Happy new year! What a year 2020 was! It began with me spending most of January and February hiking in the mountains of Tenerife. Then the Covid pandemic and lockdown followed by not being able to return to work. What follows is a compilation of some of the best landscape photos taken during 2020.

January, Hastings Sunrise

Only had a few days in England during January 2020. Managed a dawn walk along Hastings seafront and captured a sunrise behind Hastings pier, just a snap with my compact.

What I love about January are the short clear crisp days. Sunrise is around 8AM so no need to drag yourself out of bed at stupid o’clock to capture the dawn of a new day. Was now based out of Hastings semi permanent and about to take an extended break from work.

February, Rye Beach

Spent first half of February 2020 lapping up the sunshine in Tenerife. On return to England East Sussex managed some seascape photography walks, one of them being along the coast at Rye during low tide.

Was a beautiful late winters February day perfect for walking along the coast. It was in February first discovered Camber Castle a little inland from Rye.

March, Camber Sands

More seascape photography during March 2020 along the coast of East Sussex. This time it was a sunset at Camber Sands im amongst the sand dunes.

Camber Sands is a beautiful beach to wander around. Its very popular during the summer but pretty much deserted during the colder months. March 2020 is a month most people will remember – Lockdown Pandemic Covid! After my extended break from work the plan was to return to work come the end of March. The Covid pandemic put a stop to the that. Potentially was now going to have lots of freetime, but not so much free money.

April, High Weald Woodland

April 2020 and we were in the tight grip of a national lockdown due to the Covid pandemic. April is a beautiful time of year as the seasons transition from winter to spring. The woodland floor comes to life with carpets of bluebells and wild garlic.

Despite the lockdown managed to get out for some April photo walks through the many woodlands of the high weald in East Sussex. Being based on the East Sussex coast is only a small journey inland to the high weald.

May, Pett Level Cliff End

May 2020 and the lockdown continued but was eased during the second half of the month. May became extremely hot like mid summer on certain days. Some of the best days in May were spent on the coast at Cliff End photographing seascapes including moonrise and sunrise.

May can be a hot month due to the transition from spring to summer. The days are getting longer, sunsets a lot later and sunrise a lot earlier.

June 2020, Norths Seat

June 2020 and still facing travel restrictions due to the pandemic. One positive is the lockdown makes you look closer to home for potential locations to walk and subjects to photograph. So it was with an evening shoot in June at North’s Seat in Hastings Country Park.

What a beautiful view east over the countryside and coast of East Sussex and Kent. There used to be a platform hence the name but was vandalised. Unfortunately council estates, social housing (destruction) are encroaching on these beautiful areas. June and was keen to go on a road trip and wanted to start camping.

July, Manorfarm, West Sussex

July 2020 and got out on my first car camping trip for a few days. The plan was to explore more of the South Downs along the West Sussex and Hampshire border. Then to spend a few days in the Wessex downs on the border with Hampshire and Berkshire.

Did a couple of camping photography trips during July staying at the beautiful Manorfarm on the south downs in West Sussex. One trip was not enough. Summer and camping go hand in hand with the long days of July dont need to stay cooped up in a tent for much of it. End of July, lockdown was easing, pubs were open again and returning to work was still looking unlikely any time soon.

August, Ashdown Forest

August 2020 was a terribly hot month. Almost went into hibernation due to the heat. Only managed one landscape photography walk during the end of August. That was to photograph the purple heather in Ashdown forest with the South Downs in the background.

Could not wait for August and summer to come to and end, looking forward to the coming autumn months and cooler temperatures shorter days. Before the summer 2021 need to invest in a air conditioner.

September 2020, Cuckmere Valley

September 2020 was a good month for getting outside and for landscape photography. With the drop in temperatures and shorter days and a new plan had got my mojo back. Although had visited most locations around East Sussex had not photographed them at their best. Photographing a composition at its best depends on the light, time of day, time of year etc. The plan was to revisit iconic locations over the south downs and get a better still. The first on the list during the month of September was a dawn shoot from High and Over of the Cuckmere valley below.

A beautiful still morning on the crest of High and Over photographing the morning mist below hanging over the river. September is another transitional month that from summer into Autumn.

October 2020, Hastings Pier Sunrise

Got out lots throughout October 2020, did lots of scouting over the High Weald in East Sussex seeking out potential autumn compositions. But my favourite shot from October was a planned sunrise, low tide of Hastings Pier.

Beautiful morning on the seafront in Hastings during October. These shoots were much more about photography than hiking. Second half of October and managed to secure a new contract, so now those autumn high weald walks would come to end. With the short days would be returning to only going out weekends now I was back working.

November, Seaford Head

More seascape photography during November 2020, along the East Sussex coast from Peacehaven to Seaford Head. With working full time was mostly restricted to the weekends. November light wise can be a very wet and cloudy month with a few breaks in the gloom and flat light here and there.

And so it was the morning I visited Seaford Head on the East Sussex coast. Typical for November the forecast was thick cloud. But on the coast there was some big breaks in the clouds and caught a perfect November sunrise.

December 2020, Hope Gap

On my first visit to Seaford Head during November I discovered Hope Gap and returned there in December 2020 for a low tide sunrise shoot. The plan being the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters being the main focal point.

Being December the weather was cold and blustery. The first trip requiring winter clothing. The sky that morning was amazing with the clouds catching the colours as the sun rose over the horizon. Was hoping for better foreground interest and some spotlights catching the cliffs.

Summary 2020

So 2020 was a good year for mostly seascape photography along the East Sussex coast. Due to the pandemic mostly kept local. Did my first camping trips which took me into the counties of West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire for a first.

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With all the time off, my post processing skills improved especially within Photoshop using luminosity masks. This website got a good makeover too. Check out the slide show above or view the complete gallery of Landscape 2020. Happy new year.

Check out best landscape photography 2019 review.