Downs Banks Sunrise
A landscape photography blog by Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire based landscape photographer Rob Thorley Photography.
This morning was a five-fifteen alarm to go back and visit the Barlaston Downs Banks, Staffordshire. The cunning plan was to shoot the first light from up by Millennium Point, and then to have a wander around, and explore the top end of the woodland.
As the saying goes you’ve got to be in it to win it. Sadly though you don’t always win when you’re in it! Unfortunately today the sunrise was very mooted as it stayed behind a bank of cloud that rolled in at the last minute, so it was a good forty-five minutes before the sun actually broke through. On the plus side I stayed patient, as I knew it was only a matter of time.
Downs Banks autumn sunrise.
Having waited it out the only question was how harsh the light would be once it did break through. I decided to put on the 70-300mm lens, and shoot some “intimate” landscape shots of the trees, as the sky was very nondescript at this point.
All’s well that ends well I guess. I managed to get four, or five images in the bag from the top end before I packed up, and went for a wander lower down.
I spent another half and hour, or so wandering around but there wasn’t anything that caught my fancy with the current conditions. I think the valley is one to try out when there’s a good blanket of mist, and fog.
Although lockdown is a pain in the backside it has made me discover more areas that are local, and the Downs Banks is another location I know I can visit regularly easily should I feel the need, or I’m stuck for time.
You can view more images from the Downs Banks, and my gallery of other Staffordshire locations.
