Woodland Photography.

This Autumn in many places it seems has been especially colourful. I, as I have stated in my recent social media posts, sometimes struggle a little with woodland photography in trying to distinguish between a pleasing composition and the sometimes chaotic scene that you can encounter. On my Instagram and Facebook page, I have recently shared some shots of woodland scenes that I must admit I have been pleased with. I thought it might be interesting to show you a few that did not make the cut and give some reasons why. Here is the first one: Unbalanced is the first thing I notice about this shot. There just seems to be things appearing from every direction. In the first instance in the field, the thing that got my attention was the Fungi on the tree. But with everything else going on, I find you don't really notice it. Keep it very simple would have worked much better here.

The second one: Not quite sure what I was trying to get across here! Too much clutter for my liking. Yes it's an Autumn scene and yes I guess it tells a bit of a story, but there are way too many distractions in the background and to the right hand side of the image. Maybe in Black and White and with a bit of cropping? Overall though I was pleased with the images I managed to capture in this beautiful old woodland in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons. I enjoyed a flask of coffee in peaceful surroundings and will definitely return again, especially on a foggy morning.

STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY.

I have been selling pictures on various Stock Agency sites for the last few years now with varying degrees of success. I mostly sell on Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. I am certainly no expert at this, but have managed to make a moderate amount of sales on both sites. It is definitely a numbers game. The more shots you upload, the better your chances of success. Also, the more frequently you upload, for example, once a week, the better these sites seem to like it. Unfortunately, I do not upload once a week or in any large quantity. BUT, the shot below of Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons sold for the 20th time recently, so it feels like I must be doing something right. Technically the shots must be of good quality, i.e., good exposure, sharp and interesting composition. The subject matter is very broad. Almost, anything goes. I have sold pictures of the cat literally just standing on the mat by the back door. Thank you very much Dexter! If only it was as easy as that all the time! In the future I am hoping to run some Stock Photography workshops to give anyone interested some pointers on what sort of shots to take and what to do with them after. Hope you found this interesting and feel free to get in touch for Photography Walks and Workshops.

Cairn Pica, Brecon Beacons walk.

Began our walk from Talybont Reservoir. Normally we would do this route in a clockwise direction, but today we decided to get the early sun on the hills and go anti clockwise. The picture below shows the views that greet you as you head for the summit, and we couldn't believe we had it all to ourselves.

Further along the path we came across lots of bags filled with various sized stones to be used for path construction in the future. These bags are air lifted in by helicopter. As you can see below, the finished sections are very impressive and certainly a huge improvement on the loose and peaty ground before. They certainly made the final pull to the summit a little easier, especially as by now the wind had really picked up.

After leaving the summit, you are soon rewarded with spectacular views of the main peaks of the Brecon Beacons, including Cribyn, Pen Y Fan and Corn Du.

It was then a walk along the ridge to descend the steep slope of Craig Y Fan Ddu. Once off the tops, we had lost that cold wind and could feel the warmth of the sun again. It was then a simple 8K walk back along the Taff Trail to the start of the walk. Conditions not great for any dramatic photography today, but with Autumn and Winter now approaching, I shall definitely be heading back.

24th September 2020. The weather has certainly taken a turn for the Autumnal over the past few days here in Wales. Managed to get out with camera for a few hours this morning between the downpours. On Common land near my home, they have cut the bracken and bailed it ready to be used as bedding for livestock through the winter. These bales make good subjects to photograph and add interest to a shot. I also liked the shape of the field behind, the way it drops from left to right. Started raining again soon after this shot was taken.

Through this Autumn and Winter i will be running various Workshops and Walks in the Brecon Beacons National Park. If you would like more info, please get in touch using the Contact page.

Autumn is a great time to get out with your camera. I will be running bespoke photography walks through the Autumn in the Brecon Beacons National Park. To discuss your requirements, please get in touch using the contact page.

This shot of Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons National Park sold again today on Shutterstock. 17/9/20.