Lake District // Landscape Photography
Having not travelled since January, I decided it was time to get back out into nature for some photography and hiking - but this time keeping it within the UK. This was important to me for a number of reasons:
Exploring a new area of the country I have lived in for over 10 years
Achieving a sense of adventure while not taking an international flight (being more conscious of my carbon footprint)
Working on my photography during the green, often overgrown, long summer daylight hours
The trip had originally been planned as a winter excursion (last December), which meant I had a wealth of research to fall on in order to rediscover the Lake District in the summer.
Blea Tarn, Side Pike and Lingmoor Fell
5 nights allowed me to do sunrise and sunset shoots based from my hostels in Borrowdale and Grasmere. Getting the most out of the long summer hours can be a challenge. Often it means getting up early and hiking in the dark (3:30am in some cases), and staying out late (after 9pm). This is imperative to set up and compose your images before sunrise/sunset so as not to miss the best light. The benefits of getting up and out early are endless - I found a solitude hiking the fells before anybody else was awake, and sometimes blue hour can also provide the some of the best conditions.On this particular morning, the mostly clear sky and the cold temperatures combined to create a serene image with crystal clear reflections. The few clouds present in the sky balanced the image out. As I hiked on to Side Pike (top right of the image above) and further to Lingmoor Fell, the clouds built slowly, blocking the harsh sunlight and extending the good light well after sunrise. Side Pike and Lingmoor Fell offer some of the best views of the Langdale Pikes in the Lake District.
Buttermere, King's How, Haystacks and Rydal Water
Here are a few more of my favourite shots from my time in the Lake District. I would highly recommend the hike up to the beautiful views atop Haystacks as well as the serene edges of Rydal water.
