Lakes District and Abu Dhabi - suggestions?

[surfer dude]

My family and I are off to the Lakes District in England for a month over November and were wondering if anyone has any recommendations for photography?

I'll be using two RF bodies with 28 through 135. Mainly using b+w (tri-x and fomapan 100) and I am going to try and theme my photography around people and what they do there. My wife and one of my sons will be using Medium Format (colour and b+w) and are interested mainly in landscapes. We're renting a house in Grasmere and may have the use of a car for some of the time, perhaps hoping to take a short trip into Southern Scotland.

En route from Melbourne we'll be staying in Abu Dhabi for a few days either way.

Does anyone with experience of those locations have any suggestions that may help in deciding how to go about our photography in either place?

 

[fidget]

Sounds really good, I hope that you enjoy both.
I live an hour away from the Lake district and manage to visit there fairly frequently, I can recommend a raincoat for that time of year! Come to think of it, you should take one at any time of year.
Photographically, landscapes will abound, but sheep farmers and walkers might make good subject matter too.

Dave...

 

[oftheherd]

I can't give you any suggestions, but I sure envy you the trip! Looking forward to seeing the photos on your return. I also envy you family members that share your enthusiasm for photography. With MF no less. sigh.

 

[Sparrow]

I like Fuji superia 400, one needs the speed in November and the colours match the mood I think, more chance of clearer air down at the lakeside, a lot of mist on the tops, and although not big mountains internationally they kill folk every year

The "seaside" towns on Windermere have people and manmade stuff



one of alice's photos by sparrow rf, on Flickr



__4_0004 by sparrow rf, on Flickr

The Great Langdale and the The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (a pub 🙂) is worth a visit


alice's photos by sparrow rf, on Flickr

the Ferries are good both to photograph from and to take of


11A_0421 by sparrow rf, on Flickr

We try to have one night of luxury, and stay at one of those expensive silver-service hotels on the lakeside

 

[thirteen]

I've spent many vacations touring the Lake District - it's a photographers paradise.
There are many beautiful lakes. My favorites are - Ullswater (take the boat ride), Wastwater (the deepest - incomparable scenery), Buttermere (walk around it). Visit Aira Force waterfall. Drive the hair raising bends of Hardknott Pass - fantastic views.
If you can find it Ralph Wilkinsons book "Touring Cumbria and the Lake District" gives many short car trips to beautiful photo ops.
There are many churches, small picturesque villages, castles, Roman ruins (Hadrian's Wall starts near Carlisle) - too numerous to mention.
Get a good guide and you'll have so many to choose from.

 

[Sparrow]

Storr's Hall, we stayed there last autumn, if you ring round on the day they sometimes have good deals


_16_0016 by sparrow rf, on Flickr

 

[Michael Markey]

All good advice.
I too live an hour away from the lakes .
It`s compact with lovely scenery everywhere , great old pubs and historic houses.
Art shops too esp in Grasmere
Plenty of people in Ambleside and Keswick but lots of quite woods and fells.
Oh ,and yes wet.
Some old slides all taken in Grasmere.

 

[surfer dude]

Wow! Thank you all so much for your good wishes and great advice!

Dave - I like the sound of the walkers and farmers that will hopefully be around - I'll keep my eye open for them!
Oftheherd - thank you for your kind wishes. Yes, I am lucky to have other photographers in the family! They are good, too (dammit!). I'll be sure to post some shots afterwards.
Stewart - thank you for the wonderful examples! I especially like the sound of the Dungeon-come-pub! Must pay a visit there... The colours of the Fuji film do look sympathetic to the overall conditions - will have to seek some out. I am taking a few rolls of Portra VC which I thought might lift the gloom a bit but the idea of a sympathetic palette is a good one. I don't know if we'll get to a silver service hotel - we have a house kind of half way between Ambleside and Grasmere until the day we fly out from Manchester.
thirteen - thank you for the excellent suggestion of a guide book. I will try and find a copy of the one you recommend and seek out some others. It sounds like we won't get too much time relaxing by the fire! Sounds like so much to see and do!
Michael - yours are lovely photos of the spot we'll be staying - can't wait! It being wet seems to be a big theme here... I must admit looking forward to exploring all the old buildings and shops as well.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Phil,
It'll be cold, wet and the days short. Could be quite atmospheric but you might have to force yourself to get out and about regardless of the weather. Warm layers, waterproof outerwear and umbrellas, stout shoes for water and mud. Still, you do live in Melbourne 🙂 Go to a good outdoors shop if you need more. The one in Keswick advertises that there's no such thing as bad weather - just inappropriate clothing!
Landscapes predominate. Be prepared for them and have a wide angle lens ready. I use a 25 more than a 28 but if that's all you've got, fine. 135mm will be of less use, I feel. Not sure about ISO 100 film either with lower light levels and shorter days than in summer. I used a lot of APX100 last year but in November I'd be leaning more towards ISO400 - or a tripod!
People? Well, you'll get plenty in the towns and markets but the main tourist season will be over so it'll be a little less crowded there and on the roads. The smaller the car the easier it is to park. We had a Peugeot 308 diesel last year when we visited for two months. It was great.

I'm not sure how well you'll go with your project to "theme my photography around people and what they do there". Shops and markets are fairly easy. Other rural pursuits might be a bit more difficult, as in finding them and being able to photograph them. I suggest some time spent in village pubs in the evening chatting up the locals might produce some opportunities - they might invite you to go see their farm or other activities like sheep sales etc. My cousin has one of the two news agencies in Keswick and apart from barely understanding the Cumbrian dialect of his mates at the pub they were a pretty friendly lot, all running businesses including dairy farms etc. If all else fails, find the location of all the little village pubs and go to a different one each day for lunch or dinner and sample the various local brews. Talk to people, tell them where you're from and what you're looking for and you'll probably get a lot of helpful leads that you wouldn't stumble over just working on your own. The guide books are good but tend to focus on the historic and scenic. Local newspapers will probably list "What's On This Week" and give you some ideas for photographing people at work and play. Ask your landlady or at the local shop/post office. Grasmere is pretty small so move around - you'll need a car and although there are buses, at that time of year the services might be reduced a little from peak tourist season.
If you don't rent a car from the airport on arrival then check your options up north. You can probably get one in Windermere otherwise it's a bit of a trek to Penrith or Carlisle to get one.

 

[charjohncarter]

My family and I are off to the Lakes District in England for a month over November and were wondering if anyone has any recommendations for photography?

I'll be using two RF bodies with 28 through 135. Mainly using b+w (tri-x and fomapan 100) and I am going to try and theme my photography around people and what they do there. My wife and one of my sons will be using Medium Format (colour and b+w) and are interested mainly in landscapes. We're renting a house in Grasmere and may have the use of a car for some of the time, perhaps hoping to take a short trip into Southern Scotland.

En route from Melbourne we'll be staying in Abu Dhabi for a few days either way.

Does anyone with experience of those locations have any suggestions that may help in deciding how to go about our photography in either place?

Personnaly, I'd add a day in the lake district and chop one from Adu Dhabi maybe two. but Grasmere is really great and 'The Swan' is a great place to stay. If you get a chance and want to do some low light photography go to the spool factory:

the spool factory:

Grasmere:

Windemire:

 

[Michael Markey]

Phil
You may get a few ideas from this.
http://www.cumbriamagazine.co.uk/

Have a good trip.

Michael

 

[dogbunny]

Abu Dhabi is pretty nice. They really went out of their way to plant a lot of trees and give it an oasis kind of feel. The different souks make for interesting photography situations. The gold souk is kind of cool. Along the cornich there are some cool waterfront cafes where you can sit and smoke sheesha. Sheik Zayed Mosque is one of the biggest mosques in the world and is breathtaking. I'm not sure how they are about people taking pictures there though. It was still under construction the last time I was there. Overall I prefer Abu Dhabi to Dubai. A little less Las Vegas, a little more comfort.

 

[rodt16s]

Enjoy your trip.. The Lakes and surroudings are about as photogenic as it get's. As mentioned before, November weather can be a bit challenging, possibly a bit windy and wet, moody I think is the best way to describe. Just adds to the character and anyway it doesn't become a lake distrct without good reason.
I have been to Esthwaite in Oct/Nov and June, Oct/Nov was a good time of the year.

 

[surfer dude]

Well, I just can't believe the wonderful responses you've given me to my humble request! Thank you!

Firstly, Leigh, thank you so much for such a considered and comprehensive suggestion. You are right, we in Melbourne do get our fair share of abysmal weather, and how kind of Sydney-siders to keep pointing that out to us! But, yeas, I figured going in the low season would have its downside - still, the house we'll be staying in is 30% of its summertime high season rate!

I will definitely visit the pubs a lot! Only because you lot have recommended it so much! Also the markets and "Whats ON" locations - great idea. We'll possibly ire a largish car from Manchester when we arrive, so that we can shift suitcases, do shopping etc up there, then maybe think about a smaller car for a while after that. I believe there is a small rental company in one of the towns.

Also, Leigh, I 'm taking the Fomapan 100 exactly because it's pretty close to APX100, my favourite film. I don't mind using the lenses wide open but I'm sure the Tri-x will get a good deal of use.

Charjohn - those photographs are superb! I'll be very happy to come back with photos that good (in fact as good as any of the examples that have been posted here). Thank you! I must admit to looking forward to spending a few days in Abu Dhabi though, as I don't know the Middle East at all and I think it will be fascinating (and warm!).

Michael - thank you for the link - I'll try and get hold of a copy of the magazine - that will be an invaluable resource for planning!

Dogbunny - thanks for your thoughts on Abu Dhabi. We had the choice of going Emirates through Dubai or Etihad and stop over in Abu Dhabi. From what you've said, I think'm confident we made the right choice. I think we'll all enjoy the souks and I hope we can get out to the desert for a day or so. Those waterfront cafes sound pretty good too!

rodt16s, I think you said the magic word there - moody. I kind of have that look in mind. The weather won't stop us moving around (in the right gear as Leigh suggests!) but if we can come back with photos displaying those moods and character I'll be a happy bunny. And it will be summer when we get back to Melbourne, so that is OK.

 

[Sparrow]

November is good, way too busy in the summer, and you don't have to get up too early for the sunrise.

Think about some 400 colour film, I do think once your you are in the gloom of winter in the north of England you'll see the limitation of slow black and white film

I can vouch for the food at The Swan 🙂

 

[surfer dude]

That does it - the Swan is definitely on my pub crawl!

I must admit to quite liking travelling in the "off season" - I think you tend to get a much better idea of what real life is like in a place.

I will get some 400 colour print film - thanks, Stewart.

 

[David Hughes]

And off season you get log fires, a bit of snow on the peaks and can visit places without the crowds. especially when the sun shines, which it will do, and then there's those clear night skies with all the stars out...

Regards, David

PS And take a tripod as a lot of the views will benefit from using f/16 or so.

 

[Michael Markey]

But looking across the bay at present it`s rain with bursts of sunshine .
You`ll have a great time it`s a stunning place.

 

[surfer dude]

Thanks so much, David and Michael. The off season does have a lot going for it, and I hope there's a touch of snow around. We'll definitely be taking a tripod - my son has a Mamiya 7 that he will want to use a tripod with I'm sure - I bet I get to carry it though!

Rain already! Aaaagh! I really am looking forward to it though - if we get days of mixed weather as you suggest then it increases the challenge and the variety I guess!