BUTTERMERE SUNRISE

“The loveliest spot that man hath found.”

william wordsworth

Spring Sunrise, Buttermere, Lake District, UK

I am fortunate enough to visit the Lake District two to three times a year to do some photography and visit family. However, I always have an internal battle over which locations to try and photograph when I am there, as there are just so many amazing vistas to be seen.

This spring I planned to return to Buttermere - a very beautiful lake and one which I hadn’t been to in almost 20 years. I know it’s a honeypot location, but I hadn’t properly captured the iconic view of the Scots pines in decent light and it was on my photography bucket list to do so.

I had seen the forecast was good for a few days, with calm winds and plenty of sunshine - a rarity in the Lakes - and so I felt it was too good an opportunity to miss. I decided to stay in Cockermouth, so I could drop down easily to Buttermere from the northern end and wander around the lake, capturing images as I went.

I was up at about half four in the morning, well before sunrise, and once I’d defrosted the car I was on my way to the lake. It is a very accessible lake at the northern end with a lovely flat, easy path down to the shoreline.

Just before sunrise at Buttermere, looking towards Fleetwith Pike.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 48mm, 1/320 second at F9.

As you can see from above, what a view - even before the sun was up. I was delighted that it was so calm as that would give some lovely reflections of the fells and the pines.

I could see I had a little walk ahead of me, but it didn’t look too strenuous and I felt comfortable mooching my way along the side of the lake taking in the spectacular views and capturing some images along the way. Time was surely on my side…..

Just before sunrise at Buttermere, Lake District, UK.

Nikon Z8, 24-120mm lens at 24 mm, 1/320 second at F9.

However, one thing I had forgotten was how quickly the sun can come up, and how quickly the light can change. As I continued around the side of the lake towards the southern end I could see that the sun was on its way and was already lighting up the tops of the fells. I knew I needed to hurry on.

Sunlight catching the tops of the fells surrounding Buttermere, Lake District, UK.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 24mm, 1/320th of a second at F9.

It felt a real travesty rushing along and not capturing the beautiful images that were right there in front of me but I was focussed on my goal of capturing the Scots pines - it was the reason for the visit so I didn’t allow myself to get distracted as I scooted through the tunnel in the cliffs - blasted by a previous landowner so that he could do a circular walk around the lake!

The Buttermere tunnel.

On the way though, I just couldn’t walk past every beautiful view I passed and so I managed to capture a handful of images en route.

Calm waters on Buttermere, as the sun begins to light up the fells.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 42mm. 1/160th of a second at F6.

Soon I was at the strip of shingle directly in front of the Scots pines, and Fleetwith Pike, and the sun was just about to break above the fells and add some much needed light to the scene. There were two other photographers there at 05:15 who had braved the dark, frosty start with the promise of a good sunrise, and we all tried our best to be considerate and thoughtful whilst we went about our business of capturing the images we wanted without getting in each others way.

Sun begins to light up Fleetwith Pike and backlight the Scots pines.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 54mm. 1/250th of a second at F6.

What an amazing location, what an amazing view and what wonderful conditions to be capturing it all in. I knew I was fortunate that for once it had all come together perfectly. It was now down to me to do the view some justice!

The Scots pines at Buttermere, just after sunrise.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 52mm. 1/200th of a second at F6.

There is a cool tone to the image above, as the sun hasn’t really got high enough to warm the landscape up. What a difference a few minutes make…

Buttermere Sunrise.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 36mm. 1/200th of a second at F6.

As can be seen from the above image, once the sun gets high enough it completely changes the tone, look and feel of the image - warming the landscape. I was also trying different focal lengths to vary the composition - you are a little stuck for variety here, with the view literally right in front of you. For this image I adopted a wider field of view pulling in more of the fells now that they were being illuminated by the rising sun.

My favourite image of the day. Lovely reflections in the calm waters of Buttermere, Lake District, UK.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 24mm. 1/320th of a second at F6.

The above image is my favourite of the shoot - and what I went there to capture. Before the shoot I had in my mind pictured the backlit pines at sunrise with the trees and fells reflected in the calm waters of the lake. I was aware that this was not only a special moment to savour - the wonderful light and view, but also one of those rare occasions when things all come together as you had hoped. Something that doesn’t often happen in landscape photography with so many different variables that can work for or against you.

Golden reflections, Buttermere, Lake District, UK

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 60mm. 1/160th of a second at F6.

So I was a very happy man. I’d got the shot in the bag and could relax and continue to enjoy the landscape around me.

Reflections, Buttermere, Lake District, UK.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 72mm. 1/400th of a second at F6.

With the pressure off I could now slow down and do a little more considered photography. To look for different compositions and, in particular, try to pick out some details in the landscape - such as the image above. As I was composing the image I spotted a rhomboid pattern, due to the reflections and it really appealed to me. Going in a little tighter here, at 72mm, meant I could focus the attention in the image a little more on that pattern.

Morning sun on the fells at Buttermere, Lake District, UK.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 39mm. 1/100th of a second at F6.

My stomach was now grumbling, though, after such an early start and I felt that even though it was still relatively early, at about half seven in the morning, the light was already getting a bit too harsh. So I set off retracing my steps to the car, capturing some of the shots I had walked past earlier en route to the southern end of the lake.

Still Waters, Buttermere, looking towards Fleetwith Pike.

Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm lens at 24mm. 1/400th of a second at F6.

What a wonderful start to the day it had been. About an hour and a half of absolutely sublime conditions in the most beautiful of locations. And still time to be back at the Premier Inn in Cockermouth or a full English breakfast. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

Richard