landscape photography

Return of the Telephoto

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Since I started to take this hobby seriously, a telephoto lens has been long been part of my kit. Over the last year or so though, my main lens has been a standard zoom with a range of 24-105mm. This lens has no doubt satisfied my needs and given me options I needed to get the shot, but something was missing.

I spend a lot of time hiking the fells of the Lake District in the UK and distant views of mountain scenery is often my choice of photograph. The long end of my standard zoom is 105mm which although is adequate, it doesn’t give me that option of eliminating parts of the scene which I feel don’t add to the composition. I wanted that chance to capture distant patches of light, prominent peaks, larch trees to name just a few. I needed that extra distance.

The Canon EF 70-200mm L was the first long lens I owned. With its durability, weight and sharpness, it quickly became to be my go to lens. I used this used lens in various environments and landscapes from woodland to the mountains of the Lake District. I have always been a lover of the simple landscape scenes and this lens gave me exactly what I wanted. Moving through the years and my introduction to mirrorless cameras, I sold the EF and replaced it with the RF version. This lens continued to be my favourite lens and had produced some of my best work.

Windermere Cloud Golden, Nov 22
Black Horse, Causey Pike, Jul 22

As with several of my lenses that I’ve owned throughout the years and for monitory reasons at the time, the RF 70-200 was sold. So there I was with no telephoto lens, just my standard zoom and my 35mm prime. The long lens was definitely missed and it wasn’t long until I was back in possession with the RF 100-400.

The Canon RF 100- 400 f/5.6 to f/8 as it name says, is a varied aperture lens with 5.5 stop Image Stabiliser (IS) At the time, I relied too much on the IS and often came away with images that were affected by camera shake. I couldn’t get used to the lens and it wasn’t long until we parted company. Looking back and is the case with a lot of my lenses, this was probably a bad decision. The truth is that I didn’t give it enough time and realise now that a lens with such a zoom range which opened up more options and at such a low cost, demanded more attention.

So here we are, I am now content with my lens collection, a 24-105 standard zoom 35 prime and yes, a reunited 100-400. As I write this article, I have used the RF 100-400 f/5.6 – f/8 twice and each time it has produced pin sharp images. The secret? Make sure that the shutter speed is never less than 1/250. This lens will re give me the options of eliminating distractions, reach out to patches of light on distant fells and better chances of simple landscape photography.

When the sun shines

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‘The light is too harsh’ is a phrase that is often used when the sun is out and casting it’s light on the scene that result in ‘losing detail’ and ‘burning out the highlights’ An excuse to put the camera away. I’ve heard this phrase on many occasions when watching landscape photography YouTube channels. It’s an understandable statement as in the majority of landscape photographs, too much contrast kills the mood and the appeal. On the other hand however, when the sun shines in the city it’s a different story.

‘Its all about the light’ is also a common line used and arguably this statement is very true when it comes to taking your photography to the next level. It’s important however to use that light on offer effectively, alongside a well composed shot. I’m digressing slightly into a different topic here. When the sun shines and the shadows are cast, I head for a more urban environment when the harsh light and shadows open up an abundance of opportunities.

The city and urban environments can be quite a daunting place to be for some. For the traditional landscape photographer, being alone and at peace is for most an essential ingredient. Landscape Photography is where my roots lie in the art, starting in 2007 and heading out to the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. The pace is slow and allows for time to reflect. In the city on the other hand, the world seems to speed up, people are in abundance and the crowds seem to want to push you along. For me, the transition between these two genres has become easier and I have adapted over time.

The city holds a wealth of photographic opportunities when the sun shines. Buildings, walls, signs and people create the shadows that become an important element in the frame. I am always on the move. This is because I want to move along with the pace which allows me to blend in. The environment is constantly changing. Whilst the Earth rotates around the sun, the light and shadows also move and create different angles. What the morning brings is often not the same as an Afternoon.

Shooting black and white, which is usually my choice of photography in an urban environment, focuses on contrast. Shadows form patterns ,shapes and become 2 dimensional. Angles can be hard from man made structures and give a good contrast to the rounded shapes of a passing pedestrian. Diagonal lines on a concrete path which would not be present without the sun. A strangers face in the spotlight as they pass through a narrow band of light. Opportunities are in abundance.

I am a great believer that there are no bad days for photography. Harsh light should not be an excuse to put the camera away but an invitation to enter the city and explore what this fast moving landscape has to offer.

The feel good factor

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On my last hike in the Lake District in 2024 I was lucky enough to witness something that I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing in my 10 years of walking the fells, a cloud inversion. The time I spent on the top of Great End that day will forever be painted in my memory not just for the beautiful sights on offer but the emotions it brought. To photograph it whilst wiping away the tears is a pleasing reminder of why I do this.

For me, the most enjoyment I get from photography, especially of the landscape genre, is the opportunity to witness great light, conditions and those moments which do not come around that often. I feel that recently I have found what works for me in terms of how I get pleasure from this art. My landscape photography is predominantly made of images I capture using the single standard zoom, handheld and on the fells of the Lake District, combining my passion for hiking.

The day of the inversion

This was a second visit to Seathwaite, Lake District within a few days over the Xmas period. The previous hike brought with it some inclement weather, including high winds that got the better of me on the summit of Green Gable and 2 subsequent falls due to the wet stones on my descent. On a side note, those stone paths in the wet can be treacherous when going down. One misplaced step at the back end of a hiking day can lead to a serious injury. The day of the inversion however was different with no rain and minimal wind. There was signs of what was to come with the hill fog hugging the fell tops seen on my ascent.

It was a pleasant start with the weather and if honest, a surprise as the forecast had predicted poor visibility from the fog with a constant drizzle. The signs were good as I headed up towards Stockley Bridge before heading up a stone path up towards Styhead Gill and Styhead Tarn. The clag was heavy at Styhead Tarn, bringing no visibility but there was some good photographic opportunities shortly before I got to this point.

After a few refreshing cups of coffee from my over sized flask, I headed up towards the next Tarn of the day, Sprinkling Tarn. The visibility was still poor with a veil of clag making the far banks of the Tarn almost out of sight. I slowly continued up to my next point of reference, Esk Hause. The clag started to lift and the layers reveal themselves as I made my ascent. As I approached Esk Hause the sun was clearly to be seen and burning through the water vapors in the atmosphere. The views opened up and the first signs of what was to come. The sight of the sun and partial blue skies lifted my spirits to a point where the endorphins started to buzz.

The fell tops peaking their heads above the clouds were clearly to be seen for miles as I approached the summit of Great End. This was a time of reflection of what was a challenging 2024 on a personal basis with the passing of my brother. It was a mixed bag of emotions of memories and realisation of how lucky I was to witness such an amazing sight. There was only around an hours lights left at the end of the day so the chase was one to maximise the opportunities of getting a descent collection of images. It was similar to the times when I loved getting out at sunrise, only to end up running into anxiety and realising later that my results were poor. Today was different though. I managed to shoot a fair number of images but I also wanted to enjoy this time and contemplate to myself. I often use these times to let my thoughts run wild and release the unwanted energy of some. This was a special time.

My love of the great outdoors and landscape photography brought me to this moment. A very small chapter in my life which will remain in my memory banks until my end of days. These days I do not leave disappointed from a hike. On occasions my spirits are lifted when I capture a good image but that is a bonus. It is more about being present and never setting expectations.

Watch the video below of the day come to life