Higger Tor - Photography Week 35 (2016)

Trying something new and experimenting with photography subjects is a real challenge. It involves stepping outside of the photographic comfort zone and being prepared to make mistakes. The easier option is to repeat compositions that are familiar and, whilst this might provide pleasant shots, it doesn't push any boundaries.

Over the years I have taken many photographs from Higger Tor in the Peak District. It is easy to access with great views in all directions but on this occasion I set out to get a different perspective on the location. Instead of using the gritstone rocks as a foreground compositional aid, I wanted to make gritstone the subject of the photographs.

Deciding how much context to include in the images was one of the main challenges. I started by including elements of heather and grass before getting closer to the subject and creating more abstract compositions. I was aided on the day by clear blue skies which had the advantage of removing any distracting details. At first I tried to avoid strong shadows but then started using them to construct bolder compositions:
 

 

 

 

 

Adding a greater level of context moved the compositions away from abstract and more towards an intimate landscape - but too much context and I was left with a simple record or portrait shot of a rock (even if it was a fine rock!):

Without strong shadows the results were more subtle:

 

 

 

 

I converted a few of the compositions to black and white:

 

 

 

Two shots which emphasized the texture of gritstone:

 

Finally, just  for good measure, some traditional golden hour landscapes: