Shooting Old Harry’s Rock with a Drone


Today marks the first feature of a drone photographer, and I think it is impressive work that really shows of how a drone can help you capture shots completely impossible with a standard camera.  The incredible images below were taken by Jamie Rhodes at Old Harry Rocks in Dorset, England.  This first image shows an amazing view taken with a DJI Mavic Pro out over the water looking back at the coast.  This is the only way, unless you have a helicopter, to capture all of the coast line, which I think is so incredible impressive with the curving white wall cliffs covered in green-such a cool composition.

Old Harry Rocks

Old Harry Rocks is a set of three chalk formations at the most easterly point of the Jurassic Coast, located at Handfest Point on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The outcrop of rocks at the end of the coast is called No Man’s Land.  It leads to the gap of St Lucas’ Leap, Old Harry and the remains of Harry’s wife, which mostly fell in 1509.

Legends of Old Harry Rocks

There are a number of legends about  how this crazy geological example of erosion came to be called Old Harry Rocks. One legend caims that the Devil (traditionally known euphemistically as “Old Harry”) slept on the rocks.   I am not sure how that legend came to be, but I could see this being a very dangerous place to explore, leading to many deaths and that bringing about the legend of the devi.

Another local legend says that the rocks were named after Harry Paye, the infamous Poole pirate, whose ship hid behind the rocks to sneak upon passing merchant ships.

The final tale claims that a ninth-century Viking raid was thwarted by a storm and that one of the drowned, Earl Harold, was turned into the pillar of chalk.

This final image from Jamie shows the view from the coast, highlighting just how impressive these tall cliffs are over the arch.  Plus, the sunset is pretty awesome with tones complimenting the rest of the image.

Jamie Rhodes

Jamie is a photographer located in Bristol, England.  He says he has always been interested in photography, but has only become serious over the past eighteen months.  You can find more of his great work on Instagram.

He made the above aerial images with his DJI Mavic Pro drone.  For the none-aerial images, Jamie used a great landscape photography camera in the Sony a7S II camera with a 14mm wide lens or a 85mm lens.  The images were made during a day trip with some fellow Bristol photographers that included Old Harry Rocks, Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and ending up at Pulpit Rock Lighthouse (to be featured soon!)

And, don’t forget to join our Facebook group, Photography and Travel, to share tips, favorite locations and questions!

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