Gibson Mill.

Gibson Mill near Hebden Bridge is like a film set. It is much photographed, in all weathers, at all times of the day and evening. It sits below Hardcastle Crags, next to Hebden Beck which would have originally been the source of power for the mill. The estate including the mill, was donated to the National Trust by Lord Saville in 1950.

It is a regular spot for me and my partner to visit. Given my current situation, it also has limited disabled parking spots which enabled us to actually get there! Autumn is probably my favourite time of the year for photography and the estate and mill look fabulous, particularly on a sunny autumnal day. I travelled light, taking my Nikon Z6 II, two Viltrox primes and an adapted Pentax 100mm f2.8 vintage lens. The three primes covered the focal range from 20mm to 100mm and still I had to work for the shots.

I could have taken the 24-120 with the FTZ II adapter but weight was important. Even though I have become accustomed to shooting with large DSLRs, I am still taking it steadily using a single crutch so excessive weight unbalances me. The Z6 II and a small prime is roughly half the weight of my D700 and 24-120 lens. It makes you wonder if going fully mirrorless is the long term goal but I love shooting with DSLR cameras.

You go all in with a camera manufacturer and it has many benefits. Batteries, menu systems, lenses (even if adapted) all sync and you choose the camera for the look it produces. The D810 has more megapixels but also a different look to it than the Z6 II. The D700 is like no other camera I have ever used but the operational essentials are Nikon. I know my restriction is temporary and I’ll be back shooting with the heavier gear soon but until then, I am more than happy using the mirrorless camera. I went from film to mirrorless, only discovering the joys of it a couple of years ago.

Ultimately, It doesn’t matter what gear you use, It is down to the landscape/subject/location you are shooting. Gibson Mill is a joy to shoot at. Combine that with great company, excellent weather and decent accessibility, It proved to be worth the visit.