Stormy Castlerigg, a photo from Cumbria, England

Photographer's Note

Castlerigg Stone Circle, near Keswick, Lake District, Cumbria.

This is the first place we visited on arrival in the Lakes for the little TE meeting a month or so ago. It was evening and had been raining; the prospects didn't look too promising for the next day, but which actually turned out fine.

"It is not just its location that makes Castlerigg one of the most important British stone circles; considered to have been constructed about 3000 BC, it is potentially one of the earliest in the country. Taken into guardianship in 1883, it was also one of the first monuments in the country to be recommended for preservation by the state.

Although there are more than 300 stone circles in Britain, the great majority of them are Bronze Age burial monuments (dating from approximately 2000�800 bc) containing cremations in central pits or beneath small central cairns. By contrast, their Neolithic forebears, such as Castlerigg, Swinside in the southern part of the Lake District, and Long Meg and her Daughters in the Eden Valley, do not contain formal burials.

The Neolithic stone circles also differ from those of the later Bronze Age in their generally larger size and often flattened circular shape � as is found at Castlerigg � comprising an open circle of many large stones. Castlerigg is about 97 1/2 ft (30 m) in diameter, and formerly comprised forty-two stones; there are now only thirty-eight stones, which vary in height from 3 1/4 ft (1 m) to 7 1/2 ft (2.3 m).

Neolithic stone circles typically have an entrance and at least one outlying stone. The entrance at Castlerigg, on the north side of the circle, is flanked by two massive upright stones, and the outlier is presently to the west-south-west of the stone circle, on the west side of the field adjacent to a stile; this stone has been moved from its original position. It has been suggested that such outlying stones had astronomical significance � alignments with planets or stars � although examination of those in early stone circles elsewhere in Britain has shown that there are no consistent orientations for them.

One of the more unusual features of Castlerigg is a rectangle of standing stones within the circle; there is only one other comparable example, at the Cockpit, an open stone circle at Askham Fell, near Ullswater.

Castlerigg has not been extensively excavated, and it is therefore not known exactly what might be preserved beneath the surface. Three Neolithic stone axes originating from nearby Great Langdale were recovered from the site in the nineteenth century, and similar finds have been made at other Neolithic stone circles.

The precise function of these early circles is not known, but their importance possibly centred on their large internal areas with their formalised entrances. Sites such as Castlerigg were undoubtedly important meeting places for the scattered Neolithic communities, but whether as trading places or as religious centres, or even both, is not known." (English Heritage)

Both Mike and Bev have posted already from this site: and both chose b/w treatments. You can probably see why!

Shutter speed: 1/200 sec
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO: 400

Click here to see the larger Beta TrekEarth version.

pajaran, jhm, holmertz, macjake, ourania, tyro, delpeoples, Royaldevon, Porteplume, GyurMaster, PMH, adores has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jhm (211738) 2016-09-01 3:45

Hello Will,

Your picture is nice but an imposing sky and area.
The first sight I would get a little bit anxiety with the big stone and big clouds..
Real a wonderful panorama view about the area.
Lovely composition and an excellent presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

holmertz (103694) 2016-09-01 7:51

Hello Will,
I saw the other photos from here, and they were both excellent, but your treatment has no doubt created the most dramatic effect. It's almost like I could imagine ancient gods somewhere in these dark clouds. It is utterly fascinating to think of the people erecting these stones, what they looked like and what they were thinking.
Best regards,
Gert

macjake (98544) 2016-09-01 10:28

Hi Will
its all about the clouds in my humble opinion.
imagine this shot without the clouds dominating the bg, it wouldn't have the same impact. the clouds really set the tone.

and thats a well written not too, lots of info to process.
I had no idea there were so many of these stone circles in the country.

sharp, well textured, good info, and wildly atmospheric.
excellent TE post
cheers
Craig

BennyV (34780) 2016-09-01 11:41

Hello Will

Dark and gloomy tones here, great low pov and some fine textures on both rocks and grass. But it's the sky that takes centre stage in this picture for me.

Benny

ourania (51103) 2016-09-01 11:57

Hello Will,
this is a very suggestive and captivating image, it draws you in and the more you look at it the more details it reveals and the more mystery it conveys. There's a 3D effect and the textures are superb. I like very much the bold, dark monochrome and the fascinating atmosphere of the scene. The shapes of the trees in the backhround mimick the shapes of the stones in an intriguing way. The prospect of further excavation is fascinating as well. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great evening,
Ourania

tyro (30513) 2016-09-02 1:27

Hello Will,

Now this is a perfect upload for TE!

You have written a fascinating and informative note, thankfully not a copy from Wikipedia but a well researched and written one. Of course, many have tried to guess just why so much effort must have been put into arranging and building stone circles such as these but no-one, as far as I can tell, has ever come up with a definitive answer. For my part, I've always suspected the most likely reasons must have been religious: I mean, if you look at the buildings around the World which are the most complex and have been the most painstaking and expensive to build in recent centuries, then they must surely be churches, mosques or cathedrals.

I thought that you and Mike had visited this place early one morning but this must have been a separate occasion. In any case, you have found the perfect light and the perfect viewpoint for what is a wonderful photograph with gorgeous contrasts, tones and textures.

Of course, that fabulous sky really must be the "star of the show"! I suspect that you might well have done some processing on the sky and, indeed, the whole image but whatever you have done it has been done very subtly and skilfully. So much so that I am amazed that this photograph has received so little attention and attracted so few critiques.

Gorgeous light, tones and contrasts and excellent and pleasing composition. And stunning technical quality too.

Gorgeous!

Kind Regards,

John.

P.S. This just has to be added to my "favourites".

delpeoples (60342) 2016-09-02 2:19

Ciao Will

A very dramatic and suggestive composition. Your subject is fascinating, I adore standing stones. You've captured a very menacing sky, with beautiful textures and tonal range. It's very hard to capture the essence of these stone circles, but you have done a great job.

Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing

Lisa

emka (158932) 2016-09-02 14:48

Hello Will,

were you lying in the grass while making this picture? Composed like this the stones seem huge and with the dark clouds all looks rather dramatic.I like this picture in black and white very much. Fascinating place - Castlerigg. I was there during the 2011 meeting. Indeed, it looks better in b/w treatments.

Warm regards Malgo

abmdsudi (95869) 2016-09-03 7:28

Hi Will
It is an amazing place to just stand in silence and look all around you, each day here has its own little touch of magic I think and you have an eye for a good grouping of stones there. The burst of light helps to emphasize the mystical atmosphere of this place especially in contrast to that brooding sky. As always, you've captured the scene perfectly. Your work continues to inspire.
Best regards

Cricri (176) 2016-09-07 10:37

Hi Will
WOW un N/B qui renforce le c魌� myst閞ieux de l'endroit, un ciel dramatique super bien capturer, belle r閍lisation
A Bruges, j'ai 閠� raisonnable, pas acheter beaucoup de chocolat :-)
Amiti閟
cricri

Royaldevon (86520) 2016-09-10 1:20

Hello Will,

You have captured an amazing mood as well as a great visual image.
Those swirling clouds, with just a hint of light, seem to be emanating from the circle of stones!
B&W is perfect for the full effect, with an excellent range of tones.

I honestly feel that a coven of witches is about to appear, though I know that is an inappropriate connection with something as old as this! Maybe it is the mood that it evokes!

A great shot, worth more attention!

Have a good w/e,
Bev :-)

mjw364 (1466) 2016-09-16 6:57

Hello Will

Yes - the moody evening before with the clouds and post processing indicating some considerable dynamic range in your RAw file. I like the point of view with the single stone central on the far edge of the circle like the others are the gateway leading to it. And not a Wordsworth student sat near the stones anywhere to be seen!

Take care

Mike

Porteplume (4036) 2016-09-18 23:26

Howmuch dramatic do you want?

Hello Will,

Really atmospheric image, brings you back to the time it has been constructed. You can see it, you can feel it too... Through the clouds, with that splendid light, the gods are watching down...
It is so interesting to see how Mike's, Bev's and your view of the same place has been translated in B&W.

Amicalement,
Viviane

mkamionka (75197) 2016-09-20 11:10

Hi Will,
how did you do it!
It looks so dramatic. I know you hate HDR so you must have done some other miraculous processing here.
I think I would call it "50 shades of grey" but that title would be not original for you I suppose.
I don't like stone circles, although I must admit as a postcard lover I had to visit Stonehenge when I was passing by.
Amazing final effect!
M

GyurMaster (25049) 2016-09-21 8:27

And again...

The strong contrast and the gritty BW conversion really helps to create the mood of this ancient religious site. One would really expect Merlin our others to show up! :)

Gy.

iainsp (3298) 2016-12-04 10:02

Greetings Will,

This is a fantastic shot in what looks like relatively poor lighting conditions. Perfect lighting on the stones themselves - any darker and they would have disappeared in to the background. The B&W gives a dramatic impact to the sky - with the Monty Python-esque hole-for-god giving a religous feel to this important archaeological site. I really like it, thanks, Iain

adores (46979) 2018-01-29 14:25

Hi Will!
The clouds give the circle a mysterious atmosphere, looks like they crowning it. Great in b&w, it's much more dramatic and the result is perfect. Very good light also.

jimmj63 (0) 2018-02-10 14:19

ciao Will,
bellissimo bianco nero con una ricca scala di grigi, bellissima la definizione delle rocce e il cielo drammatico, bella.
ciao, Giacomo

Photo Information

Copyright: Will Perrett (willperrett) (14215)
Genre: 风景
Medium: 黑白
Date Taken: 2016-08-05
Categories: 自然, Ruins
Camera: Canon EOS5D, Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM
Exposure: 30 seconds
Map: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Will's monochromes #2, TE Meeting Lake District August 2016 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2016-09-01 2:43
Favorites: 1 [view]