Anglesey Jan 11th 2022

 Today I want to experiment with some long exposure photography with a  Freewell nd1000 filter on my New Mavic 3 drone which  is supposed to be so stable that 8 second exposures are possible! 

This should be very interesting experimenting with different exposure times  ,  I have Ozzy with me and will head to Trearddur bay first on the island of Anglesey.   Parking next to a small bay I have clambered out onto the rocks and flown the drone just out over the semi submerged rocks out in the bay. the wind is a bit gusty but should be a perfect test with the nd filter.   The 10 stop nd filter works exactly the same as on the dslr big camera, blocking light to increase the exposure time to hopefully show wave movement in the image.  Although there is not much of a swell as the sea is very calm but there are sufficient waves swirling around the rocks for this experiment.

Here are two images, these show good movement that I wanted,  amazingly about 3/4 of the images I shot were sharp!   

 8 seconds f2.8  iso 100

                                                                 3.2 seconds f2.8 iso100 

Now heading to South Stack lighthouse to have a look around that area.   Since Ozzy is with me a walk up and over Holyhead mountain seems a good idea.

                                          He has found water already!   lol

Up and over the top of Holyhead Mountain we eventually get a view of the Holyhead Breakwater in the distance.

A bit closer now , and will carry on walking close enough to safely fly the drone out to try the long exposure technique on the sea, which may not actually make much difference as the sea is so calm anyhow. 

The drone is up flying with the nd filter on, experimenting with different iso and apperture values the histogram is not really showing the differences and when i check the images in the app after the flight, they all look overexposed, even though there were no highlight warnings on the histogram,  very odd!

This is three frames merged into a Vertorama . I don't think the long exposure time made much difference in reality, but its a good test.  Using higher iso values seems to be trial and error, needing to check each image in the app to see how the exposure is.

                                                    6 seconds  f5  iso 200.

Now time to head back to the car and drive down to Newborough for sunset at Llandwyn island.   It is about an hour until sunset, and the walk along the beach takes about 20 minutes.  This will be good for Ozzy anyhow. 

Sitting down on the rocks near the island I have taken a couple images with the low setting sun illuminating the dunes , Ozzy is fetching the ball constantly as i throw it down the beach.

                     Always love the long shadows in the last 3/4 hour before sunset.

Looking back from the island , the sun is getting quite low now so will not be long before any colour may develop. But it appears most of the cloud has left the area now ,  so i just hope to get some of the last good light illuminating the rocks and lighthouse.

                                                             Happy Spanner!

           It is now time to go out and see if any light will be on the lighthouse. There is a glimmer of colour on the horizon above the Snowdonia mountains.

                                             Multi frame panorama 

                  This is what i wanted, the last of the light illuminating the lighthouse.

This is the best of the colour that developed, 5 frames manually shot and merged in photoshop using layer masks.

                       Time for the long walk back along the beach to the car now

                       That's the last ball throw Ozzy , off to the chippy now . 

The end of a great day on Anglesey ...................

Dorset september 2016 Swanage,Peviril point,Durdle door

Walking around the headland from Kimmeridge bay,   its very windy but warm and sunny.  the coastline is amazing along here.

                                                          Zooming in with long lens.

                                                 Looking back towards Kimmeridge bay

                                Stunning cliffs!   6 frame vertical image panorama

Its early evening and i have decided to climb up the headland to look down on Durdle door for sunset.  its a steep climb up towards Bat head onto the top of Swyre Head.     the golden light is really nice , but it is very windy up here and I'm struggling to get sharp images even on the tripod!!

The following morning , our last day we have driven to Swanage ,  and a walk onto the pier and a look at the old pier structure which i want to do a long exposure image.     its drizzling and quite dull overcast but i managed this 30 second exposure with Lee Big stopper nd filter.

 

After lunch we have walked around to Peveril Point

                   This is my favourite composition  , 47 seconds with big stopper 10 stop nd filter.

 The final evening at Durdle Door ,  and what a sunset !     as the sun just about on horizon it lit up the entire beach with warm orange light ,   never seen such a strong light like this before . even with nd grad filters  i couldn't prevent the lens flare but quite like the effect .

 and then i have walked over to Man-o-war Bay after the sun has gone down and managed this image , it was quite dark by this time but still showed some colour.

Stormy Seas at Perch Rock nov 29th 2015

Its Sunday morning , and another storm, named Clodagh is here  along with a big High tide at Perch Rock lighthouse, New Brighton on the Wirral peninsula . with 60mph + winds .
                                    Which equals one thing,  Huge waves :D

Time to get some photos as well as walking the Terrible Twosome.
Arriving in the car park the tide was crashing in already , waves just starting to going over the promenade further along past Morrison's.

                         A quick run on the beach for the beasts before the tide comes right up!
                                    Yes i was being very careful not to throw the ball too far :)

                                                                  They are having fun :)

 I have put the dogs in the car and now  join all the other photographers that have all come down to photograph the waves .......    the tide is now up to the big rocks on the left side of the small beach ,  crouching down behind these rocks is giving a bit of protection from the wind .  Jan has gone to Morrisons shopping and left me to it :)


 I have put the 100-400 lens on, and using the tripod at its lowest position for stability.i have tried a few shots but nothing to my liking , so time for the Lee Big Stopper , a 10 stop nd filter !  Madness in this wind on a long lens i know, but will never know unless i try.
After a half dozen attempts,but with way too long exposures to keep the camera still enough in this wind and all resulting images are blurred  , but opening lens wide open to shorten the exposure time has worked and........... i have just shot this ...

               100mm ,  f5 , 3.2 seconds.    Yay    this is one of my favourite images all year :D

           A wave has just gone right over my feet, much to the amusement of the other photogs !!!!!!  
                                                                              Bummer!


          Moving across to near the fort wall, i have shot this handheld with a faster shutter speed :)
I am standing on a sand island with waves swirling around both sides , one of the other photogs, who i know, is standing in his wellies to my right in the waves, but he didn't notice a really big one coming in!    its gone past his knees :D   that will teach him for laughing at me earlier!   lol

                          The light is changing all the time , getting really dark over out to sea .

                                       Another contender for my favorite image of the year!

   
     Noticing huge waves crashing over the prom, i am going to move from here and will have to run   across the wall between the marine lake and the sea as the waves are going right across!

                            I made a run for it and...........Didn't make it!   Oops  wet again :(

                                                           Look at these waves !  Wow"

                                 This one got me!!!!!!     worth it though for this image :)

The wall between the lake and sea is now too dangerous to walk over ,so i have to walk all the way around the road to get back to the car park,Jan has phoned and is heading back to the car along the road  lol  . When i get there ,the car park is now filling up with sea water!! , the waves are going right over the prom now. Jan has already moved the car while i have just enough time for a couple quick pics before time to leave.

                                                                        Stormy Seas !

    Time to leave , the police are closing the promenade as we drive back towards the motorway!!!!!!!!

                        its been a great morning, with two of my favourite images of the year :)

Sunset at Meols Beach August 17 /19 th 2015

The weather is looking promising for a good sunset , fingers crossed :)
Its only 15 mins drive to the beach , the tide is well out and i can safely walk out to the boats to shoot long exposures .


                                Long exposure of 160 seconds on this one using Big Stopper

                       It didn't last , faded quite quickly unfortunately , but there is always tomorrow :)

                             The following evening was one of the best sunsets so far this year :)
Keeping an eye on the cloud at home i have rushed down to the beach again , its going to be great!

                                 Its developing fantastic tonight ,  getting some cracking images :)

 

Its turned into a cracker tonight!

                                                              Amazing Cloud tonight :D
                                                                  Absolutely Stunning!

                                                            That was a great evening :)

Cornwall Holiday pt4 Sat Nav Incident, Polperro & Holywell Sunset

After it rained all night and early this morning we have had a lie in ,  the forecast is looking great for the south Cornwall coast , so a quick look on my phone ( almost out of data!!!!! )    Polperro is a village i have always wanted to visit so this is our destination , Now usually i search on maps for the car park and get the postcode , but as i didn't want to use up any more data i just typed "Polperro" into the cars sat nav.   easy   right?    Well Nooooooo      When we got near , i had a feeling something was wrong , But as i had just passed a sign saying "Village centre"  i didn't think anything more about it........ Until going down a steep narrow road to a point where we wouldn't Fit between the side walls!!!!!!!!!!    Bollocks and all other words .. Ffffff         luckily we where stuck right next to a small cottages drive , Jan directed me, as i attempted a 60 point turn.......... Yes carry on she said..............scrape...............  Bump.........  Arggggggg    thought you said ok????????         Ooops

After this bad start to the day , it can only get better , and it did :)     Polperro is Stunning!!!!!!!!!!!!

                  The forecast was correct , blue sky everywhere here now and its really warm .

 

 I am regretting not bringing my camera , but these phone pics look ok :)

 Just found a Tiger moth ,    i initially thought it was a cream spot tiger, but looking in books they show it is a Scarlet tiger moth :)      since i have never seen either it is a new species for me :)

 
                                   Panorama from the top of the hill overlooking the village

                                                                       Posing time :D

 Back in the village and we are heading to the other side .........  Pity the tide is out , would look much nicer at high tide .

                                                                Shell house :)

                                  Flowers on the walls really make a difference , Beautiful :)

                                                               Lovely narrow streets.

                                  This is the road the sat nav wanted to bring us down!!!!!!!!
                                                             Looks a bit narrow  lol

                                                       A Memorial at the top of the hill .

                                                    Its time to head to the chippy now
                                                            Nice view to sit and eat :)

Time to leave now , a nice walk up to the car park, and a long drive back ,  whats the chance of a good sunset tonight i am thinking.

                           I have made it down to the beach  , but think i am a little late!
               Jan has stayed back at the van with the Holywell Horrors and a bottle of wine!  
  Its blowing a gale with big waves.  Using the big stopper for long exposures might be a little difficult.     but i will try.

       Looks like i have missed the best colour yet again :(     but its still looking very dramatic :)

                                                               "Gull Rock" Sunset

                                                           49 seconds , f16 , iso 400

                                                        48 seconds, f16 , iso 400

                                                                  "Calm before the Storm"          

                                                                      0.6 sec , f18 , iso100

       A slightly shorter 0.3 sec exposure to give slightly different wave motion. there are some really big waves crashing in now as its almost high tide.

                  the "Blue hour" after sundown , long exposure -   251 seconds, f16 ,iso 400

                                                  The end of a great day in Cornwall :)