Framedlight

I went to Lathkill Dale with two cameras, intending to use the infrared one on the way down and the 'normal' one on the way back. As it came on to rain heavily the infrared camera got more use. In the stormy weather the clouds were very dramatic, an effect exaggerated by infrared. The glen is very pretty and widens and narrows again on the way down. Piles of stones were left on the valley side where quarrying took place and these made for some interesting pictures when contrasted with the foliage which goes to white in infrared. The Ricklow Quarry which lies at the top of the dale extracted stone known as 'Derbyshire marble' which was used in decorative work. Hominus Photographicus and Hominus Ramblus were in evidence.

Last Saturday I was fortunate to attend a photo workshop based around Monyash in the northern Peak District, the White Peak. The tutors were Paul Hill and Nick Lockett and they encouraged us to look at project work rather than the single image. We went out without tripods to try to tune into the environment and capture the essence of the place. The morning was spent in Lathkill Dale which is a short walk from the centre of Monyash. It was a Saturday and the dale was pretty busy with walkers and a group of scouts. We walked down the valley but did not have time to get to the river, the top part of the dale is a dry valley as the stream runs underground, emerging later from a cave, or even further down if the weather has been dry. It had been cloudy with sunny interludes and there were a few very sharp showers that sent us running for cover, but towards the end of the morning the rain became more persistent and it seemed wise to return to base. When the sun did come out the stones gle...

My day on the Peak District workshop called 'the natural and man-made landscape' started with a short presentation by the two leaders, Paul Hill and Nick Lockett. Nick's wife had also come along to help with providing refreshments for us all and also to talk photography. We then walked from Monyash down Lathkilldale which I have covered in the previous 2 blogs. We took photos in the dale, and then it started to rain, torrentially. A hasty journey back to the village saw us landing in rather a nice café for lunch and a photographic conversation which was good. Replete we travelled by car the short distance to Magpie Mine, the remains of which are thought to be the best example in the UK of a 19th century lead mine, dating back to 1793. Lead has been mined in Derbyshire since the bronze age and this dangerous work continued in the area until 1950 when after periods of inactivity and resurgence Magpie Mine finally closed and was taken into the care of the Peak District Mine...