ROCKS OF DOOM

Northumberland Part Two – My journey continues…

After part one – which was one hell of a great start to my visit to Northumberland, I always had one place in my mind. Dunstanburgh Rocks of DOOM! Silly name? YES! Why not, Photography should be fun and playful, I find I create better imagery if I don’t get too serious and pretentious, you know, talking about a grain of sand and the passing of time.

“To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour. A robin redbreast in a cage Puts all heaven in a rage. A dove-house filled with doves and pigeons Shudders hell through all its regions.”

William Blake

The shot above is my grain of sand moment. The noises of playing and the kids excited with the vast playground of Spittal beach. As all good dads do… I got my camera out! No no I made a sandcastle or three and then went and got my camera out! There was some cloud but fleeting and grey, behind me a storm was developing but no shot to take in that direction, I just kept seeing this shot in my minds eye. I was building the composition long before I got my camera out. The Shutter of your mind is a powerful thing, training your brain and eye to create the shot before you take it has transformed the way I take my own photographs.

Previsualisation

So I had spent 30 minutes previsualising the shot and excited, I had to run and get the camera set up. Graphic! gouache, flat painted imagery! It took me right back to college and painting flat graphic elements for a publication. Circa 1991.

There was no rush as there was no light, no messing as I had the simplicity set in my mind. I love this shot but sorry Spittal, I did not fall for you… but! This lighthouse has witnessed some big waves and would be great to shoot in a storm. I will return.

I’d dreamt about photographing this place!

Dunstanburgh Castle! But it wasn’t just the castle why I was here! THE ROCKS OF DOOM, the history and of course the location that many photographers have stood before me. Excited is an understatement! Watch the video here to see just how excited I get! Don’t forget to give me a like and subscribe, thank you…

The North East coast hasn’t seen the last of me, for my first visit to this extraordinary location and magnificent coast line, I think I did ok. I got a couple of shots I was really pleased with.

By the way, I do realise that the waves and sea conditions I got were very mild and I’m a big softy when it comes to the sea and heights.

Any way I digress, two things I love about these shots.

1. The mood and the fact it didn’t happen (the light) made me think more about the shots and what I could achieve in the gloom.

2. My style and not a copy from what other photographers have achieved here. I tried very hard to position the rocks takin you into the shot and achieve something my way.

I really hope you like the video and mostly my photographs from Northumberland, please leave your thoughts and drop me a message below. Thank you so much for reading and checking out my second part of My journey round the Northumberland coastline. Sithee!

 

 

 

 

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Sithee!

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