A few moments after the sun cleared the eastern hills, the mist shrouding this farm in the Peak District melted and flowed down the valley.

It was worth waking up in the early hours and hiking up through the chill autumn air to watch the sun rise from Win Hill in the Peak District. The sun's arrival not only lit the spectacular views, but also brought some welcome warmth. While there were a few enticing walks fro the summit of the hill, the call of breakfast was stronger an we head back down.

Win Hill, Peak District, England, 2015

Sony a7R II with Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS

Tags:   camera:sony_a7r2 f:long peak district england UK britain Peak District morning farm hills mist fog ThreeByTwo win hill Win Hill

© All Rights Reserved

Tethered boats bob around in the gentle evening tide of Vernazza's tiny bay.

After ordering dinner and before it arrived, I popped out for a quick walk around Vernazza's waterfront during the blue hour. There wasn't much area to explore, but there were so many different compositions that were possible so I had to be very disciplined (and work fast) to rejoin my travel companions before the food arrived!

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy, 2017

Sony a7R II with Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8

Tags:   camera:sony_a7r2 italy square waterscape reflection Cinque Terre cinque terre liguria vernazza longexposure

© All Rights Reserved

On my several pre-dawn hikes up to the cliffs above Nugget Point Lighthouse in New Zealand's South Island, I experienced rain, heavy wind and a vividly colourful sunrise. This was taken on none of those more interesting trips -- the sun rose out of a clear and relatively boring sky this morning and I got warm morning colours rather than a blaze of colour in the sky...

This part of New Zealand's South Western coast was a constant source of worry for smaller ships trading along the Catlins coast to the Clutha River. To help make their passage safer, Nugget Point lighthouse was built in 1869 and began operations the following year.

It was initially powered by an oil burner before being replaced by an electric lamp shortly after the Second World War. ThDue to its remote location, it was originally powered by a diesel generator, but was moved to mains power nearly exactly 30 years before this photo was taken. At the same time, it was converted for completely remote operation.

Kaka Point, South Island, New Zealand, 2019

Sony a7R Mark II with Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM

Tags:   camera:sony_a7r2 f:ultrawide f:wide 'New Zealand' 'Kaka Point' FourByThree lighthouse cliffs sea seascape dawn sunrise coast waterscape hdr

© All Rights Reserved

Fluffy clouds make way as the sun rises over the North Sea near Dunstanburgh Castle in Northumberland.

The hill on which Dunstanburgh castle rests has known a long history of fortification. The castle itself was built atop older Iron Age fortifications, and since its construction in the 14th century, it has been used for defensive purposes by several different owners through myriad wars, battles, and peasant uprisings. It was even used during World War 2 as a defensive position against a potential German invasion.

These centuries of war have taken their toll on the structure, and it has been descending to increasing disrepair since the 16th century. This state of ruin adds to the appeal of the castle -- at least for me -- turning it into a weathered relic of a past age.

Dunstanburgh, Northumberland, England, 2016

Sony a7R Mark II with Zeiss FE 16-35mm f/4

Tags:   camera:sony_a7r2 f:ultrawide f:wide england FourByThree northumberland castle coast waterscape dawn clouds medieval hdr

© All Rights Reserved

A few minutes after the sun dipped below the horizon, clouds that had previously been barely visible roared ablaze in fiery colour.

We were driving back after a hike under cloudy skies in the Peak District and wouldn't have noticed the sun setting if the clouds hadn't begun to clear before we returned to our car. A few short moments after sunset, however, the angle of the sun hit the remaining clouds just right and the sky was nearly completely red. By the time we found a safe and scenic spot to stop, the best of the show was over, but there were still large swathes of vivid red above us.

I managed to find a spot offering a view of the sky and horizon without road signs or powerlines in the way, and waited for a car to pass by to remind me of the road I'd been travelling on.

Peak District, England, 2013

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM

Tags:   Grindleford England United Kingdom camera:canon_5d2 f:wide Peak District sunset clouds drive road SixteenByNine

© All Rights Reserved