On Location: Sark 2013

Those who read my blog (or follow me on Twitter, or who have looked at my website) will know that I love Sark.  Many of us have a few of those special places where our souls feel at home, and Sark is one of those places for me.

I was once asked what on earth I find to do on Sark for a week.  So I thought I'd post about a few of the fantastic photographic opportunities this small and friendly island offers.

A week on Sark is often one of mixed weather, and that was certainly the case on my recent visit. An advantage of Sark's small size is that you can always get to the lee side of the island, or the area with the best light at a given time of day.

In the case of the picture below, I went to the viewpoint at the Pilcher Monument, right in the teeth of a gale! Not the best conditions for photographing in as there was nowhere sheltered from the wind, and water was splattering on to my lens, but very exhilarating.  Given that I was on a cliff path, I did take care to ensure the wind was blowing me away from the edge...

A few days later, the weather was much calmer, and one evening the sea mist came rolling in.  I grabbed my camera bag and went rolling out to see if I could capture any atmospheric images.  These vines caught my eye as the mist made the lighting soft, and I liked the ghostly trees at the ends of the rows.

The speed at which the mist changed to fog was surprising!  Within half an hour, what had started out as wispy and atmospheric became dense and spooky.  I took this photograph from above La Coupée, and although I could hear the sea I couldn't see it.  I posted the image on Twitter, and it became the most responded to image of the trip.

A misty evening was followed by a brilliantly sunny day.  Below, the ferry 'Sark Belle' is heading towards Guernsey on a flat calm sea.

Although Sark is small, there are miles of coastal walks.  Some of them are steep, but the views are always worth it.  This was taken from the cliff path above Maseline Harbour, and shows the ferry arriving from Guernsey.

Heading north takes you across Eperquerie Common, towards Bec du Nez.  I'd heard about a Buddhist stone there, and I wanted to see if I could find it so I set out to hunt.  After a considerable amount of 'sheepdog' walking (casting back and forth and hence covering a lot of extra ground!) I found it!  

Also known as the 'Monk's Stone', it was carved in 1999 to celebrate the Millennium.  

There are lots of other rocks, big and small, for geologists and those who like looking at closer detail, shapes and patterns!  

There are also lots of plants and trees, and I enjoyed seeing them in gardens like the beautiful 

La Seigneurie Gardens, as well as along the footpaths and roadsides of the island.

Day to day life on Sark is full of interesting opportunities for a photograph:

Tractor Crossing La Coupée at Dawn

It's often worth getting up early, or waiting around late, for sunrises and sunsets...  

...and in my case, there is always the pleasure of being welcomed and spoiled by the folk at the fabulous Stocks Hotel.  After several hours out tramping with my camera gear, it's lovely to return to a little luxury - a hot bath and a (very) good meal! 

So as you can see, there is plenty to do on Sark!  

Review: Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW

I bought this ahead of a week long photo holiday and it worked out perfectly.

It is very comfortable to wear. The hip straps are well positioned and make a big difference to the comfort when they are fastened. The sternum strap is also comfortable and adjustable. The fact that it's not a huge bag works well for me as it means it doesn't get too heavy. (I'm 5'4", in case that's relevant to anyone!)

The interior compression section works brilliantly with my D7000 & 16-85mm lens. I can carry a flash or second lens alongside the main camera, or often my smaller flash plus a loupe.

The compression section leaves a space behind it which can be accessed through the main bag. I've found that a Think Tank Cable Management 10 case fits this space perfectly. In it, I keep spare batteries, small torch, lens hood, cables, and I know that I can pull that one little bag out and all those bitty things are held together, saving much rummaging about at the bottom of the main bag. In the front open pocket I keep another Think Tank bag. This time the small and thin Think Tank Cable Management 20 case. This bag holds an Op/Tech rain cover and a couple of other thin things! In the various pockets on the Lowepro bag I keep filters, spare memory cards, cable releases and a spirit level. In this way, I can easily access any of the elements of my camera gear with no wasted time trying to find things.

Even with the above stuff loaded, there is plenty of space for a jumper or jacket, purse, lunch, snack etc. There's a drinks bottle holder on the side, but I usually use this to hold two legs of my tripod, which then straps securely to the main bag.

There's a pocket for a water reservoir.  I never carry water in this way, but the pocket holds my iPad perfectly when I occasionally need to carry it.  (As that pocket isn't padded, I make sure my iPad is in a sturdy case and the screen is facing away from the support struts built into the Photo Sport, but I've had no problems with the iPad after carrying it there, even on flights when the bag has been stuffed into tight spaces.  However, this isn't a designated iPad pocket, so if you're going to put your iPad there, be careful!)

In theory, because of the side loading, you can access the camera without putting down the bag. In practice I find this a bit of a fiddle. Because it's a backpack (2 straps) it feels insecure on my shoulder when I'm trying to use this 'sling' approach. So I often end up putting it down, but it's nice to have the option not too when the ground is a bog! I have the sling version too (Lowepro Photo Sport Sling 100AW), which is great for short-medium walks and local use, but the 200 is FAR more comfortable for long day use with more gear.

So, would I recommend this bag? Yes, absolutely. It is the first backpack I've ever bought which I use regularly.  I've had it for 18 months and it still has no rips, tears, holes, broken zips or any structural failures.  Apart from a little mud, it's a good as new, despite being my main bag and the one which gets the most use.  If it got damaged, I'd buy another one immediately.