Monday 18 May 2009

17th May 2009

It seems ages since I was up for a sunrise so I set my alarm on Sunday and by 3.45am was on my way to Hadrian's Wall.

I'm trying to take at least two sunrise shots each month, so I'll know exactly where the sunrises for future years. I headed up the track from the reb box layby ( left over from the days when there were telephone boxes) to Cuddys Crag for the classic view along the Wall to Housesteads and beyond.

In just a couple of weeks the sun's arc has taken it from coming up just over the trees on Housesteads Crag, to now rising over the crag at Sewingshields, so it's moving quickly.

I prefer it when the sun is further north to Hadrian's Wall, because as it rises the light catches the Crags and the Wall stones.

I stood up on Cuddys Crag, just me and the cows from Bradley Farm out there to enjoy a wonderful morning. (plus the white bag of stones still looking like a dead sheep)

In the six years I've been photographing Hadrian's Wall I have only once met another photographer up for the sunrise on Cuddys Crag. NY783686

I bet up the Northumbrian Coast at Bamburgh it was standing room only yesterday.

The light was amazing with a real 'watercolour sky' I zoomed in on Sewingshields Crag as the sky was colouring up, it's just so beautiful.

With any sunrise nothing much happens for a while, then it all happens at once and I'm composing shots and taking pictures, desperate to catch every second. Perhaps it lasts just 10 minutes then it's all over.

Yesterday the sun came up in a big golden ball and soon it was too bright for wide angled shots, but I waited around wanting to catch a shot of the sunlight glancing off the crags at Housesteads.

Eventually I could see the shot I was after, I carry a bit of black card about 10x8" and I use this to prevent the dreaded flare on the lens for these photographs, it's cheap and it works - well most of the time.

Happy with my morning I headed back to the car passing the sheep and lambs as they were getting up for the day, 5.45am and I was on my way back home, passing a weasel, rabbits and a roe deer buck on the way.
I just love this place :)

Catch you later.

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