Pen Y Fan Pilgrimage

Well another year has gone by and I am still alive and kicking. As I like to do every year, I head off to the highest mountain in South Wales - Pen Y Fan. Pen y Fan (pronounced pen.e.van) is the highest peak in South Wales and southern Britain, situated in the Brecon Beacons National Park. At 886 metres (2,907 ft) above sea-level, it is also the highest peak in Britain south of the Snowdonia mountain range. The twin summits of Pen y Fan and Corn Du were formerly referred to as Cadair Arthur or 'Arthur's Seat' This is my way of seeing in the new year, along with many other people, as the crowds heading up and back proved. Arriving at the car park at the mountain base I was surprised to find the car park full, I was heading up much later in the day than normal, about 10am, as I thought the weather was going to prohibit my climb this year but a sudden brake in the wether sent me dashing out of the house heading for the hills. The weather was cold, but dry and a lot of blue sky above. But knowing the mountain as I do, I did not expect the weather to remain clear for long. My legs did suffer, but I did not notice until I got to the top and started to walk back down, it was then that my inner thighs started to cramp up. Not wanting to look a plonked I ignored the pain as much as I could and walked it off as best I could, I think I may have been walking a little funny and it felt as though I was going slower down hill than I did going up. As soon as I was within a couple of hundred feet of the top, where evidence of snow was plain to see, the clouds started to close in and remained there until my decent. It remained dry though, but very cold and no view. But no matter I got there, again, proving that at 50 years of age I was not ready to be an old fart just yet. Lets see what its like at the start of next year! I have included some images that I took during the climb.

The End of the World

We are quickly arriving at the end of 2012 and as we can all see, we are still here. The end of the world did not take place and the human race continues. We should not be surprised really. Throughout history there have been voices claiming the end of the world in upon us, but still we continue. Perhaps in a slightly changed form, but never the less we continue. Now what does this have to do with photography? you may ask, well since the beginning of photography there have been the voices claiming the end of photography is upon us. With introduction of the first moving image photography was thought to be over, but it was not. And as technology and mankind's understanding of the universe has advanced the question of the end of the still image comes up time and time again. I suppose we are currently seeing another period where photography is once again being scrutinised. With the advent of the digital camera and the technology for the cameras to do most of the thinking for you, more and more people are taking up photography, in one form or another. But here is the kick, no camera ever invented, or ever to be invented, will ever have the individuals creative ability to not only see what is in front of us and record it, but to look past what is there and see what possibilities there are in a scene for the individuals own unique and special take of what can be seen. The ability of watch and wait for the light to be just right, or a face to express the inner sense of the individual being photographed, all require a special kind of individual with the right kind of imagination and skill to create these possibilities. So we should not despair that so many people are currently taking up the camera and making their own images, everyone has had the ability to that for a very long time, as the flair and vision that all true artists have had over the centuries has always been in short supply and will continue to be so. Once this current novelty of producing relatively cheep snaps wears off and the vast majority of people come to realise that they cannot produce those special images, just because they have the latest and best cameras, the role of the professional photographer will once again be a viable commercial venture.

When is a Photo not a Photo

Over the past 12 months I have been looking and admiring the work of a number of photographers, but I have found myself asking, what on the face of it, a simple question - when is a photo not a photo, but a piece of art work? I am of course talking about the many images that comprise of a series of several shots, combined into one, images that have been through the PS process and now look as if some one has a million pound budget or access to some very strange landscapes, and so the list goes on. Well this is what I think, for what it's worth. A photograph, should be just that, an image capturing a moment in time. Yes I still think it can be enhanced in post production, as the camera cannot hope to capture what our eyes see and our creative mind envisioned, but basically that should be that. I think once we start combining images to make a new and unreal world or creation, then we should be talking about photo art. I am in no way saying that one is more worthy than the next, but I do think they should be viewed and judged separately. I was looking at an image of a lighthouse with a large number of gulls flying around it, against a wonderful sky. This image had won a photography contest, landscape I think, but it came out later that the image was made up of a number of separate images. The sky was from one shoot, several gull shots were combined and then the light house was introduced. Now all of this was done wonderfully, but! can you tell me the skill and patience that would be needed to capture the image in it's true form is the same as the computing and visionary/artistic skills needed to create the photo art? As I have said already, I love both aspects of the creative process, but I do believe they should be judged separately, as two distinctive art forms. This brings me on to a similar subject, wedding photography competitions. How many times have you seen a photo with the heading wedding photographer of the year, or some such, depicting an image which could not possibly have been taken at any real wedding event. We know and indeed the photographers openly admit the photos were taken with models and studio lighting, or other lighting control measures that would not be possible at any real event. This also applies to some nature photography that I have seen where we all know the shot was taken in a studio environment and not in the wild. Now I am not belittling any of the images, or indeed the creative skills required to create and capture them, but once again I do feel that these images should be viewed separately from the work carried out in the field, under real conditions. The wedding photographer who can create stunning images, of everyday people in normal lighting conditions is by far the better creative thinker than the photographer who has all the time in the world to work with a very attractive and slim model with plenty of time to set up the lighting just right. Also the nature photographer who spent hours, if not days, waiting for his subject to be lit just right and capture a unique image of a subject is someone who should be rewarded on their achievements and not judged against an image created under 'special conditions'. I love all forms of creative art, but perhaps photography should be looking more closely at what we do, how we do it and then how we judge it.

The life of a Photographer: 3rd Wedding of a 3 Wedding Shoot

The life of a Photographer: 3rd Wedding of a 3 Wedding Shoot: Well that's it, all edited and posted and ready for the date to be set for the viewings. These three weddings were all different and all won...

3rd Wedding of a 3 Wedding Shoot

Well that's it, all edited and posted and ready for the date to be set for the viewings. These three weddings were all different and all wonderful, not for the money spent on them or the locations used, but rather for the sheer joy and happiness that radiated from all three weddings. We have been remarkably luck as all three weddings took place on a clear sunny day, between constant bouts of rain. Yes the sun was a little harsh at times and yes the sky was a little lacking in interest on occasions, but I will take that over rain any day. My second shooter also headed out for his first solo shoot this weekend, boy was he nervous. I had forgotten all the worries and concerns that I had on my first shoot. The one thing that I, and i hope he learned during the first wedding assignment is preparation and planning makes or brakes the day. Our planning starts at the first interview stage. Is the couple right for us and are we right for them. Get this wrong and it is a very miserable day for all. Then it's the pre-wedding shoot, more on this on my next blog. This shoot will set the scene for the main event. Then there is the follow up calls and meetings with the couple to set out what shots they 'must have' on the day. Get these recorded down and work to them as quickly after the ceremony as possible. Once the guests and family have settled down at the bar or in conversation with other family and friends you will have a devil of a job to get them back out for photo's. Set out and check all your equipment and paperwork the day before the wedding, and have plan 'B's in your mind for weather and venue problems. Keep the couple at ease all day and remain as much in the background as possible, at least this is how we roll. The day is theirs and not a photo opportunity for me, so they come first. Of course we ask the couple do they want to spend any special time getting photos, if the answer is yes then location selection and shoot planning comes into effect. I like to have a set of clear ideas in my mind for any planned set shoots we do, which may evolve and change during the shoot, but have a plan in place first. Well here are a few of the shots taken during this wedding, hope you like them.

The 2nd wedding of 3

Well this is our second wedding in less than 7 days. The first has now been edited and posted for the couple to view, all good feedback from there so far. Our next wedding was a little further afield, but the remote hilltop golf course venue presents some great opportunities. Our style ensures the Bride & Groom maintain total control of the day. If they want extra 'posed' shots then we will get them, if not then we maintain a photojournalist style and let the event unfold as it will. For this couple they wanted to have some fun, and we hope we helped them get that. Here is a selection of the shots taken on the day, I hope you find them of some interest.

The first of 3 weddings in 7 days

Feeling a little daughter, this being the first of three weddings we are about to do in the next 7 days, we set off for the first of our weddings. We are a family team, consisting of myself, my wife and my daughter. We also have a second shooter who sometimes works with us who will also be there today. As I have a second shooter available we ask if the groom would like some shots done at the house as he gets ready, to which the bride and groom say yes and I promptly dispatch my wife and the second shooter over to the house, while myself and my daughter head for the bridal preparation room. My second shooter is a photographer who has not done weddings before, and would like to start. I shadows us to see how we set up shop and work through the day. At the moment he lacks people skills and is a little reluctant to give direction to people, but he can work the detail shots very well. My wife goes with him to provide direction and help set up the shots we would like to get. My daughter is also a second shooter, but she has not, as yet, got the bug for photography, so at the moment she just likes working with her dad and who am I to complain at that. Our couple, Sarah and Carl, are a wonderful pair and we are looking forward to spending time with them. We do tend to attract a particular kind of client. We don't do divas or bridzilas, we don't do the kind of couple who just want you because you are the cheapest or you agree to give them everything for next to nothing. We chose people who we like as individuals, are happy to be getting married and not there to show off to their friends and who we would like to have a more long term photographic relationship with into the future. We are still in contact with the vast majority of our Brides & Grooms and are now pleased to know them as friends as well as clients. But back to today's wedding. The photos start at the bridal preparation, and the atmosphere in the room is just wonderful. Everyone is relaxed in each others company and enjoying every moment. Then it is on to the ceremony, where i am joined by my wife and the second shooter. The room is small to work with but all goes according to plan, yes we have a plan and had already visited the venue quite some time ago so there were no surprises on the day. The weather is holding, following days of rain the sun has come out for today, hurray. All the guests and the bridal party now head out for a nearby park for the group shots, with us in hot pursuit behind. Yes we have a plan in place here as well, been here and set out our locations already. All the group shots are in the bag and it is now time for the bride and groom on their own. All done and it's back to the venue for the meal and nighttime festivities, or the first dance which is what we are here to capture. From start to finish, about 15 hours including traveling. Now it's back to the studio for the sorting and editing phase, which I have just finished, some 3 days later. Here is a small selection from the day and I will be back to let you know how the other two wedding go, these are back to back and some traveling is involved.