August has been a hot and lazy month. Too hot to get out hiking and landscape photography. Towards the end of August it did cool down with autumn coming. So broke the spell and rose early for a sunrise shoot at Stone Hill Ashdown Forest on the High Weald in East Sussex.

Stone Hill Sunrise Ashdown Forest

Rose at 4AM for this first photo walk of August, arriving at the carpark at Stone Hill Ashdown Forest just before sunrise. Briefly visited this location on my last visit to the Ashdown forest during winter and for a sunset. Was hoping for mist down in the weald and assumed the sun would rise more to the south. Should have checked Photopills for the exact location given the time of year.

Even though I knew the location, had not really scouted positions for taking the best composition. Consequently was rushing around trying to set up as the sky changed colour every minute.

Multiple Exposures

Although took multiple exposures to capture the dynamic range of light and shadow, the complete dynamic range was captured within the technically correct single exposure. Wasted quite a bit of time trying to capture a panoramic, Need a lot more practice with panos. Should have more concentrated on getting sharp focus throughout the image.

Capture the Light Changing

Waited for the sun to rise from the north east higher in the sky to light up the heather and woodland of Stone Hill. Really liked the way the South Downs on the horizon was catching the morning sunlight. Want to walk the foot of the south downs and from this location dawn would be a good time.

Certainly the views south to the hills of the South Downs are pretty spectacular. It was the day after storm Francis and the wind was still blowing causing movement in the foliage. With low light and longer shutter speeds this can cause motion blur. Again, should be zooming into the image after a shot has been taken and checking for focus. If its not sharp then adjust settings or focus stack.

Ashdown Forest Heathland and Heather

People tend to think forest means woodland, but it also means heathland. Ashdown forest has a very similar landscape to the New Forest in Hampshire.

Come August the heathland can become ablaze with the lilac colour of heather. There was some patches within Ashdown Forest but not as thick as the New Forest. Maybe I was a week late or something. Its important to capture flowering in full bloom when including in your landscape photography.

Wide Angle Polarisation

With the morning sun rising in the south east using a polariser can enhance the colours of the heather and the white clouds in the blue sky. But with a wide angle lens can cause dark patches to occur in the blue sky. This can be mitigated somewhat post processing but can ruin an otherwise good shot.

Ashdown Forest Scouting

With the sun high in the morning sky, took a break and made a cup of coffee enjoying the warm morning sunlight. Its good to dedicate the sunrise and the golden hour of the morning to landscape photography. The rest of the morning can be used scouting out new locations and hiking.

Followed the footpaths down to Great Birch wood and up through Duddleswell and then back up on to Camp Hill that I covered on my last visit to Ashdown Forest. Was using OS Maps online as my walking guide and wanted to checkout Nutley Windmill. Wide Sweeping vistas are great but something like a windmill in the composition makes a great focal point and subject. Usually windmills command high points on a hill and good views.

Nutley windmill was having repairs and could find no good compositions that took in the landscape of Ashdown Forest. But along the way did get a good telephoto shot of Pippingford Manor house. With clouds in the sky, spotlights of sun caught the manor house and grazing animals within the grounds.

Location Return

A good morning out rambling around Ashdown Forest from Stone Hill. Some great compositions looking south with the south downs in the background. Will return in the autumn and winter when the sun rises more to the south, more colour in the trees and there is mist down in the weald.