Collections: Change of plans...

Ok, so it has become pretty obvious that this project seems to have gone from landscape photography to waterfall photography!

This is mainly because there are so many waterfalls around and they are so much easier and quicker to find that the perfect location(s) for landscape photography, especially given the time constraints. The other reason is that after seeing the first few, I was amazed at how powerful they were. Each one was very different so there would be plenty of variation and I would be able to explore the Dales a bit more so that I can focus on landscapes for a later project.

This time of year is also quite difficult for landscapes as the weather is pretty miserable and I have a million and one things to do so I try to manage my time as best as I can, but this also means its not as easy to drop everything and head for the hills when we have a nice day.
Waterfalls often look better on a rainy and dull day so the weather shouldn't hold me back too much.

Stainforth Force, Stainforth near Settle

This was the third and last waterfall that we visited yesterday and probably the simplistic one of the three, but amazing none the less. It was also the smallest in height.

Stainforth is just north of Settle and northwest of Malham.
The power and current of the water flowing down this fall was immense and the waterfall is build like a series of steps.

Once again, we arrived at this location and no sooner had we set up our cameras, it started to rain. This was more of a problem at Stainforth Force as it was very open to the side of the fall that you have to access it from and the ground quickly became very slippery.
It was hard enough anyway because of the angle that the river ran to get a good composition of the full waterfall.

On the plus side, I knew there were Salmon in this river, but I didn't realise that it was the time of year that they make their journey upstream. Despite there only being a few Salmon that day, I must have seen about 9 or 10 attempts to make it up the waterfall in about 45 minutes. Its quite amazing to see them jump up suck a powerful waterfall.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to photograph any as they were too ad hock in jumps and with the light failing, there just wasn't time.

Janet's Foss, Malham

Janet's Foss was the most picturesque of the three waterfalls. It is surrounded by woodland and falls into a small pool which flows off through the valley.

Although I am pleased with the photographs that I took, they really don't do the location any justice and I don't think that any photograph would! It is one of those places that you really need to visit to see its true beauty.

The weather really let us down at this location. Because it is surrounded by woodland, it was fairly dark but it would have looked amazing with the sun beaming through the trees. But as cold as it was, the pool still looked very inviting. The water was so clear and as the waterfall hit the pool below, it has a bluish tint like a swimming pool.

Without a doubt, I will be going back here in the summer to take more photographs!

About 200 yards down the river from Janet's Foss, there are 3 tree trunks, densely embedded with coins!

...and my parents always said that money doesn't grow on trees!!!!!

It is said that this is where the Tooth Fairy gets the money to leave under children's pillows at night when they collect their fallen teeth.

Gordale Scar, Malham

This was probably the most spectacular waterfall of the three that we visited yesterday.

The river has calved a path through the rock face of a small cliff in the hills of Malhamdale and then runs down the valley to Janet's Foss.

The weather forecast had been dry with sunny spells but the second that we got to the waterfall and I had unzipped my camera bag it started to rain! Typical British weather! Thankfully it wasn't too heavy and we were partly sheltered by the cliffs so it didn't cause too much of a problem. But this also meant that the sky had clouded over which I didn't mind as it meant that the light was more suitable for photographing water on long exposures.

The only downfall of Gordale Scar, is that because it falls through the cliffs, you can only photograph it from certain locations and while it was raining and I have a huge bag full of equipment, I didn't think it would be the best idea to climb up the rock face.

I am however, very happy with the photographs that I have from Gordale. The exposures have come out much better than I had anticipated as I haven't really spent much time before taking long exposures of water. It would have been better had it not rained and I didn't have to keep protecting my camera as I would have liked to have taken more from different angles across the rock face.

Landscapes: The First Locations

Today I started the landscape photography for my Collections project.

The weather wasn't ideal for wandering too much as it kept raining on and off, although it only seemed to start the second that I set my camera up!

The locations that we potographed were;

• Gordale Scar, Malham
• Janet's Foss, Malham
• Stainforth Force, Stainforth near Settle

We had also planned to visit Catrigg Force and Scaleber Force but unfortunately we didn't have enough time.

I will post a preview of the images tomorrow.

Joe Cornish: Landscape Photographer

Having worked as an Assistant Buyer for 2 years at The National Trust, I am very familiar with the work of Joe Cornish. Many of the greeting's cards sold and branded National Trust cards use his work as well as their photographic library.

Joe's images are so tranquil and the colours are always so beautifully bright yet calming. Joe often photographs seascapes at dawn or dusk using long exposures and many of which are taken around North Yorkshire where he lives.

I am very inspired by Joe's work and I would love to take some coastal dawn photographs. I think I will have to make a point of that in the new year!

If you like land and seascape photography, you have to see Joe's work!
Please click the link to view his website: Joe Cornish

Landscape Locations

Okay, so after all of my investigating, I now have a rather long list of locations for Landscape Photography.

My plan is to get to get to several locations each day due to time restrictions and a lot of the locations are clumpped together which will help. Obviously some will take longer to get to and find but I can usually find just about anything if I put my mind to it!

I know I won't have time to cover all of these but I thought it may be useful to point them out incase anyone else wants to know what features are about.

• Tong Beck (Waterfall), Sykes Wood, Tong Valley
• Beckfoot Bridge & Ford, Bingley
• Hebden Water, Hardcastle Crags
• Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags
• Waterfall, The Valley of desolation at Bolton Abbey
• The Cow & Calf Rocks, Ilkley Moor
• Conistone
• Janet's Foss & Goredale Scar
• Malhamdale
• Scaleber Force (Waterfall)
• Catrigg Foss & Stainforth Force, Settle
• Clapham beck (Waterfall)
• Beezley Falls, Thornton Force, Pecca Falls & Snow Falls, Ingleton
• Ribblehead Viaduct
• Cotter Force & Hardraw Force
• West Burton Falls & Aysgarth Falls
• Castle Howard
• Maiden Castle
• Reeth
• Cowside Beck
• Flamborough Head
• Hewenden Viaduct
• Cray, Upper Wharfdale
• Spurn Point
• Whitby
• Saltwick Bay, Black Nab & Saltwick Nab
• Stanage edge

The locations i visit will be dependant upon time and weather restirctions aswell so this list will shorten quite dramatically before the end of the project.