5 best spots for night-time photography in Bath
Everyone knows that Bath is a lovely city to visit and a real privilege to live in. For its size, it really punches above its weight - it only has about 85,000 inhabitants, and so is only just big enough to be considered a city at all. But it's still the 12th most visited city in England - as well as one of the most photographed and most recognisable, with its iconic crescents, Abbey, and one-off structures such as Pulteney Bridge. Hundreds of people can be seen snapping away all day long throughout Bath, yet once the sun goes down, almost all of the cameras tend to get put away. But I wonder if many of these keen photographers are actually missing a trick, as Bath is no less photogenic by night, provided you've got a sturdy tripod - and know where to head for.
Here are my 5 favourite spots for night-time photography in Bath.
1. Bath Abbey
This sturdy, late Gothic structure is lit up in the evening, which is an ideal photo opportunity for dusk photographers. With a tripod and an obliging motorist, you can get a light trail leading into the photograph, as I've done here. I always think that vehicles' rear (red) lights make for a more interesting photo than the front (clear) lights. In Bath's labyrinth of one-way streets, it's worth bearing in mind which way(s) the traffic will be heading if you want to capture a light trail in your picture. This photo is taken by the A3039 outside the imposing structure of the Empire Hotel on Grand Parade.
In fact, this spot really is a BOGOF, because if you swing round 180 degrees, you come to spot number 2.
2. Pulteney Bridge, Bath
You need to be careful and sensible of course becaue it's quite a drop, but you can get a great view of the weir and Pulteney Bridge, which is remarkable for being one of only four bridges in the world flanked by shops on both sides all the way across. It was designed by Robert Adam and completed in 1774 to connect central Bath with the flourishing new suburb of Bathwick.
Ironically for such a spectacular city, Bath has a limited number of truly impressive riverside structures to tempt the photographer. Pulteney Bridge is the best known, but there is another just round the corner that is often overlooked.
3. Riverside buildings on Lower Bristol Road, Bath, photographed from across the river, close to Avon Street car park
With the River Avon on one side and the Lower Bristol Road and railway on the other, these structures are very reminiscent of another Bath, which was once a thriving industrial town as well as a genteel spa. With a tripod and ND filter, the water is smooth and mirror-like, creating harmonious reflections.
But don't get too comfortable - as there's a steep hill to climb for the next location!
4. Alexandra Park viewpoint, Bath
There are likely to be other photographers up here during the day, but when the sun goes down you'll probably have the whole place to yourself. I think this has to be the best panoramic view of Bath and its surrounding hills, and well worth the climb. If you spot a light glowing different colours on the other side of the city, there's a good chance that'll be our next and final spot.
St Stephen's Church, Lansdown, Bath
Occupying a commanding spot on the north side of the city, St Stephen's Church is one of Bath's finest Gothic buildings, and its abundance of pointy towers make it a good subject to photograph.
Anyway, happy photographing - and remember to take a tripod!
Wedding - and then off to Bath Spa University
This weekend's wedding was a joy to participate in, and a privilege to attend as photographer. Here's a sneak preview of some of the photos of some of the wedding, starting at All Saints' Church in Weston, before heading to Bath Spa University, which has only recently joined the ranks of Bath's stunning wedding locations.
The confetti shower was really spectacular - I'm pretty sure confetti must have been invented by wedding photographers, as it's such an eye-catching event!
And there was a classic automobile to whisk the happy couple off to Bath Spa University.
It was a joy to be part of this great day and to photograph this lovely couple and their guests at a really joyful wedding. Congratulations to you!
Wedding photography in Bath
I was delighted to photograph this Polish wedding in St John's Catholic Church in Bath last month. Going up onto the balcony during the service enabled me to get this vantage point of St John's magnificent nave.
One of the things that made this wedding unique for me was the use of two languages, Polish and English, during the ceremony.
The picture above shows the happy couple after the wedding ceremony about to go outside to be showered with confetti and congratulations (below)!
As so often happens at weddings, the younger visitors couldn't resist performing for the camera!
After the service, it was off to the Globe at Newton St Loe for a lovely big meal - but only after the photographer had captured the group shots and pictures of the happy couple that she wanted to get!
Christening photography in Bath
Christening photo shoot at St John's Catholic Church, Bath
I was delighted to be asked to photograph this christening at the weekend in one of Bath's most beautiful Victorian churches: St John's.
The building is a pleasure to work in with its sombre colours, elegant lines and soaring Gothic arches, but it also has good levels of natural light, enabling me to work unobtrusively during the service without flash and still capture natural vibrant colours.
Having said that, I was glad to have my Profoto B1 off camera lights and softbox to capture some group shots after the ceremony itself, and these were actually taken in the darkest part of the church at the west end.
I love the colours in this shot of the west door - the deep reddish brown of the door, and the complementary shades of blue in the clothes. I think they'd planned and co-ordinated their outfits!
Anyway, the event was a real pleasure to photograph.
Bath Half Marathon 2017
One of my favourite events to attend locally is the Bath Half Marathon. 2017's was the best-attended ever, with so many taking part that the organisers ran out of medals for the finishers! It provides a great opportunity for photographers, as long as you follow two golden rules:
- Get there early
- Choose a good vantage point
Both the family fun run (above) and the full half marathon attract runners working on behalf of a range of good causes such as Marie Curie (below).
Many photographers stay for the whole event, but for me, the best pictures are in the early stages, with runners still in good spirits (below) and expectations high!
Will definitely be back in 2018!
