Intention and Interpretation

I didn’t have to pick out these photos from the shoot I did on that dreary day in Mumbles – for that matter, I didn’t have to take the photos in the first place. The images were processed and uploaded a week ago and now that I come to write this post, I wonder what my reasoning may have been. What was my intention and what might be my, or your interpretation of them?

I find I am reading things into them now that may have been sub-conscious at the time of production or even post production – but that time to reflect is very valuable. All of the work I have produced as an artist over the years was made over greater or lesser amounts of time, naturally, but just as the meaning of a piece of art can be different for each individual, so it can also change for the artist.

Some of my other art work can be seen here.

Mumbles Lighthouse

Mumbles Lighthouse

Proportional Representation – Two Views

I don’t know what proportion (if any) of the people of Mumbles would go for proportional representation if it were available in the forthcoming May election in the UK. Disregarding politics, below is another take (or two) on the term that is more akin to  cropping in photography.

It was a dreary day when I took these photos but, for me, that is no reason not to take them. The range of textures in the scene is what interests me most, from the finer grain of the concrete in the sea wall to the lumpy rocks and stones on the foreshore, to the fuzzy grey textures of the trees on the hill. All of this interspersed with the softer green moss on the wall and the sand separating the stones on the beach. And then there are the patterns and colours of buildings and people stretched across the centre of the frame.

At least it wasn’t raining!

Mumbles Promenade

Mumbles Sea Wall

Monochrome Mumbles

For some reason I had the impulse to process this image in sepia tone. Adding a bit of grain, it is given an aged look (as sepia does), as if it were a shot of Swansea Bay from Mumbles taken a century ago. Of course there are a number of tell tale signs that this could not be the case. The most obvious is perhaps the wind turbine.

The image can also be seen on Leanne Cole’s Photography blog and Monochrome Madness 46.

Swansea Bay in sepia

A Visit to Mumbles

Last week I had to visit Mumbles – a very popular place at the western end of Swansea Bay and at the gateway to the Gower Peninsula. It is a major tourist attraction and I enjoyed my short visit despite the dreary weather. Unfortunately my reason for visiting was to collect some videos from the Tourist Information Centre or TIC which had just closed.

It seems illogical to me to do this. I imagine it is partly because it is so much cheaper to deliver these services online. However, a balance of digital and “hard copy” is what I have always believed to be the best and most cost effective means of delivering a service or resource. I suspect that both visitors and town will loose out as a result of this change and I hope that the centre is able to set up afresh in a new premises.

The structures in the first image are Mumbles Pier and the new RNLI Lifeboat Station.

Mumbles lifeboat station

Mumbles seagulls

Looking at the View – Swansea Bay

Looking in opposite directions from the middle of Swansea Bay cycle / foot path, you see Mumbles lighthouse and RNLI lifeboat station in the west and Meridian Tower by the maritime quarter in the east.

Swansea Bay Mumbles

Swansea Bay

Sounds of Swansea Bay Cycle Path

For all the years I have lived near Swansea, I have never walked the full length of the cycle/footpath from Swansea to Mumbles, just different parts of it at different times.

The path runs along the top of the beach from Swansea’s maritime quarter right round to Mumbles Lifeboat Station. On the other side is Oystermouth Road, a busy road along which tourists must drive as well as locals to reach the Gower Peninsula, one of Wales’ most popular areas and was designated as the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956.

Despite the proximity of Oystermouth Road, the sound clips I recorded recently might suggest that the road is much further away than it is. There was plenty of traffic on it at the time but the light breeze was blowing away from the cycle/footpath and so even for my iPhone, this was not the predominant sound.

Swansea Cycle Path 1

Swansea Bay Cycle Path

Swansea Bay Cycle Path

Swansea Bay Cycle Path

Architecture – Victorian Footbridge, Swansea

This is going to be a StillWalks week of architecture! Starting with the old, these images are of the remains of the footbridge by Victoria Park, St Helens in Swansea. The bridge itself was dismantled for safety a few years ago but I am pleased that the steps have been left as I find it an attractive structure.

I may be behind with my post production (see note below re featured videos), but that does not mean I am not always looking out for new locations for StillWalks videos. Swansea beach, seafront and marina are all locations I would like to use and in time I expect I will manage it. For now, however, I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open to the possibilities for StillWalks in all kinds of environment – man made as well as natural.

St Helen's Footbridge

Swansea Beach

St Helen's - SwanseaFeatured SillWalks Videos – I’m afraid this is going to be another week without a featured StillWalks video. I have a number of productions to complete and I look forward to adding these to the StillWalks collection. For now there is, as always, access to sample length videos is available through the Walks menus and you can always buy them at anytime for as little as £1.50.