Even within "the grey" colour can still be found: Discovering the magic of Cromford.

November eh? A month that is meant to be cold, miserable and rather horrible by comparison to other months of the year - well that is what I thought? And, we all know what thought did. Still though the recent weather so far this month has been anything but cold! Miserable, yes to some extent but the mild weather has made the month of November so far - just that little more bearable which means that getting out and about in November has been possible. Still though, the 11th of November 2021 was a day that I had thought would have been rather fair, with some autumnal sunshine, but did that happen? No it did not; instead the cloud was low and a mist had formed, damp it was but that did not stop me from visiting the delightful little village of Cromford, a place that most people will drive through without stopping off to explore. Yet those who do stop off in Cromford know it’s secrets - the kinds of secrets that are just worth discovering and exploring.

“Cromford is a village like no other, binded with scenery that melts into old industry as you take a walk amongst the unique shops. What will you find? Curiosities everywhere that are just inviting you to explore and discover and around each corner, from the lake to the mills and the canal are photo opportunities each step of the way.”

Of course when I had arrived in Cromford it was grey, damp - miserable conditions to say the least, but would I be letting that spoil my trip here? Definitely not, instead I was ready to explore, the first port of call was a fantastic art gallery, one that was small but perfectly formed and a treasure trove of artisanal crafts and works that just somehow captivate the mind, each one different and speaking a language all to themselves, curious yes but this art gallery has something for everyone. After taking the plunge and dipping my toes into the first port of call I crossed the road, the busy B5036 to the left of me carrying traffic that meets up with the heavy thunderous trucks and other vehicles that come down the A5012 (Via Gellia) are probably the first things that people will find out about Cromford, not to mention the crossroads at the bottom of the village and the A6 that splits the village in half. Having crossed the road I was now in front of “The Greyhound Hotel” here is where Cromford has a sort of market place, a central hub that is used as a car park, the architecture on this side of the road is akin to something that would not be out of place in Switzerland - then again I suppose Cromford is like “Little Switzerland” and that in itself is all part of the charm about it.

From the marketplace past the shops I walked a short distance before turning left, up a road that two years prior I had walked on, hidden and mysterious the houses and buildings on “the promenade” are enough to get anyone's minds questioning how the angle and steepness of the land could be built on - yet engineering from years ago seemingly solved those problems, gardens of the buildings on an incline with a sheer rock face at the back, yet amongst the grey and drizzle I walked, past the aptly named “boat inn” a pub that overlooks the delightful secretive and somewhat “blink and you would miss it” delightful mill pond, built for the nearby mill that sits out of sight. I had remembered from my last visit to this location a glorious waterfall, and whilst it was a tricky shot to get, from a pub-car park I managed to get the following photo. Notice how even with the drab grey scene colour was visible.

Seek and you will find a waterfall.

A short few steps in front of me  was the next delightful stop, behind me a bookshop and in front of me the millpond - the autumnal mist in the distance hanging around at the top of the trees made of an ethereal scene yet amongst the grey in front of me was the magical tones of Autumnal colour washing itself over an otherwise drab and murky scene; needless to say that I was stunned at how calming it was, I got my camera and took the following photos.

Grey over the millpond.

Window of colour.

Red on the lake.

Afterwards it was time to enter the delightful “Scarthin Books” a bookshop like no other and one that feels like a Tardis, only with bohemian features, each room different and each room with a theme, first though lunch called and for me it was the most delightful homity pie, with a Chickpea salad, butterbean salad and coleslaw mixed with a fresh leaf salad, it was truly on another level, Theresa, she had the glorious Falafel salad bowl, with fresh salad and hummus, cakes were consumed afterwards yet the café in Scarthin Books, is located in the Cookery section; after our lunch it was time to explore the bookshop. I had previously visited Scarthin Books some two years prior - but some things never change and each of the rooms in the book shop lend themselves to the lens, the music room with it’s sheet music wallpaper and the art room with an Arabic theme to it, yes just wandering around Scarthin Books is worth it, just to see how quirky it is.

An entry to books.

A pause amongst the arts.

When the arts surround you.

The waiting room.

There are bookshops then there is Scarthin Books, if you get the chance to visit when you are in Cromford do so, and it is one that has been featured in The Guardian (and many other publications) as being one of the best independent bookshops in the country. Finally after a Perouse in the bookshop and a delightful lunch it was time to continue on the exploration of Cromford. Coming outside from the bookshop - rain, damp it was but would I let that put me off? No, I cherished every moment of the Autumnal magic. I stood and looked behind me, the bookshop on the left and captured the following photo.

Enter the Tardis of Scarthin.

I continued walking ahead, the grey weather was dramatic and another photo opportunity, the leading line of the small road that leads from Scarthin Books, towards Via Gellia made for a welcome and somewhat different shot. I ended up getting the following, moody yes but again things felt so still and peaceful.

Autumn in the air.

I was now heading in the direction of Via Gellia, a mysterious road that is enough to give anyone who drives it “the hypothetical kittens” it is a road that is not for the faint hearted that has unparalleled scenery, but it was one that I had to cross, upon crossing the lower part of Via Gellia, it was a short walk until I crossed it again, this time I was facing the millpond,, the low cloud and mist made things slightly eerie, haunted almost but I could not help capturing the scenes of Cromford from a different angle - the buildings and Scarthin Books; on the other side of the millpond looked slightly fairy tale like; thought provoking maybe and that is what Cromford is like, mysterious in a fantastical way, that captures the mind and tells stories.

Swans dance on the Millpond.

Orange glows.

Autumn clings on.

Scarthin amongst Autumnal colour.

The thinking spot.

Via Gellia is ahead.

Even in the grey colour can still be found.

“Cromford is one of those unique places, captivating almost hippy places that no matter what time of the year it is always changing in front of you, the views and the magic of the place makes it unique - throw in the A6 in the middle and it splits the village, for exploration is key here.”

And it sure was, after walking around the village and the incredibly delicious lunch at Scarthin Books, it was time to move on - this time a journey through time, a short while later and I had arrived at “Cromford Mills” from the outside this place has mystery and curiosities written on the old walls that provide an echo and clues to what yesteryear would have been all about; and the millpond in Cromford village, well that is linked to the industry that would have once been producing goods at Cromford Mills - now silent from years gone by, the Mills at Cromford have been re-designed around the central courtyard, which amongst them has got many small independent unique shops and a museum in which you can take a trip back through time and discover the stories and life amongst the Mills of Cromford. The scale of the Mills along with the interesting watercourse that runs through the courtyard make for interesting photography subjects and despite the rain having now stopped, the old Mills had a strange colour, on the rocks behind the mills, the trees were orange, red and yellow, a painting amongst the man made art work of the old industrial past.

Plunge.

Water and colour.

When water turns soft.

The power source.

Generating the old ghosts.

The rush of sinking water.

Steps in the courtyard.

Water watches the steps.

Silk in water.

Close to the rush.

Still though one could also say that Cromford is also “An Oasis of Calm” and that is a slight play on words, as the last place that I would be discovering was a railway station - Yes, the Derwent Valley Line is one of the most scenic in the country and links Derby to Matlock, but as the line heads north from Belper elements of Little Switzerland become apparent as the railway line hugs and criss-crosses the Derwent which is never too far away from where the train goes. Yet the Station at Cromford also has a musical past, it is here that a very well known British Indie Band (Oasis) used the platform and the swiss looking building on the cover for “Some might say.”

Some might say that this is Cromford. And it is. The building in the background is now self catering accommodation.

Now the building that is on the album cover is now holiday accommodation, and you can stay in a building that has links to Oasis and links with G.H Stokes who was the son in law of Joseph Paxton, Joseph Paxton was known for the Cavendish Wall at Chatsworth and The Crystal Palace which was built at Hyde park. Yet here I was on the platform, the light had dropped; well that is Autumn for you, the dampness still in the air, and I captured the following photos of this mysterious yet architectural gem of a railway station.

The Oasis of Cromford.

At an Oasis station.

Some might say the orange glow.

In Cromford or Switzerland?

Independent and quirky shops along with Industrial might - now standing as old ghosts waiting to be explored by public transport which has musical veins running through and scenery like no other, for Cromford is one place that instead of passing through on the way to the Peak District National Park, actually needs and invites you into discover it. For discovering a place on a grey day is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea/coffee but even within the grey colour can still be found, and it goes without saying that despite the damp weather, the rain and mist the magic of Cromford was found.

Challenging Light: Then this happened.

Autumnal landscape photography is some of the most interesting that you do, and as a season goes it is quite possibly one of the most spectacular seasons within the photographic calendar which pinpoints mother nature slowing down and putting on one last show before it goes into hibernation, of course though it is also one of my favourite seasons for photography as capturing the raw beauty of autumn can be simple one minute and then challenging the next. But it is this mixture of challenges that means you can capture some truly stunning scenes.

Of course with the seasons of autumn and winter the lighting conditions can be spectacular and that is something that really does make capturing any autumnal and winter scene even more “magical”, magical in the way that light can make a scene seem that little more dramatic.

Just a couple of days ago I was on a lovely afternoon walk, and yes walking is something that a lot of people have been doing during lockdown, getting out and about - thus enjoying being at one with nature and not having to listen to the news; thankfully the lighting conditions were perfect, the sun was beginning to set and the colours of the sun managed to light up an otherwise cloudy scene. To the west of where I was walking it was clear, and the location I was in had cloud cover, the clouds though they had a certain shape and the light from the sunset was turning them pink.

Throughout the walk though I had been shooting in what can only be described as,

“Challenging light”

But as the sun continued to set and it got ever so slightly darker, something happened and the skies started to dance, a display of pinks, yellows and oranges occurred. For the skies were dancing and what a show, but then this happened, I just had to capture the movement of the clouds and focus on a tree.

All too often Nottinghamshire is ignored by many landscape photographers and that itself is such a shame as it is a county of many contrasts, rural and urban often seem to blend with each other and in a strange way tend to compliment each other. Now where I was walking is located some six miles away from the city centre and is semi-rural, but did that matter? No especially when this happened.

The dancing fields

The autumnal movement

Colour dance

Each photo was taken with a slow shutter speed and I just let the camera do it’s thing. (The shutter speed was between 40 seconds to 90 seconds) but the movement and the end result was just amazing.

I had just managed to capture what have very quickly become my favourite photographs of this year, which depicted the way in which the light can be so magical, yes it was a challenge to take photographs on this particular day because the sun was so low in the sky due to the autumnal sunset taking place, but a little bit of patience and I was so pleased with the end results.

Yet even in the most challenging of lighting conditions it is still possible to capture something truly amazing, a bit of patience is all you need to capture the raw beauty and essence of this fantastic time of year, my patience paid off, when I captured those glorious movements of the clouds and the colours within them due to the low autumnal sunset, but instead of being put off by autumnal photography, work with it and work with the lighting conditions as you are bound to come up with that perfect shot that speaks a thousand words about the season of autumn. Things can be challenging but do not give up with the challenging lighting conditions that autumn throws at you, learn to work it and work with it, in order to get the best results.

But autumn is slowly disappearing, for the next season will be winter, and that brings with it, certain challenges and a raw feeling that can be just as magical to capture, but will there be any challenging light to capture? I for one sure hope so.

Escaping. Why woodland photography is something you just have to do.

Being outdoors and outside in the autumn and winter might seem slightly counterintuitive to being outside during the spring and summer, but it is both the autumn and winter time when you can truly escape. Of course during this secondary lockdown that we are all faced with, that ends on the 2nd of December, thankfully allows us to go outdoors, something that beforehand was overlooked, just getting outside is crucial for out mental health and a nice walk can help our minds relax, especially when we are faced with constant,

Lies, lies and damn statistics.

That somehow keeps on getting updated and published by the government. Anyway away from the mysterious and ugly world of politics which is corrupt to the core, back to the post at hand. Woodland photography.

For autumn is perhaps one of the most glorious seasons of all, along with winter and whilst most people prefer spring and summer along with warmer weather, there has to be something said for cooler weather - when there is not a lot of people around, just getting out and about is so much nicer as places seem less crowded, meaning you can actually go for a walk without coming across crowds of people, something which is sheer bliss. Thankfully the UK offers some fantastic places for being outdoors and to have a nice walk; but some of the best places for walking and exploring are woodlands. Just being surrounded by trees no matter what time of the year it is, has a certain magical charm.

Okay so woodlands in the spring and summer can be fantastic and bluebells within the spring show the first major signs of life that occur just when nature itself is slowly beginning to awaken itself after the deep sleep that begins in late autumn and winter.

Escaping with the Bluebells

An image that I captured at the beginning of Lockdown, bluebells in a wood at Shipley park, seems a long time ago and it is. Now we are in November and the months have just flown by, as a photographer lockdown has made me appreciate the seasons even more than I usually would do and that is something that I quite like, actually seeing the seasons changing and documenting them.

I can imagine a lot of landscape photographers this year have taken the time to appreciate the finer things in life, slowing down and capturing the seasonal change and making time for that, in a time when our lives have been on pause, we have come to notice things more, compared to when things were normal when we missed things because of a certain rush that we were all caught up in - for that is when we ignored the smaller things and hardly paid attention to the seasons. 

Now though we are within the season of autumn, the nights are beginning to arrive earlier and the hours within the days are shorter, but as a landscape photographer I shall simply say “do not let shorter days put you off, for both autumn and winter really are the best times to get out”, of anything autumn and winter really are the best times to get out and about for photography, and everything is so much more minimal, it is that element of minimal that means that photographic scenes are easier to compose, you really do not have to over challenge yourself in photography as some of the best images are those that are often the most simplistic.

Thankfully autumn provides us with some amazing scenes of colour, a display of reds, oranges, yellows within the leaves on the trees and some of the best places to explore are woodlands - yes get out there with whatever camera you might have and head for your local woodland, or forest as well and just take time to walk within your local woodland or forest, for starters it is fantastic for mental health and seconds, you get to escape all the doom and gloom of the news and repetitive media that is trying to rule our lives at the moment but is failing.

Just walking through woodlands is pure escapism, but for any photographer it is an easel on the senses; quite literally. Especially within the autumn and winter months as you get to see something of a transition occurring - the leaves and the colours of them provide any photographer the chance to get creative, for it is all about these key points when taking woodland photography.

• Think outside the box - Traditional woodland photography seems to be rather “simplistic” and there is nothing at all wrong with that at all, sometimes simplistic shots can be the best. However a woodland provides the photographer with a lot of room to experiment and thinking outside the box can provide the best photographic results.

• So why not if you are carrying out woodland photography after it has rained, used any surface water, puddles to your advantage, lower the camera that you are using towards a puddle and shoot the reflection of the trees, as you can see from the following Image, it really can make a difference when you use water to your advantage. 

  

  
  

• Try looking up, all too often within woodland photography, we are looking in front all the time or around us and below at the ground, all too often a lot of photographers do not look up, and that is perhaps the most secretive part of any woodland, the canopy, so why not place your camera next to a tree, whilst stood underneath that tree and take a photograph looking up towards the canopy of the trees - again this provides a different perspective of woodlands and allows people to see angle that would always be hidden

• Try shooting in Black and White - Colours always add a little something to woodland photography, but woodland photography also works equally well, when you switch over to Black and White. It might seem counterproductive but woodland photography really does lend itself to Black and White photography and can bring out hidden details that you otherwise might not see in an image that has been captured in colour. Also in post production when editing, make some adjustments to your black and white image, does it work better being slightly darker or lighter?

• Shapes - Woodland photography lends itself to shapes. Shapes in the undergrowth, the shames of the fallen leaves on the ground along with the shapes of the trees and textures. Try using these shapes and textures to your advantage and you are sure to come up with that perfect interesting composition.

• Leaves on the ground - Trees do provide interesting compositions, but look at the undergrowth as well, it is here that you are bound to come across something interesting, and one of the most interesting subjects to shoot in a woodland are leaves, so get low with that camera and you are sure to come across something interesting, a unique leaf shape of different shades of a certain colour. Again mushrooms with undergrowth also provide another interesting subject to shoot, during your exploration of woodland.

• Be prepared to travel - No woodland is the same, if you can not get what you are looking for in your local woodland that you are used to, why not travel a little further and explore. Maybe here you will find that award winning shot.

• Editing and post production - One thing that you should always do is edit. A photograph straight from a camera looks rather dull and bland, so spend your time editing them within post production. Try different settings and in Lightroom play about with the sliders to bring out shades of a certain colour or to strengthen a certain area of your photograph, do not be afraid to over edit then work backwards to a place that you are comfortable with. For anyone using a Smartphone, then you can get some amazing woodland photography and apps such as Lightroom Mobile and Snapseed can provide some amazing ways to edit your woodland photos whilst on the move. *Again Lightroom Mobile and Snapseed are both available for IOS and Android devices*.

One of the advantages of woodland photography is that you can also use a smartphone - hence the fantastic video from Tim Day, so for anyone who is wanting to carry out a bit of woodland photography, then I do hope the videos does help you.

Back to the woodlands though, even as we transition from Autumn to Winter a lot of the colours are lost, the shapes of the trees can still provide us with interesting focal points to capture, and when it snows - this is when the magic happens within woodlands and you really do have to capture the contrast of the snow and the trees.

That being said, will we get any snow this year? That depends, but do not be afraid to get out and shoot woodland scenes in the snow, fog or frost and mists. More importantly though woodland photography is something that you just have to do, a chance to escape from the world can provide us all with that sanctuary that we all need, so why not escape to your local woodland or forest and carry out a bit of photography, you never know what hidden gems you will discover.

Sometimes "simplicity" is all you need.

Autumn is officially here and as a landscape photographer it is perhaps one of the most beautiful seasons within the photography calendar. The world somehow becomes an easel and the various colours on the trees along with those of the landscape really make for something which is unique. But it is also a season in which,

“Simplicity is the key. Keep it simple and you will end up getting the very best photographic results”.

The key point is that autumn itself lends itself to being a season that is “minimal” with not a lot going on - nature itself is beginning to gradually enter a deep and well earnt sleep, but before it goes to sleep it leaves us with one final finale. Just getting out and about and soaking up this final finale is something that as a landscape photographer I would highly recommend.

Fortunately a couple of weeks ago (when it was October), I was driving back, having been somewhere, when I just had to stop in a particular layby in which there is perhaps one of the most stunning views over Nottinghamshire, naturally though I just had to pull into this layby and take the following two shots.

Simplicity through colour (landscape).

Simplicity through colour (portrait).

And to me, these just sum everything up about autumn, this transitional period of time, before we enter the winter time, Even if autumn is merely a transitional period and remains a rather short season, it is by far the most stunning time of year in which to partake in minimal photography with some radiant and glorious scenes, for this is nature's way of giving us her final finale before she sleeps until she wakes again in Spring, but this is also perhaps the most glorious and stunning finales that anyone will ever see and best of all this rather theatrical season just so happens to be free for all to enjoy, for sometimes simplicity is all you need in the world of photography.