2011 in pictures

To mark the end of 2011 and the start of a new year, here’s a run through of my favourite images from each month of last year:

January

The fields on this side of Burrow Mump flood regularly. As the snow of the Christmas period melted it left plenty of water in the fields way into January. I made the most of the opportunity to get some pictures of the Mump reflected in the water. Having purchased a 24mm tilt-shift lens over the holidays this was my first outing with it in the field; the beginning of a slippery slope as it is now my most frequently used lens.

 

February

Wanting to expand my collection of pictures of the Quantocks, I visited Cothelstone Hill for sunrise one February morning. At first I was annoyed that a band of cloud was blocking the sun but once I saw the potential of this picture I wasn’t bothered. One thing I constantly have to remind myself of is to have an open mind when looking for potential pictures.

 

March

You’d think this was taken in the summer if I hadn’t given it away, wouldn’t you? However, if it was summer then the beach here at Berrow would have been much more crowded, perhaps with the odd car getting swallowed by the rising tide (something that seems to be an annual occurence along this stretch of coastline).

 

April

As the sun started to set in a more northerly bearing I started photographing the Exmoor coastline again. I began by capturing the weathered groynes along Bossington Beach. I printed a large version of this image for my exhibition in September and was amazed by the detail retained even with it enlarged.

 

May

I saw the potential of this Hawthorn tree one autumn and decided that a return visit in the spring would be a good idea. I remember this being a wonderful morning; I knew exactly where I was headed, there was a band of clear sky lined up just over Winsford Hill and the ferns and bluebells were starting to unfurl.

 

June

A trip to the South Hams gave me chance to visit many coastal locations. On this evening a band of rain passed overhead just before sunset. I got soaked in the process but as the storm passed it left the sky clear and a little light broke through to just touch the beach at Bigbury-on-Sea.

 

July

Mid-summer for most people is the time of holidays. It is one of the least productive times for landscape photographers as much of the land is parched from the sun (sun, in the UK, I hear you cry?) so I changed tack and visited Bristol. Shortly after sunset the lights came on in all the buildings around the waterfront and this concrete monstrosity fired my imagination.

 

August

This Hawthorn tree on Porlock Common is a favourite subject for landscape photographers. I saw the potential to produce a picture of it at sunrise so spent time planning when to visit to catch both the right light and the vibrant colour of the heather. After three trips everything came together and I captured the picture pretty much as I’d envisaged it back in the spring.

 

October

September wasn’t a very productive month for creating new photographs as I was busy preparing for my Somerset Art Weeks exhibition. Consequently, I didn’t have time to take many pictures. To make up for that October turned out to be a fruitful month. Autumn is always one of my favourite times as there are so many natural changes taking place in the landscape. Over the Somerset Levels mist often forms as the air is very humid. On one morning I visited Crook Peak and made several pictures, this abstract view being my favourite of the lot. The resulting photos made the Daily Mail website and newspaper and the Daily Telegraph newspaper. Thanks to everyone who emailed and contacted me having seeing the pictures.

 

November

As the leaves dropped from most of the trees, a group of us photographers visited the Elan Valley in mid-Wales. The sun emerged briefly late in the day but throughout the morning atmospheric mist lingered over the area. I stood on dam to take in this view of Penygarreg reservoir.

 

December

Most recently – barely a week ago in fact – I headed down to Dorset to a place that has been on my ‘to-visit’ list for quite a while. I had hopes for frosts or even perhaps snow this December but mother nature decided to gives us a warm winter. Regardless of the weather inland, the coast is an inspiring place to be, so I visited Mupe Rocks. As one of the least easily accessible parts of the Dorset coastline, Mupe Rocks is a tough shoot but worthwhile to experience its ruggedness and isolated beauty. I struggled to find a composition that felt right but as dusk set in I found some inspiration and settled on this view.

 

Looking forward

Thanks for your support throughout 2011, whether you have followed my pictures, bought my cards or prints, commented on my photos or chatted to me out in the landscape. I hope to bring you some exciting new pictures this year. Here’s to 2012!