May 2024 was a month of diverse photography adventures, beginning with early morning excursions to the High Weald in East Sussex to capture the fleeting beauty of woodland garlic. The white blooms blanketed the forest floor, creating scenes reminiscent of a fresh snowfall. Despite multiple visits to capture the perfect light and mist, the desired compositions remained elusive, underscoring the patience required in landscape photography.

Mid-month, a bout of illness kept me indoors just as the Aurora Borealis made a rare appearance in Southeast England. Determined not to miss the next display, I ventured to Firle Beacon and Birling Gap, experimenting with night photography to capture the ethereal lights. Though conditions and timing proved challenging, these outings offered invaluable learning experiences. Later explorations included overcast hikes on the South Downs, moonrise attempts at Newhaven lighthouse, and sunset scouting at Camber Castle, each presenting unique compositional challenges and opportunities for growth. May’s blend of early spring and summer landscapes provided a rich tapestry of scenes and lessons to carry forward into June.

Garlic Woodland High Weald

May 2024 began with early morning explorations of the high weald seeking out Garlic compositions. When you come across these woodland garlic scenes blink and you might think it has been snowing.

May 2024 began revisiting some old garlic woodland locations and discovering some new ones on the high weald in east Sussex. To the new location I made some early morning repeat visits to attempt to capture the scene bathed in better light and morning mist but failed. Getting the best compositions can take many repeat visits potentially over many years.

Firle Beacon Sunset

After my early morning jaunts to the garlic woodland on the high weald I went down the remainder of the week with another bad cold. That May Friday went to bed early. The next morning social media was awash with the Aurora borealis  photos from all over the south east of England. It not really register with me, I did hear something on the news but with the cold and all not think much of it thinking you had to go to Iceland or Norway for that.

There was suppose to be a repeat of the Aurora borealis on the following Saturday night. So decided on a possible composition and headed out. First stop was a return to Firle Beacon on the south downs to check out sunset before continuing my journey to Birling Gap.

Birling Gap Starry Night

Arriving at Birling Gap after sunrise and my energy levels were low with the cold symptoms. Being a warm May Saturday night there were a few people around on the beach but not too many. To photograph the Aurora borealis you need dark skies and around May time this is going to be between 11pm and 2AM. Not really done night time photography before so had to do some research online. Its really just different settings on the exposure triangle and manual mode pre focusing on infinity.

The composition I had in mind was the cottage on the cliff edge at Birling Gap. Its not enough to just photograph the colours in the sky you need strong shapes on the ground to anchor the image and to give location. Low tide was not ideal but decided to chance it, hoping to get double the effect of the colours of the Aurora borealis reflecting in pools of water. Being Saturday night there were a few people on the beach lighting bonfires but it adds an element of interest. The tide came in much faster than expected and had to leave. Decided to check out some locations around Beachy Head but it was packed. Lots of people out, parked up also hoping to catch a glimpse of the Aurora borealis. I decided I had had enough and headed home. Another failure.

South Downs Hike Buttercups

The following May weekend was overcast and was scratching my head on a location to visit. After working all week needed a good hike so headed out to the south downs in east Sussex. The plan was to take in some footpaths from Bo Peep down to the outskirts of Newhaven then back up to Firle Beacon.

With the expansive green landscape and grey skies not really expecting to get my camera out. On days like these good to get a hike in and scout out a location. Towards Newhaven was pleasantly surprised to find grazing horses on an escarpment thick with yellow May buttercups.

Composition Improvements

Could improve on this composition and the intention is to go back. Dawn would be best with light coming in from the left. At sunset the buttercups closeup for the night so not look as thick and dense. A third horse in the foreground would have been cool facing the camera, an odd number is stronger than even. Would have to be patient for that, don’t want those horses pointing their backsides at you. Cumulus clouds in a blue sky would have been nice. You can just see Seaford head in the far distance.

IFord Estate

The next day was one of those hot summer May days warranting the application of sun cream. Decided to make a return to Iford to fully explore the Iford estate and maybe discover some new compositions of Lewes Castle with the footpaths over Upper rise.

Lots of potential compositions of Lewes Castle from the Iford Estate, but too northerly for the sun to rise or set behind the castle but maybe could work with the moon.

May full moon Newhaven

The May full moon was coinciding with some clear weather during a weekday so decided to head out one evening. First I thought I could get a composition from Seaford beach with the moon rising beside the cliff face of Seaford Head. But using Photopills on location, could not get the trajectory of the moonrise to align correctly. I find using Photopills on your mobile phone too complex especially with less than perfect eyesight. The night AR is a waste of time. What Photopills did show was a good alignment with nearby Newhaven lighthouse from the west beach so after a pit stop at McDonalds that was where I was heading.

I setup where photographers usually setup to photograph the storms crashing against the seawall and Newhaven lighthouse. No one there to capture the moonrise except yours truly. As often is the case low cloud on the horizon delayed the full moon’s appearance by a good 15-20 minutes by which time it was much darker approaching 10pm. So when the full moon did appear was not aligned with the lighthouse but still a nice and different composition from this location.

Exposure Challenge

Exposure was a challenge with the bright of the moon and the dark of the night. Wanted a long exposure to smooth out the sea but anything longer than 2 seconds with the moonrise can introduce motion blur. Got away with it here as it was rising behind the low clouds. Still the moon is overexposed and lacks detail that was visible with the naked eye. Given where the full moon did appear relative to Newhaven lighthouse would have been better down lower shooting up with the lighthouse lined up. Noticed this as I was driving out of the carpark. Problem is from Newhaven carpark cannot get the compression with the 400mm lens from this angle, can only step back so far to the cliff face. Was considering staying over in the nearby Premier Inn and catching it setting from Newhaven east beach at sunrise. Maybe next time.

Ditchling Lacy Phacelia

May bank holiday weekend and just headed out to some old locations to scout out any fields of poppies. When scouting out a location the time of day not really matter so just headed out late afternoon when I was up for it. Sometimes if I am in two minds about going out, the act of just getting ready, packing bag, getting dressed is enough to tip the scales. Our more negative mind can construct many obstacles, The other great thing about a scout is the hiking and exercise gained, and who knows, we might come back with a photo or two. F8 and be there as the saying goes or F8 and don’t be late. First stop was Ditchling road on the south downs near Brighton.

I not find a field of Poppies but did find a field of Lacy Phacelia stretching down the hill with a backdrop of Firle Beacon and Seaford head to the coast.

Wild Flower Variety

I use Google Lens to identify plants etc that I not know the name of. The lacy Phacelia beside Ditchling road was difficult to photograph at this angle not least because its private land. But most challenging was the slope of the land, most viewpoints would just give you the brow of the hill and not the expanse of wild flowers. The sun was going down behind over Ditchling Beacon, the light was not optimal for this type of scene. Pointing south east and the sun setting north west the landscape can fall into shadow long before sunset. Sunrise I think would work a lot better with some lilac in the sky. But goes to show another source of variety in landscape photography – the same farmland each year can yield different crops, colours and wild flowers.

Ditchling Beacon Sunset

The following evening I returned to scout out more of the location around the fields of Lacy Phacelia beside Ditchling road on the south downs. Parked up at Ditchling Beacon and began my evening hike from there. The plan was to make it back to Ditchling Beacon for sunset.

Been there, Done that

I have been to Ditchling Beacon many times in the past and it can feel like – been there, done that. But studying OS Maps there are still many footpaths I have not explored. Considering every point on the globe has its own set of unique perspectives they can be worth exploring, multiply that by different times of the day and season…

On the way some nice evening light hitting a lone tree within the layers of hills near Ditchling on the south downs. The grazing cattle in the bottom left add an element of interest and balance to this scene. Followed the footpaths around Highpark farm where the fields of Lacy Phacelia are. This takes you to the outskirts of Stanmer Down but it not open up any new compositions.

Made it back to Ditchling Beacon for sunset. Sunset looking west from Ditchling beacon would be better different times of the year when the days are short and more aligning with the distinctive feature of Wolstonbury Hill. Else the interest is all in the background with the foreground weighing heavy.

Camber Castle Sunset

May bank holiday Monday was going to return to Ditchling but more explore the area around the Jack and Jill windmills. But a change of plan decided to scout out a possible sunset at Camber Castle in east Sussex. Parked up on the road at Rye Harbour, not the car park as the gates are locked at 9pm. It was a long hike to Camber castle along Nook Road a path not taken before. The plan was to get a compressed view of the sun setting behind Camber castle with the 100-400mm lens at the 400mm end. Circled the castle but sunset was not going to work as the furthest back I could get was about 150mm. Also this was not the castle’s best side. Change of plan on the ground was to capture Camber castle from the side during golden hour.

Again exploring footpaths not walked before found the above composition at 300mm just as the sun was setting to the left or the north west. But could have got more or less the same composition much closer maybe at 50-60mm. Compressing the scene is good when you want to pull in something from the background, like a setting sun.

End of May 2024

That brings May 2024 to an end where as landscape photographers we experience both the end of spring and the beginning of summer. So I would like to sum May up with a summary of some outdoor and photography tips experienced during this month and lessons learnt.

• If you can get up early May mornings can be misty much like September which works great with garlic, bluebell woodland compositions
• Pay attention to the news and get outdoors if they predict a possible sighting of the Aurora borealis.
• Use Photopills to line up celestial events like moonrise and moonset but give the night AR a miss.
• Use Google lens to identify unknown flowers or objects when outdoors.
• Even though have been to same general location many times, scouting out new footpaths can reveal new compositions every point on the globe has its own set of unique perspectives.
• When in two minds about getting outdoors the mere act of getting ready can tip the scales.
• If using the telephoto end of your lens are you compressing anything in the background, could you get the same composition a lot closer.
• Rather than continually changing lenses can you get a single lens like a 24-240mm.
• Getting out for sunset during May is a good way to spend the evenings as not get dark until 10pm. Although this can mess with meal and bedtime.
• Log into your parking apps etc before going out, many carparks at places like Ditchling Beacon, Firle beacon require them.

Roll on June and summer 2024.