Spotlight on readers’ excellent images and how they captured them
\West Nab
1 Itend to head up to West Nab in heather season. It’s a bit of a hidden gem in the northern Peaks and is characterised by numerous gritstone boulders. The challenging nature of composition adds to the attraction and it’s taken me many attempts to get anything I was really happy with. Fujifilm X-T3, 10- 24mm, 1/8sec at f/16, ISO 125
Rich Needham, Huddersfield
How did you get into photography?
In January 2017, I hurt my wrist doing Jiu-jitsu. I wore a splint for a few weeks as I had a suspected broken scaphoid. I was really limited as to what I could do and ended up stumbling across Thomas Heaton’s YouTube channel. I dug out my old Nikon D5000 and became pretty obsessed with mastering manual exposure. Prior to that, the camera dial had never moved from auto. As I started to understand the basics, I started to go out early, combining my love for the outdoors with my new hobby. I began to enter weekly social competitions including #appicoftheweek and really started to examine the submissions of other photographers for tips and inspiration.
What do you love about photography?
I think the ability to combine it with other pursuits is probably my favourite thing, along with the positive way it makes you view the world. I enjoy hiking and mountain biking, and photography elevates that enjoyment, providing purpose and motivation. I also love the way it makes you
appreciate and pay more attention to our environment. It’s very therapeutic.
Favourite subjects
I’m extremely lucky to live in an area with such a varied and interesting landscape. I made a conscious decision to stop wasting my time chasing vibrant colours in the sky like when I first started out. Time is such a precious commodity. This invariably led me to woodland photography, which remains my favourite subject. Woodland can be shot pretty much all year round. The prospect of an ancient woodland on a foggy day is my ideal scenario. I still enjoy a big vista, but less so these days.
How do you find inspiration?
I regularly go out with Dan Howarth, a fantastic woodland photographer who lives round the corner from me. We spend a lot of time sharing ideas and exploring new locations. In recent months we have put a lot of emphasis on scouting which has been paying dividends when the right conditions arrive. The fear of missing out is a strong motivator!
What was your first camera?
A Panasonic bridge camera and then Nikon D5500 was my first DSLR.
Current kit
Fujifilm X-T5, 16-55mm, 10-24mm,
70-300mm lenses, Sony RX100 VA.
Favourite lens
Fujifilm 16-55mm.
Favourite accessory
I often use my mobile phone for composition hunting.
