Wednesday 28 April 2010

New Lake District Black & White Photographs

I have just sent 15 new Lake District images to Martin, my web man, to add to my web site. Will keep fingers crossed that they are loaded on the Recent Images Gallery by the weekend so that I can use them on the course we are running starting on Sunday. They were all taken in mid-March before or during the last Eskdale course. They cover locations in Eskdale, Wasdale and Buttermere.
Ritson's Force, Wasdale head
Scafell and Tree, above Boot in Eskdale
Rocks and the River Esk, Boot
Scafell Pike and Wast Water

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Buxton Gallery

I walked the 12 miles to and from Buxton today. It was clear as a bell with blue sky and white fluffy clouds and not too warm. Didn't carry my camera as my bad back had been aching recently but it was a good day for photos. Hope this continues into next week for our Lake District course; we go up on Saturday. Now have 3 of the 5 places booked on the course and I'm sure we'll have a good time, can't fail really in Eskdale - the scenery is spectacular.

Heard Snipe piping for the first time this year and then spotted it on top of a fence post across the field from me as I walked to Buxton. Would have stopped and watched for longer but had to reach the Gallery by 9.30am. On the way back saw a family of 5 Kestrels practising their skills around the edge of Combs Moss. Just a few Mallard on the reservoir as I walked over the dam near home, usually see Great Crested Grebes but not today, but it reminded me that I had seen 3 Little Grebes on the Cromford Canal last Wednesday when I went down there to take some photographs of Arkwrights Mill for a commission. Hadn't seen any before in Derbyshire, my last sighting being on the flooded gravel pits around Sandy in Bedfordshire, where we used to live (in Sandy not the gravel pits!), 30-odd years ago.
Time flies when you're enjoying yourself.

Monday 26 April 2010

Places on Lake District Course Starting Sunday 2nd May

There are still places on my Lake District photography course starting on Sunday 2nd May and finishing Wednesday 5th May. That gives you 3 full days of photography with Jan and I as tutors in some spectacular scenery. The Lakes have been having great weather too so it will be good for photos if it continues, and it sounds as though it should.

For example, just a 10 minute walk from our very comfortable accommodation (Stanley House) is a 60 foot high waterfall, Stanley Ghyll in a stunning setting (see photo below taken just before the last course in March). Then we have views to the highest peaks in England, the deepest lake, the coast for beaches and estuary, a ruined Roman fort and lots more. What variety! Just ask if you need more information.


You can book directly with me (telephone, email, etc.) or through the web site. If you want to join us please don't wait too long or we may not have a room for you! Dave

Sunny Peak District

We have clear blue skies everywhere now, after showers earlier on. Nice light at the end of the day. Hope it holds for tomorrow as I'm walking to Buxton for a day in the Gallery in Pavilion Gardens.

Monday 5 April 2010

Dodgy Weather Forecasts for Peak District Course!

Yesterday was the last day of the 3 day course for Clive and Alex and we were looking forward to the best weather of the 3 days with BBC and Met Office forecasts of sunny spells all day. In fact we had sleet, hail and rain in the morning with 25mph winds making it feel much colder than the 8C that the thermometer showed. The afternoon was better but not the blue sky we expected.

Having taken lots of waterfalls on the first 2 days I planned to spend much of this 3rd day taking extensive views from the tops. We started on Combs Moss, a large moor with steep cliffs in places and a high vantage point for us (up to 1700 feet) and views over hills, hill farms and lakes. Unfortunately, shortly after we arrived the rain blew in which was sleet on the top where we sheltered for a few minutes. There was a short break in the weather and we managed some views with sunny patches on the hills. Then back to the car before it closed in again. High Edge and Chrome Hill were next on the list. Coming down from High Edge wwe had stinging hail and a strong wind which nearly ripped the door off the RAV4 when I opened it. Some nice light towards Chrome Hill before this though. We sheltered a few minutes in the car before venturing out for a shot along the spine of Chrome Hill. Nice light here and we made it back to the car in the dry! The rest of the day was dry, thank goodness!

Next stop was Chelmorton and the Church Inn for lunch, a traditional pub with good food and beer. Clive and Alex made it their main meal as they had to return to London when we finished in a few hours time. After lunch we made our way behind the pub onto Chelmorton Low, the local hill with impressive views. From here we went towards Tideswell and Litton for Peter Stone. I was surprised by the amount of water in the the bottom of Cressbrook Dale, over a foot deep in places. Nice light in the dale and several frisky ponies running about for extra interest. Stopped off below Mam Tor on the way back for a quick shot of the ridge leading away to Lose Hill with nice light.

In the end it was a pretty good afternoon despite the forecast!
Overall, we had a good 3 days with lots of changing light making for some dramatic images. Both Clive and Alex have lots of good shots and were good company.

Today I was in the darkroom processing 19 rolls of film from the Lakes. Should have done them sooner or sent them to Ilford to save time. Anyway they are done now. Some good ones too.

Walking to Buxton tomorrow for a day in the Pavilion Gardens Gallery. Will take precaution of not looking at weather forecast so that I'm not disappointed!

Saturday 3 April 2010

Good Day in the Peak District!

Day 2 for Clive and Alex in the Peak District. We had a pleasant surprise today with good weather when we were expecting heavy rain! Lots of sunny spells and clouds and blue sky.
We started from Surprise View above Hathersage with Owler Tor rocks (see photo by Alex below), then on to a couple of shapely trees before going down to Bole Hill Quarry and the millstones and Silver Birch trees. Surprised there were no climbers on the cliffs here. Lots of good shots and different angles to look for through the trees. Views through to Kinderscout with patches of snow on too. Then to the Fox House Inn for a good lunch.

 
Tree near Surprise View. Copyright © Alex Kornitzer 2010
Owler Tor. Copyright © Alex Kornitzer 2010



Bole Hill Cliff Reflections. Copyright © Clive Kornitzer 2010

Bole Hill Millstones. Copyright © Clive Kornitzer 2010

After lunch it was on to Padley Gorge for small waterfalls in the sunshine! Also some tree roots. Then picked off the lone tree on Rushup Edge on our way back as well as panoramas of Kinderscout. Finished at home with a cup of tea and checking out the images from the day!

A good day.

Friday 2 April 2010

Wet day in the Peak District - Clive Kornitzer Image

It is a wet day in the Peak District today. The rain started about 10am and has hardly stopped.

I am running a private course for 3 days with Clive Kornitzer and his son Alex, from London, this was the first day. We started in the Goyt Valley with some waterfalls and a packhorse bridge with a river running underneath it. Then to the Cat and Fiddle pub for lunch, very slow service but not busy despite being Good Friday.

The afternoon was a bit of a wash-out with heavy rain and a cold wind. We started walking down to 3 Shire Heads but the rain increased and it was quite unpleasant. The cameras would have been waterlogged if we had tried to take photos so we returned to base early and did a bit of work on the computer in Photoshop. At least with all of this rain the waterfalls, rivers and lakes look great - no shortage of water in these!

Here is an image by Clive so you can see day was productive even though it was curtailed earlier than expected. A simple image with some nice shapes and patterns that hang together very well with a bit of space at the bottom for the water to fall into. Alex has some good pictures too perhaps I will be able to drop one or two of those on after another day.

Image © Clive Kornitzer 2010

  Forecast is for less rain tomorrow and a few sunny spells. Hope it rains less, and a bit of sunshine would be good!

Thursday 1 April 2010

More Snow in the Peak District

It may be 1st April but this isn't an April Fool's joke - the Peak District is white again after snow all day yesterday and again this morning. It's a cold wind here too. The snow line is about 350 metres so none at the house which sits at 205m but hills front and back are white a fair way down.

I'm running a private course tomorrow for 3 days so there will be some interesting shots for us. The light is fantastic in patches as storms come and go. May take my camera too as there will probably be some unusual shots - Spring interspersed with Winter spells.