50 days of 50mm #39

With my week long excursion to Wales all but a memory, it was time to tread more familiar territory once more, with a visit to Torcross and Start point.

I have happy memories of visiting both venues occasionally on Sunday afternoons, the one special day reserved for ‘family time’ in the 1970’s, the post Sunday roast outing.

A few years later on, I would work as as a chef in the nearby town of Dartmouth and become more acquainted with the coast paths around the area, it would be some years later again before any sort of camera would become a part of these walks.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons I enjoy revisiting a place as much as I do seeing somewhere for the first time, making up for those days when I did not do photography… enough rambling what about today’s walk?

Arriving at just before 10am, being a Saturday, it’s ‘change over day’, those that have enjoyed their week here are getting ready to leave their holiday lets, making space for those arriving later today, I chat with one couple packing up their car, they say they have simply loved watching the sea views from the upper balcony of their holiday rental, it has been their most relaxing holiday ever!

It’s comments such as these that make me appreciate all the more, the fact these views are just an hour’s drive away and just how beautiful the county of Devon is.

After an hour or so capturing a few images around Torcross, it’s time to head out towards Start point, famous for it’s lighthouse and another beautiful part of the South west coast path.

The path towards the lighthouse is a winding route, the views are simply beautiful looking back once more towards Torcross and towards Dartmouth, I am only distracted from these views by a sighting of a pair of yellowhammers and stonechats in the hedges below the footpath wall, no chance of a photo of either species with my 50mm lens, I do not fancy carrying a lens the size of a small ship in my camera bag, I will leave that to the dedicated wildlife photographers.

As I come to the lighthouse itself, the gate is firmly closed, not open for visitors today, this is a trip for another day and a wider lens, something to look forward to on another day.

The last few yards before the footpath ends at Start point lighthouse

50 days of 50mm #38

One of the many pleasures I get from my photography walks, is getting to photograph somewhere for the first time.

With the plethora of online resources available to us all, it is easy enough to research places, especially useful if it were for a working assignment but for my pleasure photography, I try to avoid ‘spoilers’, that way, I can see a new venue for the first time.

There is no doubt that somewhere along the line, I will find a well photographed landmark, the fun is finding such images for myself, maybe with the hope of seeing it from a more unusual aspect.

So day #38 finds me on a brief trip to Barmouth, situated on the west coast of Wales, it is a popular seaside destination, luckily for me, it is just before the peak holiday season but even in mid June, I am joined by a healthy number of other day trippers.

With postcard perfect blue skies and pristine, almond white sands, this town oozes charm and some stunning views, especially that of the impressive railway bridge and the Snowdonia national park for its backdrop.

As has become customary during my 50mm project, I create a multiple shot panorama, this time of my view from the walk along the breakwater, too good an opportunity to pass up.

A 12 image panorama of Barmouth harbour

Today’s visit is all too brief but there is a certainty that I will return for a longer exploration and a promise to myself that I will add the railway bridge walk to that itinerary, something I am already looking forward to.

50 days of 50mm #37

If I have learned just one lesson from my photographic journey over the years, I would probably suggest that patience would be in my list of possibilities.

The nature of my line of work within the catering industry has demanded a sense of urgency, that trait often found its way within my extra curricular activities, where perhaps a little more thought before jumping in with both feet would have been the wiser option.

Certainly, my single focal length projects have taught me to be more patient in finding alternative angles where a zoom lens would allow me to find the obvious but perhaps a better example of this point is from my recent Welsh excursion.

With the holiday rental just a 10 minute walk away from the beautiful Bala Lake, it was natural that my love of early mornings would find me making early forays here.
Saturday and Sunday morning were quite windy, with some low cloud in the mountains beyond and while I captured some pleasing images, I was secretly hoping for something a little calmer, a reminder of a scene I captured a few years before perhaps on my first and fleeting visit to a now favourite place.

Tuesday morning and I had not set an early alarm but I was awake just before 4am, I was about to head to the kitchen to make my first brew of the day, instead, I looked out from my bedroom window and saw firstly that the wind had dropped, and in the distance a plume of low cloud over the lake.

That first brew would come later, as I was dressed and out within a few minutes, heading towards photographic utopia.

This first image is from my favoured spot, the nearest to the holiday let but a mile or walk around to the opposite side of the lake to this the site of the local yacht club, was to be one of my best decisions of the holiday as I took shot after shot of the breathtaking beauty before me, my patience had been rewarded and then some.

To actually witness any landscape in such a beautiful light is a pleasure, to capture the scene photographically, is a privilege but to do so, you just have to keep on keeping on.

50 days of 50mm #36

After a wonderful few days off exploring the breathtaking scenery of Wales, it’s back to reality with a bump and that feeling that the holiday went far too quickly.

The holiday may have finished but the memories have already commenced, in the form of the few hundred photos that I have taken along the way.

Over the next few days, as I pick out my favourites from my morning walks around Bala Lake and my excursions further afield, I will attempt to share my days away through the medium of images from my trusty 50mm lens.

Today’s images are just a few of my favourites from Monday……

50 days of 50mm #35

Day 35 and I have travelled a little further afield from my usual haunts for a few days, staying in the breathtaking scenery of Wales.

With a ‘base’ at Bala lake, there will be a few early morning forays here for sure but today’s post centres on a brief foray to Porthmadog.

This is my second visit to this harbour town, with views of both the sea and the mountains, Moel-y-Gest the prominent hill standing majestically in the distance.

Even among this wonderful scenery, I was still keen to grab a few shots at the nearby steam Railway station, first opened in 1877, the station building is now a grade II listed building.

It is barely 10am and the platform is already bustling with activity, soon to be passengers looking admiringly at their transport for the next few hours, staff preparing said transport and people like me, there just to capture the scene in either still images or video.

I love the hustle and bustle of these charming stations, kept alive by an army of volunteers and employees alike, always immaculately kept, always friendly.

The vibrant colours of the trains and station are emphasized by the warm sun and blue skies, I spend a few minutes chatting to a fellow photographer comparing pictures and naturally talking about ‘gear’.

Perhaps next year I may stop here long enough to take one of these train journeys myself, what better excuse to return again some time soon.

50 days of 50mm #34

Over the last few weeks, I have been incredibly fortunate with the weather, managing to capture some wonderful sunrises and early morning light, day #34 however would buck this trend, with overcast skies and more than a little rain.

A trip to the Powdermills on Dartmoor, an area once used to produce the gunpowder required for the local quarries, has been a long time favourite destination for my camera walks, until today, I had not captured this fascinating place in the rain, I would have my chance today.

Arriving on Dartmoor at just after 11am, the heavens decided to open, rain beating against the metal shelter of the car while waiting patiently for the rain clouds to pass.

This was not going to happen any time soon, so my impatience to get out and take at least a few photos, was greater than my need to stay dry.

To me, Dartmoor in this moody maelstrom is as beautiful as Dartmoor on a fine day, just being here the perfect antidote to a very busy working week.

Barely five minutes into my walk and the rain changes from a few drops to ‘the rain that soaks you through’ in Peter Kaye parlance,yet I have already bagged a few shots before quickly hiding the camera back under my coat before my next shot.

Shoot, wipe dry and conceal, shoot, wipe dry and conceal, regardless of the fact that my walking shoes are now leaking and I have wet feet, the camera is dry and ready for the next image.

My favourites from today’s rather damp walk

My personal favourite image is the black and white image on the approach to the nearby pottery where a welcome cup of tea and toasted fruit bread was consumed with gusto.

50 days of 50mm #33

It has been a rather busy week, so my first post for this weekend is my early morning walk from last weekend.

I had not set an alarm for this morning, not having anything planned, it was to be a spontaneous outing, more than likely another riverside walk to begin my day.

It was just after 5AM, a good two hour lie in by normal workday standards, the day was bright with clear skies, with that late spring stillness of the early morning.

Too early to eat breakfast, I fuelled up with a generous mug of tea before heading out, I will look forward to a cooked breakfast on my return.

The river lies still, reflections of riverside residences reflect in the water below, it is not long before the first rays of sun paint the scene in a gentle glow.

I love the early light as it finds its way through trees and foliage, fresh verdant leaves bathing in the early rays, a tree trunk surrounded by its garland of wild flora, perfect subjects for my favoured close up style shots.

Above, a collection of my favourite shots from my brief but enjoyable morning walk, it may be just after eight AM but I feel that I have seen the best of the day….