French Evening Walk – The StillWalks Video

Posted on 03/08/201303/08/2013 by Alastair

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.

Sand and Wind – Public Art In Swansea Bay

Posted on 02/08/201302/08/2013 by Alastair

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You could call these “sand sculptures”. That is surely what the wind on Swansea beach has been doing this week.

Nervous about the hazardous mixture of sand and cameras, the wind that blew those land surfers around on the beach the other day (see previous posts this week), didn’t stop me taking the risk and getting some low level shots of the public art work it was creating.

It is not in the same style as the work featured in yesterday’s post but over the years the wind and sand have blasted and changed those public art works in Swansea Maritime Quarter.

Hot Shoe – Farrier Style

Posted on 29/07/201329/07/2013 by Alastair

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I was doing some equestrian photography training at the weekend and for the purpose arranged to use a group lesson at Cimla Equestrian Centre in the hills above Neath.

I can’t show the photography the students did but I managed to get some of my own shots up in the stable yard at the end of the session and this is a quick taster of what I found – a gallery will go up tomorrow.

Fire, if not brimstone!

Cimla Landscape

Completing the Circuit

Posted on 28/07/201328/07/2013 by Alastair

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Returning to the start of my recce for a StillWalks Sights and Sounds Tag Along Walk (see previous posts) brought me back to Parc-Le-Breos House via their pony trekking centre.

It sure is set in a beautiful part of the country!

Click on the photos to enlarge. More are available on the StillWalks Photography website at PhotoShelter.

Parc-Le-Breos Horses

Parc-Le-Breos House

Parc-Le-Breos Grounds

Parc-Le-Breos hanging basket and arch way

Along the Walk – Three Cliffs Bay

Posted on 27/07/201327/07/2013 by Alastair

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In planning the first StillWalks Sights and Sounds Tag Along Walk (see yesterday’s post), I did not go right down to Three Cliffs Bay. This is certainly an option for a Tag Along Walk but when I was there, the sun was way too hot and so I stopped at an excellent viewing point just off the footpath above the bay.

It is a fantastic place and must be popular at the height of the season but I don’t think any of the Gower beaches ever get really crowded.

Dates and times – If anyone is interested in doing one of the Tag Along Walks, I suggest you keep an eye on the StillWalks website for dates and times. These should be announced next week and numbers are restricted. If you are interested, please contact StillWalks so that we can contact you as and when walks are being organised and places become available.

Click on the photos to enlarge. More are available on the StillWalks Photography website at PhotoShelter (some day I will get the the two sites integrated).

Three Cliffs Bay, Gower

Pennard Castle, Gower

Stepping stones at Three Cliffs Bay, Gower

Contemplating Crossing, Three Cliffs Bay, Gower

Planning a Walk – Walking on the Gower

Posted on 26/07/201326/07/2013 by Alastair

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A few weeks ago I was asked if I would be interested in writing a regular article about my walks in the Swansea and South Wales area for the online version of the South Wales Evening Post. So, with the interests of StillWalks in mind and what they are all about, I will be posting up my sixth article today – My Walk this Week – from Parc-Le-Breos House.

I have recently been planning StillWalks Sights and Sounds Tag Along Days and this has necessitated exploring possible walk routes in suitable places. This not only serves the intended purpose of setting up these events / workshops, but also provides me with good material for the Evening Post article.

My first exploration was to Parc-Le-Breos House. The reason for selecting this as a starting point is the number of already planned walks that start from the Bed and Breakfast and include some beautiful areas on the Gower Peninsula. Also, there is the option for refreshments and facilities and the use of a room for review of photography and sound clips produced on the Tag Along walk.

Below are a couple of the photos I got on my recce walk. I will talk more about this and post more photos over the next couple of days and a selection of the images are available at the StillWalks Photography website on PhotoShelter.

Giant’s Grave, Green Cwm

Flowers along the wayside

Long Oaks Woodland at Parc-le-Breos

StillWalking by the River

Posted on 24/07/201324/07/2013 by Alastair

StillWalks – available now. Visit the website at www.stillwalks.com

The Old and the New

Posted on 22/07/201322/07/2013 by Alastair

I discovered these three vehicles recently. Having taken a couple of shots on my iPhone of the old VW Beetle and camper van, when I saw the flashy one with the wheels a couple of days later, I had to stop and take a quick shot, again on my phone.

Ok, not it’s so much new as refreshed – but still a noticeable difference to the old one.