Category Archives: Anglesey

South Stack Sunset Fog

South Stack Sunset Fog

Happy Monday all,

had a fab weekend out and about, even managed a great little hike around Dunford Bridge which is 15 mins from where I live. Some stunning views towards Manchester and beyond. On a clear day from Bleaklow which was just across the way from Dunford you can see the Snowdonia Mountain range and even Snowdon itself, yesterday was certainly clear enough, doubt the rest of the week will be anything like.

Stormy’s obsession:- Well owning a husky isn’t all glamour, far from it, she’s an out and out hunter dog and as soon as you take her “off path” she reverts to a small animal hunter, constantly diving head first into the undergrowth and yanking out all manner of creatures, yesterday I had to wrestle a screaming vole out of her mouth, very luckily Storm had it between her Canine’s and was holding on for dear life, Mark who I was with picked it up and put it by its hole, it had a quick lick and shot underground to safety, don’t know if it will have survived as they sometimes die of shock later, I think Stormy may have already eaten a couple  on the walk already.

Next on the list was a lizzard…I’m going to have to get a book or app for creature identification, especially if Stormy continues to capture critters all the time, luckily this survived too, beautifully camouflaged colours too, Stormy must have fantastic eye site.

Today’s offering is from South Stack lighthouse on Anglesey, must admit the weather didn’t play very fair as it looked like we were in for a treat of a sunset. Now I don’t usually congregate with other photographers but here must have been 10 of us there somewhat spoiling any uniqueness I bring to my shots, luckily I was the only one with a Reverse Grad filter which gave this outstanding colour effect, most other photographers had gone by this stage fearing it was a wasted night. Not me, I stay until I am 100% +tive I can’t get anything better out of Mother Nature.

The fog bank was really effective it cut through the horizon separating the sunset from the sea with a wonderful white blanket. The filter enhance the stunning colours in the sky and reflective sea areas, very pleased with the final shot.

Out again this week, hope you all have a great week too

Adrian

Sunset Splash

Sunset Splash

Hey it’s FRIDAY, thank goodness, what a week, training training and more training and then to top it off I had my Mountain Rescue navigation assessment yesterday, 4 hours up on the moors, compass and map and just my wits….I’m doomed! no, it went pretty good I think and hope, enjoyed the session and I didn’t get lost which would have been a major  embarrassment.

A great plus has been my weight loss, 19st 2lb down to 17st 9lb in 6 weeks so it’s going really well. Target 17st well in sight and I should hopefully get there in 2-3 more weeks. I have decided to stick with my diet as its pretty good and I don’t really need and cheats on it, I’m never hungry and still have a good deal of energy in me.

Off hill tramping again this weekend, closer to home, Stormy has been neglected this last couple of weeks while I have been training so its making up time, hope she’s prepared for the new longer distance fitter me…gonner run her paws off.

Today’s shot is a Sunset Splash – Sunsets golden glow licking the tips of the waves and the tide slowly recedes, filters used

Lee .6

Singh Ray Reverse Grad

Cleaned in Photoshop only

 

have a great weekend all

 

Adrian

Gibson Sunset

Gibson Sunset

What a day I have had, up at 4am , out with Stormy at 5am then off to do my Navigation assessment for Mountain Rescue.

Really enjoyable though, 4 hours on the moors, compass and map, grid ref to grid ref then finding specific points topped off with a brisk uphill walk, top stuff, just gotta wait a few weeks now to see if I get in, my mate Bill did well too so fingers x’d we both get in, he’s a husk guy too so were off out with them over the coming weeks.

 

Picture opposite is Gibson Sunset – so called as my mate Wayne took one look and said, its a Gibson Guitar, then name stuck and yes it does look a bit like one doesn’t it.

Again no trickery its all filters at the location, just cleaned in photoshop to a fine art standard for sale on my site.

 

Image below is Bill on the left and our assessor Ian on the right for our 4 hour Woodhead Mountain Rescue Hill Assessment.

MRT Assessment

 

Sunset Dream

Sunset Dream

What a bank holiday, I spent 6 1/2 hours in white conditions up Bleaklow on Sunday and then like an idiot I did it again yesterday for another 4 hours. I don’t think I have ever been as wet without swimming. Now there is a very good saying

“No such thing as bad weather, only bad gear” or I’ll rephrase that to clothing before someone comments on the drugs link..lol

Saying that my kit did hold up rather well apart from my day bag rucksack which gave up the ghost and basically rotted off my back poor thing. On a plus note I went along to those nice people at Go Outdoors and bought a spanking new one this morning, oh joy its an Osprey Kestrel 38 Red really nice and if your into your kit bags they are great quality. Out tomorrow to give it a run through.

As you may have guessed this shot isn’t  from Bleaklow! instead it’s still part of my Anglesey Wales shoot and probably will be for a few weeks until I have finished going through them all so please bear with me.

 

I did my good deed for the day yesterday and helped a broken down motorist on the top of Snake Pass who’s RX8 Wankle engine decided to blow up on him with plumes of smoke, I gave him a lift back down into Glossop so he could call the RAC. Probably  a tow or low loader job, it had gone when I got back down from the B-29 crash site. my halo is in the post!

 

Anyway onwards and upwards, much to do, but first it’s a walk with Stormy

Enjoy

Adrian

 

Pyramid Mist

Pyramid Mist

Hi all

Very quick one today as me and Stormy are heading up on the moors for a walk with Bill and his 2 huskies, should be great. Was going to be Bleaklow to practice map skills but teh A57 is still closed due to Tuesday’s snow….booo hooo

Today’s shot a mystical mix of mist/smoke a crystal pyramid and several filters all combined to create this sunset image, hope you like it, I love it!

 

Getting a few more requests for training workshops now so word must be getting round, hooray!

 

have a great day the sun is shining

 

Adrian

 

 

Sunset Flow

Sunset Flow

Wednesday and it’s snowing , SNOWING in April?  yup, heavyish snow falling as I type, looks great but it’s ruined my walking day, should clear later apparently but I don’t know if it will be in time for me to get out and about.

Another Wales shot here, using my filters to control time, yes I am a time lord..lol NOT….. but Lee filters make some beauties and in conjunction with my reverse grad add some fantastic colour and light to the frame.

This was taken on Broad Beach, Rhosneigr, Anglesey. I was lucky enough to get 6 full sunset shoots in so I have a vast supply to work through again, keeps me happy while the weather is bad.

Now back to the diet, I haven’t cheated and training is slow but getting there with my back condition, still way off what I used to be able to do but definitely some strength returning which I am so pleased about. Looking forward to my chest and back session this morning. I have now lost approx a Stone in 4 weeks, I won’t know for sure until Thursday when I get weighed. One more to go and I should be feeling good or at least better, it’s not fun carrying too much and trying to climb mountains especially carrying 2st of camera gear as well. I keep sorting through my bag but I don’t like leaving anything just in case plus I could easily take 3 bags full if I could carry it all, I have enlisted friends help in the past of which they were not impressed!

Lets hope today improves weather wise

 

have a great Wednesday

 

Adrian

Crystal Dream

Crystal Dream

Really enjoying going through my shots from Wales, just getting into my stride as it were, I always find it very exciting scanning through the files of shots picking out ones I think will be sellers. This one’s an obvious choice as it mixes the ethereal with mysticism and a top sunset to boot.

Again processing is kept to an absolute minimum and if you look down in my recent posts on facebook there is a copy of this image straight from the camera, this has been cleaned and refined and a very slightly different crop but still holds the emotional feeling I put into the composition at the time.

canon 1DS MKIII with Lee .6 glass and of course my new and much loved Singh Ray Reverse Grad Filter.

Poor little Stormy is on heat at the moment so I’m limited to her walks, she was pestered by a chocolate Lab this morning, she quickly saw him off with a swish of her big paws, he tried to bite her but she is far too powerful and sent him flying. Saying that she was on her lead and the other owners lab wasn’t so not my problem., Some owners !!!

 

Adrian

Between A Rock And A

Between A Rock And A

hey hey we’re back……..

what a fantastic week we had in Wales, I can confidently state we have had summer and I was there shooting sunsets every night…what great weather we had, red hot during the day and cool at nights, how it should be.

I can now start going through the 40gb’s worth of shots I took, should keep me busy for a week or two!.

Here’s the first one out of the bag as it were. Taken at Broad Beach Rhosneigr and yes I know we haven’t moved there yet, I keep trying, part of our trip down was to check out prospective properties, we think we may have found one but will need to check a few things before we go any further, plus it’s quite small compared to ours for the money but that’s what happens when you can see the sea. Until then we’ll keep staying at Bodfan Farm Camping and Caravan with Alwyn and Rhian, a wonderful peaceful place to stay that is right in the heart of Rhosneigr and a stones throw from the sea.

I used several filters for this shot but mainly a Singh Ray reverse grad, it helps control the bright horizon and fades away to the sky to leave as natural as possible, its effect is to tint the image and draw out the beautiful sunset colours that are already there. I also used a Lee .6 glass to slow down the shutter speed and give the dreamy effect. Processing was very simple 15 mins max, cleaning dust bunnies and correcting levels…thats it nothing else to do….95% at locations and 5% computer as it should be.

Very sadly going to a funeral this morning, a friends sister died after a long battle with cancer, i think the church will be packed judging by the facebook activity, she was a very vibrant girl who lived life to the full, she’ll be missed so much by so many, God bless you Jackie.

A few walks to get in this week, fitness and weight loss going well, I’ll get weighed this Thursday hope I will have lost my first Stone, fingers crossed.

Hope today is the start of a great week for you all

 

Adrian

Moonfleet Bay – “Solid As A”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought I’d get another image up to day before the weekend hits us. This one from my Moonfleet Bay shoot in Wales, a very calm sea and a long exposure coupled with a polariser to give the colour cast to the sky and sea, plus it cuts through the foreground sea to reveal the wondrous world below. the shot was taken in near darkness.

 

have a great weekend all

 

Adrian

Sunset Waves

Sunset Waves

Hey Hey it’s Friday, It’s been a sad week with the loss of Monkey Davie Jones, especially for those of us old enough to remember them, as a kid I always wanted to be one…sad indeed.

Well I had my MRI results yesterday and the good news is that I don’t need surgery, looks like its a slight nerve pinch form a disc, bad news is I have to go to pain management now as there isn’t anything they can do for it! So I’m throwing caution to the wind and upping my training schedule again…will concentrate on gaining muscle strength in my lower back and see if that helps.

This image of the sea crashing in at Broad Beach Rhosneigr, Anglesey. A long exposure to create the misty effect whilst holding the detail of the rocks.

Looking forward to next week, NEC Monday for the Focus On Imaging show, credit card at the ready! better not tell Jo she’ll go mad..lol. I am after a Canon S100 for doing my scouting shots and when I am just out and about, really nice piece of kit but soooooo expensive.

Have a great weekend all

 

all my best

 

Adrian