Snowdonia & Llyn Peninsula, Wales, Summer, 2016
Here’s another “Retro Reworking” of some older work of mine.
Here’s another “Retro Reworking” of some older work of mine.
Back in July 2016 we spent a nice week around Snowdonia as well as the Llyn Peninsula. We’ve been to Snowdonia quite a few times now, but this was the first time we explored the area in the summer, in addition to some of the Llyn Peninsula.
Snowdonia has some incredible mountain scenery, featuring as it does the highest peak in Wales, Snowdon or Yr Wyddfa (1,085 m/3,560 ft). It’s also home to my favourite mountain in all of Wales, Tryfan (917 m/3,010 ft). Every time we visit Snowdonia I try to get the best composition of Tryfan I can. I don’t think I’ve quite nailed it yet.
The Llyn Peninsula juts out into the Irish Sea, southwest of Snowdonia. It’s relative isolation, in part being “disconnected” from the rest of Wales by the mountains of Snowdonia, means the peninsula has high percentage of Welsh-language speakers. It features some incredible beaches and isolated bays and coves to explore.
It was fun to revisit these images with a fresh eye and better skills. I hope you enjoy them.
All photos taken on my camera at the time, which was a Nikon D7000 using both a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and a Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Developed using RNI’s Kodachrome film profiles.
Retro Reworking: Watlowes Dry Valley, Yorkshire Dales, Winter 2017
I’ve only been to the Watlowes Dry Valley once, back in February 2017, but it was an experience I’ll never forget. I need to get back here again.
I’ve only been to the Watlowes Dry Valley once, back in February 2017, but it was an experience I’ll never forget. I need to get back here again.
You can find this place in Malhamdale, one of the more popular areas of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Most people head to Malhamdale to experience the Big 3 of the area: Malham Cove (a curved sheer cliff), Gordale Scar (a deep ravine), and Janet’s Foss (a pretty waterfall). But above and beyond both Goredale Scar and Malham Cove lies the Watlowes Dry Valley, once the site of one of Britain’s largest waterfalls.
This valley was carved out from the glacial overspill of Malham Tarn, tens of thousands of years ago. Over time the ice melted and a raging waterfall formed and shaped the incredible landscape you now see. At some point in the distant past, the outflow from Malham Tarn that ran into Watlowes found a more efficient route, and now drops down into the maze-like limestone caves underneath Watlowes. As a result, Watlowes dried up and what you see now is the result. The area where Malham Beck now drops into the caves underneath the Yorkshire Dales is called—appropriately—Water Sinks, as the beck appears to magically disappear into the ground just a few hundred metres from Malham Tarn.
A took a solo hike around this area back in February 2017. I had earmarked the Watlowes Dry Valley for a hike because I was insanely attracted to the idea of exploring an extinct waterfall. The place did not disappoint.
Retro Reworking: Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire, Summer 2017
Brimham Rocks features a wide variety of rock formations crafted into otherworldly and fantastical shapes for thousands of years..
Brimham Rocks is one of my most treasured locations in England.
You can find it on Brimham Moor, appropriately, in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Beauty, west of the Yorkshire Dales. The area features a wide variety of rock formations crafted into otherworldly and fantastical shapes for thousands of years.
The original rock here was laid down about 300+ million years ago, but much of the carving of these rocks occurred within the last 100,000 years. They bear beautifully poetic names, such as The Druid’s Idol, Lover’s Leap, The Wishing Stone, The Anvil, and lots more.
I shot these photographs in the late summer of 2017, when we were housesitting a friend’s place near Harrogate. Back then I was shooting on a Sigma dp0 Quattro with a built-in 14mm f/4.0 lens.
I hope you enjoy this short series of weird rocks.
Retro Reworking: Cove, Scottish Borders, Autumn 2017
With a better eye, and better tools, I’ve revisited my photographs from our time in Cove and the coast of the Scottish Borders.
It’s something of a tradition for me and Lisabet to spend a couple of weeks in autumn somewhere in Scotland.
In 2017 we split that fortnight in two: the first week we stayed in the tiny Scottish Borders coastal village of Cove, then drove across Scotland to get the ferry to the Isle of Arran for the second week.
Cove and the surrounding coastline is delightful. The Scottish Borders, especially the coastal area, is often spared the numbers of people who might otherwise head towards Glasgow, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, and further north.
With a better eye, and better tools, I’ve revisited my photographs from our time in this beautiful area.
I hope you like what you see. I did.
Retro Reworking: Mull of Galloway, Scotland, Winter 2018
Welcome to Retro Reworking, otherwise known as “the country’s on lockdown due to a global pandemic so I have a lot more time on my hands also I’m better at editing nowadays”.
Welcome to Retro Reworking, otherwise known as “the country’s on lockdown due to a global pandemic so I have a lot more time on my hands also I’m better at editing nowadays”.
Back in the tail end of winter 2018 Lisabet and I took a short break to the Rhins of Galloway. This is a long north-south peninsula that ends in the south at the Mull of Galloway, the southernmost tip of Scotland. We’d never been here before; our closest venture would’ve been Galloway Forest Park, 30-odd miles east inland.
Despite hiking in winter we were treated to clear blue skies and endless views. We spent most of our time scanning the western coast of the peninsula, ducking in and out of various bays, and hiking along the tops of cliffs. The Mull of Galloway, in particular, provided epic views from its cliffs.
All photographs shot with my camera at the time, which was a Sigma dp0 Quattro with a built-in 14mm f/4.0 lens. ND grads and polarisers were used in-field to balance exposures. Editing and colour grading done manually myself.