A bief gap in ‘traffic’ on the M6 of coastal paths, near Arnside!

A day’s walking along the coastal path between Arnside and Silverdale, in a tucked away corner of south Cumbria, is guaranteed to delight, at any time of year. And with eyes open and camera in hand you are sure to spot something worth snapping.

Desipte being denied the forecasted blue skies, it was nonetheless a refreshing stroll, joined, as I was by photography student Jamie. Having company whilst out and about with the camera is always a good idea, as you tend to inspire each other. Four eyes are better than two!

Linear shades of dry, damp and wet on the beach, make for an interseting shot.

I switched to a faster shutter speed (1/400) to freeze the splashing incoming waves against rocks (below). A low angle and long lens (200mm) exagerates the effect and adds a little drama to the photo. 

This tiny piece of driftwood(below) caught my eye against the pebbles. I loved the colours and intricate patterns on the weathered wood. Icould have picked it up to decorate my mantlepiece, but instead left it for other sharp-eyed passers by to admire!

 A last look seawards, before turning inland, I decided to have a bit of fun with my ‘fisheye lens’. Looking out across Morecambe Bay from the coastal path. The world is indeed round!

 

Going ‘macro’ on nature.

I get a real buzz (excuse the pun!) out of this sort of close-up nature photography. Bees are a fairly simple target for an impressive shot. Make sure you have enough of a depth of focus to make the bee and flower sharp, whilst still blurring the background. You need a long lens with macro ability. I experimented with different angles on the bee and concluded that a profile was best.  The lovely colour contrast made this a satisfying result.

This delicate little sprig of Cow Parsley (I think) stands out beautifully against the contrasting dark brown background, to make a simple pleasing image. Interestingly, my young photographer colleague likened it to a firework.

 

My walking and photography companion Jamie downed his camera for a moment as I used the soft natural lighting to turn my attention briefly to some outdoor portraiture.  He bent his arm to help ‘frame’ his face and I suggested adding his hand as it made the pose look more relaxed. Black & white was best I felt for this example… Variety was certainly the order of the day for this photographic expedition!

The wonderful texture and lines on this sun-bleached and weatherd tree stump made an interesting shot, as we headed onto Arnside Knott to finish our day with a view (see below). I opted not for the standard but tempting and well snapped view across the Kent Viaduct to the Lakeland Fells, but instead, the sun glowing on the hillside, contrasted with the dark and moody backdrop, tempted me more.

More Photographers Ramblings coming soon AND I’ll be celebrating my thirtieth year as a professional photographer next month.