I arrived at the campsite late in the afternoon, 2 days before the workshop. It was raining. That incessant, drizzle where you can see no end in sight. I got out of my car and surveyed the site looking for a suitable place to pitch my tent. The site was on a slope so clearly the lower fields were out of the question since these would become progressively waterlogged and, of course, somewhere flat! Most importantly of all was not to be too near to other tents but there was no fear of this as on the whole site there could have been only around half a dozen. I found where I wanted to pitch, got back inside the car and again, waited. It wasn’t going to stop so, with a sigh, I got on with it. There is no fun putting up a tent in the rain especially when you have one where the inner has to go up first! Who, in their right minds, designs a tent where you put up the inside first?!  

North Lees campsite, Hathersage.

I don’t camp often, perhaps only a few times a year (mainly in the early spring and autumn, when campsite’s are most quiet and the countryside is at its most photogenic) and, although it may seem like a cold, inconvenient way to spend 6 days, I am always glad I did. You not only save yourself a fair bit of money but you can eat as and when you please and not endure finding somewhere to eat after you’ve had a long day shooting. Instead, I can return to my tent, prepare dinner and put on the radio or read a book. The best part, if you have chosen your campsite well, is that you can just lay there and listen to nature. I always choose those sites with the most basic of amenities and far from shops etc. This invariably stops families with children, barking dogs and teenagers and attracts hardened hill walkers with a respect for their fellow campers. I may sound like an old misery but really, who wants to spend the night in the tent in earshot of chattering families or hoots of laughter at 2 in the morning! Instead, I had a pair of vocal tawnies and pheasant in the adjacent woodland.

On my first morning, I headed for Curbar Edge in the hope of shooting a misty sunrise. I arrived at dawn and spotted a stag and hind just 50m away. It was still too dark to take pictures but wonderful to see, all the same. The sun did appear, at intervals, and the mist/fog cleared and thickened for the next hour or so. 

View from Curbar Edge towards Baslow Edge, at sunrise.

Silver birch in mist

I scouted a couple of other locations and that evening walked up to Higger Tor. It was a relatively clear evening and shot until dusk. I also bumped into a couple of other photographers and chatted about the kind of things photographers talk about, cameras and the weather! 

Higger Tor

View from Higger Tor

Photographer on Higger Tor at sunset

The following day’s workshop went very well with, unfortunately, periods of more cloud than sun! As we met, we were greeted with the sight of a lenticular cloud overhead. It was a great day and the group were really good fun.

Lenticular cloud

The morning after, I returned to Higger Tor in the hope of a decent sunrise but the fog put pay to any landscape work. Places such as this, in this kind of weather, take on an otherworldly character and as I wandered amongst the heather and boulders, I took this image of a carrion crow.   

The fog didn’t look as though it was going to budge so waterfall and woodland photography it was going to be! I drove to the north east of the Dark Peak region where, earlier in the year, I stumbled upon an incredibly photogenic area where, it seemed, not too many others were aware of and this is where I stayed for the next 3 hours. I was looking for something different other than the usual waterfall shots so I turned my attention to this pool which had “captured” fallen leaves that slowly swirled within. It was barely visible to the eye but with the aid of an ND filter and resulting  shutter speed of 8 seconds, the motion was exaggerated. With images such as this, it really is a matter of trial and error to get the desired effect. How time flies when you are immersed in photography as I spent close to an hour and half shooting these three compositions.

I rarely change the WB, preferring to do this in the post-processing stage but, on this occasion, I tweaked the setting in cloudy to accurately replicate the colour of this dark, peat-stained water.

Wanting to reach another site some distance away, in time for sunset, I slowly walked back to the car and noticed the play of light on the rocks and water produced by the late afternoon sunlight on a distant hill side.

I then drove to Curbar edge and enjoyed an hour of glorious red light.

Once the sun had set, I laid on a soft patch of heather, with not a soul to be seen, and took in the silence. The sound punctuated, only, by a Train of Jackdaws flying overhead.

The following day was forecast as being cloudy so once again, into the woods I headed. This time it was to be Padley Gorge. The colours of the beech were amazing and I spent an enjoyable few hours shooting foliage and waterfalls.

On my final morning, with clear skies forecast, I visited Mam Tor which has wonderful views across the Hope Valley. I arrived in the dark, stars overhead and walked to the summit full of optimism. But, as dawn broke, I breathed a heavy sigh as the landscape was clothed in heavy fog. I stayed an hour in the hope it would clear but alas, it never did completely.

I headed back to the car and began the drive to the campsite to pack up when I noticed this view. I was drawn to it by the graphic lines of the stone walls and subtle shades of autumn colour. A nice end to a thoroughly enjoyable and productive trip.

I will be leading a 2 day workshop in Autumn next year to the Dark Peak region, taking in some of the places mentioned here. If you would like to attend, please register your interest by contacting me at rmcanis@msn.com or tel: 07939 117570. Numbers will be limited to just 6 participants.

 Bluebell Photography Walk

Sunday May 1st – 10.00 to 13.00 hrs.

 (Group size – 6. 4 places remaining)

To be held at Hucking Estate, a beautiful woodland near Maidstone. Ideal for those wishing to learn how to photograph plants, insects and woodland scenes. Suitable for beginners as well as the more experienced. £30

 Kent’s Lady Orchids

Saturday May 14th – 14.00 to 18.00 hrs.   

  (Group size-6)

The location for this orchid photography workshop is a nature reserve near Garlinge Green, south of Canterbury. I’ll be covering such things as composition, lens selection, exposure and flash. Choice of time has been chosen to avoid the mid-day sun and benefit from the low, late afternoon sunlight. £45

Heathland Sunrise

Saturday August 20th and Sunday 21st – 04.30 to 07.30 hrs.

  (Group size-3. 2 places remaining on each day)

Experience the vibrant colours of flowering heath at Kent’s largest heathland, Hothfield Heathlands, near Ashford, at sunrise. Suitable for those of all levels and as the group size is only 3, there’ll be no bustling for the best positions! This really is a time when the most atmospheric pictures are created where an early rise is well rewarded. I will go through my thought process when seeking a composition and the decisions I make when choosing the right lens along with using filters, obtaining the correct exposure and assessing the camera’s histogram. Dew laden cobwebs and dragonflies are other possible subjects £35

Kent’s Wildflowers

Wednesday May 4th – 09.00 to 18.00 hrs.

 (Group size-2. 1 place remaining)

A full day of photography in mid and north Kent at various favourite locations hand-picked by myself. This is a great time to experience Kent’s ancient woodlands and Downs and the flowers it harbours. The group size has been kept to just 2 so we can all travel in my car and give you pretty much one-to-one tuition. The price also includes a pub lunch at a an award-winning pub run by a personal friend of mine. £125

As with all my workshops, the price includes unlimited correspondence before and after the day and email review of your images.

Cowslips

Lady's smock

The 300mm f.2.8 really comes into it’s own in situations like these.  A shorter lens would have resulted in sky appearing in the top of the frame.  Shot almost wide open also throws the background out of focus and really makes the flowers stand out.  Their other name is the Cuckoo flower as they tend to be in bloom approximately the same time as the arrival of the cuckoo.  I haven’t heard any yet and really hope it’s not another ‘quiet’ year, as was the case last year.

On this visit, I stayed in a delightful B&B called Crown Cottage in Eyam, situated in the centre of this historic Plague village.  I couldn’t have asked for a more comfortable stay and Janet and Ian really do make you feel welcome.  So, if you are ever up this way, I can’t recommend it high enough.  Next time, I’ll give myself more time to look around as it has a remarkable story of how the village dealt with the outbreak of the Plague in 1665.        

Members of the group, photographing on Stanage Edge.

Another great bunch of photographers, and although at times it was quite blustery there was just sufficient sunshine to keep us going, and of course the scenery was as spectacular as ever.  Two members of the group decided to stay till sunset in the hope that the weather was going to clear to give us that beautiful evening light and indeed it did.  Well, for around 10 minutes anyway!  But, it was just long enough for us to set up our tripods and shoot a few frames.  The sun then hid behind clouds for the duration so we sat, chatted and enjoyed the moment.  It’s not all about taking pictures you know!        

Curbar Edge

Sunday's workshop attendees.

I arrived in the area on the Thursday to do a little photography myself and was blessed with some really dramatic skies. 

Stanage Edge

Stanage Edge

Rocks on Baslow Edge

The rain rapidly moved towards me and soon after the image was taken I got a thorough soaking! But worth it I think.

Prague bridges crossing the River Vltava at sunset

I’m in the throws of planning a 6 day photography workshop  to the Czech Republic, taking in Prague and Cesky Krumlov, the latter being a beautiful medieval town with UNESCO world heritage status in South Bohemia.  3 nights will be spent in Prague and 2 in Cesky Krumlov.  I haven’t booked the hotel or finalised exact details as yet, except for the dates, so I am just getting a feel for any interest out there before it gets put onto my website or advertised more widely.  

Prague Castle

For around 5 years I made at least 40 trips to Prague and several to Cesky Krumlov, shooting images for my own library and agencies as well as for magazine articles (one of which appeared in Outdoor photography) and also for hotels in Prague.  The result is that I know this place quite literally like the back of my hand and therefore know exactly where to go for dawn to dusk shooting.  No time will be wasted on your part in getting your bearings, negotiating trams and the metro and potentially getting lost in the maze of medieval cobbled streets and alleys.  This I would do on a regular basis for the first half a dozen trips to Prague!

Prague spires

Prague buildings

Prague at sunset

Accommodation in Prague and Cesky Krumlov will be taken care of as will transport to and from Cesky Krumlov.  Numbers will be limited to just 4 participants to keep it small and friendly and it also means I can spend quality time with each person.

Cesky Krumlov at sunset

Cesky Krumlov

Dates will be September 6th to 11th 2010 and the price will be around £600 which does not include flights. 

Please contact me to register your interest.   

To see my full coverage of both Prague and Cesky Krumlov, please visit my website and use the drop-down Category box or in Collections.

Outdoor Photography magazine

The article I was commissioned to write for Outdoor Photography which has just been published and available in all good newsagents…..and bad ones!

View from Curbar Edge to Baslow Edge

View from Baslow Edge to Curbar Edge

The piece itself centres around two gritstone edges called Baslow Edge and Curbar edge which lie to the west within the National Park, approximately 11 miles east of Chesterfield.  This is where the course will be held.  We will be combining the two with another spectacular edge just 8 miles north called Stanage Edge.

View from Stanage Edge

This is arguably the park’s most famous edge from which wonderful views abound in all directions.  

Abandoned mill stones at Stanage Edge

We begin the day at Stanage Edge at 08.00 hrs, break for lunch around midday then onwards to Baslow and Curbar Edges until sunset.  It will be on a first come first served basis and will be restricted to just 6 participants so that each benefits from myself as opposed to unfairly, I think, spreading myself thin amongst more.  

The price will be £105 per person which includes tuition and a pub lunch.  For more information please click here.