This month’s Landscape Group shoot will be around dawn at Walberswick

Walberswick is a village and civil parish on the Suffolk coast in England. It is at the mouth of the River Blyth on the south side of the river. The town of Southwold lies to the north of the river and is the nearest town to Walberswick, around 1 mile (1.6 km) away. Walberswick is around 11 miles (18 km) south of Lowestoft on the North Sea coast. It is 7 miles (11 km) east of Halesworth and 28 miles (45 km) north-east of the county town of Ipswich.

Coastal erosion and the shifting of the mouth of the River Blyth meant that the neighbouring town of Dunwich, 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south, was lost as a port in the last years of the 13th century. Following a brief period of rivalry and dispute with Dunwich, Walberswick became a major trading port from the 13th century until World War I. Almost half of the properties in the village are holiday homes.

Walberswick is also surrounded by more than 1,000 acres of heath and marshland protected as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

For photographers there are two main photographic opportunities:

The beach which is lined by sand dunes on the edge of the marsh near the car park and the remains of the old pier which is a favourite sport for capturing long-exposures.

The other opportunity is to walk along the edge of the river to capture the old wooden huts and the moored boats.

Meet up in the car park at 6:00am. Please note the car park is ‘pay and display’ and may not accept contactless payments.

The remains of the Old Pier at Walberswick by NDPS member Maurice Young

The Landscape Group meets regularly throughout the year.  The exact location of the shoot is decided about two weeks before so that we can consider the local tide times out on the coast and also the forecast weather conditions we are likely to encounter.  Even then sometimes things do not go to plan and the plans can change even in the last few hours before to meet time.  For that reason it is recommended that members check the website for any last minute changes before travelling.

East Anglia is a special place that is famous for its big skies.  The predominantly flat landscapes are however, not easy to photograph, but the lack of elevation means the first and last light of day lingers a little longer – but when it all comes together it can be magic…!

The North Norfolk Coast – begins and ends with cliffs, rising in the west with the striped cliffs of Hunstanton and ending  with the those that undulate from Weybourne to the old seaside resort of Cromer with its ornate pier, sandy beach and crab fishing fleet.  In between there is more than forty-miles of flatter coastline that offers endless opportunities for photographers prepared to explore the patchwork of creeks, salt marshes and beaches.

The Broads and East Norfolk Coast is a unique landscape of lakes (broads), grazing marshes, reed beds and rivers dotted with windmills and quaint villages that are bounded on its eastern edge by windswept sandy beaches.  The most northerly sand dunes however, make way for crumbling cliffs and the advancing costal erosion that is occurring particularly around Happisburgh.

Also in reach is the Suffolk Coast stretching from Covehithe in the north to Bawrdsey in the south.  Meandering inland from the coast are the slow, sweeping estuaries flanked by reed beds and saltmarshes of the rivers Deben, Ore (later becoming the Alde) and Blyth.  Also of interest to photographers are the towns of Woodbridge and Framlingham with its medieval castle.

From September through until the clocks go forward to BST we meet early on a Sunday morning about one hour before sunrise and after the shoot around 10:00am it is not unusual for members to head off together for a well earned breakfast.  After, the clocks go forward we move to holding the shoots on a Saturday evening when it is easier to stay out later..!  Around December and January we also try to plan to visit those locations further afield as sunrise is later at this time of year.

‍‍‍‍‍‍Please remember, The Landscape Group can only be as good as the input made by its members so if you are willing to organise or lead any kind of event that you think will be of interest to members, please step forward. Please don’t be shy – all offers of help will be greatly appreciated…!

Please note:
Don’t forget to check the arrangements before setting out if there has been extreme weather overnight.

About the NDPS Landscape Group

The Landscape Group’s objectives are simple – to encourage members who wish to take part improve their landscape photography, enhance their understanding of the equipment and techniques available. Learn through collaboration with fellow members and have fun.
Landscape is one of the oldest art forms with many famous landscape painters such as John Constable, Jacob van Ruisdael and J M W Turner. Since the invention of the camera landscape photography has become one of the most prolific forms of photography, reaching critical acclaim in the hands of photographers like Ansel Adams and Joe Cornish to name but two.
Latterly techniques such as intentional camera movement (ICM) and multiple exposures have enabled photographers to come closer to the ephemeral images painted by Turner in his later period and the use of perspective control or tilt/shift lenses has allowed digital photographers to emulate the depth of focus and perspective control long achieved using traditional large format cameras. The use and understanding of filtration is another area in landscape photography that has advanced considerably in the last twenty years and nowadays it is unusual not to find a set of neutral density and graduated filters taking up valuable space in the landscape photographer’s bag.
Since it began in 2016 the landscape group has developed range of activities support members of the Society in developing their skills in creating landscape imagery, whether this is with a traditional or more contemporary approach.

Please remember, our group can only be as good as the input made by its members so if you are willing to organise or lead any kind of event that you think will be of interest to members, please step forward. Please don’t be shy – all offers of help will be greatly appreciated…!