My Favourite Landscape Photos from 2021

It has become customary on my blog for me to share a retrospective post, talking about the previous year I’ve had and sharing stories and some of my favourite photos I took along the way. Deciding not to write a full retrospective this time around but also not wanting to break the tradition of reviewing and sharing my photos from the previous year, I’ve decided to keep this post a little lighter and focus only on the photos. So, here are 10 of my favourite landscape photos I took during 2021.

Photographing the woodland through the seasons

2021 was my first full year of woodland photography and I’ve absolutely fallen for this sub-genre of landscape photography. These days, you will often find me wandering my local woodlands for hours on end as I try to make sense of the natural chaos the trees provide. Woodland photography is hands down one of the most frustrating and equally rewarding subjects to photograph and I’m really enjoying the challenge it provides.

To better tell the story of the year I had photographing woodland, I decided to pick a photo I took from all four seasons.

First up is this photo I took in a hilltop woodland on the Surrey/Kent border. Taken during a rare hoar frost in January, I had the most amazing, albeit cold morning looking for frosty compositions and this winding pathway flanked by silver birch was the perfect setting to create this beautiful wintry woodland scene.

Winter Woodland Triptych

I absolutely love a triptych. Putting three photos together can work incredibly well to tell a more cohesive story and with such a successful morning of photography and having bagged three wintry woodland photos in similar conditions, they had a similar look to them. I feel they are even stronger when presented as a single piece. Hopefully, you feel the same. Click on the photos below to see a bigger version.

View fullsize

It seemed to take forever for spring to finally get out of first gear in 2021. Whereas I would have normally expected to see this beautiful carpet of bluebells by mid-April, after a further 2 scouting trips, I had to wait another month before they were ready here in this beech woodland down in West Sussex. Although at the time I didn’t think much of the white daisies that accompany the bluebells on the ground, I now think they work well alongside the green and purple colours, adding some further interest to this springtime woodland scene.

The photo below is possibly my favourite taken in the woodland during 2021. Surrounded by these lush green leaves and glorious morning mist, I was in my element as I wandered through the trees on this early summer’s day. After spotting this composition, I perched my camera midway up the bank and used my wide-angle lens so I could include those fantastic trees on the left as they leaned into the frame creating this natural archway, framing the misty forest scene in the background. The finishing touch were those purple rhododendrons down in the bottom right-hand corner of the image. As controversial as they are, I think they add some interest and balance to the overall composition.

Last up in this woodland collection is what some might call nature’s greatest annual show. Like in the spring, when I was waiting for the bluebells to appear, the best colours of autumn is all about timing, so, once again, it took multiple scouting trips and a fair bit of patience before I managed to photograph this scene below. In fact, the colours appeared so late, I had to wait until the last week of November before they were at their best.

It was the plethora of colours in this image that initially caught my eye, so with the forest doing its job, my job was to make sense of the chaos and do it justice by taking an interesting photo out of it. I ended up using the green pine tree on the far left to add visual weight, balancing the composition against the strong lines of the Beech tree as it leaned towards the right-hand side of the frame.

Autumnal Woodland Triptych

I lapped up the conditions as I explored these autumnal woodlands and like during the hoar frost back in January, I was able to take several different photos which look great on their own, but in my opinion, they look even stronger presented together as a triptych. One day I might even write a post about why I like them so much. Click on the photos below to see a bigger version.

View fullsize

Landscapes photos taken in the Southeast of England

Surrey, Sussex and Kent have some great landscapes to photograph. Granted, they lack the drama of the Jurassic Coast or the mountainous Lake District, but we still have some beautiful, albeit subtle places to take landscape photos here in the Southeast of England. Below are 3 of my favourite landscape photos I took in 2021.

Starting with this stunning view across the South Downs in East Sussex, this photo is all about how the light hits the rolling hills, emphasising the contours in the landscape and creating a natural zigzagging line leading into the distance. Although it was late April, I distinctly remember how cold it was as I stood there waiting for the right moment to take the photo. As the sun rose above the horizon, it soon became clear that timing was going to be everything. I had to wait long enough for the light to hit the right places down in the valley, but not too long so that there was too much light as those all-important shadows and contours would be gone.

You really don’t have to travel far to take landscape photos and the photo I took below is proof of that. As I drove home from a rather unsuccessful woodland shoot back in May, I remember spotting these moody clouds in the sky as I was passing by this bright yellow rapeseed field not far from where I live. Anticipating something special, I stopped the car, grabbed my camera and headed straight to this spot which provides a good view of this lone tree in the middle of the field. As the cloud rolled in with a band of rain behind, and not being dressed for the occasion, I worked fast to get the image before racing back to the car just in time for the heavy downpour.

A popular subject and certainly one of my favourite places to visit with my camera, pictured below is Bodiam Castle in East Sussex. Not coming across any mist or fog on my drive down, I was surprised to see the entire place engulfed as I arrived on location and after waiting a short while for the fog to thin out a little, I managed to take this photo of the beautiful castle below.

I don’t usually like the photos I take when the camera is pointing directly towards the sun but with plenty of mist still hanging around, the brighter, harsh light from the sun was defused just enough for me to take this photo while still retaining plenty of detail in the castle.

The London Cityscape

For obvious reasons, I didn’t make as many trips into London as usual during 2021 and with so much uncertainty that still surrounds us, I’m not expecting that to change too much in 2022. We will have to wait and see. I did however manage to take a few trips into the city in between work from home orders and I’ve shared below three of my favourite London cityscape photos I took in 2021.

First up is this photo looking down Lombard Street in the city. London was still relatively quiet compared to normal and as I wandered down this empty street, I spotted this small puddle by the side of the road. I’ve taken a photo of this view many times before and although I really like the fantastic lead-in lines at the bottom, the traditional buildings that flank the street, and the more contemporary Fenchurch Building at the top of the frame, I always felt it was lacking a little something. Thankfully, this time around, the rain shower brought the finishing touch and I took full advantage by crouching down and using this fantastic reflection of the Fenchurch Building in this conveniently placed puddle as foreground interest.

Next up in this small collection of London photos is this one taken at sunset from St Katherine Docks in June. Normally a busy, somewhat cluttered view of Tower Bridge and The Shard, I decided to use my neutral density filter to cut the light down even further and create a long exposure photo. Removing the ripples and creating this smooth, almost glass-like effect on the water helped simplify the scene, allowing the iconic architecture and their reflections in the river to stand out.

Last up, is this impressive view looking east across London taken from The Shard’s viewing platform. I’d previously tried a few times to take this photograph but for one reason or another, I was never able to take a photo I was truly happy with. Until now that is.

Taken deep into the blue hour, just before nightfall, timing was once again so important when creating this image. I wanted to wait long enough for the city lights to be a feature in the image but not too late so that it was too dark to pick out any details in the landscape. With the camera precariously rested on my camera bag (no tripods allowed), I took the shot you see below. Thankfully, it all came together on this September evening in London.

That’s it! 10 of my favourite landscape photos taken in 2021. There’s plenty more to come in 2022 and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Until next time.
Trevor

A London Photo Walk Part One | Sunrise

A few weeks ago, I posted on my Weekly Photo blog that I was in a bit of a creative slump. Although I was putting the same amount of effort in, the photos I was taking were often average and my keeper rate was really low. I needed to change things up a bit.

I’ve been enjoying photographing the landscapes and woodlands around Sussex and Surrey over the last year to 18 months but I was sorely missing my regular trips into London. So, with the city now opening up again and, in an attempt to shake free from this state where I lacked creative inspiration, I got up early and caught the first train into the city.

Like many landscape photographers, when I head out with the camera, I tend to take a full camera bag with me. It holds my wide, standard and telephoto zoom lenses, my batteries, filters, tripod, etc. Needless to say, it gets a little heavy and although I don’t normally mind lugging it around with me, I do on occasion like to shed the load, taking just a small camera and lens out with me and that’s exactly what I did for this photo walk.

Armed with my small Fujifilm X-T30 and 23mm f/2 prime lens, I left the train at London Bridge and headed over towards the river, stopping along the way to grab a shot of the view along the walkway, flanked by buildings that frame Tower Bridge at the end.

I spent some time taking pictures around More London Estate using the lines, shapes and even reflections on offer there. The light was just piercing through the thin clouds creating a soft, hazy light, which is right up my street. I personally struggle when the contrast in scenes is too strong and much prefer to photograph in softer light which, if you follow either my urban or natural landscape work, you’ll probably see it as a theme throughout.

Having taken a few photos close to Tower Bridge at More London, a wandered west along the river towards London Bridge which hosts one of my favourite views of this fine city. I can rarely pass this spot without hopping up onto the bridge to take a photo and this was no exception. With this beautiful defused golden light illuminating this iconic view, there was no way I was going to walk on by without taking the photo.

Paying close attention to the position of HMS Belfast in relation to Tower Bridge, I made sure to line it up centrally between the towers to avoid any overlapping, keeping that area clean, ensuring the recognisable silhouette stood out over there in the distance.

I also had a decision to make regarding the exposure. With the bright sun just off to the left of this scene below, I chose to expose for the highlights, allowing them to clip just a little in the brightest area close to the sun rendering the overall photo a little underexposed which I knew could be sorted out later in post. With the sun being the brightest thing you’ll ever see, allowing it to clip (render white in the photo) is ok in my book as long as it looks natural.

With this shot in the bag, I went on my way, continuing along the river towards Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge.

I spent some time taking some pictures of the various views to be had from Bankside, just in front of the famous Tate Modern Museum. With the sun rising quickly, I was conscious that the light may soon become too harsh so I upped my pace a little, crossing the Millennium Bridge towards St Paul’s Cathedral as I continued to find and photograph the various compositions, some classic, others unique (to me) as I went.

After crossing the bridge, reaching the north bank of the river, I took advantage of the low tide and went down to the riverside where I took some more photos looking east towards The Shard and all of that gorgeous light.

Finishing up for the morning and part one of this London photo walk, I ended up on Queen Victoria Street which is just along the road from St Paul’s Cathedral. This spot provides a great view of the city near Bank station with 22 Bishopsgate towering in the background.

Along with the photos I took during a sunset walk along the Thames, in part two of this blog, I’ll be sharing how I set up my camera for shoots like this so I can focus on taking pictures rather than camera settings.

Stay tuned!

Trevor.

My Top 10 Night Photography Spots in London

I have been taking cityscape photos of London for many years now and in that time, the view of the city at night has been transformed by replacing the outdated orange street lights with new, modern light installations, turning these once monotonous views of London into vibrant urban vistas. Having photographed so many of these iconic scenes myself, I’ve decided to share a few of what I consider my favourite night photography spots in London.

Photographing London at Night

In this article, I will be taking you on a journey along the River Thames from west to east as we visit 10 of my top spots to capture photographs of London at night which includes some useful information such as the closest stations and if the locations are tripod friendly or not.

When you have finished reading this article, why not check out some of my other “Photographing London” posts.

My Top 10 Photography Spots in London

My top 5 free rooftop locations to photograph London

My 10 top tips for photographing London

My Top 5 Long Exposure Locations in London

#1 The London Eye from Westminster Bridge

Starting our journey along the River Thames, the first night photography spot on my list is the view of the London Eye taken from Westminster Bridge. With the side-on view of County Hall and the London Eye, it’s a great spot to capture the bright colours that light up the South Bank. Getting a balanced composition can be a bit tricky so for this photo I walked to the far side of the Bridge which allowed me to include the riverboat pier in the bottom left, adding some visual weight into the frame. Read more about this photo in my Weekly Photo series here: Colour Wheel.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

To both avoid the masses of people that congregate on Westminster Bridge in the evening and to avoid getting up super early, I recommend photographing this view before sunrise during the winter months. With the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and The London Eye all situated here, this area is a magnet for tourists so finding the ideal spot and having enough space to set up a tripod is difficult at night but if you visit before sunrise in the winter, you will have to wrap up warm but you can arrive at a reasonable 7am and capture this night time photo of London with relative ease.

Can I use a tripod?

Yes, you can. There are no rules that prevent the use of tripods but as the location can get very busy during the day and into the evenings, you should choose your spot carefully to avoid it being bumped into by other people. You will have far more space to set up a tripod if you visit before sunrise as I did in the photo above.

How do you find the location?

The closest underground stations are Westminster (Jubilee Line) and Lambeth North (Bakerloo Line) and from there head towards Westminster Bridge.

#2 Westminster from the Golden Jubilee Bridge

Next up, we have the fantastic view from the Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges where you can take this night photo of the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

There’s no need for an early alarm for this shot as I’ve photographed from this bridge many times and never has it got too busy to set up my tripod so getting here after dark any time of the year is fine. If you want to capture a long exposure with the London Eye spinning, make sure you look up the opening times to make sure it’s still running at the time you want to photograph.

Can I use a tripod?

Yes, you can. There is no rule to prevent the use of tripods but you will need to find a spot in between the poles that form part of the bridge’s structure and as always, try to keep it out of the way of other people to avoid it being bumped about.

How do you find the location?

The closest underground stations are Embankment (Circle and District Lines) and Waterloo (Jubilee Line) and from there head towards the south-western side of the Golden Jubilee bridge. This view can be found close to the South Bank of the river.

#3 The City of London from the Thames South Bank

This is a classic view of London from the South Bank of the River Thames and a fantastic spot to photograph London at night. The ornate street lamps light the path through the frame leading to a backdrop of the vibrant colours of Blackfriars Bridge, the City of London and the famous dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. I wrote more about the time I took this photo in my photoblog here: South Bank.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

I took this photo in January and with the trees free of leaves, more of the scene opens up revealing more of the lights along the path and the city in the background which would be obscured by the trees in the warmer months. I took this photo in the evening and if you have some patience and a bit of luck, you may get a gap in the foot traffic enabling you to take a photo without any people along the path but if you’re an early riser, a pre-sunrise shoot without as many people is also a good option.

Can I use a tripod?

Strictly speaking, tripods are not allowed along this stretch of the South Bank but as it’s a short walk away from the really busy areas around the London Eye, you can normally get away with it without anyone bothering you. You do, however, need to keep out of the way here so as I did in the photo above, you can tuck yourself in, close to the trees which still leaves plenty of room for people to pass by.

How do you find the location?

This spot is on the south side of the Thames in between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. The nearest Underground stop is Waterloo Station on the Jubilee Line but what I like to do is walk along the South Bank from Westminster which takes around 10 minutes. Once you can see the dome from St Paul’s Cathedral, Blackfriars Bridge and some of the buildings in the city, you are at the right place.

#4 St Paul’s Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge

Number 4 on my Top 10 Night Photography Spots in London is The Millennium Bridge. With the recently upgraded lights and sleek, modern lines there are many different compositions of London to photograph. I particularly like this symmetrical view of the bridge which leads the eye towards the recognisable dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and if you catch the clouds moving in the right direction, the long exposure needed at night will help them mirror the direction of the bridge and make your final image even stronger.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

To get this symmetrical composition of the Millennium Bridge, the fewer people crossing the bridge the better as even with a long night time exposure, you will still end up with ghostly figures crossing the bridge if it’s too busy so I recommend late at night, after rush hour or early in the morning before people start heading off to work.

If you can’t get to the bridge at these times, don’t worry as there is a photo to be had here day or night from on or underneath the bridge. It’s a popular spot for photography for good reason.

Can I use a tripod?

You can use a tripod on the Millennium Bridge. There are a couple of central compositions that can be photographed from the south side of the bridge but if you really want a perfectly symmetrical composition, there are only a couple of specific places to photograph from so its best to arrive a little earlier than planned just in case the best spots are taken and you need to think of a plan b.

How do you find the location?

The easiest and closest stations to get to the Millennium Bridge are St Pauls (Central Line) which is just north of the bridge or Blackfriars (District and Circle Lines or National Rail) which requires just a few minute’s walk east along the river.

#5 London from Tate Modern’s viewing platform

The viewing platform is a great spot for taking night photographs of the city from the south side of the River Thames. From here you can get uninterrupted views of the city of London or the dome of St Pauls cathedral (as I did here) and with a wide-angle lens, you can embrace the dominant chimney and the lights down in the turbine room and use the historic structure as your main subject against the bright lights of the city in the background.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

If you want to take photos of the city from this spot at night, then it’s a much more pleasant experience doing so in the warmer months as you are quite exposed to the elements when up the tower and it can be rather cold but with the sun setting later, you should aim to visit on a Friday or Saturday evening, when the museum is open until 21:30. Otherwise, you can capture a night-scape image during the winter months any day of the week, just wear an extra layer or two!

Can I use a tripod?

No, the museum has a strict rule about the use of tripods. To get a sharp image in low light, you can try to use a tabletop tripod like the Manfrotto PIXI which I carry in my camera bag and balance it on the corner of the railings or on the floor but just be careful as it’s a slightly risky manoeuvre. My advice is to make sure that whatever you do, you keep the camera strap on and around your neck just in case the camera slips.

How do you find the location?

As in location 4 above, you can use St Paul’s or Blackfriars to get to this night photography spot. Tate Modern is located along Thames Bankside on the South of the river, opposite St Pauls. Just use the main entrance to the museum and head to the back where you will find the lifts up to the viewing level.

#6 London Bridge and the Shard from the North Bank

This spot next to London Bridge is quite a new addition to my list as up until recently, the lights on the bridge were a monotone orange colour and along with its uninspiring concrete arches, London Bridge at night was nothing to write home about. It’s all changed now though. The Illuminated River project has turned this dull-looking bridge into a vibrant wall of colour and not to be outdone, the lights on the Shard help it stand out at night, making it a fantastic subject for the bridge to lead the eye towards. To see how I got on taking this shot, take a look at this post: Illuminated River.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

If vibrant colour is what you want, then December is by far the best month to photograph this view of London at night. During the month of December, The Shard puts on its own multicoloured light show which compliments the lights on London Bridge nicely. Just remember to wrap up warm and bring a wide-angle lens to fit it all in the frame.

Can I use a tripod?

Yes, you can use a tripod. The river wall is very thick at this spot so what I tend to do is close my tripod right down and put it on the wall, close to the edge to avoid including it in the shot. Just be extra careful the camera doesn’t fall off.

How do you find the location?

To get to this spot, the closest train stations are Monument/Cannon Street (Circle and District lines) or across the river at London Bridge (Northern Jubilee and National Rail lines). You then need to make your way to the north bank of the Thames and the spot is down by the waterside just a minute’s walk west along the river.

#7 The architecture at More London

Day or night, More London Estate is one of my favourite places to photograph London. This spot boasts some fantastic cityscape photo opportunities from the modern architecture of The Shard, to the classic London icons such as Tower Bridge and it’s no different at night. This is one of my top night photography spots for good reason as the cool, modern lights really pop at night and with all of this ambient light to work with, it’s a fantastic location for some night photography.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

If you are only pointing your camera across the river or if you don’t mind lots of people in your landscape photos, then visit in the evening, any time of the year but if you want to photograph this fantastic architecture without any people causing blurry ghostly figures in the shot, then before sunrise is your best option. Although you still get people walking through, the foot traffic is far less and there are plenty of gaps to take a shot.

Can I use a tripod?

Strictly speaking, you can’t use tripods here but over the last few years, I am being bothered less and less by the wardens. I’ve learned to stay out of the way and be discrete and they seem to recognise that and leave me to it but if you visit, be prepared to be asked to put the tripod away.

How do you find the location?

London Bridge with access to the Northern, Jubilee and National Rail lines is easily the most convenient place to head to when visiting More London Estate. If coming from the north of the river, you can travel to Tower Hill on the Circle and District line and cross the river via Tower Bridge.

#8 Tower Bridge from the Thames North Bank

Number 8 in my top 10 night photography spots in London is this classic view of Tower Bridge taken from the north bank of the River Thames. Photographing this famous bascule bridge from in front of the Tower of London allows you to include these ornate street lamps and the cobbled street giving it an almost timeless look.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

This is a gated area and opens around 7am and closes at 9pm every day so as it’s still light at these times in the middle of summer, I recommend visiting this spot between November and January for a pre-sunrise shoot or anytime between August and April for a post-sunset shoot.

Can I use a tripod?

Surprisingly so, yes. Even though this is private property, it seems the management team at the Tower of London are happy to allow tripods even though it can get very busy during the day which is quite refreshing, to say the least.

How do you find the location?

Tower Hill is the nearest tube station located on the other side of the castle. otherwise, on the south of the river, London Bridge Station is the closest. Head to the north side of the river, directly in front of the Tower of London and you will see the spot along the river.

#9 The Shard and City Hall from Tower Bridge

Fast becoming one of the most iconic views in London this cityscape view encompasses More London, City Hall, The Shard, HMS Belfast and in the background, London Bridge. It’s a rather modern looking view of the city with lots of glass and modern lights which looks fantastic when all lit up at night and it’s for that very reason, this view is on my top 10 night photography spots in London.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

If you’re a bit of peace and quiet while photographing this view, then visit before sunrise as you won’t be battling the herds of people crossing Tower Bridge but if you are lucky enough to be in London at Christmas in December, then visit after dark as although it will be busy, The Shard puts on a bit of a light show so you can photograph it with various vibrant colours on top making it worth the trouble.

Can I use a tripod?

Yes, you can. Whether you take the photo from Tower Bridge or in front of the Tower of London, tripods are allowed. Just be careful as this area gets very busy in the evening and I would advise anyone to tuck themselves out of the way as much as possible to avoid the tripod legs tripping someone up or being kicked by a passer-by.

How do you find the location?

To get here, you can use London Bridge Station on the south of the river or Tower Hill on the north of the river. Compositionally, it can be tricky to capture this view and whereas a lot of people will try to photograph the scene from directly opposite, in front of the Tower of London, I prefer to capture this view from the north end of Tower Bridge as I prefer a slightly higher vantage point looking further down the Thames and with the Shard directly the middle, the image looks a little more balanced in my opinion.

10 Tower Bridge from St Katherine Docks

The last but not least location to take night photos in London is this spot just along the river from Tower Bridge on the other side of St Katherine Docks Marina. From this vantage point, you get to enjoy this awesome view of Tower Bridge with the Shard right behind it.

When is the best time to photograph this spot?

This is a gated area and I’ve tried to access it for a sunrise shoot and found the gates locked, so, I recommend visiting in the evening to take a night photo of this view. It’s never been particularly busy when I’ve visited so I can recommend taking a late stroll to this spot in the summer and enjoying a nice, warm sunset before taking the night shot.

Can I use a tripod?

Yes, I’ve been here many times and not once have I been bothered by the site wardens. As I’ve said multiple times before, just stay out of the way and avoid making a nuisance of yourself and based on my experience, you should be fine.

How do you find the location?

The closest tube stations are either London Bridge or Tower Hill. This spot is on the north bank of the Thames. To get here, you need to drop below Tower Bridge and make your way east along the river to St Katherine Docks and once passed, walk along St Katherine’s Way until you get to Tower Bridge Wharf Building where you need to turn left and walk between the buildings towards the edge of the river.

So, there you have it, my top 10 night photography Spots in London! There are so many other great locations to capture night photos of the city, from down in the streets, along the Thames and up high looking over the rooftops.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, do check out some of my other posts to help you take the best photos of London

• My Top 10 Photography Spots in London

• My top 5 free rooftop locations to photograph London

• My 10 top tips for photographing London

• My Top 5 Long Exposure Locations in London

Until next time.

Trevor

What's in my Camera Bag for Landscape Photography (2021 Edition)

It’s that time of year again, where I post this updated "What’s in my camera bag” blog post and give you all a little breakdown about the kit I use for landscape photography and importantly why I use it. I’m not a gear head and won’t invest heavily unless I feel my photography will benefit and would much rather use and get to know my camera gear well, instead of swapping it out regularly. That way, while out in the field, I can focus on taking photos rather than working out how to change the settings on a new camera and missing the moment altogether.

I think it’s worth noting that I do believe that it is the photographer that has the vision, chooses the subject and creates the image. There are many photographers that successfully shoot with a single body and lens, a compact camera or even just their camera phone and still produce quite stunning work so, although it’s nice to get a new toy every now and then, I certainly don’t get fixated on the photography gear and always fixate on the craft of making photos.

That being said, if you are shooting with intent and have a particular style or subject you want to capture, then the right equipment can remove much of the friction and allow the photographer to focus on the creative side of the process, instead of working overly hard to get the shot, possibly taking much of the fun out of the process.

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” - Ansel Adams.

Cameras

I am a Fujifilm shooter and have been since 2016 which is when I first brought the X-T10 camera and after falling in love with the traditional feel, tactile controls and most importantly, the pictures it helped me take, I went all-in on mirrorless and sold my Nikon DSLR system.

Fujifilm XT2

Those that have followed me for some time know I am a Fujifilm shooter and this XT2 is still my primary camera. With the recent release of the XT4, there have been 2 updates to this model, but this camera still performs perfectly for me and I have no compelling reason to upgrade it just yet.

Fujifilm X-T30

Back in 2019, I upgraded my X-T10 to the X-T30 which to all intents and purposes is the same camera but with upgraded internals. I wrote a blog post about the switch which you can find here.

Camera Lenses

Zoom Lenses

• Fujifilm XF 10-24mm lens F4 OIS

• Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS

• Fujifilm XF 55-200mm lens f/3.5-4.8 lens OIS

These three zoom lenses are my go-to for landscape photography. Between them, they cover a focal length of 10-200mm which is all I need when out, photographing the landscape.

Prime Lenses

• Fujifilm XF 16mm F2.8 WR

• Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 WR (New for 2021)

• Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 WR

When travelling light or in need of a particular look, I will take these prime lenses with me. They are weather sealed so along with my XT2, I can head out in any conditions and still capture the shot I’m after.

Tripods

MeFoto Roadtrip

This MeFoto tripod has served me well over the years and has been the best compromise between weight and stability. It wasn’t expensive and up until only recently, since photographing woodland, I’ve been thinking about upgrading to a tripod with a little more reach.

3 Legged Thing Punks Corey (New for 2021)

Added to my gear in 2020, I purchased this tripod as I wanted a new lightweight but sturdy option when travelling around the city or further afield.

Filters

Kase Wolverine Magnetic Circular Filters 77mm Professional Kit (New for 2021)

I recently swapped to Kase filters as I love the simplicity of the magnetic system and as I heard so many good reviews, I took the plunge. So far so good. The filters are top quality and the magnetic system has made swapping the filters so much faster and less cumbersome.

My camera bags

Manfrotto Mover-30 Manhattan

I brought this bag in 2019 as I was after a bag that was large and comfortable enough to carry my cityscape gear but since last year, it has become my primary bag for all photo outings.

Manfrotto Pro Light

Relegated to my second landscape photography camera bag, the Pro Light is a little smaller and getting all my gear in is a little tighter so I’ve not used it so much over the last year.

Manfrotto Street

I use this bag when I need to travel light or I need to carry other bits as well as some camera equipment. This easily fits a camera and a couple of lenses leaving enough room in the top compartment for clothes and laptop etc.

So, how do I pack all of this landscape photography gear in my bag?

Although I have a healthy collection of camera gear, I certainly wouldn’t bring it all with me to each shoot. Below are 3 ways I might pack my bag, depending on where I’m heading to and the type of photographs I intend to take.

The collection above is my go-to landscape gear and everything I usually need when photographing landscape vistas or misty woodland scenes. I have my trusty XT2 camera, my tripod and zoom lenses that allow me to shoot between 10 and 200mm. The L-bracket is a must for any landscape photographer and helps me switch between portrait and landscape orientation without adjusting the tripod. Lastly, my Kase filters. I have a 3, 6 and 10 stop ND as well as a CPL stored in this handy carry case.

When I head out and want to travel a little lighter with my prime lenses, I might take this collection of camera gear. The lenses are small, light and super sharp and the 3 Legged Thing tripod is my go-to when heading into the city. If I know I won’t need a tripod, I might just slip the Manfrotto Pixi tabletop tripod into my bag and leave the 3 Legged Thing at home to shave off even more weight.

Travelling even lighter on days out with the family or just a casual photo walk, I tend to take my smaller X-T30, one or more prime lenses and the Peak Design Slide Lite camera strap. For a bit of stabilisation, I might pack the Manfrotto Pixi which can support quite a weight for its compact size.

So, there you have it, all of the gear I take with me in my camera bag to take landscape photos.

My plans for this year are fluid but as I mentioned previously, I may invest in a new tripod to give me a bit more reach while out in the woodland and depending on what Fujifilm release, I will keep my eye out for anything they announce, but however hard it might be, I’ll try to resist the temptation of new and shiny toys and only invest in new equipment if I know it will help my photography.

By all means, leave a comment if you want to ask me anything about my gear as I will always give an honest account of my own experience using it.

Until next time.

Trevor

Photographing a Frozen Landscape

Winter can be one of the best times for landscape photography. Those blankets of snow across the landscape, cold, misty brooks, and frost-covered wildlife, if the weather plays its part, it can be a landscape photographer’s dream. Over the past few weeks, here in the UK, we’ve had some bouts of frosty weather and I’ve spent some time exploring the area close to home to photograph some of these wintry scenes.

Photographing in these conditions is not for the faint-hearted, especially when the temperatures fall well below zero and to get the best light, it can mean dragging yourself out of bed and heading out in the cold, dark hours but with the right “give it a go” attitude, the results can be well worth it.

In this post, I will want to share some of the photos I’ve taken over the last few weeks as well as some useful tips to help you get the most of your own winter landscape photography.

The picture above is a multi-photo stitched panoramic image I took while up on the hills in East Sussex looking across the landscape just as the freezing mist was moving in and if you look closely you can see the frost starting to form on the elevated trees on the hill. Getting up high to capture some of the low-lying freezing mist rolling through can result in some great wide vista winter landscapes.

A Frozen Woodland

If you’re really lucky, you might come across a hoar frost which is where the moisture in the air freezes as it hits the cold surfaces and builds up layers of hair like frost and I was fortunate enough to be out during one of these frosts where I took the two photos below. The white tips of the branches make them stand out and the misty conditions help to add some nice depth and frosty atmosphere in these winter landscape scenes.

When wandering around in sub-zero temperatures, it pays to have plenty of spare batteries with you as the cold weather dramatically shortens the battery life, especially when using mirrorless systems (which I do!). Even better, if you are out for an extended amount of time, try to keep your spares on your person, warmed by your body heat to help them last as long as possible.

After a heavy snowfall, I ventured into the local woods to seek out some wintry scenes. When you are presented with a thick snow cover, it can all look a bit “samey” with very little interest, so the key here is to seek out contrast and try to use it in your composition. In these photos, I used the dark path and trees to add the needed contrast and add some visual weight into the compositions.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

When photographing winter landscapes, using auto white balance can mean the camera tries to compensate for the cool tones and warm the photo up too much. When shooting in RAW, this can be corrected in post but so I can see the image correctly on the back of the camera, I will usually go into my camera settings and manually switch to a cooler white balance so I can see how it will look while in the field.

To take the wide photo of the Scots Pines above, I spent a few minutes rooted to the same spot. It’s a panoramic image made of 6 or 7 photos stitched together so it took some time to set the tripod up, level it and punch in the manual settings to keep all of the images consistent as I swept the camera from left to right. While standing there in the freezing cold, I was thankful for having wrapped up warm before heading out. It seems obvious to say but if the cold starts to take hold, it can ruin your photography trip. Patience will wear thin and changing settings on your camera can be a real challenge when you can’t feel your fingers.

Once finished in the field, and after arriving home from being out in such cold weather, I will leave my camera in the bag to let it warm up gradually to avoid any build-up of condensation on the cold surfaces of the camera, potentially damaging the internal electronics.

A Frozen Intimacy

As I talked about in this post here, the photos below were a bit of a happy accident. After heading out to photograph some frozen landscapes, I realised too late that I didn’t have my tripod with me, so, instead of giving up, I decided to change things up and take some handheld intimate landscape shots of the frosty plant life around me.

The key to getting these photos was using a longer lens and opening the aperture as wide as possible. Opening the aperture gave me a nice amount of bokeh which helped to simplify the background and ensure the subject stood out. It also allowed more light into the camera meaning the shutter speeds remained fast enough to take these photos handheld.

When taking photos in the frost or snow, the camera’s light meter may want to balance the exposure and under-expose the brightest parts but snow is bright white so I will normally bump my exposure to compensate and using my histogram, “expose to the right”. This will ensure the image is nice and bright but be careful not to push it too far as overdoing it can lead to blowing out your highlights.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

9 Tips for Photographing Winter Landscapes

Throughout this post, I’ve shared some tips for photographing winter landscapes and here’s a bit of a recap:

1. Make the effort and get up early to catch some of the best conditions.

2. Wrap up warm as standing there shivering or not being able to adjust the camera settings with frozen fingers will not make photographing wintry landscapes fun at all.

3. Take plenty of batteries with you. Even better, keep them warm so they last longer.

4. Look for contrast in the snow and use it to help your composition.

5. Get up high to photograph the low-lying mist.

6. User a cooler white balance to keep the snow a cool white.

7. Expose to the right to keep the photo nice and bright but don’t blow out those highlights.

8. Seek out the detail and capture the frozen intimate landscape

9. When you get home, leave the camera in the bag so it acclimatises slowly to avoid condensation forming on your equipment.

It’s worth noting that all of the photos here were taken while the UK was in a strict lockdown and although I’m incredibly thankful for having these woodland locations on my doorstep, I feel I have missed out somewhat in being able to travel further afield to capture some of the wide, impressive vistas we have on offer in the south of England, but this is a situation outside of all of our control and essentially “it is what it is”, and no photo is more important than the collective efforts needed to get us all free of these restrictions for good, so I did my part and stayed local and made the most of it and still came away with a healthy crop of winter landscape photos.

Maybe next year, I will create another one of these posts and be able to share a broader range of photos with you.

Until next time.

Trevor

Photographing London in the Fog

A few weeks ago, I managed to get a morning shoot in London just before the latest restrictions came into place across the UK telling us to stay indoors and just as the weather apps predicted, I was greeted with some fantastic foggy conditions when arrived, so, with my Fujifilm XT2 in tow, off I went to take some photos.

Just a note on the format I chose for this post. Although it works just fine on a smaller mobile screen, if you can, do try to view the post on a larger screen as the pairs of photos in square format works best to tell a cohesive story.

After leaving London Bridge train station, I headed over to More London and took a few pics of the view towards City Hall and Tower Bridge before crossing London Bridge to capture some cool, atmospheric shots of HMS Belfast and Tower bridge along a misty River Thames.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 11mm | 7 Seconds | f/11 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 13mm | 1.9 Second | f/11 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 24mm | 1/5th Second | f/10 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 13mm | 1 Second | f/11 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/25th Second | f/5 | ISO500

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 17mm | 1/7th Second | f/10 | ISO200

Some of you may remember a few months ago I posted a lookup shot taken in the City of London shortly after the fog had lifted and although I was happy with the final image, I was still disappointed not to get the photo I originally wanted. So, not to risk missing it again, I quickly walked into the city to have another attempt at taking a lookup photo with the taller buildings disappearing into the mist and thankfully I made it in time. I took a few different compositions and below are two of my favourites from the morning.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/35th Second | f/10 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/6th Second | f/10 | ISO200

Last but not least on this foggy photo walk in London, I ventured west to take a few pics around St Paul’s Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge. With these places photographed so much, I played around with the lines and frames on offer to present a few different views of these popular London subjects. I finished the morning across the river in front of the Tate Modern Museum to capture the popular view of the Millennium Bridge leading towards St Paul’s Cathedral with the famous dome disappearing into the fog.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/25th Second | f/11 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 24mm | 1/120th Second | f/6.4 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 13mm | 1/80th Second | f/6.4 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/150th Second | f/6.4 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 13mm | 1/75th Second | f/6.4 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 21mm | 1/25th Second | f/10 | ISO200

Bonus Pics! London Eye Night Photography

Truth be told, I wasn’t sure if I should share these photos on this blog post as they are visually very different to those above but I decided to go with it as I really like the set but with only four photos, there’s not enough to justify their own dedicated blog post.

After my morning shoot in the fog, I headed into the office for my day job but instead of heading home at the end of the day, I decided to walk along the River Thames to take a few pictures near Westminster. So much great work has gone into upgrading the lights along the river and with the relatively calm water providing some cracking reflections, I decided to take this set of photos featuring different views of the London Eye and the South Bank.

In case you were wondering, that bright light to the left of the London Eye in the first image below is the moon passing behind. I tried a bracketed exposure to blend in later during post but it wasn’t to be.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 14 Seconds | f/14 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 28mm | 1/80th Second | f/3.2 | ISO800

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 11mm | 18 Seconds | f/16 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 11mm | 13 Seconds | f/16 | ISO200

I love it when a few hours of photography results in a good crop of photos to share and this platform is my own online gallery enabling me to showcase the photos in a format that I think works best. Hopefully, you agree and as ever, if you have any thoughts, feel free to leave a comment below.

Until next time.

Trevor