Drifting

beautiful landscape Alf...well preserved tones and fine lines...regards....David

The wind was filling my eyes, my mouth, my hair and seemingly

everything else with sand, I just hoped the camera wasn't affected!

Thankfully it wasn't! Bamburgh Castle must be one of the most

photographed castles in the UK, I just hoped to get a slightly different

take on it with the sand blowing across the foreground. Your

thoughts and comments are always appreciated. Thank You.

This place can't possibly exist in our world. Obviously you fell through a rabbit hole that landed you in some far more heroic age. It's lucky you happened to have your camera with you to bring back proof that such magical realms really do exist.

Ok Alf, that is it... you have teased me long enough; I am moving! ;)  Very beautiful and magical image. I wonder what this would look like in soft color with diffused light? Maybe like the heavens opened up and answered my prayers, there might even be unicorns. Still excellent here in b&w. Beautiful work! Thank you for sharing. :)

Alf, I have seen many images of Bamburgh castle in photography books. As you say it's much photogarphed. But this is certainly different. I admire you patience, determination and imagination. Regards, Adreinne

Hi Alf,

  Beautiful b/w scene with wonderful tone's & lines.  Take care, Patsy

Thoughts of "continental drift" came to mind.  Very well done, your troubles were rewarded handsomely.

portrays the aloofness, majesty while underlining a sense of purpose.

Could be the opening shot of a movie!

Excellent image, love how well the B&W works with the blowing sand, the vastness of this area is expressed well in this image. Great composition and POV.  Excellent Image!   Best Regards,  Sherry

A beautiful result with very nice lighting, Alf!

With best regards,

Ruud.

 

striking.  perhaps a slightly wider aspect ratio?  best, j

A very daring shot to take the way you described the scene, Alf. But it paid off with this image with beautiful tones and drama in the foreground leading up to the castle that is well placed in the composition.

Best regards!

 

Superb composition and B&W work. The lines in the sand really make the picture. Well seen and done!

Regards,

Alain

Great lines.  I feel like I'm taking a tour of the best of your country.  Thanks!

Great shot Alf, I had the pleasure of being there last year.

DAVID

 

Many Thanks for your interest and positive feedback! 

I cursed the wind in the first instance, not knowing it would lead to a photo opportunity.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

JACK

 

Strange you should mention Rabbit Holes, the place was full of them! In fact the grassy bank that the castle sits on was positively riddled with them. I did happen to fall down one as I walked, but was saved from an encounter with the Mad Hatter by my strudy tripod!  I shudder to think how close I came to being known forever more as "Alice"

I love the analogy Jack!

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

 

Alf

 

TRISHA

 

Ahhh but thats just a tiny bit you have seen so far! The coast of Northumberland is a wonderful place, steeped in history and full of character, its one location you can't miss when you visit!.

There is of course a colour version, but I have of late become a bit obsessional about B & W. I will post the colour version at some point in the future though.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and kind words Trisha.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

ADRIENNE

 

Iconic structures like this are, for me at least, the most difficult to photograph without being repetetive of others work. I was most fortunate to encounter the high winds at sunset, although I have to admit initially I was cursing the conditions.

Sincere Thanks for your thoughtd and positive feedback, much appreciated!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

PATSY

 

Thank you so much for your thoughts and kind words, much appreciated!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

STEVE

 

I knew all that grit in my mouth would have a happy ending : - )

 

Many Thanks for your thoughtful feedback Steve!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

RANGA

 

"Majesty" is a great adjective to describe this place. If you take a very close look at the larger view,  you will see tiny figures to the left of the image, this might give an idea of the scale of the place.........it is huge!

I quite like the thought of it being the opening scene to a movie........I suppose it does have a sense of grandeur about it.

 

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback Ranga!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

SHERRY

 

Its really gratifying to read that the sense of scale has come across so well.  the castle itself is enormous and the empty sweeping beaches are a photographers dream

 

Sincere Thanks for your interest and invaluable feedback!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

RUUD

 

Many Thanks for your thoughts and kind words!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

JAMIE

 

I shot the scene at 38 mm and although I could have widened it to 24 mm with the lens I had on, I wouldn't have changed lens in those conditions to the wider 14 - 24 mm.

But more to the point I was very aware of proportions and scale, and I think it would be easy to lose the detail of the castle and its standing as the prime element of interest if indeed I chose to go much wider.

Interesting thought though, I will take a look at the file and see what else I shot during that session. 

Sincere Thanks and Best Regards

 

Alf

 

LESTER

 

Nikon build cameras like tanks it would seem, as it suffered no ill effects whatsoever from its ordeal in the windy sand blown environment.

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback Lester!

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

ALAIN

 

Many Thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback.

I suppose instinct tells a person to take shelter when faced with strong winds and sand. It is only us fool photographers that would stand in the face of it just to get the shot. : - )

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

DOMINICK

 

Ahhh now theres an idea that I fully intend to include in my book.......a Virtual Tour of the UK  through photographs ............when I eventually get round to finishing it : - )

Cheers Dominick!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

IAN

 

It is just an amazing stretch of coastline. We were staying at Almouth just a few miles down the coast from Bamburgh.  We spent a week in the area and just didn't have enough time to see everything.

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words Ian.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

 

Alf..... Very nicely done in b&w. When I  first seen it in the thumbnail I thought they were waves, but in large view it is indeed blowing sand. Love the tones and the detail. How did you manage this with what seems to be a higher ISO rating? Regards, Bob.

One of your best IMO.  I find it very difficult to photograph sites which have previously already been shot by hundreds of thousands prior to me.  How can I make my shot different enough from all of the others before me?  Well, this is an excellent example.  I'd be willing to bet that there are very few (if any) shots like this one.  Of course, the B W also presentation further separates it.

I'm sure that the safety of your beloved D700 was always in your mind.

Really well done, Alf.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers...

A unique shot of unique scene in a unique time! I loved the sturdy rocky castle in far in a field full of motion and instability! Its the art of a very talented photographer. Bravo.

Hamid.

Fantastic contrast between the "static background" (the castle) and the "flowing foreground". Beautiful photograph.

A superb capture of this ancient castle Alf! Sounds like hideous working conditions. I'd have been quite nervous about my gear too having lost an old pentax slr to dust years ago. I see you used quite a high ISO to achieve a high shutter speed to freeze the movement of the sand. I'm curious to see if you tried any longer exposures to accentuate the movement of the sand. Might be interesting to have the drifting sand backlit by some low angle sun using a long exposure. Might not be possible either. Your resulting shot makes for an excellent B&W Alf!

All the best,
Neil

The effect is as if you see the time drifting by, while the castle is there, fixed in the middle ages. The luminous skies also contribute to the contrast between the fast and unstoppable flow of the foreground and the serene peace and "safety" of the castle.

Regards, Tibi

BOB

 

Many Thanks for your thoughts and invaluable feedback, much appreciated!

I must apologise for the misleading ISO information, it was a typing error and should have read "ISO 200" (I have corrected it now).

The speed that the sand was blowing mean't I didn't really need a particularly slow shutter to achieve the effect for this shot, but I did try a few long exposures. Sadly because of the extreme high winds the castle didn't look as sharp as I would have liked, but it achieved an interesting effect. I might post it anyway just as an example.

Thanks again Bob & Best Regards

 

Alf

 

JERRY

 

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback, much appreciated!

 

I know exactly what you mean about the iconic type of buildings and scenes you refer to. It can be a real challenge to try and add an element of orginality to such a scene, but I always aim to at least do better than my previous attempts, even if I know I can't better what has gone before.  Its always worth a try.

I was acutely aware of the D700 being impregnated with sand particles, and protected it as best I could, but Nikon build them well, and unless I was foolish enough to try and change lenses under those condition, I think it was relatively safe.

Cheers Jerry!

 

Alf

 

HAMID

 

Many Thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback, very much appreciated!

The proportions of the huge castle are impressive, and the deserted beach was another bonus, and like the shifting sand, it was courtesy of the very high winds.

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

DROR

 

Many Thanks for your thoughts and astute words, very much appreciated!

Nature can be a strange companion, just when you think things like weather are against you, it surprises you with a gift of something different to view and photograph.

 

Cheers Dror!

 

Alf

 

NEIL

 

It was blowing in gusts that nearly took me off my feet at times. The area as you can see, offers nothing in the way of shelter. I was a bit nervous myself, but refrained from changing lenses the whole time I was there in order to minimise the risk.

My apologies for the misleading information relating to the ISO, it was a typing error and should have read "ISO 200"

I did try some longer exposures with the sand coming directly towards me and illuminated by the low sun, in fact exactly as you have described, and in part they looked really good, but for some reason the castle just didn't look as sharp as I would normally consider acceptable, and therefore I haven't posted them.  I might just post one though as a matter of interest.

Many Thanks for your thoughts and invaluable feedback Neil.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

TIBI

 

It can be quite mesmerising watching the drifting sand, a bit like watching moving water, or clouds drifting by.  That is until you get sand in your eye of course!

Sincere Thanks for your interest and for that beautiful and eloquent description!

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

 

 

Yet another wonderful mono. Super clarity and comp!

excellent..I like it a lot...