Northern Dawn I got back into photography in 2007. At last, the hardware could do what I wanted without needing chemicals to edit my own work.
I went out at dawn with my new prosumer Nikon and looked above the smokestacks of Rotherham. Most landscape photographers use wide angle lenses a lot. I expected to do the same. But a really big telephoto can be used to pick out the little details that would otherwise make no impact.
@ Northern Dawn Tommy Lee begins his photographic tour of Northern Light: Landscapes.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Cookie.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Cookie the Chocolate Milky Moo Cow. They both received one silver mole!
Parkhouse Hill Sharp as a blade, this unusual hill formation can be seen from Derbyshire, but lies in Staffordshire. For once, the sun is out.
The old hill walkers used to say the best parts of Derbyshire were in Staffordshire. For sheer visual impact, this has to be one of them.
Right down the road is a dairy farm where the farmer leads his cows down the road each day. Places like this are the last holdout of real old time farming … too hilly to turn into a prairie, but low enough and fertile enough to grow crops or herd cows.
@ Parkhouse Hill
Blue And Copper Egg The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.
Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Fancy.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Fancy the Posh Peacock. They both received one silver mole!
Tales of the Riverbank This little idyll is on the bank of the River Rother, between a car park and a factory. Amidst all the urban sprawl and derelict industrial sites, one can still find a little piece of heaven. On the other bank, kingfishers were spearing lunch for their chicks. Six feet from either riverbank, the north of England reverts to what people think it is. But beauty lies hidden in tiny corners.
@ Tales of the Riverbank David did not cycle until he was 16. At college he got a bike to save on the bus fares and then spent all the money improving his bicycle.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot jingle.
Tommy Lee shook paws with jingle the Black Great Dane. They both received one silver mole!
Scarborough Castle Sitting atop three hundred foot cliffs by the sea, this site has been fortified in one way or another since the Iron Age. The current castle was built by Henry II in the twelfth century.
If, as I once did, you think the ruined castles of England have simply crumbled from lack of care, think again. Following the English Civil War (1642-1652), any fortification which had held out for the King was not only rendered incapable of doing so again, it was destroyed as an act of propaganda; oppose the winning side, and this is what happens. So you can immediately tell which side the lord of a castle fought for; if it is still in one piece, it had declared for Parliament.
@ Scarborough Castle David's favourite book of the Bible is Hosea.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Pete.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Pete the Pistachio Green Dragonfly. They both received one silver mole!
Scarborough Harbour Harbours make appealing pictures and even better jigsaws. But few of them can compare with this one as a tonguetwister!
Having been brought up in the very centre of England, it is all too easy for me to forget my country is an island. But you cannot drive far in any direction without reaching the sea.
@ Scarborough Harbour David's math lecturers at college were Joe Cerkeliunas and Richard Wyszecki. He was so good at Richard's class he used to say "Wyszecki's homework is easier done than said".
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Angelique.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Angelique the Designer Black Poodle. They both received one silver mole!
Sepia Sky Sepia toning was a common technique for adding impact to black and white photos long ago. However this sky has sepia toned itself. I never recolour photos; I go and look for pictures where the earth and sky have recoloured themselves.
@ Sepia Sky David never has writer's block. Instead, he has nowhere near enough time to write all the stories he has created plots for.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Riley.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Riley the Black Feisty Fox. They both received one silver mole!
Sheffield Supertram in Winter The further north you go, the deeper the snows get; but in the lower parts of Sheffield, snow like this is no longer common.
The Supertram has an unusual route map, connecting two shopping centres to a mental hospital. A western extension was planned, but would have to climb some serious hills. Time was when Sheffield had a heavily subsidised bus system (85% off!) extending all the way to the Derbyshire border. The subsidies are long gone; but the city still has the hilliest roads any row of houses was ever built on.
@ Sheffield Supertram in Winter At age eight David lost almost a whole term due to a life-threatening illness. The pain hurt so bad he calmly told his mother he understood his leg must come off and she must not feel bad about telling him. Despite this he was still top of the class that year, by a single mark.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot shotzee.
Tommy Lee shook paws with shotzee the Ragdoll Kitten. They both received one silver mole!
Playing with Light The Sheffield trams come down the hill very slowly to make sure they can stop here. This platform is a great place to see what you can do with a time exposure. The Christmas lights helped make this a memorable picture, too. It took me years to realise the rising streaks between the upper and lower tram lights were reflections off the windscreen.
@ Playing with Light David's math lecturers at college were Joe Cerkeliunas and Richard Wyszecki. He was so good at Richard's class he used to say "Wyszecki's homework is easier done than said".
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Bobbie Jean.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Bobbie Jean the Grey Spider. They both received one silver mole!
Northern Light: Strines Moor There are places in the Pennines where you can feel close to God, and even closer to a thunderbolt. Golden shafts emerge from sepia clouds, illuminating grim wastelands. When the fences have not been mended, you know the land is not even fit for sheep. But to stand beneath such a cloud is to be in awe of creation … as long as you are wearing the right gear to stay dry!
@ Northern Light: Strines Moor David says he has learned more about Christianity from the local rabbi than from any Christian minister in the last 25 years, and the rabbi isn't even trying.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Mari-Goldie.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Mari-Goldie the Majestic Monarch Butterfly. They both received one silver mole!
Monochrome Oddity 'Old John' is a folly, built long after the name was used to identify the spinney to its right. The archway serves no purpose other than to be picturesque. In 1784, landed gentry could afford to play with the landscape.
It is a lot easier to convey a sense of age with a black and white photo than with colour.
@ Monochrome Oddity David knows how to use an electron microscope but is not all that good with toenail clippers.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Emily.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Emily the Party Fowl. They both received one silver mole!
Coniston Water and ‘Old Man’ Cumbria’s lakes are set between grim hills thousands of feet high. Coniston is a small village. Coniston Water is a long, thin lake. The Old Man of Coniston is the high hill behind it; its picturesque name derives from ‘Alt Maen’ - Celtic, ‘High Stone’, or Viking, ‘High Mine’. Over 2600 feet high, it towers over the area.
You can walk to the top up a path in a few hours, only to find the clouds close in just before you get there. I have often been to the top, but have never seen the view. Old mines scar the surface in places. You can tell there is copper around just by looking at the deep blue lake on the other side. Without great care you could end up at the bottom of it, because the paths have no safety rails. When the clouds come down, you could fall hundreds of feet down a cliff into that lake before you can see the cliff edge. I once nearly did so.
@ Coniston Water and ‘Old Man’ David's dog taught him not to save. David asked for a block of toffee at the local sweetshop. His mother said he must save some for another day. He had two pieces and left the rest in the middle of the table along with the little hammer. Then he went for a walk to the library with his mother. When they got back, David had a little hammer and the dog had a guilty expression.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Inga.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Inga the Screech Owl. They both received one silver mole!
Hill Top, Near Sawrey Once the home of Beatrix Potter, and the inspiration for many of her tales, this was the farmhouse from which she ran a 34 acre farm.
Miss Potter was not just a writer; her book sales paid for the purchase of several local farms, which she left to the National Trust. By doing so she preserved the landscapes she loved for many generations.
You can visit Hill Top today and view wild rabbits frolicking without concern behind a wire fence. They are only afraid of Mr Tod; the sandy-whiskered gentleman is just as much at home here as the rabbits.
@ Hill Top, Near Sawrey David ended up in IT because he only got an average physics degree. The main reason was the exams were set on the wrong syllabus and the entire year of graduates was wrong-footed. David was furious for the next twelve months. Then he did a Master's degree in IT.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Draco.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Draco the Midnight Happy Dragon. They both received one silver mole!
Just Another Farm in Cumbria If you go exploring down narrow lanes in Cumbria, you will see many sights like this. You might also find your car has a choice of an impossible turn between high stone walls, or ending up in a forbidding farmyard before you can make a U turn. I tried to make the Y turn between stone walls and got a scratched door to remind me of the photo.
@ Just Another Farm in Cumbria David once cycled 120 miles in a day (a lot of it over 1000 feet up) and was barely able to stand when he got home. He thought he had only ridden about 80 miles and must be ill! Next day he worked out how far he had ridden and everything became clear.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Hadee Nidmorth.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Hadee Nidmorth the Midnight Happy Dragon. They both received one silver mole!
Elterwater This little village is now mostly a home to tourists. Agriculture is no longer as labour intensive as it was, and few farms in the high hills are economic. On this journey I slept in a tent. Next time I am going to stay somewhere in Elterwater; I am too old for tents now.
@ Elterwater David says he has learned more about Christianity from the local rabbi than from any Christian minister in the last 25 years, and the rabbi isn't even trying.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Buzz Lightyear.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Buzz Lightyear the Bee. They both received one silver mole!
Cockley Beck The River Duddon rises in the mountains between Eskdale and Langdale, before flowing into the Irish Sea near Broughton in Furness. Here at Cockley Beck, the bridge separates Wrynose Pass from the Hardknott Pass, one of the toughest driving roads in Britain.
@ Cockley Beck Oh look ... you won a little pet!
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Musse.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Musse the Merry Mole. They both received one silver mole!
Musse gave you 1 "Sweet Old Wolf In A Nightgown" size 7
Sunlight in Cumbria In April 2011 I put my tent in the back of my car and prayed that I would go to Cumbria as soon as there was a forecast of three clear days of sunshine. I kept my word, and got there in the last week of September.
Cumbria is not known as the Lake District for nothing. Most of the year, the skies spend their time filling those lakes as clouds scud in from the Irish Sea. When the clouds part, the views are breathtaking. But Northern Light is usually grimmer and greyer here than anywhere else.
@ Sunlight in Cumbria David invented the 'gap year' by forgetting to fill out his forms for university. Instead, he spent the year cycling about ten thousand miles.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Silky.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Silky the Ragdoll Kitten. They both received one silver mole!
Cumbrian Fells A fell is a mountainous area above the tree line. Much of Cumbria is just such a land. Roads cut between the fells, but sometimes have no choice but to go over them. This cyclist is between, and about to go over. The best of luck! The weather here can change in minutes.
@ Cumbrian Fells David's favourite TV programme ever was Top Gear (British version). The cars have almost nothing to do with that. His favourite movies are the "Pink Panther" series. He drives Lisa wild by laughing his head off at the same old jokes over and over again.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Milica.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Milica the Posh Peacock. They both received one silver mole!
Hardknott Pass Hardknott is as hard as it sounds. Near the bottom, the road has a gradient of one-in-three (33%). I looked at this, stopped, put the car in first gear ... and could not get up. I had to back off and storm the rise with all the engine had got. This view was my reward.
@ Hardknott Pass As a small boy, David believed he was going to marry his mother's sister when he grew up, because she was so nice.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Ada.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Ada the Astonishing Helper Ant. They both received one silver mole!
A Refuge for Henry VI After the Battle of Hexham (1464) Henry VI wandered the northern hills until he was taken in at Muncaster Castle, near the west coast of Cumbria.
The history of Britain was written not in books, but in hard high places far from help, where small armies determined the future of an Empire that went on to cover a quarter of the earth's surface. Who is King? The man who can survive these pitiless hills in all weather and find a friendly shelter. Henry VI was king again before he died. But he could just as easily have died out here in adverse weather.
@ A Refuge for Henry VI David's favourite TV programme ever was Top Gear (British version). The cars have almost nothing to do with that. His favourite movies are the "Pink Panther" series. He drives Lisa wild by laughing his head off at the same old jokes over and over again.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Seth Freakin'Monkey.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Seth Freakin'Monkey the Flying Monkey. They both received one silver mole!
Seth Freakin'Monkey and you found 5 Travel Tokens!
Red Squirrel's Refuge Aira Force has a Viking name ('fors' means 'waterfall'). This is only natural in what was once known as the 'Danelaw', the north and west of Britain once controlled by the Vikings.
The red squirrel is oppressed by another invader; the grey squirrel. Here in the heights it still thrives, whilst the bigger grey squirrel bosses the lowland trees.
A wonderful view and one of my favourite shots. Take a look if you travel in Cumbria ... if you fancy a 450 foot climb to see it!
@ Red Squirrel's Refuge David was a big Tolkien fan in his teens and twenties. He credits Tolkien with explaining more about Christianity to him than the church he was raised in. He never saw the word 'fellowship' used anywhere before he read "The Fellowship of the Ring".
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Yay.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Yay the Yeti. They both received one silver mole!
Lost in the Gorse Anglesey is a lowland island off the north west coast of Wales. Today it is a place to grow crops. But the Romans probably invaded Britain specifically to get rid of the druids, whose culture was centred there and affected the Celtic regions of Europe.
This is one of the lesser-known standing stones on Anglesey, disappearing into the gorse which dominates the wild areas of the island.
@ Lost in the Gorse David came from a family with an endless supply of aunts and very few uncles. Two of the few uncles he had were called Granville. This made life quite confusing for him on occasions.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly).
Tommy Lee shook paws with Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly) the Playful Penguin. They both received one silver mole!
Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly) and you found 10 Travel Tokens!
A Beautiful Place The name Beauly is thought to come from the words of Mary Queen of Scots when she stayed there in 1564; 'un beau lieu' (a beautiful place).
The Firth of Beauly is a magnificent body of water. I had to use an adapted telescope to get this shot of the surrounding hills.
@ A Beautiful Place David can remember random moments from his infancy, some even before he was two years old. But he can never remember where he has put the TV remote!
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Pingu.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Pingu the Playful Penguin. They both received one silver mole!
The Blue River The River Moriston (Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Mhoireastain) flows out of wild mountains into the bottom end of Loch Ness. There is much to explore here, but I never had the opportunity to go further.
Northern skies can be a very deep blue with the sun in the faraway south, and it is this deep blue which the pristine river reflects.
@ The Blue River David's father drove steam trains and his grandmother ran the village toy shop. As a small boy, David thought nothing could be better.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot fancy.
Tommy Lee shook paws with fancy the Blue Beautiful Unicorn. They both received one silver mole!
Eternal Snows You won’t find anything like this in England. The Cairngorms reach up to 4300 feet and due to their height, host eternal snows. Looking out over Loch Ness, the Englishman has to concede he is in a land unlike his own; wilder, unconquerable, and resolute.
@ Eternal Snows David would like to drive a Lamborghini, maybe once; but he could never justify owning one.
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Emily.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Emily the Party Fowl. They both received one silver mole!
Emily gave you 1 "'Northern Light' Travel Token" size 7
Northern Moonlight The moon shines just the same on the south as on the north; but it is easier to find a dark place to view it from in the north. 'Light pollution', as astronomers call it, dims the night sky in the south.
The moon is a tantalizing quarry at the best of times for a photographer; never the right shape when the sky is clear, and never on view when its phase is full. Clouds conspire to hide her; but when she comes out, she is clearer and brighter in the wild north than in the civilized south.
@ Northern Moonlight Tommy Lee has now completed his viewing of Northern Light: Landscapes. As he prepares to go home, he receives a wonderful gift!
Tommy Lee has enjoyed his photographic tour of Northern Light: Landscapes, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also enjoy a photographic tour of "Northern Light!"
While peeking through the viewfinder, you spot Frost.
Tommy Lee shook paws with Frost the Green Rapid Dragonfly. They both received one silver mole!
Frost gave you 1 "Sweet Old Wolf In A Nightgown" FULL SIZE
Tommy Lee has completed the quest of
