Tuesday, 13 August 2013

The Magpie Mine.

When you think of photos of our national parks the first thing that jumps to mind are the normal kind of views that I've already taken myself of the spectacular landscapes that can be found, the thing is the park system just doesn't protect these kinds of natural landscapes but also the landscapes that we've created during our industrial past. Its just as important to protect these areas as there a gate way into our near past showing how the people who called these areas home made a living as the industrial revolution took hold and changed their way of life for ever. To me what makes these places interesting is that nature is slowly reclaiming the landscape that would have been heavily scared at the time while at the same time you can look at the areas and get a great feel for how it must have been during its heyday. The place I chose to look at to illustrate these fact was the Magpie Mine located in the heart of the Peak District, begin an old lead mine its has quiet a strange atmosphere about it but presents some good photo opportunities with its Cornish steam engine house standing in the heart of the mine and the remains of the rest of the workings spread out around it.


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/11
Expo- 250secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- 0 steps
Focal Length- 27mm

Thought this a good contrasting view with the old crumbling stone building surround a pile of modern plastic piping, why it'd been dump here I couldn't find out but but it seem a strange thing to find on a site which is conserved in a way that makes it feel it hadn't been effect by people since the day it was shut down and the engine removed.


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/10
Expo- 320secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- 0 steps
Focal Length- 18mm


The main engine house stands out as the tallest feature in the surrounding landscape meaning you see it a long time before you arrive, I found it slightly imposing in what is a relative flat expanse but felt it has become almost a monument to a lost lifestyle in this small corner of the Derbyshire.



 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/9
Expo- 250secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- 0 steps
Focal Length- 18mm


Liked the way I was able to use this old window to frame the landscape, combining mans activity and the surrounding natural landscape.


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/10
Expo- 200secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- + 1 step
Focal Length- 43mm


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/10
Expo- 250secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- +1 step
Focal Length- 18mm


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/11
Expo- 320secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- +1 step
Focal Length- 18mm

All three of the above images continue to build on the idea that its monument to the past now instead of a working mine as it was designed to be.


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/8
Expo- 200secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- 0 steps
Focal Length- 24mm

Perfect image to illustrate how nature is taking back the landscape, could have done with a little less tall grass in the shot but other then that really happy with finding this view. Think the burst of colour in what is pretty much a very grey and dull landscape makes it feel much more alive.


 Tech. Details
F-stop- f/11
Expo- 200secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- +1 step
Focal Length- 50mm


Tech. Details
F-stop- f/11
Expo- 160secs
ISO- 400
Expo Bias- +1 step
Focal Length- 18mm

To finish off wanted a couple of views of how the site sits in the wider landscape, like the way that because its built from the local nature stone it doesn't feel out of place in the landscape as it blends in with the surrounding walls and rock outcrops we're so used to seeing. In today's world you'd think they built it like this with the consideration that they didn't want it to stand out and be a stain on the landscape but I'm 100% certain this was never a consideration at the time.

By looking at places like this I think you get a much better idea for how the park system isn't just protecting our natural history but also the history of how this country has evolved as an industrial nation while still understanding our need to be able to get out and embrace the sights our countryside has to offer.

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