With the Xmas break needed to get out and exercise. With the Tier 4 lockdown was restricted on travel. Decided on an afternoon walk from Wilmington Hill to Folkington Hill on the South Downs in East Sussex. Plan was to hang around for a late December sunset.

Wilmington Hill Return

Iv been to Wilmington Hill on the south downs in east Sussex a number of times before. Its one of my favourite views over the countryside of East Sussex and the South Downs beyond.

In the background is the distinctive brow of Bo Peep and Firle beacon. Further back are the Lewes Downs and Mount Caburn. Down in the valley is the Cuckmere river running through Alfriston and to Cuckmere haven and the sea. It really is a beautiful area of East Sussex and of south east England.

Different Season time of day

Parked up on Chapel hill then walked from there along the South Downs Way up to the summit of Wilmington Hill. It was later in the morning as waiting for a break in the weather from thick cloud to sunshine. The night before was storm Bella. Was hoping for some rainbows or dramatic spot lighting. The problem with overcast days is the flat light.

The plan was to just observe the conditions and light throughout the remainder of the day and test out more my new wide angle lens. With such epic views of those commanded from Wilmington hill different seasons, weather system and times of day will always produce unique compositions, regardless of how many times you return to the same location.

50mm Prime Intimate

Not yet have my holy trinity of lenses. The only other EF lens in my kit was a 50mm prime. So if I wanted a more intimate shot from Wilmington Hill of Bo Peep and the South Down needed to change lenses in the field. This is the cost of multiple lens as opposed to just one with a complete focal range from wide angle to telephoto like the 18-200mm. The benefit is sharper images, and that is what I want now.

Experimented handholding a few shots with the 50mm lens but not nearly as sharp as mounted on the tripod even with some strong winds on top of Wilmington Hill. Bo Peep really is the focal point from this location. A wide angle can include lots of empty space.

Folkington Hill

With a few shots in the bag decided to take a walk to Folkington Hill and check out the views from there. The plan was to return to Wilmington Hill for the Golden Hour and sunset and just check out the light.

The best shots from Folkington Hill are going to be dawn when the sun rises further to the north east earlier in the year. As golden hour approached the light was good over Folkington Hill. Needed to change back to a wide angle lens for the best compositions from this viewpoint.

Was in two minds if to stay put here on Folkington Hill and observe the light during golden hour and sunset or stick to the original plan and head back. Decided on the later and made a return to Wilmington Hill.

Golden Hour Wilmington Hill

On return to Wilmington Hill, Golden Hour was beginning to happen. The low directional softer light of golden hour transformed the composition.

The low golden side light was catching the path of the South Downs Way all the way to Bo Peep and Beyond. This spectacle was creating a leading line that was otherwise not there. The sky could be better. Using a polariser to accentuate the colour contrasts has created some dark patches in the blue skies above.

Without the golden side lighting, over half the frame would be empty space and unbalanced with all the interest and visual weight in the upper right. At least with a wide angle lens which was necessary to include the path of the South Downs Way in the foreground.

Sunset, Moonrise

Stayed around for sunset which was setting out to sea beyond Cuckmere Haven. During the end of golden hour the whole valley is then thrown into shadow losing all visual interest.

We were a few days away from a full moon. During blue hour the moon rise made a good composition with the lone stunted windswept tree on top of Wilmington Hill in the foreground. Had to take multiple exposures for this composition to not blow out the moon and get detail in the trunk of the tree. These had to then be blended post processing using luminosity masks in Photoshop.

A great day out landscape photography on top of Wilmington and Folkington Hill on the south downs in East Sussex during the last days of 2020.

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