Ooh, the dawn begins to crack...

It's still half an hour until sunrise when I arrive at the cliff tops at Southbourne, Dorset, this morning, and the few breaks in the cloud cover shows a bit of promise for some good light. I hadn't planned to shoot this early, and I'm not carrying any camera support as a result, but I decide to improvise by wedging the camera between a wooden post and rail to keep things steady in the gloom.

I underexpose by two stops from the suggested meter reading to keep the shadows as they are; shadows.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/40 second at f/3.5. Matrix meterting. - 2 stops EV compensation. ISO 400



© 2017

Storm Brian

Storm Brian; the latest 'weather bomb' to hit the UK shores does its worst during mid afternoon along the Dorset coast. Winds gusting up to 80 mph are forecast, but it is nowhere near as strong as predicted.

Perhaps they overestimate as a matter of course, these days, and anything less is a bonus. On the other hand, should all predictions be accurate - and wholesale damage is done - then the weather people can just sit back and say: "Well, we did warn you."


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/1250 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 100



© 2017

Bracken and black velvet

Another 'weather bomb' is forecast to roll in off the Atlantic in the next day or two, so taking advantage of a fine autumn morning I set off into the park for some photography. I take all the usual shots; fallen leaves in dappled sunshine, on trees, in puddles, but it's when I open the files on my screen that it strikes me it would have been better if I had got in closer.

I go out again, foraging for anything showing decay that I can take home and photograph, and it's this bracken fern that ends up as my subject. I'm using a macro lens to get in close, and the light from a window as illumination. A piece of black velvet serves as the background.


105mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens. 3 seconds at f/14. Matrix metering - 0.67 EV compensation. Tripod and remote release. Mirror lockup. ISO 100



© 2017

Start the day right

It's 30 years to the day since the Great Storm of 1987 hit southern England, with winds of up to 120 mph (193 kmh) causing the loss of 18 lives. Fortunately, it all happened overnight, otherwise the death toll may well have been somewhat higher.

It is coincidental that Hurricane Ophelia is also going to cause problems in the UK today, but not on the scale of 30 years ago. However, weather warnings are in place and the fringes of the storm are predicted to hit where I am around 2pm.

There is little sign of coming events as I stand on Southbourne beach, Dorset, to photograph today's sunrise.


24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/160 second at f/5.6 Matrix metering. ISO 100



© 2017

Into the storm

The first storm of the winter arrives in the next few hours and is pre-named. Hurricane Ophelia - or what's left of it - is expected to hit the Republic of Ireland and the west of the UK tomorrow. Although it's not possible for us to experience a full-blown hurricane here because sea temperatures are just too low, winds of up to 80mph are forecast where the storm is strongest.

It should hit the south coast around lunchtime tomorrow, and I will be out with my camera if conditions allow, but for today; the calm before the storm.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/60 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 100



© 2017

When the sun goes low

                                                      An impromptu visit to the beach, and the golden hour.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 100



© 2017

A walk in the park

Even though the autumn colours have yet to become fully established, there is enough going on to get me interested. A walk in the park on a sunny morning with a long lens; I paid particular attention to the sunlight on leaves.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 160. Monopod

Top: 1/1000 second at f/4.
Bottom: 1/400 second at f/5.6.



© 2017

Here we go again

It's an early alarm call, today, and a swift look out of the window into the pre-dawn is enough to convince me it's worthwhile visiting the beach to shoot the sunrise. Although not as spectacular as I had hoped, it wasn't all in vain. The sun is now beginning to rise and set at sea on my stretch of the coast.

Seascape season is about to begin.


20mm f/1.8 EX DG Sigma lens. 1/1250 second at f/8. Matrix metering. + 1.3 EV compensation. ISO 250



© 2017

Relaxing man

Now that autumn is here I am itching to get out with my camera and start shooting; something I have been doing comparatively little of in recent months. The true colours of the season are yet to show themselves, so I am on the cliff tops of Poole bay, Dorset, in the early evening, armed with a long lens and in search of a subject.

I take a few frames of this; several of that, but nothing to get too excited about. I call it a day, but as the light fades I see this man silhouetted against the afterglow and start to take photographs. He is sat on a bench and talking on his mobile phone, but occasionally raises a bottle to take a drink, and I know I have the shot.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/50 second at f/2.8. Matrix metering. Vibration Reduction on. ISO 250



© 2017