Nature Archives - Mike Barrett Photography

Photo Walk with MODE VITAL

3rd September 2019 By Mike Barrett

These photos are from a recent photography walk that was organised through a company that I run with a friend of mine. All the images are from in and around the Mirfield area in West Yorkshire. We were there to offer our expertise, tuition, hints and tips, paying attention to composition, camera setup, subject matter, looking for leading lines, framing, thirds and other techniques etc. There was a good turn out and it was a fun way to spend an evening. During the evening I was able to take a mixture of my two favourite styles of photography. Landscape and Candid People/Portrait shots. Both styles of photography bring me a lot of joy.

You can achieve great photography anywhere. You don’t have to head out to the Lake District or Scotland or to the coast to get imagery that captures a sense of wonder. You just need to step outside your door and go for a stroll. You may be surprised at what you might find. There are plenty of things to photograph that are fascinating and engaging in terms of subject matter. I’ve got great shots of rotting and dilapidated garage doors juxtaposed against a mass of green foliage. Fabulous sunset shots standing in my front garden. Shots of frosted leaves on the ground outside my daughters school. Crazy beautiful sunrise shots in a local park where the sky was awash with colour and the ground was hardened with frost. I once even got questioned when photographing some asphalt in a car park outside an art gallery in Halifax. “What the hell are you doing lad?” was the question that was posed as far as I can remember. There was some oil on the ground and there had been some big letters marked onto the ground with a liberal amount of white thermoplastic, which is that stuff they use for writing various instructions and words onto the ground, like ‘BUS STOP’ or ‘SCHOOL AHEAD’ or indeed just a series of lines to guide traffic into the right places, like parking spaces for instance. The colours in the oil on a slightly wet surface were fascinating, especially set against the pitch black asphalt and I used the lines made by the thermoplastic for some interesting structure to the shots. Abstract indeed, but interesting nonetheless. I tried to explain this to the gentleman who had asked the question, but it was all lost on him unfortunately!

Nature taking over urban spaces is always a fascinating subject. I really like the black and white shots of the characters in silhouette walking over the bridge in the gallery below. Using the structure of the bridge to lead the viewer to the subject matter is always a good trick. It’s just being mindful of your surroundings and keeping a keen eye open for stuff that jumps out at you and things that might make a great photographic composition! That married together with a little imagination and you can start adding all sorts of crazy and fantastic imagery to your portfolio.

Are you looking to learn photography or possibly expand on your photographic skills? Check out MODE VITAL for available courses if you would like to improve your photography. We offer a range of photography courses for all abilities.

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

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.

Spring in Action

1st May 2019 By Mike Barrett

I love this time of year. Spring is my favourite season without a shadow of a doubt. I love the vibrancy of colours, the fresh new smells, the new energy and renewed activity in nature. The intensity of sound, colour, smells and rejuvenated growth is beguiling and lifts the soul. It’s a season of hope, prosperity and new life. Here is a shot of new life springing into action. A new Sycamore Tree shooting up against the backdrop of flowing water. Fresh new life and vibrant in colour. Fantastic.

Lens EF70-200mm F/4L USM @ 188.00mm, F5.6, ISO 500, 1/400 Seconds Exposure, AP, Hand Held.

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.

Landscape and Light

9th January 2019 By Mike Barrett

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. Magic of light. The magic of the land and how it takes on diverse and ever changing forms in the reflection of the light. From raven blacks to washed out greys. From majestic, dusty edged, alabaster Cumulonimbus reaching to embrace the heavens to verdant meadows kissing azure skies. 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. Where maybe only a slither of form may present some significance albeit with a swashed 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.

Beauty is Everywhere

22nd May 2018 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

Images that I took on a recent trip to the National Trust property, Nostell Priory. It was the end of winter and I went on the hunt to find some interesting compositions and something beautiful in the grey murky conditions that I was faced with. Check out the YouTube video here… Beauty is Everywhere

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.

Autumn Sunshine

12th December 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

This was another smashing family shoot with Dom and Gemma and family in some super late evening, autumn sunshine. It was just cracking colour in that golden hour towards the end of the days natural light. We had some fun throwing leaves around and spent some time getting these lovely family shots, before the sunshine disappeared completely.

Ice on Fire

12th December 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

I took this images with my iPhone. I was walking my little girl to school early one morning recently when there was a heave ground frost. These leaves were just stuck together in a frosty clump begging to be photographed. I didn’t have any of my camera kit on me, but I did have my iPhone which captured the scene beautifully. Autumn offers so much beautiful scenery. Such beautiful colours.

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.

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.

Cast No Shadow

24th January 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

Wet Road and Ginger Trees

24th January 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

Our Morning Journey

24th January 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

A mundane walk to school? Never. A fascinating journey of beauty actually!

Can you spot it?

4th January 2017 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

My daughter shouted out to me and my wife the other morning. “Mummy, Daddy, come and look at this”.
There was a Sparrowhawk sitting as still as possible on our old gate over the road from our house. I really have no idea how she spotted it as it took my wife and I a while to see it sitting there. Even though my daughter was avidly pointing and saying, “There, there, there…”
Every bird in the neighborhood knew exactly where it was though. There was an eerie silence. I think it had its eyes on some house sparrows that frequent the space along the top of the corbels just under our roof. They sit there happily chirping through the day. Not this day though.

It was quite obvious that it couldn’t see us three peering at it through the window. The sky must have been reflected in the glass obscuring its view of us from the angle in which it was looking up towards us. I dashed to get my camera. I had just enough time to capture this shot before it darted after a very foolish sparrow that had made a dash for it. I used a EF70-200mm f/4L USM, focal length of 188.0 mm to get this shot.

Below is a zoomed in crop of the photo. Such a beautiful bird. We love seeing this sort of wildlife visiting our garden.

Stirley Community Farm

14th July 2015 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

These photographs were taken when we went on a visit to Stirley Community Farm, Huddersfield. It is a super local farm that has 240 acres and practices wildlife-friendly farming. It is the gateway site for West Yorkshire, founded by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. The farm promotes healthy living and a healthy environment.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust took ownership in 2011 and has turned the farm into an excellent education environment with food gardens, orchards, a beef herd, bee hives and it also provides agricultural and conservation training for young people and adults who are keen to get involved with positive food production and positive and sustainable farming.

When we went it was a stunning summer afternoon, so I took the opportunity to get a couple of snaps of my family in the natural meadow area.

All Images are copyright:

Dockentail Woods

25th April 2015 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

Out in Dockentail Woods again. I love how all the trees in these local woods bend towards the light. The wood is situated on a slope facing southwest where the sun swings around during the day. A great example of positive phototropism. It looks like some mad wind storm blew in at some point and shoved all the trees over. The woods have a magical feel to them. I don’t think they would look out of place in some J. R. R. Tolkien imagined land somewhere in Middle Earth.

Here are some images from a photo shoot I did there recently with these two young lads. It was one of those days when the sun was out, then it was cloudy, then the sun was out, then it was cloudy, then the…etc. Managed to get some great shots with them when the cloud offered a bit of defuse light. They were both completely comfortable in front of the camera also, which made my job all the more easy.

A great place, two smashing lads, a good photo shoot.

All Images are copyright:

Winter Round Our Way

15th January 2015 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

I’m from Nottingham originally and as much as I love my home city, Yorkshire has stolen my heart. I came to live up in Yorkshire back in 1999. It took me a couple of years to settle in and get my bearings considering the size of this vast county, but I have to say that year in, year out, I fall in love with this place over and over again.

It is such a beautiful county to live in, with its stunning countryside, tremendous characters, awesome pubs (which is always important), and so much to do and see. For lovers of the great outdoors, as we are, Yorkshire just about has it all.

I took these photos a couple of weeks ago. There had been some snowfall, so my family and myself went on a bit of a stomp. This is what’s on our doorstep.

Mr Robin

14th November 2014 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

My sister came to visit us from Ireland recently and brought the family. Her husband, who is a top bloke, and my nephew and niece, who are two very smashing kids who are full of beans. We took them out to show them a bit of Yorkshire during the time that they had with us. Two of the places that went to were Malham Cove, and Gordale Scar in North Yorkshire, England. We tend to go here quite a lot to take in the stunning beauty of the incredible limestone cliffs and limestone pavement, along with the many amazing views and walks in the area. Suffice to say, they were all suitably impressed.

While we were having a picnic right under the limestone cliff, a very friendly and inquisitive Robin visited us. I think he was after a bit of something to fill his belly to be honest, but he seemed quite sure of himself. The children were fascinated by him as he darted about the place. He managed to stay still long enough for me to reel off a couple of shots while he sat on a mossy wall.

I love it when wild animals choose to come and spend a bit of their time with you.

All Images are copyright:

Hartshead Church – Yew Tree

14th October 2014 By Mike Barrett Leave a Comment

Just up the road from where I live there is a tiny yet stunning old church in a little place called Hartshead.

St Peter, Hartshead is beautifully placed atop a hill with incredible views of the local Yorkshire countryside. Not only is it old and pretty, it is also steeped heavily in local history. Not least, it boasts connections to Robin Hood and the Bronte family. Patrick Bronte was the vicar here from 1810 to 1815 and Charlotte Bronte (his daughter) wrote her novel “Shirley” which was largely based on the local area.

The church also has connections to the Luddite uprising. It is situated not too far from the ‘Dumb Steeple’ in Cooper Bridge. This is where the Luddites gathered before marching across Hartshead Moor towards William Cartwright’s Mill near Cleckheaton. Their express intention was to smash the looms and break all newly developed labour-replacing machinery.

In the churchyard on this windy hill top there stands an old dead yew tree. Robin hood is said to have cut his last arrow from this tree and local legend has it that this was the very arrow that he fired that came to mark the place where he is now buried.

I was walking with my daughter recently and decided to stop for a rest in the churchyard to eat our picnic and take in the stunning views. I have marvelled at the tree on numerous occasions before and on this particular occasion decided to take a few shots of its wonderfully contorted and gnarly form.

All Images are copyright: