The Photographer's Guide to the Yorkshire Dales

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There is a boardwalk that loops from the car park through the middle part of the reserve, but this can be busy, especially during fine weather. Alternatively, those who would prefer to photograph nature will want to pay a visit to the Yorkshire Dales. This part of England is just stunning and offers views for days. Photographers will be in their element with animals, florals and scenic locations to capture! Knaresborough

Yorkshire is the largest county in England and is often described as ‘God’s own country.’ It has a wonderfully diverse range of habitats from rugged moors and rolling dales, to salt marshes and sea cliffs, making this a great place to go for wildlife photography. Janet’s Foss isn’t just a pretty waterfall; it’s steeped in local folklore. According to legend, Janet, the Queen of the Fairies, lived in a cave behind the waterfall. The word ‘Foss’ is actually Old Norse for a waterfall or force. Some even say that the area around Janet’s Foss is enchanted, and it’s not hard to see why when you’re there, capturing its ethereal beauty through your lens. Geological Wonders: The Making of Malham I highly recommend using a beanbag to support your gear and a scrim net to keep you concealed. 5. Studley Royal Home to the famous abbey, Whitby is one of the best spots for photography in Yorkshire. Despite being a very walkable town, there are a lot of things to do in Whitby. Most of these things (such as the 199 steps) are also super cool photo spots. Yorkshire covers a vast and diverse area supporting an abundance of wildlife with excellent photographic opportunities throughout the year.The gear we recommend is a good camera and the holy trinity . A wide-angle lens. 14-24mm or something similar. A 24-70mm or something similar and, of course, a 70-200mm or something similar. A longer focal length lens is an advantage at this location as many of your potential subjects may be small or at a great distance. The Cove: Capture the grandeur of this ancient waterfall turned limestone cliff, especially stunning at sunrise or sunset.

Forever immortalised in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Whitby is the typical Yorkshire seaside town, with amusement arcades, funfairs, and numerous novelty shops and public houses. But what I did discover is a great strength of the iPhone when you move in close and low to a subject. It becomes easy to capture great depth of field and give an image drama. This following shot is probably one of my favourites from these few days, even though I remembered my camera on subsequent walks. Knaresborough is a small town near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. Knaresborough is home to a great range of photogenic places such as its river, gorge, castle and viaduct's. Try keeping your camera completely level, and walking down the steps until you have the right balance of foreground/sky. This will ensure that those verticals are all dead straight. From experience, you’ll also find that you can include one of the old, antiquated lamps in the left of your composition, and all the elements complement each other nicely. Because of Whitby’s situation (looking north west up the coast), the sun actually rises and sets out to sea in June and July, making this an ideal time for a visit. However, some locations can be busy so, if possible, time your visit to avoid the crowds.Long Exposure Water Shots: The stream provides ample opportunities for long exposure photography, especially when using a 10-stop filter to smooth out the water. I spent a wonderful day with Paul at the two squirrel hides, woodland and reflection pool. I had driven up from London, so both Paul and I were worried in case the squirrels didn't turn up. We needn't have worried. as soon as they spotted Paul, the squirrels were out and about and we weren't without them from 9am to 2pm. The photographic opportunities are excellent and varied but just watching the squirrels is fascinating." I also noticed a great view of the surrounding landscape and decided to stop to take a photo. That’s when I realised, I didn’t have my camera gear with me. For some reason that I still can’t figure out, I had left everything in the boot of my car. On the day we booked with Paul to do photography in his squirrel hides it was raining hard. When Paul met us, the first thing he said was, 'Are you around tomorrow?' When we told him we were, he immediately offered us space for the following day. The whole day was memorable and rewarding and we owe Paul (and his squirrels) our gratitude for an unforgettable experience." The shoreline here is a great place to spot wading birds such as oystercatcher, turnstone, redshank, dunlin, and the charismatic and speedy little sanderling.

There is something about a hare’s outsized ears that makes it incredibly appealing, and they’re always very popular with photographers. Thought to have been introduced into Britain in Roman times, the brown hare is now considered to be naturalised and is an accepted and much-admired mammal of the British countryside. Although there are many hay meadows spread around the whole of the Yorkshire Dales, the best known examples of these are probably found near the village of Muker in Swaledale. By using traditional farming practices and no pesticides, the meadows are left free of sheep, so grasses and wild flowers can flourish.

Buckden Beck, Wharfedale

It’s not all about “big in the frame” portraits though, so when the surroundings or lighting conditions are suitable try experimenting with different styles of images, with the hare placed off to one side small in the frame.