FOR most of us, the beauty we witness with the naked eye, we can rarely replicate with a camera — leave that to the professionals.

One such is David Chapman, who is at the forefront of photographing Cornwall's dramatic landscape, its coastal scenes, its heather-cloaked moors, its golden autumnal woods.

In his latest book, 'Photographing Cornwall, Chapman gives some welcome tips on how to achieve stunning photographs.

He focuses on each of the prints in the book's 112 pages, giving technical information such as aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation, and tells of what camera and equipment he uses to capture scenes of serenity or tempest.

Among the serene is a spot familiar to Times readers — Cotehele Quay, where the Tamar is so still there is almost perfect reflection.

In contrast, the angry sea at Portreath crashes over the harbour wall, providing what Chapman rightly says is now an 'iconic image of Cornwall'.

'The telephoto lens has helped focus the eye just on the end of the pier,' he writes, 'giving the wave a bit of extra impact.'

In a picture of Godolphin Woods he wanted to give a sense of the colour and movement of the trees on a windy autumn day and used a long shutter speed to blur the movement of branches. The result is a photograph that has beauty and mystery.

The final page of the book gives advice on composition, light and timing, so much so that the most amateur of photographers will be able to improve results — not just in Cornwall, but on their own Devon doorstep, too.

'Photographic Cornwall' by David Chapman is published by Alison Hodge Publishers, price £8.95.

Colin Brent