What follows is a compilation of some walks and landscape photography shot during the month of December in the south east of England, East Sussex and Kent.
Out of Hertfordshire
The month of December sees me moving permanently out of Hertfordshire and back down to the coast in east Sussex. The landscapes around east Sussex are more varied than Hertfordshire, with the coast, high weald, south downs and not far away the Kent and north downs.
Hertfordshire is flat and land locked, but not far away are the wonderful Chiltern Hills and I took weekend breaks to Suffolk and Norfolk. Still, some landscapes took your breath away.
Westfield, East Sussex
The first landscape shoot of December takes me over the soggy countryside of Westfield near Hastings. Where the colourful season of autumn has given way to winter.
The landscape views improved once joining the 1066 country link path, where the footpaths are also much better maintained.
Pett Level, East Sussex
A bright blustery day in December took me out for a walk down along the Royal Military canal and across Pett Level and back along the coast to Cliff End.
A gorgeous day to be out in the winter sunshine and lots of varied landscapes and seascape subjects to shoot all within walking distance of each other.
Beachy Head Lighthouse
An epic seascape and epic day took me along the coast from Eastbourne to the lighthouse at Beachy head to witness a sunset and moonrise at low tide.
I was shooting with post processing in mind within Photoshop, bracketing shots and taking multiple exposures. The month of December see’s my Photoshop skills start to take off, with lots more to learn. Accepting the fact that photography is also art, that a camera is very limited with respect to our vision.
A camera can no more take pictures than a typewriter can write a novel.
Ide Hill, Kent Downs
The Kent Downs near Sevenoaks is a good place to stop off on my drives from Hertfordshire to east Sussex. And so it was the day I left Hertfordshire for the last time, stopping off at Ide Hill.
The weather forecast that day in December was a mixed bag, sun, rain, clouds, thought I may get some dramatic lighting over the Kent Downs. From Ide Hill the walk takes you over Toy Hill which I then realised I had done a couple of years earlier. My photographic walks were beginning to overlap.
I was tired that day due to moving and hard pushed to find any compositions up on the Kent downs, the lighting was dull and too much contrast. But realised Ide hill was best shot panoramic and would make a great Autumn shot with the sun setting. I actually shot the panoramic hand held due to Tripoditis, too lazy to setup my tripod, I made that one up.
Pett Level Beach
When I was living in Bournemouth Dorset, not working, each morning I would enjoy a walk along the beach and coast. In Hastings I am close to the coast but not within walking distance, so its a small drive to the beach. I return to Cliff End and Pett Level beach for a morning walk to Winchelsea and back.
Its a cold windy December day and the sea is quite rough. I prefer walks along the coast during low tide. In the above seascape photo I am attempting a minimalist low key shot of the posts contrasting with the white surf of the choppy sea and waves.
Walking back along the coast from Winchelsea and the sun is making a welcome appearance, highlighting the surf as it crashes to shore.
Ashdown Forest
‘verily the most villainously ugly spot I saw in England’. Beauty being in the eye of the beholder and relative. William Corbett never grew up in an inner city or council estate. There was a break in the winter deluge when I visited Ashdown forest with my camera and for a good walk over Camp Hill.
Good wide open sweeping views to both the North and South Downs from different locations on the heath land. Lots of empty space to try and exclude when composing landscape photos. Ideally would like to return with a red sunrise and morning mist clinging to the heathland to really compliment this unique landscape on the high weald in east Sussex.
Wilmington Hill, South Downs
Due to the December deluge was limited in where I could visit inland due to flooding and soggy wet muddy footpaths. Initially I chose high and over and Cuckmere haven. Not a good choice as many roads closed due to flooding. I had a plan B, Wilmington Hill on the South Downs.
There were a few small footpaths I had not walked down this part of the South downs before so took them and found a new fantastic viewpoint over the Cuckmere valley, the village of Alfriston and the distinctive brow of Bo Peep in the background.
The views from Wilmington Hill are one of favourite locations on the South Downs for a walk and for landscape photography. Again, lots of the south downs is just wide open empty space that needs to be excluded when framing a composition. More telephoto than wide angle is required for the more interesting compositions.
Folkington Hill, South Downs
Christmas day 2019 was going to be a beautiful December day to be outside, so decided to try and catch a sunrise from Folkington Hill on the south downs. I arrived to late for sunrise, but that was OK as the sun rose behind Willingdon hill this time of year.
The weather forecast for the first few hours of the morning was some clouds but there was none, rendering the sky an empty space, but love the golden sunlight catching the grass on top of Folkington Hill.
Cooden Beach, East Sussex
When I am not going on a photo walk, like to pop down the coast for a morning walk and coffee somewhere. This morning I chose Cooden Beach and took my compact camera with me, just in case a composition was to present itself.
Managed a minimalist seascape shot with the south downs and Beachy Head in the background shrouded in mist. The foreground groynes balance the shot well and the separation of the edges was necessary as many other compositions not work. A long exposure of the sea would have been better. A few minutes later the mist had cleared and not worthy of capturing.
That wraps up December landscape photography in the south east of England.