Landscape

Celtic Routes goes live

in ,

As I mentioned back in August; I was part of a team working with Mother Goose Films tasked with a two week mission to get images for the new Celtic Routes project. The project is a joint venture by councils in South West Wales and South East Ireland designed to highlight the shared Celtic history of the regions and encourage visitors to explore the heritage of this part of the world.

We spent the first part of September on a dawn til dusk mission to visit sites and get images for the publicity materials. It was a treat to get to see so many amazing places that are here on our doorstep and further afield in the South of Ireland which I had not visited before. Sometimes we weren’t lucky with the weather but at other times, for example; watching the sun rise and illuminate Hook lighthouse in Wexford, we were treated to some magical moments.

The website with our pics and a short promotional film is now up here… https://celticroutes.wales/

Thoughts on coastal long exposure

in

Compare and contrast.

Not everyone is keen on long exposure shots and it’s not hard to see their point of view. Several people have told me that they get sick of seeing the effect and feel that it’s a tawdry attempt at being artistic. However, I feel that in a lot of circumstances it’s effective and is the best way to render a scene. For me, it works especially well on the coast at this time of year in particular.

It’s all to do with texture; this image on the right is taken in high wind on the same evening as the image below. Using a tripod wasn’t going to be possible due to the wind so I hunkered down and took this handheld. I find it too complex, with each of the 3 elements of rock, sea and sky having texture and structure. The scene below, is a very different image made using a long exposure on the other side of the headland and out of the wind. With dramatic clouds, jagged rocks and a choppy sea, it was a texture heavy scene which can appear too ‘busy’ to be pleasing. If a painter was rendering this scene, I feel that in either the sea or the clouds, they would use wider brushstrokes to smear some of the detail until they contrasted the textured rocks in the foreground. Using a neutral density filter to allow a longer shutter speed allows the photographer to do the same. The drama is still conveyed but we have a variety of quality to the elements. In short, we made some parts of the image easier on the eye and the image works better as a whole. Interested to know if you agree… feel free to comment below.

Llangwm, mid November

in

I often make my way down to the estuary at this time of year. It's a little more sheltered when being on the coast is to experience the sea in its wildest state and it can be exhausting to spend time there; hunkering against sea spray and crashing noise. Standing in the mud on the estuary banks the water is flat and moves slowly. The tide gurgles in gently and not much punctuates the stillness except for the flitting of birds in the gathering gloom. The sucking mud dictates the pace of travel and everything feels slowed to its will. The boats here languish, drained of any memory of tack and jibe. Seeing me taking pictures, a woman emerges from her patio door to tell me she was born in the house and after a time away, has returned. She tells me how the moon had risen behind the woodland on the far bank and how she sees bass and mullet in the shallows sometimes. Her son still fishes the river but his easiest catch was a salmon trapped in a pool above the stepping stones. She tells me she is 93. We say goodbye as a chill breeze reminds us of the cold and the dark. Later, I'm introduced to Poem in October by Dylan Thomas and see some of these moments all over again. Dylan Thomas’ for me is the best voice to describe West Wales. Much of his writing was done in Laugharne, the next big river mouth East of here, and many of the images that he conjures with his words are familiar to anyone who wanders these places.

The Wildsome Weekend in Snowdonia

in , ,

I spent the weekend up in Snowdonia with the Wildsome crew and guests shooting some images for their website and social media. The philosophy is to create tailored mountain adventures that deliver a full outdoor experience in one weekend. As a new venture this was only the second event they have offered but it was excellent; with a mix of challenging walking, some light scrambling and sharing of knowledge about the mountains, their history, flora and fauna and how to navigate them safely. The weekend was also about escape and exploring a new environment with mindfulness and sense of disconnection from the norm. Joey and Emily, the masterminds behind the Wildsome, have worked hard to make sure everything is in place to spend the weekend not only physically active but also well fed and nurtured in an ego free environment. There’s a sense of calm, of shared positive experience and personal growth coupled with belly laughs, fun and freedom to enjoy everything the outdoors has to offer. The blend was just right and everyone went home pleasantly weary and happy. Look out for their upcoming events at https://thewildsome.com/ and here on Instagram .

Wales Coast Path - Mother Goose Films

in ,

Working with Mother Goose Films, I spent a good deal of last Summer out and about shooting pictures along the length of the Wales Coast Path for their marketing resource. All the way from the Southern start on the Severn, along the Glamorgan coast, Gower and Pembrokeshire, through Ceredigion up to the Llyn Peninsula, Anglesea and the North Wales coast to the other end of the path near Chester. At 870 miles we didn’t quite cover every footstep but certainly shot some highlights. It was at times exhausting but always great fun and despite battling with poor conditions in some locations; waiting for the light to show the landscape at its best, we managed to get a collection of images and video from the length of the path that really shows off what a wonderful resource it is. As a long distance walking route or for a quick dog walk; it’s really very special to be able to walk every mile of the Wales coast.

If I travel to North Wales it is usually to head to the mountains and if I go East it’s usually for the draw of the city as we are somewhat spoiled by the wonderful coastline here in Pembrokeshire; but it was a revelation to get to spend time on lots of other parts of the Welsh coast and the path takes you through the lot. From industrial sites backing up onto the sea, to estuaries, towering cliffs, huge beaches and hidden bays, woodland, big city and tiny village, the path covers a lot of terrain. It was also a pleasure to meet up with so many lovely people along the way. Everyone had a story to tell about why they are drawn to the coast and what the path means to them as part of their daily lives or as a holiday destination.

The images are now available to use as part of a marketing toolkit for businesses or individuals requiring pictures from the coast path…

https://visitwales.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Wales-Coast-Path/C00002Ninv.SCRaw

For access use the password: WCP2019!

Even on the most beautiful evenings, you can always find a beach to yourself in Wales… the downside is that with no one else around, sometimes I had to jump in front of the camera as it sat on the tripod and do a bit of modelling myself!

WCP_Traeth Llyfn Sitting.jpg

The National Parks at 70 - Competition success

in

I had some success last week! Having entered several images into a competition to capture a moment to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the designation of the first National Parks; I had an image shortlisted. A shot of a horse at Newgale which I will remember taking for a while.

Seeing out of the window that the light was great and there might be a good sunset, I jumped in the car and headed down to Newgale. When I got on to the beach I soon realised I'd underestimated the weather. It was bitterly cold with a biting wind and I didn't have any gloves with me. I took a few shots on the beach then had to retreat to the car to try and warm up my hands. As I was thinking of calling it a day, I saw a lady leading her horse over the pebbles and onto the beach. I gave my hands a final rub and hopped out of the car and back on to the beach. They only stayed for a short while on the beach and in the water before heading back to the trailer but in that time I managed to get a few shots. The blue sky above made the sea a great colour and the dramatic clouds in the background were a blessing. The picture is looking towards the Southern arm of St Brides Bay with Skomer Island offshore.

The gallery was shared in print in the Times, Telegraph, Guardian on the BBC and widely online and social media. There were some great entrants, a well deserved winner and another shot from Pembrokeshire by Steve Burnett of an owl in flight over bluebells; on Skomer Island I suspect. The full collection here…

Winners Gallery in the Guardian