those smoothing elements, but also something that captures the texture and ever-changing course of how the water is flowing.

As I said, I try to find the sweet spot. Here are some images where I hope to have done just that.

The first four shots were taken at Judy Woods in West Yorkshire. The water is called Royads Hall Beck.
The second four shots were taken at Hardcastle Crags in West Yorkshire. The water is called Hebden Beck.

Hardcastle Crags – Beech Trees and Things

13th July 2021 By Mike Barrett

Spring is such a wonderful time of year. The earth starts to wake from its winter slumber and everything is revived, fresh, anew and bursting into life. Colour sharpens as buds open and blossoms begin to paint hues on the landscape. Fresh greens drench the vista as shrubs, trees and other foliage start pushing out shoots and the skeletal forms of winter begin to disappear under a shroud of foliage. A chlorophyll cloak of blades, stalks, needles and leaves forms over the landscape. A botanical display of renewed life bringing with it new hope and new beginnings.

There is one plant that has always amused me. The humble beech tree. It is renowned for holding on to its leaves throughout winter. After the spring and summer season its leaves turn from green to a golden orange colour and shrink and distort slightly as they lose their moisture. They only really start to shed their leaves when the new reddish brown, bullet-shaped leaf buds form in springtime and last seasons foliage falls to the earth just as the new bud is about the open.

While I was visiting Hardcastle Crags this spring, the beech trees where on the brink of this transitional period. Many leaves had fallen leaving a rusty coloured carpet under each of the trees, but there were still plenty of leaves clinging on and dancing in the spring sunlight. It was nice to witness this transformation and I thought I would record it by taking a few photographs. I quite enjoyed looking for decent compositions and finding some interest in amongst the branches of these beautiful trees. The more I looked, the more I wanted to photograph. Such delicate beauty on display and such sharp colour framed against the woody background.

Here are some of the images that I took on the day.

A Snowy Haworth Moor

13th July 2021 By Mike Barrett

I’ve only just got around to writing about this day back in January. It wasn’t snowing when we headed out to Haworth Moor. It was somewhat grey and and there was a stiff breeze, but altogether it had been a fairly pleasant day. My wife, daughter and I had headed out for a walk to blow away the cobwebs of the last year of lockdowns. To be honest, after the previous 9 months it was just good to get out. Period!

We headed to the Brontë waterfalls. Our daughter was really excited to be out and about in the world again and to be on a bit of an adventure. We got a little way into the walk, about 20 minutes or so when quite out of the blue it started piling it down with snow. It didn’t start slowly and get gradually worse (better). Nope, it just came down in bucket loads from the get go. Massive flakes of snow. My daughter was delighted. She hadn’t seen snow like this before. In fact we were all utterly thrilled that it had started snowing.

It wasn’t too long before it had got deep under foot and of course soon enough we began making huge snowballs and throwing them everywhere and at each other. Luckily we had dressed in warm clothes and good, sturdy walking boots, so we were well equipped to deal with the change in weather. We carried on with our walk for as long as possible, sticking to the paths and taking in the beautiful landscape. A landscape that had very quickly become white over. Sheep had begun to huddle in flocks around trees and some hid behind farm buildings to get some respite from the prevailing storm.

After a while we made the decision to turn around and head back to the car. We hadn’t got to our planned destination but it had been getting colder by the minute and the path had become quite treacherous. All of us nearly landed on our bums on more than one occasion.

I had taken my camera kit with me. I wanted to get some shots of this beautiful Brontë Moor on a crisp winters day. What I did get are this handful of delightful shots. A snowy winter wonderland in the heart of Brontë country. While I was there I imagined the Brontë sisters stomping across these same grounds in weather much like this back in their time, and how they might have stoked a large, warm fire once tucked away from the wilds of this rugged land.

The Old Lighthouse of Twr Mawr

28th January 2021 By Mike Barrett

The Old Lighthouse of Twr Mawr – Llanddwyn Island Anglesey, Gwynedd North Wales.

Don’t let this serene vista fool you. We were being blown off our feet and literally soaked to the bone with the torrential rain that was relentless battering the island. Buffeted from pillar to post and absolutely soaked to the bone! The place was stunning though. Wild and beautiful.

While we were there I posted this image to my social media outlets. It was seen by some friends of ours who were also spending time in that part of the world. They got in touch to tell us that they were 5 minutes away from where we were and asked if we wanted to meet up. We managed to hook up later that day and grab a coffee together. A lovely impromptu meet up and a really nice surprise.

Those friends came back to me recently and asked if they could get a print of the photo that I posted that afternoon. A lovely little story involving this memory. The Old Lighthouse of Twr Mawr and Llanddwyn Island, Anglesey holds particular significance for them and has a special place in their hearts. So apt that they should end up with this beautiful print. Not only for the reason that is a symbolic place for them, but also for the little story it tells about our encounter while we were all holidaying in that beautiful part of the world.

Printed on Hahnemühle 308gsm photo rag fine art paper which delivers a stunning finish to printed images. I’m pleased to say that they are very happy with their print.

Brimham Rocks – Yorkshire Dales

24th May 2020 By Mike Barrett

I was recently up at Brimham Rocks, situated on Brimham Moor in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Yorkshire. It is an (SSSI), a heather moorland and 454 acre biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, and Geological Conservation Review (GCR). It also happens to be part of the National Trust’s portfolio of properties and is visited by thousands of people every year. With it’s unusual rock formations and wild landscapes it is also very beautiful and a great place to get some interesting photographs.

One of the most photographed aspects of the location is the Lone Tree (Silver Birch) that protrudes from the gritstone between two sets of rock formations. There was some fabulous light while I was there and I managed to get a couple of interesting shots looking at different aspects of this particular spectacle. There were families and couples milling around the place and they made for some good silhouette shots against this beautiful landscape. I really like the black and white shot of the two Jackdaws chasing each other off the edge of the rocks just under the silver birch tree. It was a timely capture.

If you have never been, there is alsorts to enjoy at this location. You can have a go at Geocaching, which is essentially a GPS treasure hunt. There are many beautiful walks to be had and the rocks themselves are breathtakingly beautiful and were created by a tremendous river which ran through there about 100 million years before the first dinosaurs walked the earth. The rocks were sculpted over 320 million years of continental plate shifts and hundreds of thousands of years of ice, wind and rain leaving us with this stunning landscape to explore and enjoy.

Lake District Autumnal Landscapes

5th November 2019 By Mike Barrett

I have just got back from the Lake District where the autumn colours were in full effect. Being in such a beautiful place at this time of year warms the soul, even if the weather strips what’s left of your body heat out of your very being. The Lake District is one of the most phenomenally beautiful places I have ever been. Every time I go there I fall in love with the place just that little bit more. The landscapes and scenery are utterly breathtaking and not only do they change through the seasons, they can literally alter from moment to moment with the ever shifting weather systems that move in and out of this mountainous region. The light and therefore mood can alter from minute to minute. Choppy water can turn into a flat mill pond at the drop of a hat, blue skies can develop into dramatic and foreboding storm clouds in the blink of an eye and the colour contained within the surrounding vistas can warm up and cool down in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. I could say that there is never a dull moment but there are indeed many. Literally! Interspersed with countless bright ones, colourful ones, muted ones…

I managed to get some beautiful shots while I was there. Frosty mornings, drone landscapes, classic mountainous scenery and some film footage for my Youtube channel. I love this beautiful thing called photography. It is utter soul food. Especially in such a stunning place as the Lake District.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 104mm, F16, ISO 50, 0.5 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F22, ISO 50, 1/60 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

DJI Mavic Pro Drone, Lens: 26.3mm, F2.2, Focal Length @ 4.73mm (in 35mm: 26mm), ISO 100, 1/125 Seconds Exposure.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 26mm, F16, ISO 50, 30.0 Seconds Exposure with 10 Stop ND Filter, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F22, ISO 50, 27.0 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

DJI Mavic Pro Drone, Lens: 26.3mm, F2.2, Focal Length @ 4.73mm (in 35mm: 26mm), ISO 100, 1/125 Seconds Exposure.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 200mm, F16, ISO 50, 0.8 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 188mm, F4.5, ISO 50, 1/320 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

DJI Mavic Pro Drone, Lens: 26.3mm, F2.2, Focal Length @ 4.73mm (in 35mm: 26mm), ISO 163, 1/100 Seconds Exposure.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 188mm, F16, ISO 50, 1/13 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F16, ISO 50, 1/25 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 188mm, F4.5, ISO 50, 1/320 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 87.00 mm, F18, ISO 50, 1/6 Seconds Exposure, Aperture Priority, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F16, ISO 50, 1/20 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 40.00 mm, F16, ISO 50, 1.3 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Johnshaven, Scotland

1st September 2019 By Mike Barrett

I have a special love for being by the coast. It’s definitely a yearning. I stood at the ocean’s edge last week while up on the east coast of Scotland, closed my eyes and let my senses take over. I let the whole experience wash over me. The sound of the crashing waves ebbing and flowing, the chorus of shrill calls from the gulls as they danced on the sea air, the spray hitting my face and the smell of the ocean as it rolled over the rocks before me.

As I took it all in I thought about a line from the movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ by the character Andy Dufresne. In the film he was talking to his friend Red and was describing a place that he wanted to live out the rest of his life. “Zihuatanejo. It’s in Mexico. A little place on the Pacific Ocean. You know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific? They say it has no memory.”
I don’t know why it popped into my head, but I got thinking about it while I was stood looking at the North Sea. Specifically focusing on the part about the sea having no memory. I like this as an idea. The concept that the ocean has no memory. The notion sits quite well with me. This vast body of water the covers 71% of the earth surface. It’s basically uncharted in real terms. We’ve seen a bit of it, but in the grand scheme of things we have sent more people to the moon than we have people to the deepest parts of our oceans. The idea that it has no memory just intrigues me. This vast body of water is just there, all the time. Moving to and fro, calm and at times ferocious. Deep and wide, enduring and seemingly endless. Full of mystery and very, very old. Beautiful in its magnitude. The fact that it might have no memory is almost a beautiful notion. Ever existing in a state of now. Being!

I love to photograph the coast line. There is always something happening or something interesting to point the camera at. There is never a dull moment. The weather constantly changes, as do the tides, the colours, the wind, the light, the smells, the mood, the temperature… It’s very much alive. I got a chance to have a mess around with a 10 stop filter and a variable grad filter on this particular excursion. I also sent my drone up a few times to get some different aspects of the coastline. All good fun as you can imagine.

Capturing Daybreak at Johnshaven

31st August 2019 By Mike Barrett

I recently captured six different aspects of the sunrise over the course of a few different mornings at a little fishing village called Johnshaven on the east coast of Scotland. The compositions were fairly similar, taken from more or less the same vantage point. It’s always exhilarating watching the sunrise on a beautiful coastline. It’s something I will never tire of. There is a quote I once heard that goes as follows… “God created the sunrise and the sunset so that each day begins and ends in triumph”. I’m not a religious man but I have always liked that quote. Having witnessed many a sunrise and sunset I believe that this quote pretty much hits the nail on the head!

It is intoxicating watching the sun come up on the coast, or anywhere for that matter, but on the coast it does bring that special something. All that colour and changing light reflected off that vast ocean is something else. Especially when you are out there at 5am and there isn’t another soul about. It’s just you, fresh sea air and the rising of that huge ball of fire that we call sunshine. At times it will bring with it colour, drama and most certainly heat, light and the new energy of the day. To stand and watch it climb into the sky and see it incrementally change the colour and mood of the surrounding panorama fills the soul with some mysterious and primeval joy. Capturing it photographically for prosperity brings a huge amount of joy also. Not quite bottled for prosperity, but as near as damn it!

Ilkley Moor Fires – Rebirth & New Hope

5th June 2019 By Mike Barrett

I recently visited Ilkley Moor. It is somewhere that I have been on numerous occasions over the years. A magnificent natural place of beauty. Visited by many people for it’s incredible panoramic views, fantastic trails for walking and for the fact that it is a site of special scientific interest due to its beautiful upland habitat for ground-nesting birds. Known also for the famous Yorkshire folk song “On Ilkley Moor baht ‘at”, (on Ilkley Moor without a hat) and not least for the Cow and Calf rocks, an outcrop of grit stones which stand beside an old quarry.

Back in April some fires were deliberately started on the moor land. Some 25,000 square metres of land were scorched to a blackened wasteland. The destruction of the habitat was plane to see even though many weeks had passed after the event. It was reassuring to see nature returning in abundance bringing with it new hope and new life. That’s the beauty of nature. It will repair itself.

I wanted to capture some imagery that illustrated the resilience of nature and the power it has in the face of adversity. There were new fern shoots popping up all over the place. A carpet of them in fact. It was clear that flora was returning to the damaged land and in that, it wouldn’t be long before nesting bird and other wild life would again find safety and sanctuary in the returning vegetation. My intention was to isolate a single new fern shoot and juxtapose it against the scorched and blackened earth in order to make a visual communication about the power of nature and its ability to revive and replenish itself. I’m really pleased with how these images have turned out.

As a photographer I always try to find the beauty within the world around me. It’s not always an easy thing to achieve. It was my desire in this instance to capture the idea of hope. The notion that, all is not lost!

I made a YouTube video explaining a little bit more about my experience on the moor.

YouTube – lkley Moor Fires – Rebirth & New Hope

Natures Carpet

8th May 2019 By Mike Barrett

This image conjures up all sorts of emotions in me. That is the beauty of a single photograph. It can transport you to many places, evoke countless memories and trigger a depth of emotion that may not otherwise have surfaced before feasting your eyes upon it.

This image brings to mind warm, sunny days, the sound of distant child’s laughter playing in a meadow, the drone of light aircraft cutting through the sky, the whiff and drifting scent of a bbq triggering a certain hunger pang, the perfume of summer flora and the hum of a lazy bumble bee bouncing from flower to flower. It brings to mind the sound of a cricket chirping somewhere not too far away on a stem of grass, or a ladybird stumbling through the undergrowth on a journey that only it could know. It reminds of the simple joy of laying on your back in the deep green grass and watching cotton white clouds meandering along against a cerulean sky while all of you cares melt out of memory. If I look at this image for long enough, it would probably bring to mind a lifetime of simple pleasures and quite possibly many other emotions.

The power of photography is evident in the way in which nearly everybody in this day and age makes record after record of their life journey on a day to day basis using smart phones and all manor of digital devices. There is something special about a photograph, about photography. The simple recording of our life experiences for us to look at again and again has become customary. Photography is essential for many reasons in the world in which we live.

The passion for making great imagery sits profoundly within me. It is almost an obsession, but one that brings a huge amount of joy, both in the initial recording of an image and that of the huge amount of joy that one single image can bring thereafter. If one single image can do all of that then imaging the joy derived from many thousands of images?! Little wonder then, that for me at least, making beautiful photographs is a compulsion.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 188.00mm, F4, ISO 400, 1/800 Seconds Exposure, AP, Hand Held.

The Delights of Spring

8th May 2019 By Mike Barrett

Spring is such a fabulous time of the year in Great Britain. From a photographic perspective it certainly presents new opportunities. Renewed and vibrantly coloured backdrops are established and frame the remnants of winter, like these Teasel heads that have been bent and crippled by the harsh cold, set against a fresh spring hue. New life sprouts up from just about every corner, every nook and every cranny. Colour begins to be splashed across the land once again. The once desaturated panorama begins to present new and vibrant energy, form and luminosity. It also warms up quite a bit, which is all good in my book.

Here are a few shots from being out and about in the countryside during the easter break.

The River Ure at Hackfall Woods – The Making of the Composition

30th April 2019 By Mike Barrett

This image was taken while on a recent trip out to Hackfall Woods up in North Yorkshire. The woods are absolutely stunning and well worth exploring. If you like a nice stroll and you enjoy nature, this place ticks all the boxes. Great for kids and family days out. Awesome for exploring in terms of photography.

On the day that I was there the sun was beating down relentlessly. It was extremely bright. Not at all displeasing, but such conditions are not necessarily ideal for photography. In such conditions you can tend to get harsh and contrasty elements in your imagery, dark shadows against extremely bright areas of reflected sunshine. That said I was undeterred. I took my tripod and searched for a good place by the side of the River Ure. Upon finding an ideal spot, I settled in to find a pleasing composition.

The river was flowing fairly quickly, even though in this image it looks serene. There is a reason for that. My intention was to flatten out the water by taking a longer exposure. This would enable me to get rid of some of the texture created by the fast flow of water. In essence, I wanted to make the water a little more flat and glassy looking. I also wanted to blur out and soften some of the harsh, contrasty shadows that I mentioned that were being reflecting back off the water. In order to accomplish this I put a 10 stop filter on my lens which enabled me to attain a longer exposure time, even in such bright conditions.

The composition that I made may seem fairly simple at a glance but it was certainly thought about. I spent some time moving up and down the river looking for the ideal place to seat the tripod in order to capture a shot worthy of this beautiful place. I deliberately included those beautiful budding branches that were dipping into view on the left hand side of the image as they and reached towards the water, juxtaposing them against the vanishing point of the river as it swung off around the corner. A simple shot in many ways, but I do love the composition which I will discuss in a little more detail below.

Main Image
River Ure – Hackfall Woods

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17.00mm, F10, ISO 100, 10 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted, 10 Stop Filter.

First of all I used the rule of thirds fairly loosely by separating the trees and foliage from the body of water. The white line in Figure 1 below doesn’t quite come in exactly on the third, but it works well enough to separate the weight of the image between these two separate elements, as you can see. I am always of the opinion that the rules that exist in photography are there to guide you more than stick to rigorously. The image has to make sense in its own right and sometimes bending the rules slightly can make an image, not detract from it. You get a sense of what works while on location. It becomes instinctive over time.

You can also see that the white line in Figure 1 separates the image in such a way that what is left both above and below the line almost works as a stand alone image in both cases. Almost!

Figure 1 – Rule of Thirds

The other detail that became apparent to me when making this composition was the two areas that I have outlined in red in Figure 2 blow. It is quite simply a triangle shape which has been formed by the top of the tree line and then reflected in the water below. This aspect of the composition draws the viewers eye into the image in a subtle way. It is detail like this that can be so important when making decisions about setting up a shot and recognising subtleties in the landscape around you. That’s why it is always a good idea to take your time to scan the scenery to see if you can pick out quirky characteristics that are naturally occurring in the landscape around you. Look for reflective elements both in a literal way and also in terms of shapes and forms that may relate to one another within the field of view.

Figure 2 – Reflective or Mirror Elements

Considering how the perspective of this composition works, there is also a vanishing point where the river disappears around the corner. From the point where this occurs I have drawn these green lines onto Figure 3 below illustrating how each separate triangular portion draws the viewer’s eye off in multiple directions reaching all extremities of the photograph. This aspect of the photo also leads the viewer’s eye into the image much like the reflective triangle shape, but it also takes the viewer on a journey around the whole image making each separate component of the photograph as important as the other in terms of achieving something that is both aesthetically pleasing and well balanced concerning the overall composition.

Figure 3 – Leading Lines

Lastly, when you lay the golden ratio over the top of this image as seen in Figure 4 below you can also see how it works in terms of weight and balance, even though the focal point isn’t necessarily true to the ratio, the suggestion of where the image is drawing the viewers attention is very apparent.

Figure 4 – The Golden Ratio

Landscape photography is very much about taking the viewer on a journey and engaging the onlooker by creating imagery that evokes an emotional response. Good landscape photography is not only creating something that is aesthetically pleasing, but also making a record of the time, the place, the season, the weather, the colours and/or various hues that are occurring and indeed in the telling of a story. All of these elements can be achieved with a little bit of awareness and consideration. Taking time to look and truly see what surrounds you is critical. Finding balance, elements of interest, leading lines, aspects that visually echo or repeat or give the sense of distance or depth of field, things that draw the eye or that can be juxtaposed against each other can all be components the go towards making an image work and be intriguing.

A friend said to me many years ago and I quote “Beauty can be found in the small and mundane as well as in the mighty monuments of life”. That sentiment has always stuck with me. We are surrounded by beauty and yet don’t always see it or appreciate it. But when you start looking at things with a critical eye and certainly with a modicum of passion, you will find all sorts of intriguing and stunning imagery. It’s literally everywhere. Photography for me is about wanting to capture and ensnare the beguiling, the beautiful, the quirky and things that occur in the moment. I want to create imagery that endures and intrigues.

Rock on Llyn Llydaw, Snowdonia

9th April 2019 By Mike Barrett

I took this shot last summer while climbing Snowdon. I’ve always been drawn to it. Not sure why, but I’ve always just liked it. Some images just sit well with you.

A friend once said to me that the small and mundane are as important as the mighty monuments in life. He was absolutely right.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 98.00mm, F18, ISO 160, 1/125 Seconds Exposure, AP, Hand Held.

Chasing Light

25th January 2019 By Mike Barrett

It’s always fun heading out to get long exposure photographs in urban settings. On this occasion I was running a workshop with MODE VITAL. It was a chilly January night, but conditions were ideal for capturing this type of shot and there was a lot of traffic about.

It’s always interesting teaching people new skills. It’s rewarding beyond compare. I love to see those little eureka moments as the realisation occurs that the scope of possibility is broadening, much like the smile that accompanies that realisation. DSLR cameras can do so much if you are aware of the settings that are available to you and indeed how to use them in conjunction with each other. If you get to know your kit and how it works the possibilities in terms of shots are literally limitless. When you know how to use your kit the rest is just perception and imagination.

I only took five shots on this particular night. This one was shot number three. I had set the camera up purely as a demonstration mechanism and to determine what sort of settings would be optimal in this particular environment and for this composition. This type of shot is great for learning about the manual settings of a DSLR as it is such an extreme type of photography if you are relate it to the normal point and shoot shot that most people would take on their phones for instance. You have to set up for a long exposure in order to capture all those beautiful light trails and in turn you need to know how to control and set your ISO to determine the quality of the shot. Then there is the lens aperture, setting this up correctly is critical in order to capture all that beautiful detail. So you are very much hands on with the whole exposure triangle. There were some other things that we looked at like hyperfocal distance when focusing, timings and what to look out for regarding the capturing of good, strong imagery and moving light. Composition and leading lines etc. All good fun for those who love to learn more about these photographic processes.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 40mm, F16, ISO 100, 20.0 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

Landscape and Light

9th January 2019 By Mike Barrett

Take some time to sit yourself in the landscape, and wait. Wait and watch. Watch and wait. Take a flask. Maybe some food. Eat, drink, wait and watch. Watch and wait.

This is when you witness magic. The magic of light. The magic of the land and how it takes on diverse and ever changing forms as it reflects the light. From raven blacks to washed out greys. From majestic, dusty edged, alabaster Cumulonimbus reaching to embrace the heavens, to a verdant meadow kissing an azure sky. From searing hot horizons framed by foreboding and shadowy plumes of an imminent storm, to blinding white mists that obscure the panorama, chilling the landscape while removing all discernible detail from view. Where maybe only a slither of form may present some significance, albeit with a washed out and delicate hue.

So much can happen and change when you’re out in the wilderness. The trick is being able to spot the interesting moments as they present themselves and try to record them in the magnificent way in which they appear.

The description above is pretty much the exact array of conditions that presented themselves while I was walking in the Peak District at the weekend. I had visited Froggatts Edge, a gritstone escarpment which sits in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park, in Derbyshire, England. The weather was unbelievably dramatic and incredibly changeable over the course of the day and so presented some interesting vistas to photograph.

These images were taken at different times during my visit. It is amazing how much can change in the landscape if you are willing to spend time in a place and be patient in order to get some interesting shots. I have known photographers get bored and frustrated while being out in the countryside because the light has been bad and the weather has been inclement. I have watched them pack up their kit and called it a day, only for everything to change not ten minutes later and for the same landscape that looked drab, boring and disinteresting to offer up unbelievably beautiful scenery because of a slight change in weather conditions. Patience is a virtue is a saying that we are all familiar with. Where landscape photography is concerned patience pays off more times than not.

Here are some images I took up on Froggatts Edge.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 109mm, F7.1, ISO 100, 1/250 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F6.3, ISO 250, 1/800 Seconds Exposure, Aperture Priority, Hand Held.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 188mm, F20, ISO 100, 1/6 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 22mm, F4.5, ISO 250, 1/250 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 113mm, F13, ISO 250, 1/60 Seconds Exposure, Manual, Tripod Mounted.

Peak District – Watery Inferno

28th November 2018 By Mike Barrett

Landscape photography is it’s own reward, in as much that it gets you out into the big wide world, breathing in fresh air and discovering new and interesting places over and over again. Invariably you’ll find yourself stomping across the countryside, up hill and down dale, or indeed racing along wet beaches in your wellies trying to get to a specific location before the sun starts rising. (Been there, done that)! Other times you’ll be wading through rivers, ice cold water up to your knees, hands freezing, all your kit damp while you’re dripping wet through, all in the pursuit of that killer shot. The exercise is good though, soaking up the atmosphere while being buffeted by the elements is also exhilarating. In my book, these experiences bring an enormous sense of wellbeing. What of the photography? If you are anything like me you will end up with a whole bunch of images that you will keep forever. Some of which might even make it into the portfolio.

A recent trip to the Peak District was a day such as this. I had left it a bit late, or so I had thought, to go out and get a beautiful autumnal shot in some stunning location or other. The leaves were coming off the trees at a rate of knots. One robust storm would have stripped the trees of their remaining leaves which in turn would have deprived me of the opportunity of getting a shot from this years stunning autumnal backdrop.

My friend and fellow photographer Graham Binns and I headed out to the Peak District along a road that we had travelled on some months before. We had both vowed to come back to this location come autumn time such was its beauty. We got extremely excited when entering the densely wooded area that we had earmarked on a previous trip. The autumn colours this year were literally out of this world. A burning hue, the likes of which I’ve not witnessed before. Apparently such vivid and intense colour is a phenomenon brought about by intensely hot, dry summers. Like the one we have just had. Apparently in brighter, dryer weather, sugars become more concentrated in the leaves and more anthocyanin is produced. Subsequently leaves become a deeper, more vibrant red!

We arrived at the desired location and hurriedly got our kit together and headed off in different directions in search of a composition or two.

The shot below is the first one that I took. From the roadside looking down into the valley, there amassed a dense wooded area that was awash with colour. I was fascinated by how vivid the colours were framed by the blackened bark of the trees. Darkened by the sporadic downfalls of rain that were beleaguering the day. There was still good light in the sky. It was bright but rainy. There was a soft, defused light that’s great for this kind of shot.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 200mm, F11, ISO 100, 1/4 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

This next shot is literally to the right hand side of where I was stood when taking the shot above. I had positioned myself on a muddy verge among the stones of a fallen wall situated on a hair pin bend in this small valley. The road was a 1:4 gradient hill, although it’s hard to tell from the photograph. I was made aware of the incline while walking back up it. The lactic acid build up in my leg muscles let me know all about it. Especially with all my camera kit on my back. This scene of the road just appealed to me, so I grabbed a shot of it before heading down into the valley to find Graham. It wasn’t long after this shot before the heavens opened again and the rain came down in stair rods.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F11, ISO 100, 1/4 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

I found Graham further down the road looking somewhat waterlogged but enjoying himself none the less. We decided to head back to the car and move on to find another location a bit further into the Peak District. We had been travelling for about ten minutes when we came across a scene that just couldn’t be passed up. It was such a stunning spot that we both jumped out of the car like a couple of excited school kids and headed off into this beautiful wilderness with feverish abandon. The colours and the scenery that lay before us was exactly the type of shot that we had been looking for. Something that depicted the sheer beauty of this years fall in Great Britain. The shots below are from the location that we found. Beautiful to say the very least. We spent a good couple of hours here taking photographs, doing some filming and soaking up the ambience. The only thing that could have dampened our spirits was the perpetual rainfall. Keeping our kit dry was a bit of a challenge but neither of us cared a jot. We were out doing what we love!

This images below is looking up the river as it cascades down towards a small bridge situated just behind us.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F16, ISO 100, 1.0 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

This shot below is looking back down the river. Stunning colour!

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 17mm, F16, ISO 100, 1.0 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 30mm, F16, ISO 100, 1.0 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

Lens EF17-40mm F/4L USM @ 40mm, F16, ISO 100, 1.0 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted.

Having got these shots and a few more besides we decided to call it a day as we were wet through and our kit was getting fairly wet too. Both of us were happy with the shots that we got. Graham had taken some on his Bronica ETRSI as well as digitally. We’re both looking forward to seeing those.

Lake District – Waterfall near Coniston Water

27th November 2018 By Mike Barrett

This was a great find while bimbling around the Lake District. A set of stunning water falls cascading down a small gorge. There were about 20 to 30 different compositions to be had at this location. I spent most of my time focusing on this particular fall just because of the way the water split in different directions as it came over the top of the two major rocks at the top of the frame. I was interested in the multiple directions that the course of water took after hitting the small pool just above mid frame. Shooting wide angle so as to capture the whole scene. I’m really pleased with the way this composition fills the frame and takes the eye on a complete journey around the image. Plus I loved the autumnal reds and oranges caught in the rock juxtaposed against the earthy greens of the moss and foliage clinging to the stone.

This shot was taken using a HOYA Variable ND filter set fairly dark in order to achieve a bit more of a distortion in the flow of water achieving a slightly longer exposure time.

Lens 17-40mm @ 17mm, F16, ISO 320, 6 seconds exposure, Tripod Mounted. Time – 14.26 (21.11.18)

The Lake District – Last Light

27th November 2018 By Mike Barrett

‘Coniston Jetty at Sundown’

Having spent the day in the Lake District in fairly dull, grey weather with not much drama going on at all, I was happy to get these late shots just before calling it a day and heading home. I could hardly see what I was doing setting up. I was lighting up my kit bag using the torch on my iPhone in order to find the kit I needed. Lens, remote trigger etc. I put the tripod in place and did a couple of test shots. The light was literally falling away by the second. Off in the distance there was this wonderful patch of light forming in the clouds and moving across my composition. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, I waited until it had come across enough to frame the end of the jetty and then took the shot.

Lens 17-40mm @ 27mm, F11, ISO 100, 30 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted. Time – 16.44 (21.11.18)

‘Coniston Jetty – Blue Hour’

Interestingly, this image was made 6 minutes earlier. A very slightly different composition and focal length. The difference in the quality of light is fascinating. This shot was taken at 16.38 when the blue hour was very much in evidence. The image above is a good example of how quickly the light was falling off as the sun sank deeper beyond the horizon when you compare it to the image below which was taken just minutes earlier. It’s also a really good example of how light changes quickly in landscape photography. This is an extreme reference of course as the sun had well and truly set with only ambient light left to play with. But even so, light, colour and atmosphere can change in an instant when you’re out shooting the landscape and you very much have to keep your wits about you as wonderful and compelling shots can be easily missed.

Lens 17-40mm @ 25mm, F16, ISO 320, 30 Seconds Exposure, Tripod Mounted. Time – 16.38 (21.11.18)

Northumberland 2018

12th November 2018 By Mike Barrett

Northumberland for me is a home from home. I am always at peace when I’m in there. Of course it also offers an incredible amount of stunning scenery, so the seasoned photographer will never get bored. With it’s vast coastal areas of beauty and an insane amount of beautiful and rugged countryside to explore, this place is an absolute must for anyone with a love for landscape photography. The skies seem to be bigger as do the vistas across the countryside. I have heard many people say so, so don’t just take my word for it.

The history in this part of the country is also very rich. It is home to Hadrian’s Wall and marks the Edge of Empire in terms of how far the Romans were willing to march North in the conquering of Great Britain. The settlements and artefacts and other historical wonders that are constantly being unearthed along the wall and in other areas in this part of the country are vast. The walks along the wall are also stunning and it is well worth a trip to see this marvellous and beautiful landscape. The wild winds blow away any cobwebs that might be lingering that’s for sure.

Below is some of the imagery I managed to shoot on my recent trip the the wonderful North East Coat of England.

Mam Tor – The Peak District

12th November 2018 By Mike Barrett

It’s great to get about the country and to see the stunning landscape that Great Britain has to offer. So much so that I can sometimes forget what I have got on my doorstep. The Peak District is one of the most stunning locations in Great Britain. The beauty in the landscapes that the Peaks has to offer is just breathtaking. It always surprises me when I go back there just how devastatingly beautiful the Peaks are.

Mam Tor (‘Mother Hill’) is no exception. Standing 517 meters above Castleton in the high peak of Derbyshire, this location offers some of the areas best and most breathtaking scenery. Not that it is in short supply by any stretch of the imagination. Here are a couple of shots I got on a recent visit to this beautiful place. A place I have been to many times and will continue to return to.

Goit Stock and Janet’s Foss Water Falls

12th November 2018 By Mike Barrett

Here are a few images from a couple of recent trips out pre fall. These were taken on the brink of the season change between summer and autumn. The leaves had only just started to show a change in colour. The hot temperatures of the summer had started to ebb away and there was a bit of a chill in the air. The two locations were Goit Stock Falls at Hallas Beck, Cullingworth and Janet’s Foss Waterfall, Gordale Beck, near to Malham, North Yorkshire.

One of the many things I love about Great Britain is the stark changes in the seasons. The diversity of colour, vegetation, skies, temperatures in the landscape from one season to another is just stunning. You could literally set a permanent tripod up looking at one perspective and get a million different photographs.

As much as it is important as a photographer to constantly seek out new locations and interesting places in which to take great images, it is also equally important to return to those places that we have already been to at different times of the year and at various times of the day as the scenery can, will and does change. The colours, the mood, the atmosphere can all shift literally from one moment to another, so imagine the change over the seasons. Experienced landscape photographers know this all too well. You can get to an interesting location and there is no shot at all, but if you are prepared to wait it out just a little bit of time, light can change, weather can change and magic can happen in front of your eyes.

Wast Water – The Lake District

1st September 2018 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

The Lake District is just one of the most phenomenally beautiful places in England. Come rain of shine, there is always something happening within the landscape that makes photographers like me twitch with anticipation. Recently I took my family over the Hardknott Pass looking for one of my favourite places in the Lakes, Wast Water. As well as being hard on the nerves, the clutch and brakes on your car wont be too happy with you after navigating the Hardknott Pass, even if you are taking it really easy. It is one of the steepest roads in England and at times has a gradient of 1 in 3 ( a 33% incline).

If the conditions are right though, and your nerves can take it, the landscape is absolutely breathtaking and well worth the trip. Wast Water is not a big a journey once you are over the pass. Perhaps another 20 minutes drive. It does have to be said that when you turn that final bend in the road when heading there and the lake opens up in front of you it is one of the most breath taking experiences. The screes that tumble from the mountains into the lake are a sight to behold alone. It somehow manages to convey the sheer magnificence of nature. A frozen rock fall of epic magnitude hung on the side of the mountain lending itself to the idea that time may actually be frozen. As an onlooker, as you are moving around it, this makes the scene quite eerie.

While we were there I set up the camera on the tripod and watched some formidable cloud formations drift in and out of the scene. Ideally, I would have liked to have been there at sunrise in perfect conditions, but I was on holiday with my family and we were just exploring and as I have said, there is always something happening within the landscape that makes photographers like me twitch with anticipation.

So, I played around with some different compositions and ended up with some photos that I absolutely love to bits. They show how beautiful this place is in the middle of the day when the sun is shining and there is some wonderful cloud formation skipping over the tops of the mountains.

Snowdoinia – Summer 2018

8th August 2018 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

A stomp with the family up Snowdon and some beautiful surrounding scenery.

We were recently in Snowdonia National Park on a short camping holiday. We always try to get there at least once a year as a family. My wife and I have been going ever since we got together so it is a little bit of a homage trip and we always end up staying in the same place. There is a little campsite at the foot of Snowdon called Tyisaf in Nant Peris. It is situated at the foot of the Nant Peris Pass where the road snakes down the mountainside following a meandering river. It is a stunningly beautiful place and one of which I will never tire.

Families come and go, many climbers stay there and plenty of D of E tribes move on and off this site during the course of the year. In the local town of Llanberis, there is a famous cafe called Pete’s Eats. This is where you go to have very large fry ups in the morning to set you on your way. It is the law!

I was so very proud of my little girl while we were there this year. She is only 5 years old and she walked all the way up to the top of Snowdon via the Miner Track. She did this without complaint. She has always loved the great outdoors. Something that my wife and I have instilled into her from a very early age. Climbing is one of her favourite things to do. So she was in her element.

It was an extremely hot day with temperatures reaching 36 degrees around mid day. I had all of my camera kit on my back so I really felt the climb. That said, we all got up in one piece having consumed about four litres of water between us. I had a well earned freezing cold bottle of pale ale and we all had a good rest before making our way back down towards Llanberis via the path that follows the train line.

Snowdonia is a fabulous place and well worth a visit for the views and the relaxation. Perhaps a bit of boating on Llyn Padarn, or maybe even a bit of hard climbing too.

Here are some images from our time there.

From Low Newton-by-the-Sea to Dunstanburgh Castle

6th January 2018 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

I have just got back from a week long break in Northumberland with my family. We tend to go up there a lot. It’s a stunningly beautiful place where we go to unwind and breathe in the fresh sea air and generally chill out and recharge the batteries. What is so wonderful about the place is that it offers an unreal amount of incredible scenery, which for a photographer like myself, is just too hard to turn down.
I had a brilliant time up there armed with my camera and tripod and I managed to get some stunning shots to bring home with me from the holiday. Here a three of my favourite images from our time up there.

The Hewenden Viaduct Reconnaissance Mission

30th December 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

Out on a recce mission with my mate and fellow TOG, Graham Binns.

This beautiful viaduct looked like it would be an amazing place to go and capture some interesting landscape photography. Having done a little research online about where exactly it was and how one might go about photographing this amazing structure, it quickly became apparent that it was impossible to make any solid plans without first having visited the site. So that’s what we did.

We travelled there one afternoon just to have a good look around and get a feel for the place. I have a little app on my phone called ‘The Photographer’s Ephemeris’. It’s a great little tool that shows you exactly where the sun will rise and set, using GPS to verify your exact positioning. While we were on location we used the app to determine exactly where would be a great position to set up, ready to get some interestingly lit shots of this vast structure as the sun was going down. Obviously a little common sense and intuition goes a long way too, but when time is of the essence and the site is as large as this structure proved to be, this little app can prove to be priceless for knowing exactly where to be and when to be there.
This trip was all about getting to know a place and becoming familiar with the surroundings so that we may return again and again at different points throughout the year to photograph and rephotograph this stunning structure.

(Wikipedia Info)

‘Hewenden Viaduct, situated near Cullingworth, West Yorkshire, England, stands at 123 feet (37 m) tall and spans 576 yards (527 m) with 17 arches each of 16.5 yards (15 m). The foundations of the viaduct had to be sunk more than 60 feet (18 m) into the earth because of the unstable ground below.
The viaduct originally formed part of the Keighley and Thornton Branch of the Great Northern Railway and, together with the mile-long Lees Moor Tunnel, opened to passenger trains in 1883.
It served as a railway viaduct along the Queensbury Lines and it now forms part of the Great Northern Railway Trail for cyclists and walkers. It is a Grade II listed building.’

It just so happened that we had our kit with us and were able to get a few decent shots within the short time frame in which we were there.

Studley Royal Deer Park

5th December 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

On Sunday morning I was up bright and early. At 4.30am to be precise. I was headed to Studley Royal Deer Park, which is a medieval deer park near Ripon in Yorkshire. I was accompanied by my good friend and fellow tog, Graham Binns. We were both hopeful to get some images of the deer at sunrise.

The deer park is part of the National Trust’s Fountains Abbey where the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey are set beside the grounds of Studley Royal. We travelled there because the weather report had said that it was going to be the ideal conditions for some fantastic sunrise photography.

It was still pitch black when we arrived. We got the kit together and headed out to find the deer and to wait for the sunrise. When the sun rise did appear, it offered a little bit of colour for a very small amount of time before clouding over and becoming as dull as dishwater. Not great for the type of photographs we were after. Not to be disheartened, we pressed on and made the most of our time there and captured what images we could on a somewhat dull and overcast morning.

The wildlife was stunning however. I have never in my life seen such a vast amount of pheasants, shrews, rabbits, all manor of different birds and literally thousands of magnificent deer.

We shall certainly be heading back again at some point to get the shots we had planned for.

Here are a handful of the images that I managed to acquire on the day.

Look at all that water Mummy

21st October 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

My two favourites, bathed in the morning sunshine at Embleton beach, Northumberland.

Northumberland Coast – Summer 2017

8th September 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

I recently spent some time up in Northumberland with my family on a summer vacation. Such a stunning part of the world. We try and get up there at least once a year if we can. While I was there I managed to get out and photograph the coast as the sun was rising. Luckily there was plenty of drama on this stunning morning. The light was just magnificent. Most of these shots are taken on Embleton Beach looking South/East over towards Dunstanburgh Castle. The Lighthouse shots were taken at Longstone Lighthouse in The Farne Islands. This is where Grace Darling once lived with her father who was the lighthouse keeper and where she made her heroic rescue of survivors from the shipwrecked Forfarshire in 1838.