There's something rather special about the Lake District in autumn. The changing colours of the trees, the mountains disappearing into the mist and the reflections across the lakes make it a wonderful place to explore, particularly if you enjoy photography.
Having spent so much time photographing the Cornish coastline, a family holiday to the Lake District offered a welcome change of scenery. Instead of crashing waves, rugged cliffs and sweeping coastal views, I found myself surrounded by woodland, mountains, lakes and waterfalls.
This wasn't a dedicated photography trip, though. I was away with my wife and daughters, enjoying some family time and exploring the area together. Photography was something I fitted in whenever the opportunity arose, rather than planning our days around the perfect light or a particular composition.
And, as it turned out, some of my favourite photographs came from moments I hadn't planned at all.
Tarn Hows – Autumn Colours and Peaceful Reflections
One of the places we visited was Tarn Hows, a beautiful stretch of water surrounded by woodland and rolling hills.
We decided to walk the entire circuit around the tarn, taking in the scenery and enjoying the autumn colours along the way.
The trees were displaying a mixture of greens, yellows, oranges and deep browns, creating a wonderful contrast against the darker evergreen woodland.
From a photographic perspective, there was plenty to catch my attention.
As we made our way around the tarn, I found myself looking for compositions that captured both the autumn colours and their reflections in the water. Some of the most interesting views came from the wooded areas extending into the tarn, where the trees created almost symmetrical reflections.
The weather wasn't particularly dramatic at first, with plenty of cloud overhead, but the relatively calm water provided some lovely opportunities.
Tarn Hows Tree Reflections
One thing I've learnt through landscape photography is that you don't always need spectacular sunshine to produce an interesting image. Overcast conditions can often work particularly well for woodland photography, helping to bring out the colours without harsh shadows.
As we continued around the tarn, the views gradually changed, offering different perspectives of the surrounding woodland and hills.
Towards the end of our walk, the light began to change.
Breaks in the cloud allowed warmer light to reach parts of the landscape, creating a lovely contrast between the cooler tones of the water and the golden reflections stretching across its surface.
Tarn Hows - Evening Reflections
This turned out to be my favourite photograph from Tarn Hows.
The combination of the dramatic sky, soft light and reflections created a completely different atmosphere from what we'd experienced earlier in the walk.
It was a reminder of just how quickly the character of a landscape can change, even over the course of a relatively short walk.
Derwentwater – An Unexpected Sunset at Crow Park
Sometimes photography rewards you when you're least expecting it.
We'd spent the day exploring Keswick, enjoying the town and making the most of our time together.
Towards the end of the day, we decided to wander down to Crow Park, overlooking Derwentwater, simply to have a look at the lake.
There was no carefully planned sunset shoot, no checking the position of the sun beforehand and certainly no intention of spending hours waiting for the perfect photograph.
We just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
And what a sight greeted us.
The setting sun was casting a beautiful golden glow across Derwentwater, with the surrounding mountains appearing as layers of silhouettes stretching into the distance.
A slight haze softened the more distant fells, giving the landscape an almost dreamlike quality.
Derwentwater - Golden Sunset
The light reflecting across the water was particularly striking, creating a bright golden pathway towards the mountains.
As I photographed the scene, a small boat with a lone occupant appeared on the lake.
It was one of those moments that immediately caught my attention.
Against the golden water and the silhouettes of the surrounding landscape, the boat introduced a completely different element to the composition.
Suddenly, the photograph wasn't simply about the sunset. There was a sense of scale, solitude and atmosphere that made the scene much more interesting.
Derwentwater - Silhouetted Sunset
Of all the photographs I captured during our Lake District holiday, this is certainly one of my favourites.
There was something wonderfully peaceful about watching the boat move across the water as the evening light gradually faded.
A little later, two swans made their way across the lake, leaving gentle ripples behind them.
With the mountains silhouetted against the warm sky, it was another opportunity to capture the quieter side of Derwentwater.
Derwentwater - Crossing Swans
What made this particular evening so memorable was how unexpected it had been. We hadn't visited Crow Park specifically for photography. We'd simply decided to take a stroll after our day in Keswick. Yet that short walk produced some of my favourite images from the entire holiday.
Sometimes you can spend hours planning a photograph, studying the weather and waiting for the right conditions. And sometimes you just turn up, look across a lake and think, well, that's rather nice!
Aira Force – Capturing the Movement of Water
Another location we explored was Aira Force, one of the Lake District's best-known waterfalls. Surrounded by woodland and steep rocky slopes, the waterfall offers a completely different experience from the open landscapes of Tarn Hows and Derwentwater.
The sound of rushing water becomes increasingly noticeable as you approach, and the surrounding gorge creates a wonderful sense of atmosphere. Autumn was a particularly attractive time to visit, with the changing colours of the trees contrasting against the dark rocks, moss and ferns.
From a photographic perspective, waterfalls present an interesting challenge. Rather than simply freezing the movement of the water, I wanted to capture some of its flow, giving the waterfall that smoother appearance while retaining the detail and texture of the surrounding landscape.
Normally, for this type of photography, I'd consider setting up a tripod and taking my time with the composition. On this occasion, however, I captured the photograph handheld.
Aira Force Waterfall - Ullswater
The result was a photograph that captured the movement of the water as it cascaded through the narrow rocky gorge, with the stone bridge above adding another interesting feature to the scene. I particularly liked the contrast between the flowing water and the rugged, stationary rocks on either side.
It wasn't a carefully planned long-exposure session, but it demonstrated that you can still capture an interesting waterfall photograph without carrying out a full photographic setup. Sometimes it's simply a case of working with the conditions and equipment you have available.
Photography Without a Plan
One of the things I enjoyed most about this trip was the freedom to photograph whatever caught my attention. When I'm out filming or photographing the Cornish coastline for 4hotographix, I often have a particular objective in mind. I might be searching for a photograph for my Cornwall calendar project, filming a section of the South West Coast Path or waiting for the right conditions to capture a coastal landscape.
That usually involves some planning around the weather, tides, light and location. The Lake District was different. This was a family holiday, and photography took a back seat to spending time together and exploring somewhere new. Of course, I still had my camera with me. I wasn't going to visit somewhere as beautiful as the Lake District and leave it behind!
But there was something refreshing about not having a specific photograph to capture. At Tarn Hows, I photographed the autumn colours and reflections as we walked around the lake. At Aira Force, I worked with the opportunity to photograph the waterfall without setting up a tripod and at Derwentwater, an unplanned evening stroll produced a sunset that I couldn't have asked for.
Each location offered something completely different, and each reminded me why I enjoy landscape photography so much.
Looking Back on Our Lake District Adventure
Although Cornwall will always be the main focus of my photography and coastal adventures, it was wonderful to spend some time exploring a different part of the country. The Lake District offers an incredible variety of landscapes, from peaceful woodland and reflective lakes to dramatic mountain scenery and powerful waterfalls. Autumn added another dimension, with the changing colours and unpredictable light giving each location its own character.
Looking back through the photographs, I'm particularly pleased with the images from Derwentwater and the changing light we experienced towards the end of our walk around Tarn Hows. But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the trip is that photography doesn't always need to be planned.
Sometimes the most memorable images come from simply being outdoors, enjoying the surroundings and recognising an opportunity when it appears. And if that opportunity happens to arrive during a family holiday, all the better. I'll certainly be looking forward to returning to the Lake District again in the future.
Until then, it's back to Cornwall, the coastal paths and whatever the Atlantic decides to throw at me next!
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Enjoyed this photographic journey through the Lake District?
Most of my adventures take place a little further south, exploring Cornwall's coastline, capturing changing landscapes and discovering new photographic opportunities along the South West Coast Path.
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