location guide Archives - Stewart Mckeown Photography

May 09

by stew in field report, location guide 0 comments tags: anglesey, wales

North Wales Photo Trip

Earlier this year in January 2024 I stayed on Anglesey in North Wales for a week of landscape photography. The island boasts several iconic British photography locations that I’ve been eager to photograph for some time. Additionally, it provides a chance to explore and learn about a new area. Day 1 I stayed in the seaside village of Rhosneigr, chosen for its close locality to various spots in Anglesey. The trip up would span approximately 6 hours and cover over 350 miles, prompting me to find a suitable a halfway stop for lunch. Perusing the maps, I noted Ratcliffe-on-Soar as a viable pit stop, home to the UK’s final operational coal power station. I had seen recent images of the area on Instagram which showcased the nearby canal and boat yard, inspiring my choice. I ended up staying here a lot longer than planned as it is such a great location. In particular the canal boats in varying stages of repair in the fields in front of the cooling towers has potential and one I hope to be returning to at some point. Day 2 For my first proper day in Anglesey I went to […]

Mar 29

by stew in field report, location guide 0 comments tags: bluebells

Photographing Bluebells in Kent

English bluebells, scientifically known as Hyacinthoides non-scripta, are a quintessential emblem of the British countryside, enchanting with their delicate, nodding blooms and vibrant hues of blue. These native woodland perennials, heralds of spring, paint the forest floor with a carpet of azure, casting a spell of tranquillity and natural beauty wherever they bloom. Revered for their elegance and resilience, English bluebells have captivated botanists, poets, and nature enthusiasts for centuries, embodying the timeless charm and enchantment of the British landscape. My favourite place to see the spectacular seasonal display is at King’s Wood near Ashford. The 1500-acre forest located in the Kent Downs AONB has a mix of broad-leafed and coniferous trees which can be explored via an array of trails and well-maintained paths; historically King’s Wood was a royal hunting ground frequented by Henry VIII and herds of fallow deer still roam here today. I have been frequenting these woods and photographing the bluebells for the past 10 years and I’d like to share my favourite images along with information about how I shot them. When? As I write this at the end of March 2024, the first flowers have been out for a week or […]

Mar 23

by stew in location guide 0 comments tags: faversham

Faversham Photography Guide

Faversham, nestled in the picturesque county of Kent, England, is a town steeped in rich history and charm. Situated on the banks of the scenic Faversham Creek, this market town boasts a captivating blend of medieval architecture, quaint streets, and bustling markets. Renowned for its maritime heritage, Faversham has been a centre of trade and industry since ancient times, with evidence of settlement dating back to prehistoric periods. Today, it remains a vibrant hub, offering visitors a delightful mix of cultural attractions, including historic buildings, traditional pubs, and the famous Shepherd Neame Brewery, Britain’s oldest brewery still in operation. I’ve been photographing in and around Faversham for years. I’m currently revisiting a lot of these locations at the moment to get some updated pictures so I thought this would be a good time to arrange all my best shots to date here in this blog post. The Creeks My main photographic interest over the years have been the boats and buildings along Faversham Creek and the nearby Oare Creek. In the right conditions, typically at high tide and calm winds these waterways are stacked with potential and are fantastic to photograph all year round. […]

Nov 16

by stew in location guide 0 comments

New Town Utopia

I recently watched a documentary called ‘New Town Utopia’, which charts the story behind the post-war development of Basildon, Essex. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, so much so that it inspired me to take a day trip there this past summer. The town centre is certainly full of interesting architecture, especially the grade II listed Brooke House, a brutalist tower block raised up by V-shaped concrete pillars. Here a some of my shots from the day; Thanks for viewing 🙂

Dec 17

by stew in location guide 0 comments tags: isle of sheppey, kent, kingsferry bridge, landscape, north kent, photography, sheppey crossing, swale

Kingsferry and Sheppey Crossing: A Tale of Two Bridges

There are two bridges built within close proximity that cross The Swale and link the Isle of Sheppey with mainland Kent. The Kingsferry bridge is the older of the two. It was built in the 1950’s and is a combined road and railway bridge with an interesting vertical-lift design for maritime traffic. This was superseded in 2006 by the Sheppey Crossing which is a has four lanes and reaches over 100+ feet in the air over the estuary. This location has become a firm favourite of mine over the past few years. Access along either side of The Swale is good which enables lots of different views of both bridges plus the surrounding low lying marshes are prone to mist and fog which make the bold bridge structures more enigmatic. Here a few of my efforts over the past few years:

Aug 09

by stew in field report, location guide, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: artwork, coast, kent, margate, statue, thanet

‘Another Time’ on Margate

Photographs from a few visits to the Anthony Gormley sculpture titled ‘Another Time‘ in Margate These are the first times I’ve photographed the Gormley sculpture on the Thanet coast despite it being here since 2017..! I’m not sure why. You do need the right tides to see it but perhaps it’s more because I’m somewhat of a contrarian/dick at times and when it was first installed I saw all the IG posts and probably didn’t want to be seen to jump on the bandwagon. Anyway, with the news that it is to now stay until at least 2030 there is no danger of that so I felt it was ‘About Time‘ I paid a visit or two… Having full knowledge of the tides is vital to getting the best results at the coast. My first attempt to capture the sculpture was a disaster as he was already completely submerged when I arrived so I slunk off around the corner to shoot in the harbour instead. Luckily on my next visit, I timed the tides much better, arriving at low tide so I could get a better understanding of the location and assess the best viewpoints. The first thing I […]

Jul 25

by stew in field report, location guide, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: kent, landscape, location, north kent coast, photography, whitstable

Whitstable, West Beach

A taste of the sort of photos available at this beautiful location on North Kent coast at Whitstable, West Beach. To the west of Whitstable’s harbour is a long shingle beach known as West Beach which is as good a spot as anywhere on the North Kent coast for photography. Popular with the crowds during the day, this north westerly facing location comes into it’s own especially during a summer sunset when most people will be out of the way chilling on the beach with a beer from the Old Neptune pub. There are many subjects to shoot here but my favourite are the wildflowers that grow in the shingle and sprout out in between the various boats and kayaks left on the beach. To the far end of the beach are a row of colourful wooden beach huts. Some of these have an extravagant paint job, like this hut below which I framed in the centre of my panoramic. Near these huts is an old jetty that requires a very well-timed visit to capture the tide at the desired height. Add planning around sunset into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for a lot of failed trips..! Thanks […]

Mar 27

by stew in field report, location guide, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: flowers, kent, macro, orchids

Kent Wild Orchids

I’d like to share some of my photographs of Kent Wild Orchids from the past few summers. Whilst I am more of a ‘landscape’ photographer, seeking out and learning about these marvellous rare flowers turned out to be a great way to explore the county and fill those long summer days before a sunset shoot. The first orchids I came across were in a small reserve in Denge Woods named Bonsai Bank. I had been to the woods before to shoot bluebells in the spring but after doing some more research online I found out about this chalk scrubland well known for its Lady Orchids. There are hundreds of Lady Orchids here and all quite easily visible from the footpaths in the reserve. The difficult part is setting up the tripod and committing to a subject without worrying there is something better around the corner! On my first few trips looking for orchids the only suitable lens I had with me was my 70-200 f4 zoom. This telephoto lens is perfectly capable of getting some nice ‘record’ type shots but I soon added a Samyang 135mm f2 lens which offered the chance to get very different sort of images. It […]

Feb 09

by stew in field report, location guide, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: church, fairfield, field report, romney marsh

Fairfield Church

Fairfield church, also known as St. Thomas à Beckett church is an iconic isolated building on Romney Marsh in Kent. Little remains of the village it was first built to serve in the 13th century, Fairfield along with many other villages on the marshes vanished as the population fell, notably due to malaria which was prevalent in the area into the 1800s. The medieval church now sits alone in among the fields of grazing sheep, intersect with various watercourses and drainage ditches. These waterways offer fantastic opportunities to frame and reflect the church in all directions and are evidence of the practices in use to keep the sea from reclaiming the marshes. I have compiled some of my favourite shots of the church in the different seasons and times of the day. As you will see, there are many ways to shoot this iconic structure..! I’d better stop there although I have a few more..! As you can see, I’ve shot here a little bit over the years and yet it is still appealing to me due to the variety of angles available which all change depending on the time of day and when in the year you visit. Thanks […]

Aug 31

by stew in location guide, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: creek, exhibition, faversham, oare

Faversham – The start of a new project

I had my first solo exhibition earlier this year at Garage Coffee Canterbury. The show lasted for about a month and it was a great way to get my work and myself out in the public a bit with the chance it could lead to sales and other opportunities. And it did. After the exhibition finished I was contacted by the owners of a new venture in Faversham who had some fresh walls for me to fill. In April I moved my Kent Landscapes and Seascapes exhibition over to ‘The Refinery‘ in Faversham’s West Street and since then I have been focussed on producing new local Faversham landscapes to display. I had a few good images local to Faversham anyway but I would need to get out exploring again if I were to fulfil my aim of filling the space with purely local shots. Over the next few weeks, I visited previously known and unknown locations looking for photographic potential. I’ve come to discover that Faversham is blessed with marshes, creeks, historic buildings and charming town streets which offer a lot to the photographer. There are a few locations that I think will come into their own in Winter but […]