I have just returned from a week's holiday in the Lake District and after a day's walking I ventured out a few times to capture sunset. I actually much prefer sunrise as the dawn of a new fresh day with it's crisp air and clear light is really inspirational. However, it won't be long now before I can do more of these early expeditions.
My first trip out to the top of Windermere was a complete disaster but undeterred I went out to Elterwater, Castlerigg Stone Circle and Derwentwater with a quick stop at Thirlmere.
The Elterwater trip was made more interesting by the efforts Colin Bell and I made via Instagram and highly dodgy wifi/3G connections to meet up. Neither of us managed to pick up any message until at least 1 hour after it was sent so we missed a meet Monday morning and it was only after I flew over Red Bank and down the Coniston Road that we were able to almost collide on the Hodge Close road for a shoot in the evening.
I haven't got to grips with sunsets yet as I need to be more patient and hang on longer after the sun has slipped over the horizon. I was aware of this aspect of photography when I went to Derwentwater but then I had a major problem with midges. My face, arms and legs were well covered with "Oh So Soft" but of course I really needed a hat as millions of the little blighters were biting into my scalp and eventually I had to concede defeat. It was on the way home from Derwentwater that I noticed the fabulous light on Thirlmere and stopped the car. Fortunately there was a gate access across the road so I could set up safely in the space which it created.
