It was 6.22 AM when these sounds were recorded on my walk through Troserch Woodland. I had thought I might upload the StillWalks video that this weeks posts have been illustrating, but it’s not quite ready yet. Getting the sequence of images right and the sounds working well and logically with them, is important if the final result is going to do its job – give you a sense of place so that you can imagine being there.
This last post on my StillWalks video from a previous winter features a sound that we don’t often hear in the part of South Wales where I live. The sound of footsteps in deep, dry snow is quite different to that which is made by footsteps in wet snow which is slightly more common here.
I cannot vouch for the accuracy of that old adage about the Inuits having fifty words for snow but I do know that whatever the state of the snow under your feet, the sound your footsteps make in it will be different, and I suspect this range extends at least as far as fifty!
Click the image below to play the video.
Finally, here is the French Evening Walk StillWalks video I previewed on this blog a few weeks ago. It’s only taken a year to finish it off but I am pleased with the results. I hope you enjoy it.
Take the opportunity to watch and listen to it while you can because this 480p video is full length, but only for a while. The StillWalks videos on the website are now all sample length low resolution versions which are available to buy in a range of formats.
The walk takes place in the Indre et Loire region of France – specifically along the tiny road from the medieval village of Faye La Vineuse to St Christophe. It is a beautiful and peaceful part of the French countryside which lies a few miles south of Richelieu, the town designed and built by Cardinal Richelieu (think the Three Musketeers).
If you are seeing this in an email, click the image below to go to the blog and play the video.
Visit the StillWalks website for more videos
Selected images from the shoot are available on the StillWalks Photography site.
A recce walk through recently discovered woodland revealed a number of elements that can be very useful in the production of a StillWalk.
Gates, both the images and the sounds can, in the sequence of a StillWalk, provide a visual and aural way marker and in doing so, give a sense of progression. If the gates are of different design or in different states of repair, this too can be recognised as a way marker if the walk is circular, sending a message to the viewer that they are on the return journey.
There were several gates along the River Morlais leading into Troserch Woods. All were either of different design, at different angles, more or less rusted . . .
The sounds of the gates are also unique, though this is as much because of the surrounding conditions as the type of gate – here is an example from StillWalks on SoundCloud.
I posted these sounds to all my other social media platforms this morning but held back until now to post it here.
The sounds were recorded during my recce walk for a new StillWalk video along a stretch of recently discovered river and woodland near where I live.
The video will obviously not include the Lancaster Bomber as it won’t be around when I do the actual production walk but it was good to hear on its way home from the annual air show at Swansea.