** Weekly X-Series Photo-Sharing Thread 04 MAR – 11 MAR **

With promising conditions forecast for sunrise on Saturday morning, I decided to get up early and head up to the local moors intending to catch it at the former location of Botany Bay farm, high on the moors above Brinscall.

Little remains of the farm beyond its foundations and a number of gateposts as it was demolished during the early part of the 20th century, however it is notable for the battered Beech tree that resiliently weathers the harsh conditions the moors throw at it.

The tree is referenced in Richard Robinson's memoirs of growing up on the farm during the latter half of the 19th century, so it's been there for quite some time which probably explains its battered condition, but it provides an easy to spot landmark of where the farm once stood as it's literally the only tree standing for miles around.

Anyway, having trekked across the empty moors shortly before sunset I was treated to... nothing. Just heavy cloud that gradually got a bit lighter as the sun presumably did its thing above them. Ah well, you can't win them all. Still, it didn't stop me having a play around with compositions ready for the next time I manage to get up early enough for a pre dawn visit.

All images taken with the X-H2 + Fuji 50-140 f/2.8 mounted on a tripod and using electronic shutter. Processed from single raw files with Capture One Pro 22.

I've had mixed results with this lens on the X-H2, with it often confirming focus while way off, but on this occasion it behaved impeccably. Go figure.

#1 - the tree with the Jubilee Tower atop Darwen Moor in the background.

#2 - from a slightly different angle to bring in the slowly disappearing dry stone walls marking out the old field boundaries on the moor to the rear.

#3 - the lower flanks of Great Hill can be seen in the rear of this shot along with the gateposts marking the boundaries of the track that formerly led down to the farm.

#4 - looking back towards the tree along the heavily overgrown track from the location of the farm.

...and a bonus pic. Taken back in 2022, this is what it looks like when sunrise is being a bit more cooperative. This was shot hand held with the X-H2 + Fuji 100-400.

#6 - how it looked one early morning in November.