dover Archives - Stewart Mckeown Photography

Jul 24

by stew in field report, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: deal, dover, kent, landscape, photography, ripple mill, windmill

Spring Colour at Ripple Mill, Kent

A selection of images taken in April 2022 of the yellow rapeseed fields that surround Ripple Mill; a Grade II listed smock mill in Ringwould, Kent. When a friend and fellow landscape photographer alerted me that the fields that surround the windmill were full of rapeseed this year I was more than keen to plan a visit. Ripple Mill is a location I have often passed as it is situated next to a busy road and although I had shot it from afar, I think I was always waiting for a colourful crop to accompany the scene. The night before I made my first visit I looked at the local OS map and I was pleased to find the windmill was encompassed by public footpaths. This would make it a lot easier and more relaxing to find a suitable viewpoint in the morning without worrying if the farmer would spot me. To be honest though, in all the years I have been out photographing the countryside I can only think of a couple of occasions when I have been confronted by the landowner but still, I’d rather not have to bother with them at all. This first morning turned out […]

Feb 22

by stew in Uncategorized 0 comments tags: dover, english channel, ferries, photography, white cliffs

White Clifftop view

I’ve put together a series of images taken from on top of the White Cliffs of Dover. Facing East, this is a great spot to watch the sunrise from and catch the ferries as they cross the Channel to the continent. The Strait of Dover is the busiest shipping route in the world and the ferries leaving from Dover can make for great subjects as they catch the first rays of light on their sides. A simple shot of sea and sky can work nicely though when there is a gap in the traffic. It is hard to plan shots like this as you have to get lucky with the weather and then react to the light. Often I have been out with the intention of shooting something else and have just happened to turn around and change my plans. For example, this above shot was taken on a very frosty morning at South Foreland. My original plan was to capture first light on the lighthouse surrounded by frost but as you can see I got distracted by these incredible skies out to sea! Thank you for reaching the end. I hope you have enjoyed the images..!

Nov 24

by stew in field report 0 comments tags: coast, dover, field report, kent, landscape, long exposure, photography, seascape, st. margaret's bay, white cliffs

St. Margaret’s Bay Field Report

St. Margaret’s Bay Field Report The other week I made two trips down to St. Margaret’s Bay nr Dover at sunrise. It’s a place I’ve been to many times before and in the past I’ve come back with some nice images. I wanted to visit again as at this time of year the sun rises directly out to the middle of the sea and with a high tide forecast I thought I could get some good shots of the incoming waves at sunrise. Of course that didn’t quite work out did it…! The tide turned out to be so high and rough that I couldn’t get down onto the beach far enough to reach the nice round pebbles this bay has. I persisted probably a bit too long before admitting defeat and moving on. By now the sun was coming up and casting nice golden light onto the far cliffs so I quickly shifted to a tried and tested shot to make use of the light. Although its a view I’ve shot before I’m glad I did as the rough waves have really add something different. As it happens a few minutes after this the clouds rolled in and the […]