Due to lockdown and the ongoing Covid pandemic January 2021 has been a tough month for landscape photography and getting outside. Still managed a few local trips and scouts around East Sussex. What follows is a compilation of the best landscape photography during January 2021 around East Sussex.

Wide Angle to Telephoto

Due to working, still in the process of replacing my lenses with the holy trinity from the Canon EF Series. During December 2020 purchased a new Canon 16-35 wide angle, the day after went into lockdown, but made a local trip to Fairlight Glen to test it out. Same happened again beginning of January. Purchased the Canon EF 70-200mm IS for the telephoto end and could not really get out to test it. Also purchased a new superb strap from peak design. This can easily be detached when mounted on a tripod. When its windy don’t want the strap knocking around.

St Helens Wood, Hastings

Due to the lockdown at the beginning of January was looking for some local points of interest to visit. Using combination of google maps and OS maps online, discovered a few locations worth scouting.

One was an early morning walk through the very pleasant St Helens wood in Hastings. Just had my compact camera with me and stole a handheld panoramic shot of the sunrise over St Helens wood with the ruined Norman castle in the distance on West Hill in Hastings. Its not a great shot but gives you an idea of the locations potential. The new telephoto lens would have been useful here but not want to draw any attention to myself due to lockdown.

A few other places visited nearby were Old St Helens Church and the neglected waterfall at Old Roar Gill. The light was not good that day but can check out some snaps shot on the mobile on Google Photos.

Pevensey Bay

Slightly further out, was a dull overcast cold January morning walk along the coast from Pevensey bay to the outskirts of Eastbourne Marina. Not walked this coastline of Pevensey bay before, came close when first moved to East Sussex and again just had the compact camera.

How times change! A martello tower protecting modern apartment blocks on the seafront somewhere between Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne. Nearby Pevensey Castle should be worth a visit as can walk about in the grounds for free.

Blackcap Lewes South Downs

This January trip to Blackcap near Lewes was a bit naughty but took the risk. The recent trip along Firle Beacon in December brought back memories of my first trip to Blackcap. Also during autumn when on Kingston Ridge another landscape photographer recommended the lower ground towards Blackcap for some great shots of Kingston Ridge.

It was really another scout as needed to work out where could park. Found a spot on the outskirts of a residential area near Landport Bottom. Landport bottom is a famous site of a battle which brought about Parliament rather than absolute rule by the monarchy.

Would not be getting any good views across to Kingston Ridge today. It was thick fog and frost. On reaching the summit of Blackcap there is some woodland that made a good subject with the fog and frost.

With just my compact camera really got into my element photographing the foggy and frosty woodland on top of Blackcap on the South Downs.

Must have spent of an hour in this small plot of foggy frosty woody winter wonderland on top of Blackcap. I did have packed in the car my camera gear but just took my compact camera with me up on the hill. Still a bit shy carrying a full rucksack, but should not have worried under the cover of the fog. Lots of other walkers passing the summit of Blackcap. A beautiful cold frosty misty January morning. Woodland is the place to be in these conditions, which are rare and getting rarer. With risk comes reward.

Butts Brow South Downs

The forecast was for a bright sunny January morning and I needed a good walk over the south downs. Butts Brow is probably the nearest point from me to the South Downs. It gets busy though as it right next to the town of Eastbourne. Decided to park up in much quieter Jevington and walk from there.

Beautiful cold crisp January morning and got much needed fresh air, sunshine and vitamin D. Still a bit shy taking my DLSR and new lens so just some snaps with my compact. Also a scouting mission to check the views from Combe Hill.

Hastings Seafront Dawn

Some weekday mornings during January managed to get down to Hastings seafront for a walk. If conditions look favourable will take the compact camera. It was the morning after a storm. Transitions are always good in landscape photography.

Transitions between weather systems, day and night, land and sea, warm and cold colours. January is good as sunrise is still relatively late between 7:30AM and 8:00AM.

Bo Peep to Alfristion

Just had to get out and test that new 70-200mm lens. Chose to return to Bo Peep on the south downs. Its pretty remote at Bo Peep. At the car park I was not the only one with the same idea, a few other people turning up for their own reasons as dawn broke. It was not until I got down to the outskirts of Alfristion that I really got to test the 70-200mm lens at the 200 end.

No time to think, just shot with the settings the camera was on. As I was handholding with the 70-200 attached, they were not far off. I did remember to get down to the same level as the fox. Ideally I would have been in burst mode, higher ISO, wanted a faster shutter speed as the fox rarely stood still. Now glad I paid the extra for the IS Image Stabilisation version.

Wildlife Photography

The thing is with wildlife photography you can get better results near human habitation. The animals are much more use to people and not so shy. It was my lucky moment. Always want to focus on the eyes. A 70-200mm is great for more intimate landscapes but also superb when some wildlife comes into frame. Will extend the focal range later with a 1.4 or 2.0 teleconverter. Not cheap either.

Out of Alfriston took some footpaths back up onto the South Downs that had not walked before. A viewpoint opened up back to Windover hill and had to change back to the wide angle lens to best capture the frame. The downside of the holy trinity of lenses is have to switch in the field, which can be cumbersome, time consuming and if not careful dust on the sensor. Shall return to this view of Windover Hill under better lighting conditions.

Warren Hill South Downs Dawn

Dragged myself out of bed early for another January dawn shoot from the south downs, this time Warren Hill. Views are good from Warren Hill over the coastal town of Eastbourne and beyond. From the car park at Warren Hill can walk south to Beachy Head or north to Willingdon Hill and Butts Brow.

Had checked the weather forecast the night before and was going to be a mixture of sunshine, clouds, rain and snow. Bad weather is good weather for landscape photography. Needed the wide angle lens for this shot and more at the 35mm end to cut out some empty space in the foreground. Ideally will complete the holy trinity of lenses soon with a lens covering 35mm to 70mm minimum. Could have improved this shot by also exposing for the shadows and blending post processing. Also a sunburst using F16 or F22. Maybe next time. Getting rusty during lockdown.

Beachy Head Dawn

Getting braver, on the last day of January headed into Eastbourne and parked up at the outskirts for a walk to Cow’s Gap and down to the Beachy Head lighthouse. This composition is iconic at low tide, done Beachy head lighthouse before but at sunset. It was going to be low tide around sunrise. The weather forecast was clouds and sunny intervals. Could be good.

The plan was to get behind the lighthouse and hopefully get a sunrise. But with the moon setting was stopped in my tracks. Was trying to get flash of light from the lighthouse while at the same time not overexposing the moon. Not quite manage it. Set it on interval but should have attached shutter release cable. A seagull or two flying overhead would have been good too. We always want more. In these conditions should take two exposures, one for the highlights rendering a faster shutter speed and one for the shadows or a longer exposure. These moments of light are fleeting, you not have much time to choose the right settings for the conditions in front of you.

Nice bit of sandy beach here in front of the lighthouse. Including the rocks adds foreground interest. I walked to the lighthouse and a little beyond, the terrain is very rocky and a little dangerous. Ideally would return with the tide just going out and less wind. Its a 3 hour treacherous walk to Birling Gap without a camera.

End of January

Like last winter January 2021 has mostly been a wet month, lots of rain, with a few cold spots. Problem is with working full time cant get out for those breaks in the weather. Looking on the bright side can buy some new lenses and other goodies. Lockdown has also been restrictive.

Check out the East Sussex Landscape Photography gallery.