Braving the Elements: A Rugged Dartmoor Fitness Photoshoot (And One Very Tired Photographer)

Imagine my delight when a gentleman named Gavin reached out to book a commercial photoshoot for his upcoming outdoor fitness business. He had spotted my work in Tavistock’s historic Pannier Market and decided that my lens was the perfect fit for his venture. Given that his business revolves around rugged, outdoor training on the dramatic landscapes of Dartmoor, it felt like a match made in heaven. Or, at the very least, a match made in Devon.

In my mind’s eye, I immediately conjured a glorious tableau: a group of effortlessly enthusiastic fitness types, the sort of chiselled, impossibly beautiful people who seem to populate social media with annoying frequency, bounding joyfully across the heather. We tossed ideas back and forth and settled on a date to meet at Tavy Cleave.

If you have never visited Tavy Cleave, I can highly recommend it. It offers the absolute finest of Dartmoor concentrated into one spectacular spot:

• Rugged granite tors

• Sweeping, cinematic vistas

• Lung busting hills

• A dramatic valley complete with a rushing river and a waterfall

It is, in short, a Devon paradise.

When Dartmoor Ignores the Met Office

"Rugged" was the specific look we were aiming for. Somehow, the temperamental weather gods of the West Country decided that rugged actually meant downright brutal.

Lulled into a entirely false sense of optimism by a cheerful Met Office forecast, we agreed to meet early to capture as many images as possible before any storm clouds gathered. Delightful in theory. However, if there is one thing I have learned as a Dartmoor photographer, it is that Dartmoor does not read, nor does it respect, weather forecasts.

As we climbed our first Tor, the sky shifted from a mild, brooding grey to a state of absolute, dark anger. Yet, we persevered. With the first set of fitness portraits safely on the camera sensor despite the lowering cloud, we descended into the valley toward the waterfall and wild swimming area.

Note to readers: Dartmoor water in the cooler months is not what one would call "inviting." It is closer to liquid ice.

Gavin, however, is clearly constructed from sterner stuff than ordinary mortals. Before I could even mutter the word hypothermia, he had stripped down to his swimming trunks and dived headlong into the icy depths. I watched on, convinced I was working with Superman.

Fitness vs. Photography: The Great Contrast

After a brisk jog back to his van, it was time for Gavin to endure several more forms of torture in the name of physical fitness. Fortunately for everyone concerned, this next segment did not involve me exerting myself any further than lifting my camera and adjusting my shutter speed.

Photoshoot complete, our local fitness hero packed away an alarming number of heavy weights and assorted equipment without looking like he had broken so much as a single sweat. Meanwhile, a red faced, slightly rotund photographer trudged back to his own car, feeling very much like a broken man.

It was a brilliant day of Devon commercial photography, capturing the raw, authentic grit of outdoor training. When Gavin officially launches his new Dartmoor fitness venture, I highly recommend checking it out, though you might find me at the back of the class, catching my breath.

Planning a Brand Launch in Devon?

Whether you need rugged fitness photography on the moors or professional commercial imagery in Tavistock or Plymouth, I’d love to help bring your business vision to life (and I promise to bring plenty of enthusiasm, even if the weather brings the drama).

[Get in touch with MJC-photography today to discuss your project.]