No wonder they call it God’s own country: Breathtaking images of Yorkshire by amateur Alec Scott

There are many reasons they call Yorkshire “God’s Own Country”.

And county-born photographer Alec Scott captured some of them on camera, from the mesmerizing beauty of the rolling hills of Wensleydale to the magic of the streets of old York and the bucolic charm of the fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay to the Gothic mystery of Whitby Abbey .

His shots are fascinating – the work of an experienced professional … But no, 62-year-old Alec, who lives alone in Scarborough, is a carpet layer and publishes his pictures in front of only 900 viewers on Instagram (@ascotography).

A fascinating, dreamy shot of the picturesque Robin Hood’s Bay, a picturesque fishing village on the coast of the North York Moors National Park

A stunning picture of Alec of Scarborough Castle which, according to English heritage, was “one of the greatest royal fortresses in England”. Fortified buildings have stood on this site since the late 4th century, but it was Henry II and King John in the 12th century who developed the site

On the left is a lovely shot of the Shambles in York and on the right is Minster Gates Road and the York branch of the Ogden of Harrogate jewelry store

He started taking photos eight years ago for his sister who had motor neuron disease. She lived in a nursing home and couldn’t explore the same parts of the country as he did.

Alec sums it up: “I started taking pictures so she could see things that she couldn’t see.”

Although he started out with a camera with a lens that he bought for £ 300 or £ 400, he quickly realized that the world of internet photography was a whole new ball game.

Wensleydale, a valley in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, is arguably one of the most fascinating areas of Britain – and its beauty has been enticingly captured by Alec

The residents of these houses live in the shadow of one of the longest single-span suspension bridges in the world, the magnificent Humber Bridge, which stretches over 2.2 km across the Humber Estuary between Hessle in East Yorkshire and Barton-upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire

The haunting picture on the left was taken by Alec in the 12th century St. Mary’s Church in Scarborough. On the right is a fascinating shot of Oliver’s Mount, a road racing circuit near the resort that has been dubbed the “Miniature TT by the Sea”.

This moody shot was taken near Hawes, which at 850 feet is one of England’s tallest market towns

He says, “Just taking pictures was great, but then I thought,” I need to start making them look like I saw them on the internet. “

“All of these people were working on things, so I started doing it. And that’s how it happened.

“Once you get involved in something and enjoy it, you not only expand your portfolio, but also the material you need to take better photos.”

The writing: Here Alec captured the vintage charm of the literary Mecca Haworth – home of the Brontë sisters – in an excellent way

A beautiful shot of the pretty village of Grassington that Channel 5 turned into ‘Darrowby’ for the filming of the remake of All Creatures Great And Small

The splendor of the Yorkshire Dales was once again captured by Alec. The amateur photographer reveals that his sister used to be in a nursing home and that he took the photograph to allow her to explore the landscape

Alec now has six lenses and a new camera. He used to have two cameras, he says, but is currently saving for a Canon EO5 R5, which costs up to £ 4,000.

Although his sister died five years ago, Alec continues to take pictures. “Because I live alone, I take photos every weekend when I don’t see the grandchildren or whatever,” he says.

“I love exploring new places and exploring new ways to take a photo in a certain way in a certain place at a certain time.”

Alec, who lives alone in Scarborough, is a carpet shift and publishes his pictures on Instagram in front of only 900 viewers. This fascinating picture takes us back to Haworth

Helmsley is another Yorkshire market town that takes the vintage charm to 11

The blue flag beach and dramatic cliffs in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, a Victorian town between Cleveland’s Heritage Coast and the North York Moors National Park

There’s a tingling shot of Whitby Abbey on the left. On the right is the quiet Pateley Bridge, home to England’s oldest candy store

However, its main strength is editing.

He says, “I don’t just take a picture and think,“ That’s enough. ”I edit a lot of my photos, but they are edited as I express myself.

“I’m not here to sell my photos. I only set it up for my benefit. If people like her that’s great, I’m doing something right. If people don’t like her, that’s fine with me too. ‘

A stunning picture of the village of Hackness on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and the surrounding poetic landscape

The stunning picture on the left was taken in a wood near the hamlet of Silpho in North Yorkshire. On the right hand side is Richmond, the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales.

The quaint village of Clapham is to the west of the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Inspired by artists like Chinese street photographer Fan Ho, Alec says the key to a good photo is lighting.

He says, “If you can use the light to the utmost, you know you will get a decent shot. Light is the camera’s friend.

“If it’s a bright, sunny day, you can control how much light hits the center of the camera. When it’s a boring day, you need to use the camera harder to get the light to fall as you want it to be in the center.

“The beauty of photography is light, controls it.”

As he nears retirement, Alec hopes to turn photography into a full time hobby. After spending the last eight years practicing it, there is no better way to imagine yourself spending the next few years.

He says, “I can spend a whole week on it because I like it so much. A photo is only a moment in time. After eight years you will learn to see what you want to edit. It’s almost like I can paint a picture in my head for later. ‘

To see more of Alec’s incredible photos, visit his Instagram page.