Yep, "Halnaker Tree Tunnel"...At one point in time this was a Roman road, located in West Sussex, England...It was a once a busy thoroughfare, but after so many centuries of relative disuse it is now a breathtaking remnant..., pretty surreal. It reminds of Tolkien, a road to Middle Earth.
Hi Ben, I live locally to here and am so glad I have shot it many times over the last 4years so can now head over your way to shoot the places I havn’t been (thanks for sharing them) to and escape the madness of those wanting to shoot Haniker. I have shot this in colour and black and white done some long exposure with dramatic storm clouds and was planning some Astro photography here as it is stunning up there at night. Thank you for your insight and thoughts as I love hearing from someone else’s perspective as it opens my mind.
I felt that it was a little bit more of a secret location until this years competition win - but hopefully visitors respect the place and it can be enjoyed for years to come. I take it you have some shots if the windmill before it was clad in tiles then? Did you prefer it?
Thanks Clark. I was hoping to get a nice shot of the windmill that day, a bit of a shame that the blades weren’t out and it has slightly lost its charm not that the original brick has been covered up. I think I will return in the summer though, see what I can get!
Its on my list of places to go, but after seeing the windmill closer up, Its been pushed up a little. I had a few choice words about the LOPTY image, I'm not being Mr Grumps but it wasnt a strong enough image of the location. Thats not a slate on the photographer though just observation. But I have to put my own mark on it first I suppose.
Hey Trev, I chose not to comment on the photographer or the photograph as I am happy for her and I am sure that she is getting enough ‘feedback’ already. You can’t blame her for the judges decision! Likewise if I had captured that images I probably wouldn’t have entered it because I wouldn’t have expected it to be so successful! If you are not familiar with what3words, it’s an app that I use to share the locations. If you are heading there then you have everything you need to prepare now. I think Kevin was up for visiting also, sounds like a fun morning out!
Thanks John, I appreciate the praise. Sometimes you have a vision of an image when you visit a location and I just felt like I was repeating what had already been done - not even as good as that. But when you step back the images are nice and representative of the lovely location.
@@benharveyphotography I am 76 and live on the Somerset Levels which is a huge flood plain. Every morning providing we don't have gale force winds, I go for a ride on one of my mountain bikes taking at least one camera and a couple of lenses. I take thousands of photographs during the course of the year, delete most and obviously I am shooting the same landscapes day in and day out and have been doing this for 14 years. My 'vista' is very flat, none of the excitement of Patagonia, Iceland, herds of prancing Wildebeasts and such fancy stuff but that's okay because it is the wind, tides plus clouds and their interaction with the light that really make things happen for me, perhaps sometimes you have to know a place well to get the best from it. Cheers John
interesting to compare your images to the famous one. Does anyone else suspect the winning entry has been distorted from the side. The tunnel seems a little more oval vs Bens image and the curve in the trees more exagerated
I deliberately tried not to study the image too hard before I went. But I can confirm that I kept the aspect ratio of my photos as originally shot in camera. I do know that if you win the competition they will expect a copy of the raw photo, I therefore doubt that you would get away with stretching a photo?!?
That's a great spot, thanks for the tour! I like your vertical shot looking North (I think North, without the fence). I loved the IR shots of the windmill. When did you shoot this? Is it still so green in Dec. where you are in Britain? That's more green than I've got in the desert in Las Vegas!
Hi Brian, this is in a place called Chichester on the south coast of England. This video was shot in the first week of December - but most other woodland around had lost its leaves at that point. The infrared shots of the windmill were taken in 2016 on my second visit (I think).
Yeah, its a nice image. Like you, I'm not knocking the photographer. She did a nice job with what is there. But I don't know if I would give it honeypot status.
Hi Ben first time commenting on one of your vlogs. Regarding the images that you posted I find the thin light toned tree on the left hand side in the 1st image (landscape orientation) a distraction and much prefer the 2nd image in portrait orientation. Just an observation ☺. I actually prefer your natural looking images compared to the heavily processed winner of LPOTY
Hi Paul. A great observation, and I 100%. I was trying quite hard to crop out that tree as it was the brightest point in the frame - which is why I opted for a vertical shot also. I think I was quite subtle on the edits - I couldn’t make everything golden brown after preaching about honesty!
If there had have others there you should still shoot want you want to shoot, clone them out 😂. I seen some debate online about the winning image and certainly split opinion. As for the situation arising about answering if you have photoshopped the colours.....non pro tip - Edit in black and white 😬
Thats the aim, maybe I'm happy to say I'll add things in and take away things from a scene to suit my style, certainly not afraid to tsalk about it, my problem is noone asks lol
Hey Jim, I haven’t actually tried black and white in this. Maybe that is the secret to a unique image of this place! Yes there is a lot of debate around the winning image, and had their been loads of photographers on this morning I probably would have shot the opposite direction in order to get a unique image! Do you think my photographer queueing ticket scenario will catch on?!? Ps, it’s not worth the trip down from Scotland to shoot it, so save your time :-)
@@benharveyphotography Im sure there are a number of honey pot locations where that ticket machine could be installed 😂. Certainly wasn't in any plan for a visit and based on your advice I can't see that changing. I am meant to be back in London on the 28th for a few days but not sure if I it will pan out the way things are going at the moment with potential restrictions again
To be honest I don't think the location is all that interesting or unique and the gate at the end is ugly. I thought your version was better than the LPOTY winner which looked over processed/over saturated. No idea how this image won that competition, there were other entries that were far better!
Thanks Jasper. I tried not to be down about the LPOTY wining image in this video, as I might have just come across bitter! But having been to this location and captured similar images, I personally would not have entered the image on the basis that it wasn’t unique enough to warrant attention from the judges.
@@benharveyphotography I think the images in Natural Landscape Photography Awards are much better on the whole, especially the more abstract and intimate scenes.
The lattice windmill blades, which seem to have been eliminated during the renovation, appear to me to be vastly more interesting looking photographically.
It is worth joining a local photography group to see if the blades are put back on in you intend on photographing the actual windmill as I think they are key to a great looking image here. Hopefully they do because it’s a lovely location to visit with your camera.
Thanks Andreas. The composition in the opposite direction wasn’t even a revolt against the winning image, it just seemed correct or obvious to me. That said, if the leaves and colours last year (when I assume she room the image) worked better facing the other direction then it would have made more sense.
It’s a lovely location, and you can always see the mill on the top of the hill when I travel back from Dorset/Devon. When I return in the summer I shall pronounce the L with more gusto :-)
Yep, "Halnaker Tree Tunnel"...At one point in time this was a Roman road, located in West Sussex, England...It was a once a busy thoroughfare, but after so many centuries of relative disuse it is now a breathtaking remnant..., pretty surreal. It reminds of Tolkien, a road to Middle Earth.
Great Shots Ben.... love your work!!!
Thanks John, I appreciate you leaving a comment :-)
Hi Ben, I live locally to here and am so glad I have shot it many times over the last 4years so can now head over your way to shoot the places I havn’t been (thanks for sharing them) to and escape the madness of those wanting to shoot Haniker. I have shot this in colour and black and white done some long exposure with dramatic storm clouds and was planning some Astro photography here as it is stunning up there at night. Thank you for your insight and thoughts as I love hearing from someone else’s perspective as it opens my mind.
I felt that it was a little bit more of a secret location until this years competition win - but hopefully visitors respect the place and it can be enjoyed for years to come.
I take it you have some shots if the windmill before it was clad in tiles then? Did you prefer it?
Your images of the tunnel are great! I also liked the images of the windmill that you took in previous years.
Thanks Clark. I was hoping to get a nice shot of the windmill that day, a bit of a shame that the blades weren’t out and it has slightly lost its charm not that the original brick has been covered up. I think I will return in the summer though, see what I can get!
Great video Ben 👍
Cheers Andy. Much appreciated.
so wow
Its on my list of places to go, but after seeing the windmill closer up, Its been pushed up a little. I had a few choice words about the LOPTY image, I'm not being Mr Grumps but it wasnt a strong enough image of the location. Thats not a slate on the photographer though just observation. But I have to put my own mark on it first I suppose.
Hey Trev, I chose not to comment on the photographer or the photograph as I am happy for her and I am sure that she is getting enough ‘feedback’ already. You can’t blame her for the judges decision! Likewise if I had captured that images I probably wouldn’t have entered it because I wouldn’t have expected it to be so successful! If you are not familiar with what3words, it’s an app that I use to share the locations. If you are heading there then you have everything you need to prepare now. I think Kevin was up for visiting also, sounds like a fun morning out!
@@benharveyphotography Yeah I'd be up for that. :0
Actually Ben you showed us some really good images :)
Thanks John, I appreciate the praise. Sometimes you have a vision of an image when you visit a location and I just felt like I was repeating what had already been done - not even as good as that. But when you step back the images are nice and representative of the lovely location.
@@benharveyphotography I am 76 and live on the Somerset Levels which is a huge flood plain. Every morning providing we don't have gale force winds, I go for a ride on one of my mountain bikes taking at least one camera and a couple of lenses. I take thousands of photographs during the course of the year, delete most and obviously I am shooting the same landscapes day in and day out and have been doing this for 14 years. My 'vista' is very flat, none of the excitement of Patagonia, Iceland, herds of prancing Wildebeasts and such fancy stuff but that's okay because it is the wind, tides plus clouds and their interaction with the light that really make things happen for me, perhaps sometimes you have to know a place well to get the best from it. Cheers John
interesting to compare your images to the famous one. Does anyone else suspect the winning entry has been distorted from the side. The tunnel seems a little more oval vs Bens image and the curve in the trees more exagerated
I deliberately tried not to study the image too hard before I went. But I can confirm that I kept the aspect ratio of my photos as originally shot in camera. I do know that if you win the competition they will expect a copy of the raw photo, I therefore doubt that you would get away with stretching a photo?!?
That's a great spot, thanks for the tour! I like your vertical shot looking North (I think North, without the fence). I loved the IR shots of the windmill. When did you shoot this? Is it still so green in Dec. where you are in Britain? That's more green than I've got in the desert in Las Vegas!
Hi Brian, this is in a place called Chichester on the south coast of England. This video was shot in the first week of December - but most other woodland around had lost its leaves at that point. The infrared shots of the windmill were taken in 2016 on my second visit (I think).
Yeah, its a nice image. Like you, I'm not knocking the photographer. She did a nice job with what is there. But I don't know if I would give it honeypot status.
It will certainly be interesting to see how many photographers flock there long term or if this was just a blip because of the competition win.
Nice to hear that your wife is as interested in your photographic locations as mine is. I bribe her to come with me with ice cream as well.
We are all in the same boat Brian. There is no ice cream truck at Halnaker yet though…
Hi Ben first time commenting on one of your vlogs. Regarding the images that you posted I find the thin light toned tree on the left hand side in the 1st image (landscape orientation) a distraction and much prefer the 2nd image in portrait orientation. Just an observation ☺. I actually prefer your natural looking images compared to the heavily processed winner of LPOTY
Hi Paul. A great observation, and I 100%. I was trying quite hard to crop out that tree as it was the brightest point in the frame - which is why I opted for a vertical shot also. I think I was quite subtle on the edits - I couldn’t make everything golden brown after preaching about honesty!
If there had have others there you should still shoot want you want to shoot, clone them out 😂. I seen some debate online about the winning image and certainly split opinion. As for the situation arising about answering if you have photoshopped the colours.....non pro tip - Edit in black and white 😬
Thats the aim, maybe I'm happy to say I'll add things in and take away things from a scene to suit my style, certainly not afraid to tsalk about it, my problem is noone asks lol
Hey Jim, I haven’t actually tried black and white in this. Maybe that is the secret to a unique image of this place! Yes there is a lot of debate around the winning image, and had their been loads of photographers on this morning I probably would have shot the opposite direction in order to get a unique image! Do you think my photographer queueing ticket scenario will catch on?!?
Ps, it’s not worth the trip down from Scotland to shoot it, so save your time :-)
@@benharveyphotography Im sure there are a number of honey pot locations where that ticket machine could be installed 😂. Certainly wasn't in any plan for a visit and based on your advice I can't see that changing. I am meant to be back in London on the 28th for a few days but not sure if I it will pan out the way things are going at the moment with potential restrictions again
Yes. That’s a bit of a moving target at the moment.
After a smart edit, the video length could be only 5 to 6 minutes.😐😐😐
To be honest I don't think the location is all that interesting or unique and the gate at the end is ugly. I thought your version was better than the LPOTY winner which looked over processed/over saturated. No idea how this image won that competition, there were other entries that were far better!
Thanks Jasper. I tried not to be down about the LPOTY wining image in this video, as I might have just come across bitter! But having been to this location and captured similar images, I personally would not have entered the image on the basis that it wasn’t unique enough to warrant attention from the judges.
@@benharveyphotography I think the images in Natural Landscape Photography Awards are much better on the whole, especially the more abstract and intimate scenes.
The lattice windmill blades, which seem to have been eliminated during the renovation, appear to me to be vastly more interesting looking photographically.
It is worth joining a local photography group to see if the blades are put back on in you intend on photographing the actual windmill as I think they are key to a great looking image here. Hopefully they do because it’s a lovely location to visit with your camera.
Baaaaaaaaaaa!
TOO MUCH CHIT-CHAT !!!
I like your favorite composition (in the opposite direction) way better than the one with this ugly gate (even when it won the competition)
Thanks Andreas. The composition in the opposite direction wasn’t even a revolt against the winning image, it just seemed correct or obvious to me. That said, if the leaves and colours last year (when I assume she room the image) worked better facing the other direction then it would have made more sense.
Halnaker is close to home for me, please can you brush up on your pronunciation 😀. You don’t give much emphasis to the L. 😂
It’s a lovely location, and you can always see the mill on the top of the hill when I travel back from Dorset/Devon. When I return in the summer I shall pronounce the L with more gusto :-)