A Long (Lens) Weekend in Yorkshire
No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings. ― William Blake
This trip was a last minute decision; a short foray down into Yorkshire for some long lens nonsense over a couple of days. I did pretty much the exact same trip this time last year and thought that it had potential, but I felt I could have done better. Part of that was down to my inexperience, but the quality of light didn’t help. The weather gods played a bit more nicely on this trip and, against expectation, I might have learned a little from experience…
British Jetsport Championship
Full tilt…
Sony A9ii | 300mm f/2.8 1/3200s ISO 100
Round four of the 2025 British Jetsport Championship was held at Fosse Hill Jetski Centre over two days. I went for the Sunday and, compared to the previous year, it seemed much busier with more racing over the weekend. Indeed, last year the racing packed up close to lunchtime; this year it was still going strong well into the afternoon. Hopefully the popularity and attendance continues to develop.
Photographically the attractions are fairly obvious. With good light you get plenty of spray from the skis as well as some good movement and action. If the light drops off, however, it can start to look a little flat. This was part of the problem last year. That said, I’m quite happy with some of the results from this weekend. The photographs themselves are of little import, but it’s an entertaining way to spend a Sunday with a camera in hand.
Scarborough
Scarborough
Fujifilm X-Pro3 | 25mm f/7.1 1/250s ISO 160
I opted to stay overnight in Scarborough. Logistically, Bridlington would have been a better option but I fancied having a decent look around Scarborough. It is, of course, a town of great renown with a rich history. It’s also somewhere that I’ve passed through a few times without really stopping.
Mid-July is probably not the best time to visit, particularly if you not a fan of large numbers of people. However, a first visit was enough to convince me that there’s definitely enough there to justify a return trip out of season.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs
Billing
Sony A9ii | 600mm f/5.6 1/1600s ISO 320
While the timing of the trip was dictated by the jetski racing, the bigger draw of the area for me is RSPB Bempton Cliffs. There are plenty who turn up to catch a glimpse of the puffins, but in my case we have much better options for puffin spotting closer to home. For me the stars of the show are the gannets; stunning birds and the access at Bempton is simply superb. The cliff top location provides plenty of opportunities to observe these beautiful birds close up and in flight.
There is, of course, plenty of variety on offer and the scenery is also worth a look. Highly recommended…
Flamborough Head
Flamborough Head
Fujifilm X-Pro3 | 18mm f/8.0 1/250s ISO 160
I packed up at Bempton in time to make the short journey down the road to have a quick look at Flamborough Head. The name has caught my eye a few times when looking at options around the area. Although I only had an hour, it’s definitely somewhere that would repay a return visit if the opportunity arises.
The Photography Bit
I managed to keep the photography relatively simple (if not entirely lightweight). For both the jetskis and the birds I used the Sony A9ii and the FE 300mm f/2.8, adding both the 1.4x and 2,0x extenders. In both cases the settings were near identical; highlight priority metering, wide aperture, shutter speed at 1/1600s or faster and auto-ISO. (I did try a few panning shots of the skis, with mixed results).. The intent at both locations was to freeze the motion; isolate the subject and avoid blowing the highlights. I also popped the small, but very sharp, FE 40mm f/2.5 in the bag and that’s the lens I used for the landscapes at Bempton.
The rest is about understanding and trusting your auto-focus and shooting in small bursts of two or three shots at a time to try to capture the right moment or pose. There is, of course, a aspect of diminishing returns with both genres. Unless the subjects or conditions change dramatically you end up shooting multiple versions of the same shot. Personally this has little appeal, so the trick is to shoot enough to make the trip worthwhile and not so much that you give yourself a selection or processing headache.
The shots in Scarborough and at Flamborough Head were taken with the X-Pro3 and the small 18-55mm kit lens. This isn’t the sharpest, but the combination is once again proving to be a nice walkaround option when I have no plans or expectations.
