tony-tomlinson-photography Archives - Tony Tomlinson Photography

13/07/202613/07/2026

A evening stroll around Maryport Harbour

harbour, Maryport, old-lighthouse, sea-bird, solway-firth, Summer, Sunset, tony-tomlinson-photography

Maryport is a historic coastal town and former coal port in Cumbria, this small harbour boasts 2000 years of history, located on the Solway Firth where the River Ellen meets the sea, it offers scenic views of the Scottish coast.

The town is famous for its Roman heritage, Georgian architecture, and working harbour, when the Romans came to what is now Maryport they named it Alauna and used the harbour for supplying the large fort above the town, the outline of which remains.

It was the harbour area that I was wandering around this evening which comprises of two docks, the Senhouse Dock and the Elizabeth Dock, a Children’s play area named “Shiver Me Timbers” an Aquarium, several cafés and a pub called the “Captain Nelson” locally known as the “Vatican”

There are many local art and craft, and local food events held on the land between the Elizabeth and Senhouse Docks throughout the year.

This area is also a very popular social area which leads to the town centre where there are numerous pubs, cafes and shops.

Elizabeth Dock

The Elizabeth Dock was built in 1857 with dock gates to contain the water of the high tide, so that ships continue to float without tide or waves bouncing them against each other, this being a “Floating Dock”. Today the Elizabeth dock forms the heart of Maryport’s working harbour.

Local fishing boats still land their catch on the Elizabeth dockside from where it can be purchased once the trawlers tie-up, this attracts a large crowd of people eager to purchase the fresh fish.

During low water the striking Ellenfoot pedestrian bridge is available to walk across, during high water the bridge is raised to allow the free passage of vessels.

Bridge, elizabeth-dock, fishing-boats, harbour, Maryport, tony-tomlinson-photography — Elizabeth Dock

Senhouse Dock

Increased harbour traffic soon required another dock, but the coastline had to be extended out to sea. Eventually in 1884 Senhouse Dock was built and opened with a great ceremony.

Senhouse dock of 1894, was transformed to a marina in 1990, and this is how it looks to this day.

Bridge, senhouse-dock, maryport-marina, harbour, Maryport, tony-tomlinson-photography, pleasure-boats — Senhouse Dock

Further development alongside Senhouse Dock was the construction of a small but very popular caravan park with 28 Caravan pitches which have a electric hook up, and 3 camping pods, and an amenity block which has a pot washroom and individual toilet and showers, along with a disabled / family wet room.

There is also a motorhome grey water disposal point, along with an elsan point for chemical toilet waste. This site is operated by the Maryport Harbour & Marina Ltd

The Original Harbour Lighthouse

The town has a small lighthouse, formerly run by Trinity House, the general lighthouse authority for England. It is a Grade II listed building.

In 2010 Trinity House transferred responsibility for the new light to the Maryport Harbour Authority. The old lighthouse was restored and repainted in 2017 as part of a government-funded initiative for the refurbishment of seaside towns although the lighthouse is no longer in operation, a more modern harbour light has been placed further along the pier to aid boats entering the harbour.

The new harbour light

In 1996 Trinity House provided a new aluminium tower for the end of the pier extension, lit by mains electricity. At 4.7 metres tall and with a light intensity of only 120 candelas, the new tower was one of Trinity House’s smaller beacons; it displays a flashing white light visible 6 nautical miles out to sea

Christ Church

Christ Church on King Street, Maryport is an Anglican church, which was built in 1872 to designs of Charles Eaglesfield which is now a Grade II listed building and hosts the Maryport Maritime Museum.
The church dates back to 1872 and appears in artwork by the likes of LS Lowry and his protégé Sheila Fell.
The Church was opened on the December 12th, 1872. It had taken less than a year to build. Mr Marshall had been the contractor for the masonry, using stone which had come from the Netherhall quarry, joinery was by Mr Dent from Cockermouth, slating by Mandle of Maryport, glazing and plumbing by Piele from Workington and the plastering by Johnston of Carlisle.
The church clock is a flatbed clock with an anchor escapement and has the name “Wilson, Maryport” on the small dial on the clock itself. It is not known whether Wilson (a well-known local clock and watchmaker) actually made or merely supplied the clock. The bell was quite large and was not a traditional bell-metal bell, it was a steel bell made by the firm of Vickers in Sheffield. As was the practice at the time, the bell is in a frame and complete with wheel and stay for ringing, rather than just chiming.
Christ Church celebrated its Jubilee on Sunday 10th 1922, and a commemorative text recording the event hangs in the church.
In 2026 after a period of major repair and refurbishment works, the Church became the new home of the Maryport Maritime Museum.

The bridge across the River Ellen leads up to the town center where more cafes’ bars, and shops can be found.

A Fishy Tale

As you cross the bridge there is an interesting sculpture on the right hand side, this is called “A Fishy Tale”, this was created by local artist Colin Telfer, the piece pays tribute to Maryport’s historic fishing community. Crafted using haematite iron ore, the artwork depicts traditional scenes of fishermen, complete with generations of local tradesmen, a fish basket.

harbour, Maryport, river-ellen, sculpture, tony-tomlinson-photography — The “Fishy Tale” Sculpture

Back Brow Steps

There are two sets of very steep steps that lead up from the harbour level which reach to the old part of the town, these are known as the “Back Brow Steps” which have turned into a well used fitness circuit which are frequented by the various sport organisations in, and around the town.

Summer Sunsets

During the summer months Maryport is a great place to view the stunning sunsets that appear across the Solway Firth looking towards Dumfries and Galloway in the South of Scotland.

Cumbria, maryport-sunset, solway-firth, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography — A summer Sunset viewed from Maryport

This concludes my little history lesson of Maryport harbour and the immediate surrounding areas.

Thank you for finding the time to read this blog.

Until the next one, stay safe and well.

30/06/2026

Lake District Mistiness

Cumbria, Elterwater, lake-district, Landscape, Langdale, Mist, river, river-brathay, Summer, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK

Good day everyone and welcome to my latest blog recording my recent visit to Elterwater .

June has been a quiet month for me photography wise, until I looked at the weather apps, we were heading for a morning of pre, and post sunrise mist followed by some sunshine, ideal conditions I thought.

The alarm goes off at 2.45am, ridiculously early I know, but needs must and as a Cumbria photographer I needed to get to the south of the county.

River Brathay

I arrived at the River Brathay 45 minutes before sunrise, this being one of the best photography locations in the Lake District for misty conditions.

I had plenty of time to settle in and secure a good spot, the mist was present, but it was peasouper, the mist was so dense with little or no chance of it being burnt in time for sunrise.

As there was little or no chance of the sun making an appearance, I set to work with the conditions.

The fist photos were taken from the bank of the River Brathay looking back towards Elterwater, I found some coloured grass seeds that contrasted to the bleak, almost monochrome conditions, and balanced this with three small bushes on the opposite bank of the river.

I then slowly made my way along the riverbank trying to find some reasonable photos, this ended up me looking for some small detail within the frame in the hope that it would add some interest.

In this shot I simply used two tall grass seeds to flank the wooded cops on the opposite side of the river.

I was struggling, the mist showed no sigh of lifting and time was pressing, it was now 15 minutes after sunrise, and we were still swamped in thick, dull mist., the joys of being a Cumbria landscape photographer

I bumped into a fellow photographer on the edge of Elterwater who was visiting from Nottingham, we had a long conversation about all thing’s lake district and photography.

It was here that I found a brightly coloured Pepper Pig shoe that had been placed in the “y” joint of a tree, I couldn’t resist the shot, a photo that was made to manipulate in post editing, what do you think of this, would you prefer the photo below, it being all colour, or it being all black and white, please feel free to leave a comment.

As my time was running out, I began to track back to the car, where I snapped a shot of the winding footpath leading in to the abyss, with some trees shrouded in mist.

I walked back through the meadows and found loads and loads of spiders webs, coated in droplets of moisture and silhouetted against the dark background, another snap and grab scenario.

Immediately after this I took my last shot of the morning using the meadow foliage as foreground against the tree shrouded in mist.

Cumbria, Elterwater, lake-district, Landscape, Langdale, meadows, Mist, river-brathay, Summer, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — Tree in the Meadow

Another Lake District Sunrise photography shoot done, not as planned, but worthwhile in getting me out and about again.

Thank you for finding the time to read this short blog, until next time stay safe.

20/06/202620/06/2026

Bird and Wildlife Photography

As a Lake District photographer, and a Cumbria Landscape photographer, I also participate in a little bird and wildlife photography, not as a speciality, but more of a hobbyist, a bit of fun and enjoyment.

Cumbria Woodland Photography Hide

My first experience of Bird Photography was at the Cumbria Woodland Photography Hide, which I have been frequenting for over 4 years now.

Stephen and Linda have worked their socks off in creating and developing the hide, which now regularly attracts sparrowhawks, Jays, and a whole host of small woodland birdlife.

I began photographing birds using my 70-300mm telephoto lens but soon realised that this did not have sufficient reach to get close-up images of the birds. After a bit of saving up, I then bought a 100-400 lens which helped and was further improved when I added a 1.4 tele converter to the lens.

When I purchased my APS-C camera, I even managed to get hold of a very reasonably priced 500mm f4 lens, this was a beast, very large and heavy, and to be truthful to long to capture the birds at the hide, hence its trade-in when I changed to a full frame Canon system, but boy did it produce great quality images.

My technique of shooting birds gradually improved, as I began to “read” the small birds (these are very fast-moving creatures) to be able to capture them in flight.

Looking back at my early photos of the birds, these were nothing special, but everyone must start somewhere.

bird, bird-photography, sparrowhawk, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife Photography — Female Sparrowhawk

bird, bird-photography, Blue-Tit, Great-Tit, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife Photography — Blue Tit and Great Tit

My technique has improved as my visits to the hide increased, and as the hide was improved over the weeks, months, and years.

As the hide developed, many more people have begun to use it, Stephen and Linda have secured an almost guaranteed visit from the Sparrowhawks.

Cumbria Woodland Photography Hide, Sparrowhawk, tony-tomlinson-photography, bird-photography, — Male Sparrowhawk

Cumbria Woodland Photography Hide, Bullfinch, tony-tomlinson-photography, bird-photography, — Bullfinch Reflection

From visiting the Cumbria Woodland Photographic Hide, I began looking for more opportunities of photographing birds in differing locations and conditions.

Northwest Wildlife Workshop

My first chance to visit another location was on a Northwest Wildlife Workshop based at Ashton in Lancashire.

This workshop had been recommended to me by another photographer, so one bleak autumn morning, I set off travelling to Ashton.

The morning was very enjoyable, we were based in a huge field, the birds were tethered but placed on perches in realistic locations from where we could photograph them.

A good variety of birds were used, and a vast amount of information about the bird’s habitats being provided by the people who were running the workshop, not just a shoot and leave event, you learn a little as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the workshop, from which I captured some great photographs.

Barn-Owl. North-West-Wildlife-Workshop, Bird-Photogrpahy, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife — Barn Owls

bird-photography, Bird-Photogrpahy, Gyr-Falcon, North-West-Wildlife- Workshop, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife — Gyrfalcon

Bird-Photogrpahy, birds, Goshawk, hawks, North-West-Wildlife- Workshop, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife — Goose Hawk

Andy Howey’s Photography Workshops

I have also attended one of Andy Howey’s Photography Workshops, which are held in the Northeast of England. again, on the recommendation of a fellow photographer, this was a very enjoyable small indoor event where a selection of birds was photographed, perched, and inflight using LED lighting set-ups.

I found Andy’s workshop fascinating, working within a confined space, Andy showed great care of the birds, and created lighting which produced excellent photographs. His knowledge about each type of bird was impressive.

andy-howey-workshop, bird-photography, owl, Southern-white-faced-owl, tony-tomlinson-photography — Southern White Faced Owl

andy-howey-workshop, bird-photography, owl, Barn-owl, tony-tomlinson-photography — Barn Owl

Gauntlet Birds of Prey Photography Workshop

Another workshop which I attended was at the Gauntlet Birds of Prey Photography Workshop at Knutsford in Lancashire.

This was hosted by the renowned wildlife photographer Gary Jones Wildlife Photography, a 6-hour workshop where a wide selection of birds of prey is allowed to fly for you to photograph in natural outdoor locations. An element of education is also provided throughout the day by members of staff, and a small lunch is provided on the day of the workshop.

Birds which were photographed on the day included (but not restricted too) Common Buzzard, White-Tailed Sea Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Tawney Owl, Long Eared Owl, Harris Hawk, amongst others.

Another fully enjoyable days photography, well worth the 6-hour return journey.

bird-photography, Gauntlet-bird-of-pray-centre, Summer, tawny-owl, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife — Tawny Owl

bird-photography, Gauntlet-bird-of-pray-centre, Harris-Hawk, Summer, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife — Harris Hawk

bird-photography, Gauntlet-bird-of-pray-centre, Summer, tony-tomlinson-photography, White-Tailed-Sea-Eagle, Wildlife-Photography — White Tailed Sea Eagle

Scotland

We visit the Highlands and Islands of Scotland on a regular basis, were, you would think we would see a wide selection of wildlife. I have on occasions seen or come across Red Dear, but I have failed to see any of the renowned birdlife in the Highlands, probably due to my very poor eyesight.

The one time when I though we would see plenty of wildlife was the one time that we have visited the Isle of Mull, an Island that is renown for its wildlife and bird species, sadly, on our visit, I failed to photograph any animals of birds.

I have had slightly better luck in shooting red deer in Scotland, these majestic animals do take some finding in the barren landscape as their coats are ideal camouflage against the brown winter bracken.

tony-tomlinson-photography, red-dear, scotland, wildlife, — Red Deer

Lake District

On my travels within the Lake District, I often come across a wide selection of animals, sheep, cows, horses, etc, and whilst I may ignore these on many occasions, every now and then a scene will include an animal which I wanted to shoot.

An example of this is that on the winters morning of me walking around the shores of Crummock Water, I stumbled across a couple of white horses that were back-light against the early morning sun, this scene created a very nice photograph.

Cumbria, lake-district, Landscape, long-exposure, snow, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, White-horse, winter — Crummock White Horse

Another time whist in Glencoe, Scotland and whilst driving along the route of the River Coe looking for compositions, I came across another white horse, calmly eating its morning feed, with its coat blending into the white frost covered field.

Glencoe, Horse, Scotland, scottish-highlands, tony-tomlinson-photography, winter — Glencoe White Horse

One animal you do see plenty of in Scotland is the Highland Coows, these magnificent beasts provide an image that is soly related to Scotland, whatever the weather these beasts always make an interesting photograph.

Tony-tomlinson-photography, highland-cow, scotland, — A Highland Cow

Red Squirrels

An animal that I have wanted to photograph for a long time is the Red Squirrel, not knowing where to find these has always been a bone of contention, but several months ago, a good friend Lorraine agreed to take me to a local location where she had been photographing these intriguing creatures.

On the first visit, I took everything in, just so I would not be doing anything wrong if I returned on my own and captured several nice images to boot.

Several days later we were back, and this time the Squirrels were on form, I got some very good photographs of them running up and down the trees and jumping along to floor.

This has been the start of new chapter in my photography, I have returned several times to try and photograph them, sometimes they turn up, sometimes you never see on, but that is part of the challenge.

red-squirrel, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife, wildlife-photography — A Red Squirrel feeding

My family photography in Cumbria and selling my Lake District photography prints could not be further from the subject of photographing birds and wildlife, but for me, this is the enjoyment of photography, not to be totally indulgent in one subject, the variety keeps creating the interest.

Granted I do specialise in landscape and portraiture, but bird and wildlife photography bring their own, and unique challenges which I fully buy into.

Thank you for reading this article, until the next one by for now.

03/06/202603/06/2026

My Photography Exploits for the month of May

16x9, ashness-jetty, Cumbria, Derwentwater, Lake, lake-district, Landscape, Spring, Sunset, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK

The month of May was split into two defined timescales, the first two weeks produced only one photography activity, whilst the last two weeks of the month produced a flurry of activity.

Garden Photo Shoot

The month began with a ad hoc photo session with Cody, a short and fun session in the garden with a bubbles machine, the plan was to set off the bubbles and try and capture Cody’s facial expressions.

tony-tomlinson-photography, grand-children — Bubbles and Cody

The next photo activity for me was on the 23rd May when we visited Northumberland, we enjoy visiting the Commissioners Quay Inn, having stayed here several times and enjoyed our stay each time.

Blyth

The weather during our stay was exceptional, clear sunny days for each of the four days, the plan was to enjoy the area and secure some quality R & R.

The first day was a slight lie-in, enjoy the breakfast then take a leisurely walk along the beach and in the park, where coffee and cake was the order of the day.

The second day began with a gorgeous 5.05 am sunrise, I only seen it due to me waking unexpectedly, on the back of this, I decided to get up and photograph the sunrise for the following day, the forecast was much the same, so a 4.30 am alarm was set.

My plan was to visit the two jetties at the entrance to Blyth Harbour, the reasoning being that it was not too far away, and I thought that I could get some decent images from this location.

I was surprised how warm it was at 4.45am, my coat was swiftly discarded, with a tee-shit being the order of the morning.

I began the long(ish) walk along the southern pier with the aim of getting to the end of it which would create a suitable angle looking towards the lighthouse in front of the impending sunrise, unfortunately, this was not possible as part of the wooden pier had collapsed and was fenced off.

A quick improvise to lign-up a shot, then back to the beach to capture some shots whilst the sun was still relatively low in the sky.

3x1, blyth, Blyth-Pier, jetty, Lighthouse, long-exposure, Northumberland, Seascape, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography — Blyth Harbour Entrance

A satisfying mornings photography, and back to the hotel in plenty of time for the cooked breakfast.

This being the only photography of this trip, as I said it was aimed at plenty of relax and recreation.

Latrigg Fell

Once we were back home, and only a couple of days later, the weather gods were being kind, so it was another ridiculous alarm call to get me on top of Latrigg Fell well before sunrise.

The plan was to capture some pre-dawn blue-hour images, then concentrate on a shot that would go into my website portfolio section.

Overall, a nice morning’s photography with a suitable set of images, not the most original, but nice light conditions, and a sharp set of images.

3x1, Cumbria, Cumbrian-Mountains, Derwentwater, keswick, lake-district, Landscape, Latrigg, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — The View from Latrigg

I was back home before 8.30am with a well-deserved sausage sandwich purchased from Cottage Pie at Dearham on the way home.

Ashness Jetty.

The very next afternoon I was off to Ashness Jetty with the aim of securing a decent sunset image of the newly constructed pier which replaced the previous version which was wrecked during the winter floods.

Surprise number one was that I was unable to park in the car park on the road up to Ashness Bridge, this being full of cars, and a burnt-out wreck of a car, I managed to park the car just above the road junction.

Surprise number two was the number of people on, and around the jetty swimming in the Lake, it’s a while since I have seen this many people swimming in the water, but nice to see.
All I could do was wait and be patient, in the hope that by the time the sun began to set, the swimmers would have dispersed.

Waiting was not enjoyable, all I could do was picture compositions in my head, and wait for the people to leave, slowly, very slowly the number of people began to reduce, eventually leaving two paddle boarders, and a couple of people swimming, but I could work around these.

I needed to set the camera on the tripod so that I could capture a range of exposures which could be blended in post processing, this was necessary due to the very high dynamic range of the scene.

I was soon on my own, with a set of decent photographs, and a hope that one set of exposure brackets would be good enough to make it into my website portfolio.

Ashness-jetty, Cumbria, Derwentwater, Lake, lake-district, Landscape, Spring, Sunset, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — Ashness Jetty Sunset

Harrington Railway Line

It is some months since I was last out to photograph the Red Squirrels at a local location, so I had a plan to visit here to try and get some more images of these lovely animals.
The temperature at this time were very un-seasonal in the mid to high 20’s, which I was unsure if they would affect the Squirrels.
Visit one, during the afternoon drew a blank with the Squirrels, I shot a few birds but that was it.

bird, bird-photography, Bullfinch, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife — Bullfinch

bird, bird-photography, Great-Tit, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife Photography — Great Tit

Visit two was a early evening visit, again no Squirrels on show, and it was soon too dark to take any reasonable photographs, so it was home empty handed.
Visit three was the nest morning, just after sunrise, the hope being the Squirrels would be out feeding at this time.
At first nowt, nothing showing, but after 45 minutes I caught sight of my first squirrel, then another and another. I was not sure if these were sightings of the same Squirrel, or different ones.
Again, a nice set of images was got, another worthwhile session

I was more pleased with a visit of a Jay, this was nicking the nits from the Squirrels, but they are a lovely, coloured bird.

bird, bird-photography, jay, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, Wildlife Photography — Jay

This brough to an end a hectic end to the month of May, which turned out to be a pleasing couple of weeks. A couple of images added to my portfolio, and a wide selection of images for my social media accounts.

Thank you for finding the time to read this blog, stay safe and lets seen what June brings?

14/05/202614/05/2026

April’s (photography) Adventures

April photography got off to a slow start, my first jaunt out was to Buttermere on a cold but clear spring morning for some Lake District sunrise photography.

It was a bit of a punt as the weather gods were not lining up for anything special, still you need to be in it to win it, as they say.

Buttermere

This being one of the best photography locations in the Lake District, upon arrival, I was feeling quite confident that the weather conditions would develop and allow me to get some decent photographs.

Despite being the lone photographer here, I just stood and soaked up the atmosphere, a very slight breeze, which was swirling around, but leaving flat calm water in patches, clouds developing and the sun slowly lifting itself from the horizon.

Time to get busy with the camera as the light began to develop, but being very conscious of the ever-increasing dark clouds being blown across the lake from the southwest, Lake District photography at its best.

Buttermere, fleetwith-pike, Haystacks, Lake, lake-district, Landscape, Mountains, Pine-Trees, Spring, sunrise, White-Cottage, tony-tomlinson-photography, — A Spring Morning

A short walk further along the lakes shore created some alternative compositions which were eagerly snapped up.

Buttermere, fleetwith-pike, Haystacks, Lake, lake-district, Landscape, Mountains, Pine-Trees, Spring, sunrise, White-Cottage — A Couple of Rocks

It was soon time to head home; the thought of a wholesome cooked breakfast was calling me home.

Catbells

My next adventure was off to Derwentwater with the sole aim of capturing some special photographs of Catbells, in what I was going to be calm and pleasant conditions, and is one of the best photography locations in the Lake District

I was very conscious of the ever earlier alarm call in the mornings to get out intime for sunrise, we are heading for that silly season form late May to July.

I arrived well before sunrise with the conditions not looking too good, but it was early.

The light was poor, but there was very little wind, and a superb lake surface which was reflecting the fells on the far side of the lake.

I was set up and waiting for the conditions, during which I had a good conversation with a couple of fellow photographers, one from the South of the country, and one from the North East .

Here is me complaining about having to get up at daft o’clock, but these two have travelled considerable distances to photograph the Lakes.

The light arrived along with a very nice umbrella of clouds, these creating very nice, dappled light across the fells opposite.

Catbells, Cumbria, Derwentwater, lake-district, Landscape, long-exposure, maiden-moor, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — A Spring Morning

I made the decision not to move, stay put in the hope that the conditions would come to me, and boy was it the correct decision.

Barrow-Fell, Causey-Pike, Cumbria, Derwentwater, Friars-Crag, Grasmoor, Grisedale-Pike, lake-district, Landscape, long-exposure, Rowing-End, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — Friars Cragg to Causey Pike

Here I was, in the same position and my fellow photographer was returning from his walk along the lake’s shores, he must have thought that I was daft.

Having captured some quaint wide-angle images, it was time to attach the longer lens to start picking out more intimate shots

After nearly 3 hours, it was time to pack-up head back to the car and look forward to editing the images that I had captured.

Hardknott Fell

Late last year I headed to Hardknott Fell for a sunrise shoot, only to be thwarted by a road closure which prevented me driving to the fell.

My plan for Hardknott had not left me, so as we were experiencing some unusual fine spring weather with late sunsets of 8.30 pm, I decided to drive down to Hardknott Fell to have a mooch about.

Has I was driving south along the main Workington to Barrow road (A595) I realised how much traffic is created at end of the day shift at Sellafield, the road north was gridlocked all the way, strange how you except these conditions when you are part of it for years and years.

I was soon at the bottom of Hardknott Pass, an intimidating view when looking up as the road meanders up the side of the fell.

Thankfully the roads were very quiet, so it was time to select a low gear and face the extreme steepness of the pass.

Cumbria, eskdale, eskdale-valley, Evening, Fells, Hardknott-Fell, Hardknott-Pass, lake-district, Landscape, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK tony-tomlinson-photography, Valley — Hardknott Pass

Once at the top it was time to find a parking place which did not contain a campervan, how these are so popular now.

I was soon stretching my calves as the path was straight up from the road level, I was walking into the unknown, but surly there would be ample photo opportunities once on the top of the fell?

There were views along Wrynose Bottom to the east, but the very harsh light was not complimenting the scene.

I then came across a small tarn which, after quite a while scouting about made my first image of the evening

Cumbria, eskdale, eskdale-valley, Evening, Fells, Hardknott-Fell, Hardknott-Pass, lake-district, Landscape, Spring, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK, Valley — A Rock and Tarn

I was soon off on my travels around the summit of the fell, Scaw Fell and Great Gable on view to the North, but again the harsh light made a photograph pointless.

Next, over to the western side of the fell summit, it was here that I found the Roman Fort ruins in the bottom of the scene, these being contrasted against the extremely green Eskdale Valley floor.

I also noticed that Devoke Water was in view sneaking around the corner of Harter Fell, in the far distance, so I set up a composition in landscape orientation including the Roman Fort in the bottom of the scene, but including the very small Devoke Water in the top lefthand of the image

The plan was to stay here until sunset in the hope of the sky becoming pink and orange, this was still over an hour away, so I set off on another trek looking to use the many strange and unique shaped rocks as foreground interest.

Unfortunately, the very harsh and extreme dynamic range (very dark, harsh shadow against brightly light areas) made this very difficult to capture, I took some over and under exposure images to blend together in post processing, but when on the computer, I was not happy with the results.

It was now that I realised my waiting was in vain, the sun dropped behind the fells which resulted in everything being silhouetted against the sky, I was wanting to use some of the wester-facing fells as interest, but this was not possible.

Time to head home for a well-deserved hot meal.

Grasmere

As it was Blue-Bell season, I wanted to visit a different location for the Bluebells to those that I had in the past, so it was time to head to Grasmere.

My research suggested that there are Bluebells within the woods along the banks of the River Rothay, and they are also on the side of Loughrigg Fell.

As me arrival time was 5.15 am for a 5.45 am sunrise, there were plenty of free car parking availability.

I was soon walking along the path on the banks of the River Rothay, Bluebells were visible, but these were not in full bloom, and were patchy, the sun had not risen at this time, so I decided to continue walking in the hope of finding a more interesting area of bluebells.

On the shore of Grasmere, having not seen any worthwhile Bluebell scene, I was conscious not to let the gate slam shut as there were two tents pitched right next to it, quietly, quietly it was.

The lake surface was very calm which was creating nice reflections of the surrounding fells and buildings, I stopped a couple of times to frame up a shot, but I was not happy with these, so I carried on around the lake towards Grasmere village.

Quite by accident I stumbled over a little headland which provided a very good viewpoint of the Daffodil Hotel, time to set up and get the shot.

The first photograph of the morning, and what a good one it was.

Cumbria, daffodil-hotel, Grasmere, Lake, lake-district, Landscape, Reflections, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — Mere Sunrise

From here I moved left and right capturing slightly different images of the hotel.

Has I retraced my tracks towards Loughrigg Fell; I kept looking abut for other images of the surrounding scenes.

I then made the brave choice to hike up the fell to get on the Terrace path, this provides a great viewpoint over Grasmere towards the Pass of Dunmail, what I didn’t account for was the steepness of this route, boy was it bloody steep and hard work to get up it, shedding layers like a onion, I finally made it with my heart rate sky-high and me boiling hot.

After a cooling down, which took a while, and getting my heart rate back to normal, it was time to get cracking.

I found some Bluebells in a wood on the edge of the path which I had just hiked up, there were shadows and speckled light on these, so I tried to make a image from the scene. Not the best photo, but a start.

blue-bell-flowers, blue-bells, Cumbria, Grasmere, lake-district, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK — Logs & Bluebells

Whilst walking along the Terrace path, I came across some bluebells below the path, being careful not to treat on any of the flowers, I descended with the intention of getting some close-up photos of the flowers.

Back onto the path heading eastwards and has I crested a little ridge a sight to behold came in front of me, freshly leaved Silver Birch trees contrasting with a slope of solid Bluebells, this was the shot.

A little time to frame up the shop, and a slight wait for the light to develop, I got the shop.

blue-bell-flowers, blue-bells, Cumbria, Grasmere, lake-district, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, trees, UK — Green & Blue

This was the best photo from the morning, one that made the visit worthwhile.

Has I descended into woods along the river, I found another group of Bluebells, the light was nice, but I found it difficult to create a decent image, the photo that I took was not that good, but it is attached below for reference.

A slow and leisurely walk back to the car completed a satisfactory 3 hours walking around the area.

Thank you for finding the time to read this blog, until the next one, stay safe.

24/04/202605/05/2026

Light: How it impacts on everyone’s photography

Barrow-Fell, Causey-Pike, Cumbria, Derwentwater, Grasmoor, Grisedale-Pike, lake-district, Landscape, long-exposure, Rowing-End, Spring, sunrise, tony-tomlinson-photography, UK

As a Lake District Photographer, light is the essential, creative element in photography, acting as both the source of illumination and the primary tool for creating mood, depth, and texture.

Controlling light through natural or artificial sources determines the subject’s prominence, contrast, and overall atmosphere.

Understanding Light

To fully appreciate the importance of light in photography, even in the best photography locations in the Lake District, it is important to have a basic understanding of how light works.

Light is a form of energy that travels in waves, when light waves enter the human eye or a camera lens, where the brightness and colour are interpreted to create an image.

It is the perception of light waves that creates a picture.

Light is the most essential component of photography, but the fun doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down, portable flash, speedlights (small portable flash units), or studio flash (larger, mains powered light units) can be used to create both soft and hard light under stringently controlled conditions.

Light defines the photograph through intensity, this can be either hard or soft light, the direction of the light upon the subject, and colour temperature of the light.

Soft and/or Hard Light.

Soft light can be categorised as being gentle and/or diffused light creating subtle shadows, often found on cloudy days or using soft boxes/diffusers in a studio environment these are ideal for flattering portraits.

Hard light is normally created by direct, intense light which creates harsh, defined shadows, this great for high-contrast, dramatic scenes.

Using the direction of light in your photographs:

Front Light, this normally Illuminates the subject evenly, minimizing shadows but can produce flat images.

Side Light this highlights texture and creates drama by illuminating one side of the subject.

Back Light is when the light source is positioned behind the subject, creating silhouettes or a glowing “rim light” effect that separates the subject from the background.

More than one direction of light can be used to illuminate the subject, this is normally used in studio photography where is easier to accurately set-up and control the different light sources to create the image that the photographer is looking to achieve.

Light Temperature

Light temperature can be measured in different ways; the Kelvin range uses a number value to a given temperature colour.

Colour temperature can also be changed using a slider/dial where the range can be aligned from the blue to yellow spectrum, as you move the slider/dial the temperature within the image changes according to the direction you are moving the slider/dial.

Examples of colour temperature are the golden hour, this would be rated a “warm” (yellow end of the colour spectrum) colour temperature, but an ice or snow scene would be rated as being “cold” (blue end of the colour spectrum) colour temperature.

A Lake District sunrise photograph would produce a “warm” colour temperature image, alternatively a Lake district winter photograph would produce a “cold” colour temperature image.

The following series of images are shot from the same location, but at different times to demonstrate the differing colour temperatures within the image.

Practical Tips for Managing Light

Time of Day, midday light is often harsh, while morning and afternoon offer warmer, softer light.

Modify the light by using reflectors to bounce light into shadows or diffusers to soften harsh sunlight.

Light Painting is where a moving light source is used during long exposures to illuminate specific areas of a scene, or create a light “trail”

The Role of Light in Photography

The way you use light in your photographs can greatly impact the overall look and feel of the image.

Light creates shadows, highlights, and contrast which can add depth and ambience to your photographs.

You should learn to experiment with the placing of light or move your subject around to see how the changing light impacts upon your subject; this can dramatically impact the look and feel of an image.

The Roll of Exposure in Photography

Another important aspect of using light in photography is exposure.

The exposure settings on your camera will dictate the amount of light that enters the camera and hits the camera sensor.

A proper exposure is essential for creating well-lit photographs that accurately capture the subject.

Techniques for using light in Photography

You can be as creative as you wish when experimenting with light but there are several techniques that are most effective when lighting your subject.

One technique is to use reflectors to bounce light onto your subject, this can help to fill in shadows and create an evenly dispersed lighting effect.

Another technique is to use a diffuser to soften harsh light, a diffuser can help to create a more natural-looking effect by spreading out the light and softening the intensity of shadows.

You can also experiment with different types of lighting to create different moods in your photographs.

Warm light can create a cosy and inviting atmosphere, while cool light can create a more clinical or sterile feel.

Another important technique to consider is the use of artificial lighting, studio lighting can help you to create a controlled lighting environment that allows you to highlight specific elements of your subject.

Tips for Using Light in Different Situations

Using light effectively in photography can be challenging in different situations, here are some tips for using light in different situations:

Outdoor photography:

When shooting outdoors, it’s important to pay attention to the direction and quality of the light. Early morning and late afternoon light can create a warm and inviting atmosphere, while midday light can be harsh and unflattering.

Try shooting in the shade or using a diffuser to soften harsh light.

By following these points, you are well on the way to produce images that will be suitable for landscape photography prints

Indoor Photography:

Indoor photography shoots generally require artificial lighting; there are numerous options available to create your own studio so try experimenting with different types of lighting.

Reflectors, soft boxes, or light diffusers are a helpful tool when attempting to bounce light onto your subject.

As a family photographer in Cumbria, these actions are always assessed before and during a shoot to ensure the best possible results are obtained.

Portrait Photography:

When shooting portraits, the subject’s face is usually the focal point and the area that needs most attention.

Here, side lighting can create dramatic shadows, while front lighting can create a drab and unflattering look.

If the aim is to create a natural effect, a diffuser will soften any harsh light, any outdoor family photoshoot in the Lake District would embody these considerations.

Landscape Photography:

When shooting landscapes, the direction and quality of light will differ at different times of the day.

Early morning and late afternoon light can create a warm and soft atmosphere, while midday light can be overly severe, try using a polarising filter to reduce glare and create more vibrant colours.

You can use light to create depth and dimension where light can create long shadows and interesting highlights, this can add another dimension to photos and create additional depth.

Try experimenting with different lighting angles and intensities and observe how shadows and highlights behave as you move and adjust.

Conclusion

The importance of lighting in photography cannot be overstated, lighting is central to all photography and once you have a strong understanding of techniques and light quality, there is no stopping you from creating stunning images.

Thank you for finding the time to read this article, if you have any questions relating to “light” please get in touch.