Rock, Climb, Light.

Beth Rippin's love of night photography

Words: Paul Chapman

Images: Beth Rippin

When you first glance at this edition’s cover, the luminous sweep of light across a Peak District rock face feels almost otherworldly. Behind the image is the steady hand and torch light of Beth Rippin, an ex Brookfield student and now a Leeds University fine art graduate whose journey into night photography began almost by accident.

Beth started her creative career with a paintbrush. Her Fine Art degree, found her immersed in oil painting, often photographing landscapes simply as references for her canvases. But as the years went on, frustration was setting in, "Four years of painting to achieve a grade… it just lost its joy," she admits.

"It was being outdoors that I really loved," Beth explains. "Photography gives me a sense of freedom that painting no longer does and what started as simple phone snaps soon turned into something more serious.

"A lecturer suggested that to pursue fine art I focus on photography, so armed with a second-hand camera from Harrison Cameras in Sheffield, I began to experiment."

Beth’s early paintings focused on mountains, usually in daylight. Her transition to night photography was serendipitous. "Whilst out one evening with a torch, I was struck by how the light transformed the rocks around me. Unlike the grand, sweeping views others might focus on I was captivated by the raw textures of the stone itself," says Beth.

Her first attempts took her to Burbage, where she illuminated rock faces with nothing more than her father’s head torches. Today, she still relies on a simple mix of head torches, bike lights, fairy lights and, when it cooperates, the moon.

Beth’s love of climbing runs deep. Raised by outdoorsy parents, her father a climber and cyclist, her mother a keen walker, she grew up among rocks and ridges and it's this knowledge of the landscape that now influences her photography.

She scouts locations through old climbing guidebooks, intrigued by the topos (illustrated maps showing the lines of climbing routes). Initially, she tried lighting these routes directly, but shifted focus toward the natural flow of cracks, fissures, and ridgelines, the topos were not easy to follow with lights due to the very nature of the difficult climbs they map out. With the help of a string of fairy lights, battery packs, and her dad’s steady assistance, she paints the rock with light, always careful to leave no trace behind.

"Preparation is key," explains Beth. "I visit each site in the day to scope and plan the compositions, then return at nightfall with minimal gear: a camera, tripod, lights, and just enough equipment to stay safe in often remote conditions.

“It’s all about having zero impact,” she says. “You’d never know I’d been there.”

Her approach has earned her attention and awards. Beth graduated with a 1st and received two major prizes: the Ben Read Acquisition Award, through which Leeds Art Gallery purchased her work 'Beyond a Rock 3 (Back Tor)' and the Alan Moham Award, a financial prize supporting her practice.

Looking ahead, Beth plans to expand her night photography beyond the Peak District, with the Lake District just three hours away and countless iconic climbs yet to explore.

For Beth, night photography is not only about art but also about experience: the stillness of the hills, the thrill of climbing by head torch, the patience required to wait for the perfect moonlight. Each image is a collaboration between herself and mother nature.

Her work is available to purchase, and commissions are open for those intrigued by the striking possibilities of illuminated landscapes.

See more at www.bethrippin.com