Diary of a Landscape Photographer | Entry 3
Well, I really don’t think I could have asked for a better first month in my new career as a professional landscape photographer. At the date of writing, I’ve managed to get out into my local area an incredible thirteen out of twenty eight days with my camera so far. Eight of those have been spent in the grounds of the magnificent Powis Castle with the wonderful woodland making for a new favourite subject of mine. I’ve had a great time finding interesting compositions of the winter trees. They have really allowed me to use an imagination that’s been heavily influenced by the likes of Game of Thrones and, especially, Lord of the Rings while growing up. My Nan made me realise that. She recently questioned whether I saw deeper meanings or stories within my photographs as I showed her my work, before proceeding to tell me some of the things that she could see as she looked through. Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to think outside of the box when out in the landscape, looking for and composing my photographs.
I have been treated to some absolutely superb conditions for landscape photography, as you’ll see when you scroll down. To think that I would have missed out on nearly all of these photographs, had I still been working in the office for ten hours a day, missing the best light at sunrise and sunset, really confirms that I made the correct decision in risking everything to make a career out of landscape photography. Of course, it’s not been all plain sailing. There have been a couple of days where some self doubt has crept in. I’ve asked myself a few times if I’m sure that I have made the right decision. I think that was to be expected having been in full time employment since I left Aberystwyth University ten years ago. I have sometimes found myself sitting and scratching my head thinking, ‘arghh, I should be doing something right now.’ But then I quickly realise that there is no one to impress or hide from anymore. There are no more ‘quick, look busy’ moments as I fail in evading the supermarket management while I try to take a quick five minute break to swipe through social media.
That’s the beauty of my life now. I have nobody to answer too but myself. Of course, that means that I must be disciplined with my approach to every day now. With a 6.30 alarm and absolutely no exceptions, I’m straight into my journal to write and plan. No more lying in bed until 7.05, scrolling through social media trying to hide from the fact that I have to go and spend my day in a place where I don’t want to be. No more waking up on Monday morning wishing for Friday evening. I have to take responsibility of my life again. Because this life of mine, literally depends on it.
If the weather is good, which it has been more often than not, I quickly throw on some warm clothes, boil the kettle, fill up the flask with some coffee, swing my rucksack over my shoulder and then I’m out of the door with the big wide world in my sights. Ok, not just yet but I do only have a three or four mile radius in my sights for now. Not that I am complaining about that, of course. It’s a small radius that I’ve discovered is filled with natural beauty and hasn’t stopped me capturing some of my favourite ever photographs.
I’ll start with the following series of photographs from the grounds of Powis Castle, which isn’t short of colourful, grand and very interesting trees and woodland. It wasn’t so long ago that I was questioning just what it is that woodland photographers see when they compose their photographs. Here is what I have managed to come up with:
Powis Castle - A Winter Wonderland
Mid Wales sure does look beautiful in the snow, don’t you think? These following trees all drew my attention for various reasons. At times, I was literally running around the landscape to find some angles that would give my photos some context. Probably drew some funny reactions from passers by but I was in my own world and had no idea what was going on outside of photography mode.
Belan Lock & The Montgomery Canal
My second local escape that I have utilised once again throughout this lockdown is the beautiful Montgomery Canal, specifically the short two mile route to Belan Lock from Welshpool. Not only is this one of the more picturesque walks in my area, you’ll also be treated to an abundance of wildlife and who knows, you might even make good friends with a robin like I appear to have recently. Anyone following along on my social media platforms will have seen some daily videos of my encounters with this little guy:
I don’t think that you can ever see enough photos of robins, so here are nine more for you to enjoy.
For anyone interested, I have made a few available for prints and canvases in the store.
A snow-capped long mountain here in Mid Wales.
A small gallery of the snowdrop photographs that I have managed to collect so far from near Belan Locks this year. It won’t be long now and I’ll be on the hunt for some beautiful bluebell woodland as spring really bursts into life. As much as I enjoy trying to stay here and now in the present moment, I sometimes get caught thinking of the beautiful things that are to come in the future.
So there you have it, very briefly, a summary of everything that I have been doing over the last month. I’m really looking forward to February, I have some exciting things happening.
A small selection of products to be stocked in Alexander’s of Welshpool.
The first of two business workshops that I’m attending.
Hopefully, some more beautiful weather conditions so that I can find some more interesting photographs of and around Welshpool.
If you haven’t already, I’ll encourage you to sign up to my newsletter so that I can bombard you with email after email. Just kidding, I’m planning to send out a bi-weekly email with updates on any events and workshops that I have planned as we (fingers crossed) move out of lockdown in the future. It will also be the place where I can update you with new prints and any future book releases (yes, I’m planning to write and release a book or two).
You can sign up at the bottom of the page.
As I always do, I just want to say a massive thank you for being interested in the work I do and the life that I have chosen to live. It really does mean the world to me. It’s extremely humbling to have grown the social media presence that I have so far and something tells me that this is only just the beginning.
Brad.