Rising with the Sun

Posted on 05/06/201305/06/2013 by Alastair

I arrived at Penllergaer Woods at 4.45 AM last Saturday morning for a production day that took a little over six hours before returning to download the content of my cameras and field recorder. The day went well but I am still suffering from the midge bites I got for my trouble.

I started out with a preliminary scout around the valley floor and watched the sky lighten, the moon fade and listened to the birds wake up.

Here are some of the preliminary shots I got along with the dawn chorus.

Pre-dawn, Penllergaer Woods

Sunrise

Moon Reflection

At C Turn Left – the sound of dressage

Posted on 25/05/201325/05/2013 by Alastair

On Tuesday evening I was doing some equestrian photography of a small dressage show at Clydach Riding Club.

The judges of the dressage sit in their 4×4 to watch the riders and blow their horn to indicate that the rider should start. Every time they do this I jump out of my skin. On Tuesday evening I was recording some of the sounds of the show. These include the background sound of traffic from the A4067 but this could never drown out the birds.

I am sure the judges had a laugh when, with my headphones on as they beeped their horn, I very visibly jumped. I have toned it down in this recording.

And for the field recordists out there, you can hear more on SoundCloud.

The equestrian photography can be found on PhotoShelter.

Woodland Walk

Posted on 24/05/201324/05/2013 by Alastair

Watch the “Woodland Walk” video below, if you haven’t already done so, and enjoy Pont Felin Gât at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. It is in the Summer collection of StillWalks but the video title says Spring . . . it was late Spring and felt like Summer!

Below are the last available photos from the video. These are available for sale at the StillWalks PhotoShelter site.

StillWalks – Lakeside Walk

Posted on 21/05/201321/05/2013 by Alastair

Here is the video then, if you have not already watched it – Lakeside Walk.

Switch off your phone, put everything else aside and relax for 6.5 minutes to the sights and sounds of a walk alongside the lake at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Wind and Rain

Posted on 10/05/201310/05/2013 by Alastair

Yesterday gave us a return to the wind and rain as can be seen and heard in these photos and sound clips taken in my studio.

The metallic sounds are from the rusty metal I was photographing recently – see them on PhotoShelter.

Swansea Canal

Posted on 03/05/201303/05/2013 by Alastair

My chosen excursion on the second day of the Valleys Regional Park Community Tourism Conference in Margam Park was to two different points along Swansea Canal. The first was at Clydach where there is a Heritage Centre in Coed Gwilym Park.

The second was the Riverside Centre from where we walked along the canal into Pontardawe. The weather was mostly misty but it did not spoil the outing and the birds didn’t seem to mind – as proven by the sound clips below.

Valleys Regional Park – Aberdulais Falls Water Wheel

Posted on 28/04/201328/04/2013 by Alastair

This week I spent two days at the Valleys Regional Park Community Tourism Conference. Included in the conference were a choice trips to various tourist sites in the South Wales valleys.

Aberdulais Falls – I have passed this so many times over the years but not, until now, actually visited. It’s a fascinating place but if you would like to see the falls, you’ll have to come back tomorrow! The first thing I looked at was this iron staircase set against the rocks. I guess it is my interest in metal that led me from this to the water wheel and my interest in field recording that prompted me to record the changing sound of the water as it was channelled to the wheel with the falls in the background.

The Tonal Textures of Trees

Posted on 26/04/201326/04/2013 by Alastair

Last Sunday morning it was wet but not enough to stop me going for a walk through the woods. It is a mixed, managed wood with the deciduous trees being higher up on the hill and the coniferous lining the main footpath.

I took the high path for my walk and whilst the soft ground underfoot was in keeping with the soft texture of the sounds around me, one of the most enjoyable (apart from the birds) was the changing sound of the wind as I moved from the deciduous area to the coniferous. You may think it is quite subtle or that it is just the wind rising, but in fact it is the change to the coniferous foliage that has caused the change in the sound. This takes place around the 3:44 mark in what is a 5+ minute recording.

Look at the photos and then play the sound clip and close your eyes to be taken there! Enjoy 🙂