Dorset | alan frost photography

Posts tagged ‘Dorset’

Where have I been…..…???

There are three answers to this one question. All three have relevance and I’ll start with the most obvious response, which relates directly to the images in this entry.

Many of you may recognise the subject of the above image. Yes, I have been to Corfe Castle in Dorset. I have to say that I normally try and steer clear of a honeypot location such as this. The very mention of this iconic place and the mind immediately conjures up a picture of the castle ruins rising out of early morning mist, bathed in warm dawn light. It’s a beautiful sight but it’s something of a cliche in the photographic world. Metaphorically speaking, tripod holes are all too evident!

If at all possible I prefer to approach a well known subject with a different eye and avoid making similar images to those that have ventured there before me.

***Looking east from West Hill back towards Corfe Castle***

With any form of landscape photography the weather, light and conditions play a huge part and I struck lucky when I went to Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck. My principal intention was to enjoy a good walk from the village, get some fresh air, climb the hill to the west and take in the views, not just of the castle ruins but also the surrounding countryside. Of course I had my camera with me and it wasn’t long before some beautiful cloud formations coupled with glorious autumnal light presented me with a few opportunities to press the shutter. Why hadn’t I been here before?

Time to move on and give you the second answer to the question – ‘Where have I been?’

Unbelievably six months have passed since my last post and in this time my camera gear has barely seen the light of day. Many of you will be aware that England experienced a very hot summer with little or no rain resulting in a drought for many parts of the country. Certainly not the conditions for walking very far or indeed for my style of photography which relies heavily on mood and atmosphere.

There was also another reason for the camera staying in its bag.

This time last year we said goodbye to our dear cocker spaniel of nearly 12 years. My wife and I were heartbroken, but at the beginning of the year we took the decision to find another puppy and eventually we found a breeder and our new four legged companion joined us at the end May. It’s been pretty full on since then so it’s hardly surprising that photography took a back seat. He’s now six months old, another delightful and merry cocker, but hard work all the same.

Call it a photographic sabatical if you wish but I am very conscious of the fact that for various reasons I have been away from my camera.

***The Castle Ruins seemingly omnipresent – here it is overlooking the village cemetery***

And now to the third answer.

Although the camera stayed in the bag over the summer I took the opportunity to go back over the images I had made in the 15 years of being a serious hobbyist. Thousands of landscape images all with the intention of making three books. One on England, another on Scotland, Wales and Ireland and a third on my home county of Dorset. In total I selected nearly 350 photographs. It’s no easy task curating this number but I am very happy with my final selection. I have no intention of publishing these books, they will simply be albums for me, my family and friends to enjoy. Images left on a hard drive are rarely seen and there is only limited amount of wall space to frame and hang a selection of photographs. I have been meaning to carry out this task for sometime now, so I’m pleased it’s nearly complete.

As I collated my favourite images from different parts of the UK it reminded me of how fortunate I have been to visit all these wonderful places and to capture their beauty and spirit in monochrome. From the Outer Hebrides to the Isle of Mull and many other parts of Scotland. Northumberland, The Lake District, Pembrokeshire and Snowdonia in Wales. Norfolk and Suffolk on the East coast and much of the South coast from Kent through to Sussex, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. For a small country the UK can boast some truly breathtaking and varied landscapes.

This most pleasurable exercise brought back some vivid memories, but it also raised the question of ‘where haven’t I been?’ Time on earth for all of us is limited and so while I have enjoyed looking back, more importantly I am thinking about the future and looking forward to visiting new locations which I can add to my list of ‘Where have I been?’

I can now include Corfe Castle to this list – and yes it was great to be out with my camera once again. Circumstances have changed and autumn is with us. My enthusiasm for photography and desire to make new images has returned.

***One of the first images I made as I headed out to explore the area.***

One question – three answers – it’s good to be back.

Flooded Meadows ….. from the other side, with a tripod to slow me down

A few days ago I posted a set of images of the flooded water meadows close to where I live. You can read that post and see the images here.

I knew there was the possibility of some different views if I accessed the meadows from the other side of the river. In particular I wanted to capture some trees which I thought would be ideal subjects providing I could pick a still day to make the most of their reflections.

When conditions were favourable I selected what camera gear I would need and put on my wellies. I took a tripod, not because I would be taking any long exposures but to slow me down. I tend to work quite quickly and the one advantage of a tripod is that I take greater care over the composition and the camera’s settings. I find the process of being in the field more immersive as a consequence.

The water levels have receded but any more rain will only fall on saturated ground, so I fully expect these scenes will persist for some time to come. I may travel a little further afield to find other areas where I know local rivers have burst their banks. I have not known flooding on this scale before so I want to make the most of these conditions while I can.

Flooded Meadows from regular storms and excessive rainfall

Continuing the theme of capturing scenes from my local area, or as I have written before; ‘Close to my back door’, an opportunity arose this week to photograph the water meadows adjoining the River Piddle in Dorset.

Whilst flooding is a regular occurrence at this time of year I have never seen the water levels reach this height before. With the ground well and truly saturated, more rainfall in the coming days and weeks will only bring about further flooding to the area.

I was particularly pleased to capture the last image in this set – a photograph of the church and its reflection. I am grateful to the farmer who allowed me access to his land to make these photographs possible.

Oh and by the way welly boots are an essential item for this type of photography!

Photography without limits…..welcome to 2026

At the start of a new year our thoughts inevitably turn to what we might like to achieve in the coming 12 months. Resolutions are often made but soon broken…or they are if you are anything like me. Sometimes we set ourselves targets or specific goals. All too often these are unrealistic and consequently never realised. This leads to a feeling of disappointment which is why I don’t set any for myself in the first place.

Whilst this is not a resolution I do wish to continue to document my local surroundings. I am fortunate to live in a rural part of the lovely county of Dorset. There are many honeypot locations nearby which most photographers will have visited at one time or another. Durdle Door, Corfe Castle and Kimmeridge Bay to name a few. They may be seeking ‘likes’ of course, even though the subject has been seen and captured thousands, if not millions of times before. But should that be the motivation? I think not. For me the images I wish to make are far from the atypical landscape shot from a location of this nature.

From my perspective no subject should be off limits. The composition or scene may be neither obviously beautiful or instantly recognisable but that shouldn’t deter me or any photographer from making an image. If the picture has something to say or forms part of a wider narrative then the camera should be turned on, lens selected and focused, settings chosen and shutter pressed.

The image shown in this post neatly sums up what I am trying to say. In fact it inspired me to make this entry. The subject is a de-restricted road sign, which at some time or another has been knocked over and left in a roadside verge diminishing its effectiveness and meaning. The out of focus old farm building in the background offers some context about its surroundings. But the principal subject is the road sign.

Strictly speaking the Highway Code states that this sign denotes that the National Speed Limit applies, although why anyone would want to drive at up to 60mph along a twisty narrow country lane I do not know.

The point of this entry is simply to encourage all photographers to make images of subjects that appeal to the individual behind the camera, and not be swayed by what they think is likely to appeal to an unknown audience.

My view is that we all need to de-restrict our minds and try not to define what does or doesn’t make a good image. It’s all about being honest and true to yourself. Making images which work and appeal to you. In the process these images will serve to define who you are as a photographer. In other words photography can and should be without limits.

And finally may I wish anyone who has read this far a very happy and healthy 2026.

Knowlton Church ….. when expectations and the results don’t match

I have wanted to make an image of the derelict remains of Knowlton Church in Dorset for sometime now. I have seen plenty of images online, many taken at dawn or dusk but this wasn’t what I had in mind.

After a long dry summer the past few days have seen a return of sunshine mixed with some dark clouds and heavy showers. I had the idea of capturing the church ruin bathed in sunlight with passing storm clouds as a backdrop. I even thought a long exposure might add to the drama. The forecast looked promising so I got in my car and set off.

On arrival clear blue skies prevailed. I looked around me and the shower clouds I was hoping for were nowhere in sight. While waiting I wandered around looking for what I thought would be the best angle and composition. An hour or so later and the prospect of the conditions improving or worsening, depending upon your point of view, were dwindling fast. Don’t get me wrong it was a lovely late summer’s afternoon, but there was little drama, no atmosphere and I felt rather let down, somewhat deflated.

I did of course take a few images and the picture above is I think the best of the bunch. Perfectly acceptable but the result just didn’t match with my expectations. Had I gone out with a more open mind I would have returned home grateful that the light and clouds had been so favourable.

It’s one of the pitfalls of landscape photography. Although we can pre-visualize the image we want to make, invariably the weather and light don’t play ball. Far better not to build up your hopes for a particular photograph and simply accept the the conditions as you find them. Make the best use of the prevailing light and weather and simply enjoy the experience of being out with your camera in a glorious location.

In my last post I said that I would make the effort to make some more colour images. This picture doesn’t excite me at all but does serve to illustrate what a stunning location this is.

One day I will return to Knowlton Church and capture the image which I still have in my mind, and in the meantime I shall try and improve my ability to read the weather forecast!