Snowdonia Days
Yes, it’s the boathouse at Llyn Ogwen in Snowdonia again. I can’t get enough of it because with every change of light and weather, it changes the mood of the scenery.
South Stack Lighthouse
South Stack Lighthouse on Holy Island, Anglesey, is probably the most photographed lighthouse in Wales. Its exposition towards west makes it a perfect photo spot at sunset.
Morning Mist
What are you doing when the weather is grey, dull and misty over a long period of time? I decided to visit my local nature reserve in the Forest of Dean to take advantage of the situation, trying to turn it into something positive, by using the last colours of autumn on the trees. The dense fog let the background behind the island on Worgreens Lake almost fully disappear. As an interesting side effect, the reflection appears clearer than the trees itself.
Ffos Noddun
is the Welsh name of Fairy Glen Gorge in Snowdonia, North Wales, where the river Conwy forms this beauty spot near Betws-y-Coed.
As if there weren’t enough natural lead in lines, I decided to use the Lee Little Stopper to make the flow in the water visible and the Lee Landscape Polariser helped to bring out colours and details in the wet greens.
Do you now slowly begin to believe in Fairies…?
The Llanberis Tree
Well known and often photographed at the shore of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. Many photos of this lone tree have been shown recently but I always enjoy coming back to this place. And of course it is photogenic, no matter the weather conditions.
Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse
The Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse on Ynys Llanddwyn, Anglesey, Wales, which marks the western entrance to the Menai Strait since 1873.
While waiting for the sunset on the magical Llanddwyn Island, I was just killing time with some long exposures and this is one of them.
Touching the clouds
Even on a rainy, grey and dull day, I never get enough of Snowdonia. Do you get an idea why!
Llyn Ogwen Boathouse
This boathouse at Llyn Ogwen in Snowdonia doesn’t need a lot of description because it’s well known and often photographed. I’ve been here a few times but finally I had the cloudy and moody conditions I was always hoping for.
Tell me, was it worth coming back in these conditions for this two minute long exposure?
Tŵr Mawr Sunset
Sunset at Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse on Ynys Llanddwyn, Anglesey, Wales.
Fairy Glen Gorge
The Welsh name of this beautiful gorge on the River Conwy in North Wales is Ffos Noddun, which can be translated to Deep Ditch. The river is channelled into a narrow gorge, forming rapids and cascades. It is a true beauty spot and after quite a few visits in Snowdonia, I’m really happy that I finally had the chance to pay this location a visit.
Dreaming of a Lighthouse
Sweet dreams to all of you…
You reap what you sow
This field is right next to my doorstep and watching how it changes throughout the seasons is amazing. Knowing how technical and efficient modern day agricultural work is, I was literally waiting for this one day of the year, when the Combine Harvester would appear. I wasn’t disappointed when it finally happened. The structures, created by the process looked amazing, the light was right to emphasise the golden colours and the shadows, created by the clouds were a real bonus.
The eye in the sky took off and - for the drone police - of course I asked the guys for permission to fly above them.
East Slade Bay
Despite the dull and muggy but warm weather on a summer afternoon at the Welsh south coast, we spent some quality time at the beach. Even though it wasn’t quite the light I was hoping for, I had to take a few long exposure seascapes and of course I’d like to share them with you.
Can you imagine to waste your time in a better way than with a camera and a set of neutral density filters?
Milky Way over Windmills
Rainy weekends are Photoshop weekends!
Today’s creation is a composite of a nine image Milky Way stack from South Wales, blended with a Windmill of Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands.
Birds eye view of Worgreens Lake
Today I’d like to show you something totally different in my portfolio.
The heart of Worgreens Nature Reserve in the Forest of Dean is a manmade lake with one large and a few smaller islands. Normally I visit the area for a quiet stroll, when I need to clear my head. But now the newest member of my little equipment family, allows me completely new views of a well known area.
Would you like to see more like this?
A Path across
Visiting St. Michael’s Mount in Marazion is always a highlight of a trip to and through Cornwall. I simply can’t get enough of this beautiful place.
Little Stream in the Woods
When the temperatures rise, let’s have a walk in the woods and chill down with some fresh spring water.
Trebarwith Sunset
After only one visit, Trebarwith Strand in North Cornwall became immediately one of my favourite beaches. Can you see why?
Worm’s Head
A dose of warm evening light on the south end of Rhossili Bay in South Wales.
Lighthouse in the Clouds
When high tide and sunset come together at the Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse, the place turns into something magical.
Crown Engine House
A calm see and soft evening light at the Botallack Tin Mines in Cornwall.
Have I lost my mind, trying to amplify the mood by a 360 second long exposure or do you think the artistic approach was the right thing to do in this scenery?
The Arc over Ruins
This image is not quite straight out of camera. In fact there are about 60 miles and eight months time between the foreground and the sky, means it is a composite.
What happened? A few weeks ago I took the opportunity to shoot the Milky Way in South Wales. The entire arc is a panorama of 9 vertical images. I never tried that before and really wanted to have the panorama - but there was no pleasing foreground in the scenery at all. Then I remembered that I had an image of these barn ruins in Central Wales from last year, sleeping on my hard disk, which I thought would make a nice base for the Milky Way. Photoshop helped me to bring them both together.
Nash Point Lighthouse
It doesn’t happen very often that I present a monochrome image, which is mainly because I see in colour and I love colours. But occasionally, when I couldn’t resist taking my camera out in harsh sunlight, because the structure of the lighthouse was looking too inviting and the wind was blowing the clouds very fast into the right direction, then… Well then it has to be a monochrome I guess.
Botallack Tin Mine
The Crown Engine Houses at the Botallack Tin Mine in Cornwall at sunset.
During my visit the sea was calm and so was the sky but I wondered how many storms these buildings must have seen, especially sitting that low down the cliffs, being exposed to the elements.
To infinity and beyond
Rarely you find such a tiny stretch of coast that gives a photographer so many compositional opportunities. Trebarwith Strand in north Cornwall has made it immediately on my list of favourite places!
Galactic Center of the Milky Way
For a very long time I was waiting for an opportunity to photograph the Galactic Center of the Milky Way. Last bank holiday weekend, time and conditions were finally right. Spending the night sitting on top of a cliff on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales, in cold conditions with icy northerly winds, was a very special experience for me. As a novice in this field of astro photography I struggled with all sort of difficulties and had a very steep learning curve. Eventually I managed to get to a result I am happy with.
Trebarwith Strand
After driving more than three hours, we arrived just for sunset at this spectacular stretch of coast in North Cornwall. There wasn’t a lot of time for thinking about potential compositions, just get out there and shoot quickly before the light was lost! Against my usual preference for long exposures, I decided to include the motion in the water as one of the main subjects.
What is your opinion, was it the right decision?
Stairway to St. Michael’s Mount
St. Michael’s Mount in Marazion, Cornwall, gives you loads of photographic opportunities. Even on a day when sunrise, which happens behind you, and high tide are at the exact same time, you find a composition. Here is a wide angle take for you.
The Wavebreaker
Two things always manage to amaze me:
First of all, finding a quiet place in Marazion over the easter weekend, when entire Cornwall is crowded.
And second how a long exposure transforms an ordinary seascape into something very special. I hope you enjoy.
Mirror at Garreg Ddu
A completely calm morning at the Elan Valley in central Wales. Garreg Ddu Dam with its Valve Tower in a mirror like reflection.
Because I have a feeling that the question might come up: No, the reflection is not made in Photoshop - it was real!
Against the Wind
The foam in the water, driven straight towards me by the storm over the Craig Goch Reservoir, Elan Valley in Wales, initially caught my eye. The use of a Lee Big Stopper plus a 3 stop hard grad filter, gave me the result I was hoping for, in this 110 second long exposure.
Stream and Cascade
A little stream is forming a cascade, right next to the road at the Elan Valley in Central Wales. Soon after, its waters will join the Garreg Ddu Reservoir. To me it is proof again that you can find beauty everywhere if you open your eyes for the small things...
Garreg Ddu Dam
I found myself in a totally unexpected calm morning at the Elan Valley in central Wales. The elegant bend of the Garreg Ddu Dam leads to a mirror like reflection of its valve tower, embedded in the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Reflections of the Elan Valley
nstead of overflowing dams at the Elan Valley in central Wales, I found myself in an incredibly calm morning, with mirror like reflections in the water.
Craig Goch Dam and Valve Tower
This is the water level required to cause Craig Goch Dam in Central Wales to overflow. 41 seconds exposure time, using a Lee Big Stopper plus a 2 stop graduated filter, were enough to make the motion in the fast moving clouds visible, just the way I wanted it.
Dream a little Dream with me
A long exposure sunset at Nash Point in South Wales.
Craig Goch Dam in Full Flow
Experiencing the Elan Valley dams in full flow is is an incredible spectaculum. The one in this image is a five vertical shot panorama of Craig Goch Dam.
A view across the lake
There were really crazy weather conditions in the Elan Valley over the weekend. The storm blew constant while rain, sleet and sunshine were changing in 10 minute cycles, offering amazing views over Craig Goch Reservoir. The use of a Lee Big Stopper plus a 3 stop hard grad, stopped down to f/16, gave me a 60 second exposure to make the motion of the fast moving clouds visible.
NashPoint
Nash point is a landmark on the Welsh South Coast, the Vale of Glamorgan. Here is an impression of a beautiful sunset evening at low tide.
Sundown in South Wales
That stretch of coast in South Wales has a lot to offer, especially with a sunset like we had that day!
Island in the Clouds
St. Michael’s Mount in Marazion, Cornwall.
Let’s call it digital improvement 😉 Still, this image has been created from a single long exposure RAW file.
Vonette
The wreck of the Vonette, a three masted schooner, on the beach of Bray-Dunes in France, just across the border to Belgium.
This was my very last shot of 2018, on the dull afternoon of new years eve.
Along the Devon Coast Path
I was out for photographing seascapes but the wonder of light really happened behind me.
Sunrise colours in North Devon
Getting up early was rewarded with beautiful colours at the North Devon Coast, near Mortehoe. I truly wish I was living closer to the sea.
Amsterdam - Prinsengracht Blues
Blue hour at Prinsengracht in Amsterdam with a bit of traffic on the water.
Shipwrecked
A few iron remains of a shipwreck at Rockham Beach in North Devon, illuminated by the last glow of the day.
The soft light and warm tones are a strong contrast to the drama it must have been when the vessel got stranded on the rocks.
At the end of the day
At the end of a wonderful seascape workshop day at Dunraven Bay in South Wales, I finally had a little window to take a few quick shots myself. Surprisingly the biggest challenge was to find a composition - simply for the fact that there are millions of opportunities and I had to make a quick decision. Watching the patterns in the water and how they change is always something mesmerizing to me.
Last sunlight on the rocks
When the last sunlight of the day is contouring the rocks at Rockham Beach, Mortehoe, North Devon
Streaming towards Tryfan
Isn’t Snowdonia simply beautiful?
A Devon Morning
Sometimes when you are out for shooting seascapes, it’s worth to turn around…
A video about Long Exposure Photography in Devon: https://youtu.be/6cizqxXImuw
Bull Point Sunrise
After busy weeks, the first opportunity to have a weekend off and get my camera to use led us to the beautiful coast of North Devon. An early morning hike that started in total darkness was rewarded with a lovely sunrise over the North Devon Coast near Mortehoe.
An early morning Dream
A colourful sunrise with its dreamlike reflection at a little lake near my home.
A morning at Zaanse Schans
One of the famous windmills at Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands, in the shine of a glorious sunrise.
It’s a new day - it’s a new dawn
The view from Zaanse Schans over the water to Zaandijk early in the morning.
Still Waters
The Elan River, north of Craig Goch Reservoir in Central Wales. Who does not love triangles in Landscapes?
Moonlight on Craig Goch Dam
One evening at the Craig Goch Reservoir, in the Elan Valley in central Wales, something unexpected happened. Sunset was already an hour and a half ago and there was just a little shine above the horizon on the right hand side of the valve tower. At the same time, the moon showed itself over the hills in the exact opposite direction - on the left hand side of the scenery - and worked as a big reflector to illuminate the dam.
Still, without my fondness for long exposure photography, I wouldn’t have bothered setting up my camera - but a four minute exposure at ISO 400 made a scenery visible, the naked eye could not remotely imagine.
Avon Elan
The Elan River, north of Craig Goch Reservoir in Central Wales. The extremely low water level reveals how deep it has carved it’s bed into the rock.
Le Mont St. Michel
Where Normandy meets Brittany
Tryfan, Llyn Ogwen and a Waterfall
I am so in love with this valley…
A video of this location: https://youtu.be/i9gnfcxJzxA
That Boathouse
Photoshop playtime with a little composition. The plain blue sky has been replaced with a beautiful sunset.
Tryfan
A view to Tryfan, over Lake Ogwen.
The video of my trip to snowdonia on Youtube: https://youtu.be/i9gnfcxJzxA
Llyn Ogwen Boathouse
The popular and well known boathouse at Llyn Ogwen. Guess what, I’m not sure If I have ever seen a photograph of it without a single cloud in the sky.
Zaanse Schans old Cheesefarm
Zaanse Schans is a well known location for photographers. My own little horror story with the non existent clouds continued when we were visiting the location but I tried to make the most of the early morning light. Being really early paid off because I didn’t have to use my „tourist elimination skills“ and the scenery was very quiet and peaceful.
Damrak
When visiting Amsterdam, Damrak is one of the „must shoot“ locations. Here is my interpretation of this spot.
Keizersgracht
Blue hour at Keizersgracht in Amsterdam is an experience I will remember for a long time. At least I have a photograph that will refresh my memories if they should ever fade…
Windmills and a burning Sky
Zaanse Schans has much more to show off than the old Cheesefarm. There aren’t many places where you can take a picture of five windmills at once and have their reflection in the water. Of course there was not a single hint of a cloud in sight but with such a glorious burning sky at sunrise,… OK, this time I won’t complain 😉
Blue Hour at Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle in the evening blue hour. No other human soul was around what made it a very special experience.
Check out my Youtube video from this location: https://youtu.be/9uypN29MwSQ
The Old Cheesefarm
Zaanse Schans is a well known location for photographers. My own little horror story with the non existent clouds continued when we were visiting the location but I tried to make the most of the early morning light. Being really early paid off because I didn’t have to use my „tourist elimination skills“ and the scenery was very quiet and peaceful.
Medieval Dreams
Eltz Castle in Germany is well known and doesn’t really need much description. In photographic terms it has way more than the iconic front view with the bridge (which I showed you in the last picture). Here we have a side view at sunrise, with a bit of mist over the forest, to amplify the romantic mood.
Check out my Youtube video from this location: https://youtu.be/9uypN29MwSQ
Bluebell Fields at my doorstep
Do you think you always have to travel far for landscape photography? Or is it possible to get appealing landscapes close to where you live?
Yes it is - and I want to prove it in this video:
https://youtu.be/3_us5m2QFs8
Worm’s Head
Worm’s Head is a tidal island on the south-west end of Rhossili Bay on the Gower peninsula in Swansea, South Wales.
The abandoned boathouse, called Kitchen Corner, gives a sense of scale of this rock formation.
A morning at Eltz Castle
Eltz Castle (German: Burg Eltz) is a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier in Germany. It is still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago and it is one of the few castles that has never been destroyed. (Thanks Wikipedia!) Even though it's only an hour and a half to drive from where I grew up, I've never visited the location before. So on our recent road trip to Germany, we decided to have a stop and take some photographs of this iconic castle.
Mumbles Lighthouse
Along with the nearby Pier and Lifeboat Station, Mumbles Lighthouse - which was completed in 1794 - is the most photographed landmark in the area.
Over the Hills and far away
Heavy snowfall is covering the landscape with a white blanket. Structures on the ground disappear and the surrounding noise is reduced to a bare minimum. But these trees on top of the hill seem unimpressed by the conditions. They are standing tall and strong, some since long before I was born and many will still stand there long after I am gone…
Tree in the Snow
I always wanted to photograph winter landscapes but never had the opportunity, mainly because of the usual lack of snow in the area where I live. When the white stuff finally appeared and brought traffic to a standstill, I had to grab my gear and take it for a hike around the hills near my home.
The conditions during heavy snowfall are really challenging and the colors in the landscape almost completely disappear. That made it an easy decision to present this winter landscape as monochrome.
Mumbles Pier
Located at the north-west corner of Swansea Bay, near the village of Mumbles, this victorian pier stretches 835 feet (255m) into the sea.
A 30 second long exposure seemed to be the right choice for a balance between smoothing the surface of the water and keeping enough texture in the impressive clouds above the horizon.
Looking into the sea
140 seconds at Dunraven bay in South Wales. The camera unveils what your eye can’t see.
A single Tree
Not many words today. Just a single tree on top of a hill over a green field.
Curtains of Water
The end of the day, fading light and the only noise you can hear is the water endlessly creating these mesmerizing curtains…
The Fairies Crossing
My plan was to go for an early morning hike around the Upper Neuadd Reservoir in South Wales, hoping to capture some reflections of the Brecon Beacons in the water. As you might be already aware, there is usually something wrong in my plans and I have to improvise… Not only that the morning was very foggy and I couldn’t even see the beacons, but also the reservoir has been drained for quite a while! Without water there are no reflections, right?
Fine then, instead of wandering around the reservoir, I had an extensive walk THROUGH it, an experience I never had before. Pretty much at the end - or better the beginning - of where the reservoir should have been, I found this magic place with the fragile crossing over the stream. If fairies exist, I’m pretty sure they live around here…
Overflowing
I’ve been to the Pontsticill Reservoir in Wales, with it’s picturesque valve tower, quite a few times but never when the water was high enough to overflow into the bellmouth. Well, this box can be ticked now. I will also remember this day for permanently wiping lenses and filters in the mixture of fog and rain. Not sure, if the conditions could be any trickier. What do you guys use to keep the glass dry and clean in such damp conditions?
Milky Way over Llyn Brianne
The moment I’ve spotted this tree stump at the Llyn Brianne Reservoir in Central Wales, I wanted a photograph of it at sunset. In my imagination there were magnificent and colorful clouds over the horizon, with a glorious reflection in the water. Well, only in my imagination because at time there was not a hint of a cloud left in the sky. This means that blank space above the tree line had to be filled with something. On the plus side there were no clouds covering the stars at night. So a few hours later, around midnight, I took the photo of the Milky Way at the same area, just in a different direction. What you see here is the combination of both. I still need a lot of practice and experience with this type of work but I’m quite pleased with the result and hope you like it too.
Lady Falls - Sgwd Gwladys
It’s been a while and some of you may have thought I’d given up on photography. Nope, I just had a little break, due to a very busy schedule. The first outing in 2018 took me to the waterfalls country, the Vale of Neath in South Wales. Actually it was more a little stroll in not very good light conditions and it just happened, that I had my camera with me. Just kidding, of course I wanted to take photos. So here is a view of Sgwd Gwyladys, the Lady Falls, a waterfall I photographed before and surely will photograph again…
Symonds Yat Rock Panorama
Symonds Yat Rock on the border between Gloucestershire and Herefordshire is just 15 minutes away from where I live. The view point overlooks a lovely bend of the river Wye and at the right time of the year, raptors like Peregrine Falcons, Buzzards and even Ospreys can be seen.
From the view point aren’t exactly an awful lot of compositions available and to get something unique, I decided to create a panoramic view, stitched together using five vertical shots of 8 seconds each, showing the last light of that early winter day.
Storm approaching at the Burnham-On-Sea Lighthouse
When the wonderful sunset colors get covered by stormy clouds…
Fluffball Robin
When the Robins posing round and fluffy like this little fellow in the Forest of Dean, you better get prepared for winter coming soon.
Good night Central Wales
Here is my first attempt of a composite image, so please don’t be too harsh with me. The photo of the beautiful countryside in Central Wales, a few miles south of the Brecon Beacons, at the Llyn Brianne Dam, has been taken before sunset. The milky way is from the same area and same day but taken after midnight. Both images spent a bit of time on my disk and for quite a while I had the idea to combine them.
The time after Sunset
We all enjoy a beautiful sunset at the beach but sometimes you just have to wait a little longer. When the light is fading away and the colors are getting a little more intense, the rocks seem to glow in a very special mood. This is the time when Rockham Beach in North Devon shows us all its glory.
Burnham Lighthouse on Pink Sky
It’s always fascinating how colors can change during a single sunset. Not only the warm orange phase looks appealing, sometimes it is the time before, when it still looks a little cooler and blue and pink are dominant. That mood looks way too good to waste the colours.
Valley of River Towy
Overlooking the landscape in Mid Wales, where the river Towy is leaving Llyn Brianne dam. Gaps in the cloudy sky let the sun shine through, painting patterns of light and shadow on the hills.
Aberysthwyth Coast Line
Aberysthwyth in West Wales is a beautiful town, no doubt. If you walk away from the usual tourist hot spots for just ten minutes, where there is no pier, where are no restaurants, no cafes and less people, you can enjoy this beautiful view of the atlantic coast. Who wants to sit there with me, enyoing the golden light?
An Evening at the Burnham Lighthouse
High Tide and wonderful warm sunset colors at the Burnham-On-Sea Low Lighthouse.
The Source of Energy for my Soul
After the pre sunset at Rockham Beach in North Devon was already quite promising, the sunset itself didn't disappoint when it finally happened.
The recipe to this image is rather simple: As ingredients find a west facing beach with some bizarre rock formations, slow cook it in a long exposure during sunset and garnish with some colourful seaweed. I hope you find the result as tasty as I do 😉
