A Little River on Dartmoor By Bridget Davies ARPS

The East Okemont River is a modest affair. Just five miles long, it rises below Oke Tor, flows north out of the Dartmoor National Park and into Okehampton where it meets its counterpart, the West Oke River to form the Okemont River. So many misspelt oaks! Repetitious, as some Dartmoor names are, but it is indicative of the trees which dominate.

Its wooded stretch offers the most interest to me. There are no gentle glides here, nor calm meanderings. No wide-open views, nor glimpses of the broader landscape. In their place are jumbled rocks, little falls and miniature rapids, some larger slabs of rock, and the overhanging canopy of oaks, which alters the colour palette with the seasons. Slightly claustrophobic in feel, but well sheltered from howling winds and the other weather that Dartmoor can throw at you. It is a spate river, so its dimensions and character can alter significantly with the level of rainfall.

© Bridget Davies

The small scale of the river invites relatively close up shots. I like to allow some motion blur, and prefer to retain some detail in the water. I don’t bother with filters, finding that low ISO, as low as 31, works well to slow the shutter speed, and can cope better with the wide dynamic range needed. Shooting up close, the standard rules of composition do not usually apply, not that I would necessarily follow them. I go with my gut feel. I am flexible about the crop, and quite often finish up with a square, which suits diagonals well. With wider shots, I avoid the sky. It plays havoc with exposure and creates fussy bits of contrasty detail in the upper branches of the trees.

© Bridget Davies

This is a very photogenic part of the world and is often missed by the hordes of people rushing to Southern Devon and Cornwall as they drive by with barely a glance at the photographic gems they are missing. If you’re passing on the A30, perhaps on the long drive to Cornwall, it could be a pleasant place to have a break. No facilities (you can find them elsewhere). The car park is at latitude: 50° 44' 9" N, longitude: 3° 58' 52" W, a few yards from the river, a little over one mile from the A30 exit.

© Bridget Davies