All are waymarkers from my point of view and if I were doing a StillWalks production of the area I have been posting about all week, I would certainly make use of objects like these in the photography for the video to help provide a sense of progression through the landscape.
The area is of course the Loughor Estuary near Llanrhidian on the Gower Peninsula and I walked in both the directions that this signpost is pointing.
Btw, I consider the word “waymarkers” to be one word (like footpath or signpost) but the computer seems to be arguing with me – stuff the computer!
This week’s featured StillWalks video is set a few weeks ahead of the current date in terms of the time of year but the flowers and activity of the birds celebrate the beautiful sunny weather of Spring with gusto and are a welcome change to the wild, wet and windy weather we had through Winter.
The video above is in 480p quality. You can use the Donate button below to pay however much you want and receive a high quality (720HD) download of this week’s featured StillWalks video – “Garden Park Walk – Spring” which features Clyne Gardens in Swansea, South Wales. Click the image above to watch the video. DVD Collections are also available to order in the StillWalks Shop.
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.
Featured 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.
The Sights and Sounds of the Countryside project exhibition opening, which took place last Wednesday, went very well – so well I forgot to get photographs! Never mind, the event was enjoyed by all who came and since then I have had a number of enquiries about the possibility of Tag Along days.
StillWalks Tag Along days would not be about production of a StillWalk®. The bespoke StillWalks produced through project work require greater input than would be practical on a tag along day.
Tag Along days would give a small group of individuals the opportunity to accompany me on a walk with their own cameras (and sound recorders) and discover some aspects of the approach to photography I take for personal use and for StillWalks production.
Field recording – there would also be the opportunity to experience environmental sounds through the high quality StillWalks field recording kit which in itself, can lead to better listening skills – this can be a revelation!
Watch the website for more information and if anyone out there is interested, please contact me.
The seats are empty here but they had been full to overflowing!
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.
Looking back at the recce walk we did at Lower Lliw Reservoir for the StillWalks “Sights and Sounds of the Countryside” project, when the weather made us hesitate about going ahead the next day, the theme of mixed and unpredictable conditions stayed with us for the rest of the work.
On the pre-production recce, we had thick snow . . . which was gone the next day. The following week the weather looked promising with a beautiful sunny Saturday . . . only to be followed on Sunday by what you see below. Very atmospheric but not quite in keeping with the rest of production.
First it was on, then it was off . . . then it was on again! The weather, these days, is unpredictable. Last Friday when we went to do our recce for the latest production with the Sights and Sounds of the Countryside project, the conditions led us to postpone the following day’s work.
Heavy Weather
However, Saturday was dry, and not only that, almost all the snow had gone! So with a quick announcement on Facebook and email, we went ahead with what turned out to be a great production day, even though we were not able to cover everything required and will have to go back next week. Fingers crossed for dry weather again.
Last week’s production day on Ryer’s Down on the Gower in South Wales was a challenge. The weather suggests that the StillWalk to be produced will be “A Misty Gower Walk”. Fortunately, rain covers were not needed for the cameras but I was glad to have the waterproof case for the recorder.
I had all the sound and photography kit with me and alternated between them throughout the walk. This still meant that, for a relatively short walk, I was out recording and taking photos for 6.5 hours.
All this plus a small collapsible stool (essential piece of kit), food, water, spare batteries, filters, etc. all in a great Lowepro kit bag, meant I was pretty weighed down. The trick is to be patient, take your time and not try to fit too much into the day. The recce walks are essential to ensure this can be achieved.
The mist never lifted as I had hoped it would, and the day was not as peaceful as on the previous recce visit when the Skylarks sang for us and traffic was non existent. Instead, normal farm life was ever present with the sound of tractors and other farm equipment in the distance. The Larks, however, sang through it all and their sound was as beautiful as ever.
Virtual Walks – I hope, with StillWalks, to provide realistic virtual walks. We don’t always want to wait until a beautiful Spring day to go for a walk and sometimes the sights and sounds around us are not what we would wish. However, these things don’t stop us, and wherever or whenever we decide to go for a walk, there are always a multitude of fascinating things to see and hear. Producing StillWalks helps me to recognize and focus on these things and enjoy the surroundings wherever I may be. I hope that they do this for you as well.
Technical Problems – During the Ryer’s Down production day I came up with a problem on the Fostex recorder and had to temporarily revert to the Edirol. I can only guess that the problem was electrical interference of some sort. The problem is illustrated in the sound clip and image below. I tried switching my phone to airplane mode and then off altogether but to no avail. I checked all my settings in case I had inadvertently knocked something but found everything as it should be.
interference1
Fortunately, I was able to use the Edirol instead – it’s not as good but very useful as a back up recorder. The problem, however, was temporary as, when I tried the Fostex again about 15 minutes later and another 100 yards further on, there was no problem at all and I was able to continue using it for the rest of the day.
Spectral Display – When viewing the sound files afterwards I find the spectral display a valuable element in Adobe Audition when it comes to identifying various aspects of the sounds I record. The image above shows the pattern created by the sound of what I guessed was electrical interference – the bright, gentle curve of the sound at the higher frequency is inaudible to the human ear but the broader curve downwards into the lower frequencies and then up again is easily seen and heard.
Skylark Song – The image below shows the pattern revealed through spectral display in Audition by a Skylark – and, of course, you must listen to the 10 second clip to which the image relates – enjoy 🙂
Ryers Down Lark Spectral Display
More to come in the future about both the production and post-production element of StillWalks.
