It's a must see location...

The format is well known. Climb the appropriately named West Hill, wait for the sun to rise to the east and with the remains of Corfe Castle in the middle it's a given that you'll get some jaw dropping shots. If there's a chance of fog, then you're really on to a winner. Literally every photographer has been here. Point, click, done.

But on my last visit I decided to do things a little differently. Fog had been forecast and I knew that this would mean a bit of a scramble to get the best spot. Other photographers are lovely, but sometimes it's a bit much! As I drove through the Dorset countryside, hoping for a thick blanket of fog, I hatched a plan...

Instead of searching for a parking space and then fighting for a spot on the hill, I decided to head to East Hill. This would put the sunrise directly behind me, with the castle in front. Now I'll be the first to admit that this could easily go badly wrong, resulting in both a wasted trip and a grumpy mood for the rest of the day.

But as the saying goes; nothing ventured, nothing gained!

The wrong hill?

As I arrived at the base of East Hill there was indeed a hint of fog. I've been to East Hill before so I knew the way, and as I started climbing the steep steps that are

carved into the hillside I hoped I'd made a smart choice.

The only thing at the top of East Hill was a herd of cows. In the fog, their silhouettes were un-nerving but they seemed relaxed enough to let me stay there. I made my way across the hill towards where I wanted to be. And there I sat. In the cold, in the dark, surrounded by cows who had to be thinking 'what on earth are you doing on OUR hill?!'.

The fog seemed to lift away on the gentle breeze. I watched the full moon set behind West Hill and the castle, with wisps of fog creating a rather tranquil scene.

Sunrise

Sometimes taking a different approach, trying a different perspective is all you need. Some people would say using a drone is cheating, but sometimes the only way to get a certain

shot is to use a camera that can fly anywhere (see the photo above). Unless you've got a helicopter (or a really tall ladder) that picture simply isn't possible without a drone.

Sunrise was incredible, it always is at Corfe. But having a whole hill to yourself, with a unique view that no-one else is seeing? That's really special. So the next time I'm out with a camera, wondering if I should follow the crowd and get the same shot as everyone else, I'll be taking the other path and finding a unique angle.