This week I did something that I’ve never done before and which I’ve been meaning to do for 20 years. I photographed the sunset on Standedge near where I live. It took me all of 5 minutes to drive to the parking to meet a friend.
Despite this location being so close, and that I walk this ridge regularly from home (about a 15Km circuit), I’ve never visited purely for photography. I’ve thought for a long time that it would be a good sunset location but it’s like most things near to home, we tend to ignore them. What a mistake.
On arrival, the weather didn’t look very promising. I could see a storm closing in, and it was already raining at the end of the valley. I know from walking here that it’s then around 4-5 minutes before it starts to rain on the edge. We decided to sit in our cars and wait things out. Sure enough, 5 minutes later the rain came down heavy, mixed with some hail, sleet and lightening before clearing 20 minutes later.
By the time we made our way onto the ridge it was raining hard again. We then spent the next couple of hours trying to photograph between small breaks in the rain. Despite the foul conditions the light was amazing. Here you can see a cloud burst and rainbow lit by the setting sun.
Amusingly, my wife looked out of our front window and saw the same rainbow and cloudburst, photographing it with her iPhone. Yes, my house looks out at this edge and I often see the hillside glowing red with the light. It’s only taken me 20 years to photograph it.
New Book Launch
This week also saw the launch of my latest book “Mastering Nik Color Efex Pro 4”.
This is a second edition of my earlier book “Nik Color Efex Pro” but it’s a complete rewrite, hence the change of title. The latest book is priced at only £4.99 or similar in other currencies. If you are interested, you can buy the book on my Lenscraft website as well as Amazon, Google Play, Apple, Kobo and Barnes & Noble.
This Weeks Video
This week’s video is also celebrating my new book with an editing demonstration of the following image.
This was edited almost entirely in Nik Color Efex Pro. You can watch the video on my YouTube channel with the link (https://youtu.be/IhUevirk7WQ). Whilst I wouldn’t ordinarily use Color Efex Pro to complete all my editing, it shows how flexible and powerful it is.
I hope you like the image and have a great weekend.
The Lightweight Photographer 
Beautiful, thanks for sharing. ☺️
You’re welcome. Thank you.
Media is full of spectacular landscapes from exotic, far-off landscapes. Since I have discovered „british lands“ (If I remember correctly it was through images of Watson and Cornish) I decided to go there and habe a look… So, hopefully Covid…
Regarding 20 years: I was taking images and developing (BW) since I was about 10 years of age. Later then came family, house, work. After nearly thirty years I started again, digital was already here. It is never too late 👍
Take care Robin
Thanks. I agree it’s never too late but leaving it 20 years to photograph what’s within walking distance of your house is slightly amiss of me.
15km circuit – ok, you have had 1 year for every 750m of it. 1 month for every 62.5 meters. If one takes account of seasons, so it would make 187.5 meters per month… Hm, maybe you are right 😉
But imagine: Today I made a stitch handheld, because I was lazy (tired) to use my tripod. It was at the end of an (only) 10km tour and I was hungry, thirsty, with aching back (Even the small Hassy is heavy).Topaz Sharpen to help?
Jokes aside: 15km on a regular base is no small achievement! Chapeau!
It may be a 15km circuit but that’s walking from my house (which I do quite frequently in all weathers). But I can drive to this location in 5 minutes and there is good parking. It’s then a 20-minute walk at a leisurely pace. I have no excuses for not photographing the sunset here more often other than I’m lazy.