This is the image that I wanted to capture of Chrome Hill. A valley full of rolling fog, predawn light, and mystery a-plenty. This ridgeline is call the Dragons Backbone for fairly obvious reasons. I wanted a shot that encapsulated all of the aspects of a dragon, the ridge, the fire (in the sky) and the smoke (fog). Chrome Hill in the Peak District National Park is rapidly becoming a popular location for photographers as it is fairly accessible and just happens to be one of the 2016 Landscape Photographer Of the Year winning locations! On this particular morning shortly after I captured this shot the valley filled with dense fog, leaving me with only one option, to head uphill to try and get above it. The view from the top was stunning, and many of those shots can be seen in my gallery. The whole area, as far as the eye could see, was covered in thick fog caused by a temperature inversion. This is where warm air traps cold air underneath it, not allowing the moisture to rise, causing dense fog. An incredible view, a moment to remember, and it all started with this simple shot, of the Dragons Backbone.
Persecuted almost to extinction, the Red Kite is making a come back in the UK, with feeding stations and breeding sites helping to boost their numbers. Kites were often assumed to have taken young livestock, however these birds are naturally scavengers, taking only carrion. It is a real pleasure to see so many of them in one place, with their 7 foot + wing spans. This Kite was photographed at Muddy Boots Cafe , near Harewood House , Leeds.
