MOST RECENT
Mwnt is one of the iconic beaches in Ceredigion, and near to my home. I had the pleasure of spending a day of photography with my friend and fellow photographer Nigel Thomas; we walked away from the beach along the coastal path to find some wonderful views which are a little different to the normal ones which are found in the tourist promotions and postcards. I chose a long exposure for this image; in the background is the beach (directly above the left hand side of which is barely visible the chapel which features in the next photograph). The weather hadn’t looked very promising light-wise, but we eventually got some subdued sunlight which brought out the varied colours on the cliff and the turquoise of the sea; it’s a game that needs patience as well as caution, as my tripod was perched near to the cliff’s edge!
Capel y Mwnt at Night. A three-minute exposure was required for this image which brought out part of the Milky Way as well as hints of the aurora, which was present that night. I’m very happy with the combination of the chapel, the gravestones, the sea and in particular the aurora-tinged sky with such clear stars and some moody clouds. Capel y Mwnt (Mwnt chapel) is still in use for services and occasional concerts etc. and a very special place!
Another image of Mwnt from the same night as the previous one. I chose a very wide angle for this shot. More of the aurora is visible and the various lines in the image lead to the chapel in the centre, and I think I’ve managed to capture the essence of the place.
A sunset image of Mwnt and a view that most people would associate with this place. From the same day as the earlier image, Nigel and I returned to the beach for sunset. We had great hopes for the sky to light up in a massive display, but it didn’t quite happen as we’d hoped, and yet I think we got some good images, and the clouds directly above the beach make the image despite not being the gorgeous reds and oranges we had hoped for. You have to be open to unexpected conditions, and at times they yield a better image than what you may have had in your mind’s eye! Certainly, this puts the focus onto the beach and the gentle orange reflections on the water.
The rapids/waterfall at Henllan on the river Teifi. This is a location near to my home and somewhere I visit frequently. I think this is the best image I have got here, with all the conditions in my favour. The late summer foliage gives a lush and almost romantic feel to the location, and the amount and speed of water flow was perfect to give a sense of rushing powerful water, yet not so high that the water covers all the interesting rocks. I also wanted a strong sense of the water opening out of the narrow channel at the bottom.
I love the curlew: such a unique and characterful bird with its long curved beak and small head. I’m sure I’m anthropomorphising, but they seem to have a rather weird expression which I am drawn to. I’ve entitled this photo “Curlew Conclave”. I had to wait patiently for the background birds to line up in the best way for the photo, as they are not susceptible to instructions!
A greenshank at Teifi Marshes. This is a very elegant wader, and I was happy with its pose, one leg deftly poised above the water. Behind was a sleeping ruff, whose presence in the photo I like, having at first thought that it was somewhat in the way. One of the hides at the wildlife centre is aptly named “Creek Hide” and the best time to visit this is as the tide approaches high tide. On this occasion there were as few greenshanks, around ten curlews, ruffs, dunlins and a variety of ducks.