What is this?

Can anyone guess the answer? During a recce walk near Llanpumsaint in Carmarthenshire, Wales earlier this week, we came across some interesting and unexpected evidence of . . . something!

The answer will be posted tomorrow 🙂

Wales

This is the setting, the heart of Wales

Wales

This is the view

img_4288

The evidence

poo

More evidence

Ferris Wheels and Other Structures, York

Ferris wheels seem to pop up in every UK city on regular basis. The first one is in York but the second shot was taken on Boxing Day in Belfast a few years ago and the third in Swansea in 2012.

These are the last shots from my recce walk in York last February and the subject matter is not likely to feature in the final StillWalk video which I am working on now. First of all, the ferris wheel was not there in June when I did the production day, and secondly, it wasn’t on my walk route anyway – neither was the windmill, I just liked the structure.

The windmill is Holgate Windmill and it was strange and unexpected to see it suddenly appear through the trees and amongst the surrounding house roofs.

Ferris Wheel York

Ferris Wheel, York

City Walk Belfast

Ferris Wheel, Belfast

Ferris Wheel Swansea

Ferris Wheel Swansea

Holgate Windmill York

Holgate Windmill, York

Windmill, York

Windmill, York

Underside, York

I have featured the underside of bridges before (here) – this is Bishopsgate Bridge in York again. The patterns created by the structure of different bridges are fascinating and this one is totally different to those in that previous blog post.

Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Fascinating Patterns

Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Through Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Another step along the route of the planned StillWalk in York. This was in February 2012 – the production day was in June and nearly didn’t take place due to bad weather!Bishopsgate Bridge, YorkBishopsgate Bridge, YorkBishopsgate Bridge, YorkBishopsgate Bridge, York

Telling the Story

These are two examples of images I would be unlikely to use – except for one reason. They might form a necessary part of the bigger picture, the image sequence that tells the story of a StillWalk.

An image will tell a story in its own right but as part of a sequence with the intention of taking the viewer from one place to another, both visually and aurally, a StillWalk video needs sometimes to have those joining words or conjunctions that help show progression along the route.

Why would I not use these particular images? There is nothing wrong with the quality of the original images and I have no objection to traffic in an image, particularly in town. However, for some reason the car in this photograph annoys me. Is it because it is the only one or because it is a taxi (no offence to taxi drivers intended)? Maybe it’s because there are no people in the scene?

I like the structure of the shot with the bollards on the left and the wall and railing uprights on the right, the shadow of the balcony on the right and the progression from modern to older architecture on the left. I like the way the spire in the background divides up the sky and the colour is correct for the time of day / year and weather . . . but for some reason I don’t like the car!

All comments are welcome about this.

York

York

I don’t like the crop in the image below. The original needed straightening and in doing so I have lost the point of the weather vane and the chimney which both fitted neatly into the original frame – frustrating.

York

York

River Ouse, York

Walking into town along the River Ouse on a beautiful February day in York, 2012. Having just had a week without rain (2013), perhaps February could be called the dry(ish) season here. Hmmm, famous last words! The sky is looking very grey 🙁

River Ouse

River Ouse

River Ouse

River Ouse

York

And here’s one I did earlier! This week’s photos are from a visit to York in the North East of England a year ago. The photos were taken as part of a recce for a possible StillWalk on a subsequent visit.

The weather was beautiful in February but when I returned in June, things were different with the rain falling as it does in Britain, seemingly interminably, and the River Ouse flooded!

It’s a good thing all photos and sound clips are time stamped because although I carried out an initial post-production review soon after my return home last June, I have only recently been able to continue with this process. It’s going to be a couple of weeks before this new StillWalk will be available but in the meantime I’ll be putting these recce photos on the blog – the starting point was Rowntree Park.

Rowntree Park

Rowntree Park

Rowntree Park

Rowntree Park

Warmer Days

These photos prove the time of year down on the marshes for the Old Churchyard Walk on the Loughor Estuary. The sheep scene looks as though it could be from ancient times!

Water droplets

Water Droplets

lazing around

Lazing Around