A golden sunrise glow over rolling Dartmoor hills and moorland grass

Dartmoor Landscape Photography

Atmospheric Photographs of Tors, Ancient Woodland and Rivers

I’m Paul, a Dartmoor based photographer capturing the more unusual and sometimes less visited parts of Dartmoor National Park. Through my images I hope to encapsulate some of the wonder that I feel when I walk the moor.

More About Me

I hope that my unique style and perhaps unorthodox approach to Landscape Photography will inspire people to visit Dartmoor or to find the beauty in their own local landscapes.

More About What I do

I’m always adding new images to my gallery of Dartmoor Landscapes, so check back regularly, or follow me on one of my social media channels to see what I’ve been up to more recently. If you’re really interested in the sort of things I get up to, make sure to read my blog entries.

Dartmoor Photography

Dartmoor National Park in Southwest England is one of Britain’s last true wilderness landscapes, known for granite tors, wild ponies, and dramatic weather (and of course Sherlock Holmes).

Dartmoor isn’t a chocolate box landscape, and that’s exactly why I photograph it.

That’s not to say it can never be at once beautiful and photogenic, I’m merely a realist.

As a Dartmoor based landscape photographer, I specialise in creating moody, atmospheric images that I feel reflect the real character of the moor. Mist, rain, harsh light, sudden breaks in the cloud, warts and all.

Fan’s of my somewhat moody work often describe my Dartmoor photography as both captivating and “instantly recognisable”, with a style that suits the wild, enigmatic landscape rather than trying to turn it into something it isn’t.

Explore all 197 photographs

About This Dartmoor Photography Portfolio

I’m always adding to my Dartmoor gallery. As a Hill & Moorland Leader, I’m out and about on the moor at all times of the year, in all weathers. Walking tried and tested paths, as well as exploring new ones.

This means that I have photographs of places like Great Links Tor, Tavy Cleave, Scorhill Stone Circle and Fernworthy Forest in all conditions, as well as numerous other locations on the moor.

Shelstone Tor - Black Tor & Fordsland Ledge in the distance

Dartmoor Tors & Open Moorland Photography

Tors are perhaps Dartmoor's most iconic features. Granite outcrops sculpted by millennia of wind, ice and rain. From the summit of High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor, to the brooding silhouette of Arms Tor at twilight, these images are only a snapshot of a moor I've been exploring for over 40 years.

I shoot using vintage film camera lenses (originally because of financial restraints, but now more as a means to an end) they seem to capture not just what Dartmoor looks like, but what it actually feels like to be out there.

Dartmoor Landscape Photography by Glavind Strachan

I like to believe that my work focuses more on the raw, untamed side of Dartmoor. Mountainous structures of granite jutting skywards, swept by incessantly bad weather, ancient oak woods draped in lichen and shrouded in mist, bleak bogs, long abandoned ruins and those in‑between “liminal” places that the majority of people will walk past without noticing.

The aim isn’t to over romanticise the moor; it’s to capture the true emotive Dartmoor in all it’s various guises, good and bad. Photography that feels honest and lived‑in, the kind of images that people say captures exactly what it’s like to be out on the moor.

View-of-the west okement valley-on-dartmoor

Dartmoor's Hidden Landscapes - Ruins, Rivers & Ancient Monuments

Away from the many well trodden routes, Dartmoor hides a remarkable array of ancient monuments, abandoned industrial remains and quiet, isolated river valleys. Fur Tor, Great Links, the West Okement, Steeperton Gorge. These are some of the places I like to visit. Locations that reward those willing to venture a little further from the car park. My bespoke guided photography walks are all about showing people corners of the moor they might never otherwise discover.

Guided Photography Walks on Dartmoor

Alongside creating prints, I offer bespoke guided photography walks on Dartmoor for individuals and small groups.

These are tailored, not generic workshops. Recent participants have described their walks as “really bespoke”, saying they felt at ease from the very start and enjoyed both the compositions and the whole day out on the moor.

We might follow old railway tracks to hidden long abandoned buildings or quarries, wander through ancient woodland, or climb up to high ridges for wide views.

Routes and the pace of each walk is designed to suit your experience, fitness and what it is you’d like to see on Dartmoor.

Whether you mostly shoot on a phone or carry a full bag of gear, I love to show people parts of the moor that they may never discover otherwise.

Dartmoor Trees - Ancient Woodland & Lone Hawthorns

Ancient stunted oak woods, lichen draped and mist shrouded, beeches bent sideways by years of ocean winds, hawthorns clinging precariously to exposed hillsides. Dartmoor's trees are endlessly fascinating subjects. Black-a-Tor Copse on the West Okement, the beech boundary above Prewley Moor, willow, rowan and hawthorn at Scorhill. These are the places to stop and absorb.

Dartmoor Ponies, Seasons & the Everyday Magic of the Moor

Dartmoor isn't always dramatic. Sometimes the sun shines and ponies run happily in the sunlight, a rainbow breaks over a distant shower, or sheep amuse you with their propensity to do something daft.

Glavind Strachan Photography - “Weaving Light, Making Magic”

If you’re looking for Dartmoor photography that leans into the landscapes mood and mystery, or you’d like a guided photography walk that’s personal, maybe slightly irreverent but most definitely rooted in the real experience of the moor, you’ve come to the right place.

Take a look through my Dartmoor portfolio, read a few of the blog posts and reviews, and if my images (and my general demeanour) resonates with you, get in touch to plan your own Dartmoor photography adventure 😍

If you’d like a print of any of my photographs, take a look at my prints, or contact me directly for a custom service.

Dartmoor National Park - Photos by Glavind Strachan

I’m always out and about on Dartmoor, capturing landscape photographs in all weathers. If you are looking for something special or a little different from the ordinary, try checking out my Blog where I post a lot of images that you won’t see here.

If you’re interested in taking photographs on Dartmoor yourself, you might want to consider on of my Dartmoor Photography Walks.

You can also find a lot more of my work on my Social Media Pages …

Dartmoor Tors, Valleys & Ancient Landscapes

If you’re looking for prints of Dartmoor Landscapes, Guided Photography Walks or even a Portrait Shoot in one of the most beautiful locations in the world, then you have come to the right place. I’m always adding new images to my gallery and daily add more photographs to my social media accounts. If you spot somewhere you'd love to visit then I’d be happy to help you achieve that goal.

FAQ’s - Dartmoor Landscape Photography

Who is the Dartmoor landscape photographer behind Glavind Strachan Photography?

Paul Harris is a Dartmoor landscape photographer and qualified Hill & Moorland Leader who has been exploring Dartmoor for over 40 years. He photographs the moor in all weathers and all seasons, with a focus on its less visited and more atmospheric locations. You can find out more in the About section

What makes this Dartmoor photography different from other landscape photographers?

Paul shoots using predominantly vintage film camera lenses. Nearly always an old Super Takumar or Helios 44-2, but on occasion, an adapted enlarger lens or an old TV lens. You can learn more about this on the Experimental Photography page. The resulting images have a distinctive quality, imperfect, rough around the edges, something that suits Dartmoor's distinctive character: moody, atmospheric, and honest.

Which locations on Dartmoor does Paul photograph?

The portfolio covers locations right across the moor including Great Links Tor, Tavy Cleave, Scorhill Stone Circle, Fernworthy Forest, High Willhays, Arms Tor, and Buttern Hill. Paul shoots more often on the North Moor, but having grown up in Plymouth, he’s equally at home on the South Moor. As a Hill & Moorland Leader, Paul likes to walk the moor all year around and in all conditions.

Can I buy prints of Paul's Dartmoor landscape photography?

Yes. Fine Art prints of Dartmoor landscapes are available on the prints page. Experience has meant that second guessing which images people are likely to want as prints is sometimes a little difficult so if you're interested in a specific image or location not currently listed, it's worth getting in touch directly.

Does Paul offer Dartmoor photography workshops or guided walks?

Yes - Paul (Glavind Strachan Photography) runs guided photography walks and workshops on Dartmoor. As a qualified Hill & Moorland Leader, he combines navigational expertise and moorland knowledge with photographic guidance, including advice on shooting with non standard lenses and discovering some less visited locations.

Guided Photography Walks on Dartmoor

Would you like to see these places for yourself? As well as enjoying capturing Dartmoor in all it’s glorious photogenic splendour, I’m also a fully qualified Hill & Moorland Leader and will make every effort to get you safely to your desired location, and back again! Everything I do is designed around you, feel free to contact me and discuss your requirements, or have a look a my Guided Photography Walks.

Explore all 197 photographs

A selection of 24 from 197, a different set each visit.