Month: December 2020

December sunrise

It is the penultimate Saturday before Christmas, many of us will be having to entertain thoughts of heading into towns or cities for some Christmas shopping, fortunately I am not one of the many, instead I shall be heading out for a morning hike, with the hopes of catching the sun as it rises along the way.


Setting off at just after seven fifteen AM, darkness still hangs around like an unwanted guest, I have about 45 minutes before the sun begins its morning ascent into northern hemisphere skies.

A little rain is still in the air but today is forecast as mainly sunny until later in the day, one of the reasons I have chosen today for my outing.
I have about a mile and half before reaching the well trodden riverside path that follows the River Exe to the Exe estuary, it is when I reach this path that I spot some orange hues in the sky as the morning awakens.

I reach one of my favourite spots along the footpath, close to the Double Locks pub, the sun breaks through the cloud in all its golden glory, what a start to the day.



The sun breaks through the clouds in show of golden rays, the second image shows the double locks pub on the right with one of its two locks.


After the light show, I decide to capture a long exposure shot of the river as it looks back towards Exeter, the serene stillness broken only by the melody of the avian chorus.

Another five minutes and the stillness of the river is broken by the first of many early morning rowers, their sleek boats cutting through the water like a knife through butter, as they glide so elegantly by.

From here, the path takes me to Countess wear, one of Exeter’s main arteries out of the city, where I will cross the already busy main road to join the path on the other side, another 3 miles will take me to Turf Locks, another of my favourite photographic venues.

I am not alone on my walk, the river bank has seen overnight fishermen hoping for their catch of a lifetime, the predator anglers seeking pike in one place, while down river the carp anglers have set up their temporary base, sandwiching a solitary Tench angler making his first cast of the morning.

While the conversation with them all is about their piscatorial prowess, the one thing we all have in common, is the joy of watching the morning sunrise, where we are all agreed that the early mornings are the best part of the day.

A little way along the footpath, it splits into two, a narrower path following the river is ideal for walkers, the wider path below takes the cyclists, as I join the narrow river path, I can take in the views at my leisure.


Taking in views of the river heading towards Turf locks.
I am always keen to see the boat salvage yard’s new acquisitions, especially when they are mirrored in the water as they are today.


Making my way to Turf locks, the clouds above start to thicken hiding the sun for a few moments before it appears once more casting that wonderful winter light upon the landscape.

One of the pleasures of winter walks is the winter light cast upon the landscape


With the light changing rapidly, I try to keep up with the moody skies, grey and threatening one moment, then back to sunny landscapes as the sun escapes from its cloudy cloak.

On reaching Turf Locks, the clouds begin to shed their cargo of rain.

Reaching Turf locks, the skies begin to darken and in the distance the clouds shed their cargo of rain, tide in or out, this part of my walk is just so photogenic.

I take a couple of in camera monochrome shots to capture the drama of the changing light, the exposed mud flats add more to the mood.

Having decided that I would catch a bus home, I take a road I have not walked before, looking at possible new routes and footpaths along the way.

I walk about another mile and a half before hearing the traffic pass on the main road ahead, as I reach the junction a convenient bus stop is just on the other side of the road, I have approximately 15 minutes to finish my flask of tea before the next bus arrives.

The ride home gives me a chance to look through my mornings photos, I am pleased that I made the effort to get out when I did, as Sunday’s weather is looking pretty hopeless.

Photography Friday

It’s the last Friday in November and I have a bonus day off from work, so decide to set my usual 4am work alarm to an hour later, with the intention of spending a few hours out with the camera.

No need for the alarm, I have become so accustomed to the early starts but the dark mornings never look that inviting.

As usual, I have my camera bag ready, leaving no excuses not to go anywhere, my intention is to head to the coast,so I will catch a train that departs just after seven fifteen.
I leave the house an hour before this, perhaps I can take advantage of the quiet streets of Exeter and take some low light shots.



The streets are virtually empty but take advantage of the light from shop windows


The streets are empty but for the road sweepers and the few early commuters, I take full advantage of shop lights illuminating the streets and seize a quick opportunity to take a photo of a locked up bicycle lit by a mechanical road sweeper making its rounds, immediately thinking this would make a good black and white shot.

The previous evening’s weather forecast had overcast skies for most of Friday, as I wait for my train, patches of blue hour coloured sky are visible through the cloud, maybe I could even see a glimpse of sun.

Arriving at Teignmouth, there is a noticeable chill in the wind, the mornings have that feel of winter about them but no matter, the light of morning is looking rather good, time to get to the beach.

The strong winds are offering some good wave action, exposure times of less than ten seconds will be enough for me to capture the movement of the water, it promises to be a good morning,


Taking full advantage of an unexpected sunrise


With just a glimpse of sun peering from behind its cloudy curtain, the colours are a reminder of why I like to get out whenever possible to watch the day unfold.

With a dozen or so shots in the bag, it’s time to treat myself to a hot cup of tea and a breakfast baguette, luckily for me, a local cafe open for takeaway service is just a short walk away.
Fed and watered, I am ready to walk the short distance along the sea wall to Dawlish.

A few shots taken as I walk along the sea wall to Dawlish


With schools and work now under a semblance of normality, there are few other souls around today, one of the reasons I enjoy getting out on a weekday.

As the morning progresses, the clouds begin to thicken and turn a dull grey, I feel fortunate to have captured the earlier light but see the changing light as a chance for some monochrome shots.

How quickly the moods of the weather goods change, a few B&W shots at Dawlish.

It has been a good mixture of a morning, a few miles walked and a good selection of shots , I decide to catch the next train from Dawlish and head for home, where I look forward to checking out my mornings efforts.

Fifth time lucky

Today was to be a Dartmoor day, the first in a couple of weeks, to a venue I have visited on four occasions previously, on each occasion coming away without a particular shot I have sought, due to strong winds.

The venue is Fernworthy reservoir, just a few miles from Chagford on Dartmoor, one of several reservoirs on the moor that has public footpaths allowing a walk around its perimeter.

The area is just wall to wall photogenia, especially when like today there is no breeze, so the reservoir stands serene reflecting the surrounding landscape on mirror flat waters.

The early morning fog and mist had cleared, revealing bright blue skies with just a hint of winter in the air, a perfect day for photography.

The bracken to the right of path display hues of bronze, dew droplets hanging from fronds, while dew laden cobwebs hang like tinsel draped between the clusters.

Going back to the introduction, I mentioned a particular shot I have been hoping to get, a tree that stands close to the waters edge, that in spring and summer show off its verdant plumage, in autumn and winter laying bare its gnarled twigs and branches, yet oozing character.
Previous visits have been in windy conditions, my hope for a long exposure shot to calm the waters of the reservoir thwarted, the trees movement would be just a blurry mess, I would have to try yet again another day.

I am within sight of my goal, today is the day, and there it stands, free from movement but as a bonus for me, the water levels are high enough that it stands surrounded by water.





My four previous attempts to capture this tree had been foiled, today was my day as it also stands surrounded by the waters of the reservoir.

Finally, I had bagged the shot and while it looked okay in colour, I preferred the drama of the black and white image.

I am barely a third of the way around todays walk but take a minute or two to just sit and enjoy the tranquility of my surroundings before moving on.

I take my usual zig zagging route, taking detours down side paths I think may be of interest, a four mile walk becomes a five and a half miler, all down to my curious nature!

One such path leads to a copse of pine trees, where the morning sun is making an impression on the last of the early mist, this is a shot I have to have.

While I finally had the shot I wanted, this one is my favourite from the day.

I was over the moon to have finally got ‘my’ tree shot, yet this is my favourite from the day, as the sun pierces through the mist, painting a golden glow on the path.

The play between sun and mist was a wonder to behold, offering a wealth of picture taking treasures.

Today just seemed to be one of those days that just kept giving, the play between light and mist adding an ethereal beauty to an already picturesque location.

Just a handful more from today’s outing, what a day!

Making my way back to the car park, it is considerably more full than earlier in the morning, yet I feel that I have had the best of the day, as I drink a well earned brew before heading home.