Lake District Landscape Videography: A Day Filming with Andy Beck and The Wainwrights in Colour
Spending a day in the Lake District last week offered me the perfect chance to combine my love of landscapes with my filmmaking practice. I was there filming with artist Andy Beck, who is already well underway with his extraordinary project, The Wainwrights in Colour. It was an inspiring day that gave me the opportunity to explore Lake District landscape videography while learning the ins and outs of my new camera gear in one of the UK’s most beautiful locations.
Andy’s project is incredibly ambitious. He’s working to document every single view illustrated in Alfred Wainwright’s iconic fell guides, matching the exact colours seen in nature to Wainwright’s original sketches. Even though I was only there for a single day, it was clear how much dedication and meticulous attention to detail Andy brings to his work. Watching him consider colour, light, and composition so carefully made me reflect on similar challenges in videography, particularly when filming in ever-changing natural light.
One of the highlights from the trip was filming a stone bridge near Hard Knott Pass. The bridge stands elegantly over a lively beck, surrounded by the vivid greens of the fells and scattered boulders. It’s the kind of classic Lakeland scene that seems almost unchanged through centuries—a place full of texture, movement, and quiet drama. Shooting this as part of my Lake District landscape videography felt like capturing a small piece of timeless beauty, something I’m always seeking when I film natural landscapes.
For this shoot, I used my brand new Sony Z5—a bit of a leap forward for me, and this trip was my first real chance to push it in the field. Filming outdoors in the Lake District proved the perfect testing ground, throwing everything at me from harsh sunlight reflecting off wet rocks to sudden rain showers that forced quick changes in shooting positions. The Z5 handled it well, delivering crisp detail and good dynamic range, though I’m still learning how best to balance exposure and white balance on the fly in conditions that change minute to minute.
I’m particularly excited by the way the Sony Z5 allows more flexibility with picture profiles, which is crucial for matching footage in post-production—especially when dealing with a landscape as varied as the Lake District. It’s been a steep but satisfying learning curve, figuring out how to get the best out of this camera while working solo in rugged terrain.
Back in the edit suite, I’ve been experimenting with Red Giant’s Magic Bullet Looks software to give my footage a more cinematic finish. It’s a powerful colour-grading tool that lets me apply film-like treatments and adjust things like contrast, diffusion, and overall colour balance in a very visual and intuitive way. Even footage shot in flat or overcast light comes alive with a subtle colour grade, and I’m finding it particularly effective for bringing out the natural greens and greys of the Lake District’s landscapes.
I’ve also been exploring the slow-motion features in Final Cut Pro, testing how subtle movements like swirling water beneath the bridge or drifting mist rolling down the fells can become more expressive when slowed down. These techniques are opening new creative doors for my Lake District landscape videography, helping me evoke the calm, timeless quality that defines so much of the region’s atmosphere.
Though it was only one day, filming with Andy Beck left a lasting impression on me. His meticulous work on The Wainwrights in Colour is a reminder that capturing landscapes—whether in paint or on video—takes patience, care, and a keen eye for fleeting moments of light and colour. Standing beside him, looking out across the fells, I was reminded how the simplest scenes can hold profound beauty if you’re willing to take the time to really look.
I’m hoping to edit this footage into a short piece soon, combining shots of the bridge with other scenes from the day. Meanwhile, it feels exciting to be learning new tools and pushing my approach to Lake District landscape videography. There’s always more to discover in this landscape, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to film in such an inspiring place.
You can explore more of my landscape films here.