about 6.10am now so it's not quite as much of a struggle to get up early.
A clear sky with stars everywhere except right in front of me, meaning the sun was coming up through a big dark cloud.
I climbed up to the viewpoint on Winshields Crag (NY743675) and enjoyed the gentle sounds of a morning coming to life. The sky coloured up in a subtle watercolour effect and I happily recorded the scene.
From here you get a panoramic view to the east, over Crag Lough, Hotbank Crag, way over to Sewingshields and beyond. It's a great spot but because people generally walk the Wall from east to west, people simply don't turn around and miss out.
Then it all seemed to be over and I headed down the hill thinking of breakfast, but, as often happens, the light changed.
I did a very quick about face and headed back up the hill at as fast a pace as I can manage, arthritic knees and all, every step of the way I'm repeating my mantra to the light, 'please wait, please, please wait'.
I passed the two lambs at a trot and was amazed when I got my tripod set up to find them posing so nicely for me, probably stunned by my antics.
It's always difficult shooting photographs straight into the sun, you always get flare, I carry a bit of black card to shield the lens, sometimes it works and with this shot here I had only one intrusive flare spot to clone out. But the Wall is just so beautiful bathed in golden light I just had to try to capture it.
I took loads of shots, a big flock of finches were landing on the Wall then flitting up into the light like sparkling butterflies, moving to quickly for the camera shutter speed to record them, but beautiful to see.
Thank goodness for digital at least I can take photographs with a chance they'll work, it seems to me you have so much more latitude than was ever available with film.
I love being out when the world wakes up and usually I'm alone but I could see another photographer high up on Peel Crags. When I got back down to the car park at Steel Rigg I stopped for a chat with his wife. I think maybe my car coming into the car park had woken them up, he's a professional photographer called Don Bishop from Somerset, and I look forward to seeing what he managed to get of our bit of Northumberland - he's also a renowned steam train photographer and author of several books.
http://www.steamrecreations.co.uk/
There was another Pro photographer at Steel Rigg but he was still asleep in his tent (camping on the overspill car park - and you all know what I think of that sort of behaviour!)
until we woke him up gossiping. He obviously wasn't a morning person and was grumpy, but then you do meet all sorts on Hadrian's Wall.
Catch you later :)
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