Oliver Duckett

I drive past here every day at the moment, yet this was the first time I had stopped while I had the camera. It is usually quite busy with dog walkers, but I was lucky to find it quiet while there was still a little colour in the clouds.

Fiery Richmond Sky

After missing a couple of interesting sunsets recently in North Yorkshire, we stuck lucky with a really interesting light and sky over Richmond the other night. I've not really got a good shot taken from this angle before, so it was good to get an interesting sky.
The light makes it look like the White Balance is off, but everything really was tinged with an orange glow

Impressionist Poppies

Some more from the Poppy fields, this time taking a more abstract look, trying to focus more on the interplay of the colours.

The first of the poppies

In an attempt not to fall too far behind with my processing, I managed to get a couple of shots through Lightroom this evening, despite adding another load of shots minutes before, as we had yet another good sunset here in Richmond.
These photos are from a couple of weeks back now, as the poppies were out in Skeeby. First up, a couple of more orthodox shots, before the impressionist barrage that will follow soon.

Ullswater Pre-dawn

A very early start saw us getting to Ullswater before sunrise. Fired off a few shots by the famous boat house before scoping out a location for sunrise.

Angel of the North

A quick stop on the way back from Northumberland, I just thought I would go up and scope out the area, as I'd like to go back and do some low light shots here in the future.

Up there....

....with my favourite of the shots I have taken. The break of light over Grasmere after a brief period of cloud.
I am undecided about the processing on this shot. It was very hard to get right in camera, as the sky turned very bright, and I didn't want to blow it out, while making sure there was detail in the shadows and trying to get the remaining mist over the lake.
Three different edits for comparison. I can't make my mind up at all!

Lakes, lakes, lakes.

My first proper photo trip to the Lake District, which is kinda criminal, as it turns out that the drive over is only just over an hour. I had been once before, but the lure of rally cars meant that I didn't pay attention to the scenery as much as I should have, and I certainly didn't have time to stop and take any landscape shots. A few here from Grasmere, just as the light was opening up for the day. So beautiful and tranquil, it was the perfect place to stop and watch the day developing.

Gunnerside Meadows

Some more shots of green, yellow and a splash of blue from the Gunnerside Meadows.

Upper Swaledale Hay Meadows

A trip through Swaledale was a good opportunity to shoot some of the vivid yellows that were carpeting the lower fields. The fields around Gunnerside are well known, but the Muker area was also pretty beautiful too.

Wain Wath Falls

A great hidden gem of Swaledale, not really noticeable from the road, but a great spot to chill out on a summers day. The last time I had visited, I was treading very carefully over sheet ice to get to the waterfall and being very careful with a recently operated upon shoulder.

Northumberland Sunrise

The last from my first trip up to Northumberland, I promise. This time, the first rays of sunlight peeping out over the sea at Bamburgh

Northumberland Sunset

Another sunset from the great beaches up in Northumberland.

Bamburgh Castle

Some shots I hadn't processed from Bamburgh, but seemed like they might be culprits for a play about in LR5. A style I often like when viewing photos online, but one I have rarely tried. I don't think the green works particularly well as a foreground, but I was limited for time, and it was something at least.

Saab goes North

A couple of shots taken just as the light changed on Lindisfarne Causeway. It was a little bit of a rush to get these done, as the tide was coming in, and the causeway was already officially closed for the night. However, I managed to escape without getting wet feet for once. I still consider this to be a major coup!

Bamburgh Rainbow

A shot from my last trip to Northumberland, shot from Lindisfarne looking over the sea to Bamburgh Castle, with the late evening sun rays cutting across and picking up a small rain shower over the sea. I'm not much good at capturing rainbows, but I was quite happy with this one.

Malham Cove

Going through a few old shots that I haven't had chance to process yet. First up, a shot of the interesting limestone landscape above Malham Cove from a few weeks ago. Its a really impressive piece of natural architecture, we enjoyed a great walk up from the stream to the limestone pavement up on the top. Quite a busy location for the Yorkshire Dales though, far from the quiet of Swaledale.