A lovely, quiet and undeveloped spot on the northwestern coast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
This is the view from the promenade at the seaside town and ferry port of Puerto de Las Nieves. ...Read more
The rocky volcanic coastline of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands provides some dramatic scenery and wave action as large swells from the Atlantic ocean crash against the shore.
Just the sort of environment that my wife Liz and I love to experience first hand, which is why we spent a good few hours of our winter sun holiday strolling along the coastal path at La Garita on the east coast of the island. ...Read more
Every time my wife Liz and I spend time on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands we always make a point of driving northwards up the east coast to spend an afternoon at La Garita.
La Garita is an unprepossesing sort of seaside town, largely undeveloped and unvisited by tourists, such as ourselves. ...Read more
During the two week break that my wife Liz and I enjoyed exploring the volcanic island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, just off the west coaat of Africa, I captured thousands and thousands of still images of sunsets, in order to create time lapse videos featuring the unique combination of light and colour you can experience in this part of the world.
But on this trip I had my newish Canon 250D camera with me as well as my trusty 6DMK2.
...Read moreThe delightful little town of Firgas to the north of Gran Canaria in Spain's Canary Islands was somewhere that we'd never been to on our multiple trips to this island.
But having seen it on a Jane McDonald travel program we quickly added it to our list of new places to visit during our latest trip in Februray 2024. ...Read more
The last evening of our February 2024 holiday on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, and my wife Liz and I are in our default location, sitting on our apartment's balcony watching and filming our final sunset over the Atlantic ocean from Taurito on the south coast of the island.
Sunset at this latitude of 28°N is markedly different from what we are used to back home in sunny North Wales at 53°N, which meant I needed to adjust my time lapse shooting technique a little to cope. ...Read more
I love a sunset, and as every sunset is different I can enjoy watching this phenomenon from the same spot time after time.
And it's especially nice when that 'same spot' is the balcony of your holiday apartment, overlooking the Atlantic ocean on a warm evening in February at Taurito on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, just off the coast of Africa. ...Read more
One thing I love about holidays by the seaside is the opportunity to film time lapse videos of the sunset or sunrise over the water, depending on which way you're facing, of course.
So I was very pleased to be spending a couple of weeks in an apartment with a balcony at Taurito on the south coast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, looking southwest out over the Atlantic ocean. ...Read more
It's lashing down with rain and blowing a gale here in North Wales as I write this, reliving happy memories of a much warmer climate during our holiday on Gran Canaria during February 2024.
I remember waking up with the dawn, strolling outside onto the balcony of our apartment, dressed nothing but sleeping shorts, and watching the rising sun paint a growing band of light over the volcanic cliffs and resort hotels on the far side of the Taurito gorge.
...Read moreA warm night in February 2024 and I'm sitting on my balcony in shorts and a Tee shirt watching the stars wheel by over the parched, barren landscape.
You might have guessed by now that I'm not in North Wales! ...Read more
Another evening spent sitting on a balcony overlooking the Atlantic ocean at Taurito on the south coast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
My wife Liz and I were making the most of our two week winter sun break in February 2024, spending the days driving around the remote mountain roads before returning to our apartment for an evening meal and to enjoy the sunset.
...Read moreWhat could be nicer on a February evening than sitting on your balcony in the warmth, watching the glowing colours of dusk hang in the sky over the rolling ocean?
Which is just what my wife Liz and I did on numerous evenings during our two week stay on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. ...Read more
One of the things I really like about going on holiday to somewhere warm in the winter months is the ability to photograph outdoors without having to get dressed up like a polar explorer.
But pyjama shorts at four in the morning is surely taking the mickey! ...Read more
Looking up into the night sky, do you have a favourite constellation?
Mine has to be Orion the Hunter, it always puts a smile on my face when I see it moving across the heavens, it's like greeting an old friend. ...Read more
One thing that the volcanic island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands has in abundance is dramatic scenery.
A relic of its violent creation, Gran Canaria boasts some impressive rock formations, with probably the most famous being Roque Bentayga, featured in this time lapse video. ...Read more
When we go away on holiday, my wife Liz and I tend to avoid the tourist hotspots, preferring instead to explore the undeveloped, more natural landscapes and villages wherever we are.
But I also have a predeliction for photographing lighthouses, and on this occasion, in Gran Canaria, that meant hitting the popular hotspot at Maspalomas, which boasts a magnificent specimen of a lighthouse, and not to be missed! ...Read more
During the two weeks my wife Liz and I spent exploring Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands in early Febraury 2024 we made a few visits to the amazing Mirador Astronómico de la Degollada de las Yeguas.
Situated high in the mountains on the GC-60 route, overlooking Maspalomas to the south and the town of Arteara to the north, this viewpoint proved very popular with the locals (and with us), as it gave a great view of the sunset out over the Atlantic ocean. ...Read more
Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
When my wife Liz and I decided to drive to Prestatyn on the North wales coast for an afternoon stroll along the promenade, little did we know what lay in store. ...Read more
One of the reasons my wife Liz and I love to visit the Canary Islands in winter (apart from the warmth, that is), is to catch the beautiful sunsets over the Atlantic ocean.
But there can be a fly in the ointment in the form of the calima, a wind from the east that blows sand and dust from the Sahara desert, filling the sky above the horizon with a brown haze. ...Read more
Driving up the GC-60 road from Maspalomas on the south coast of Gran Canaria, towards the mountain town of Tejeda, I was very excited to find a large viewpoint overlooking the mountains to the north with a prominent sign saying 'Mirador Astronomico'.
My wife Liz and I were on a two week winter break on Gran Canaria, and, as was our wont, we spent most of the time driving around in our little hire car, exploring the less touristic areas of the island. ...Read more
The beach at Amadores on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria is a sun worshippers hotspot, and in the heat of the day the sun loungers are draped in lotion lathered skin.
My wife Liz and I have zero interest in that sort of activity, but a visit to Amadores was high on our list of things to do. ...Read more
A two week break in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands was just what my wife Liz and I needed to warm us up during a chilly and damp winter in north Wales.
Not that I've got anything against north Wales, the most beautiful place on earth, but sometimes a little winter sunshine is called for! ...Read more
Mid January 2024, and a brief break in the stormy weather over North Wales had my wife Liz and I escaping from our house and heading up to Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, for a breath of fresh air and a bit of exersize.
However, looking out from the car park over the Vale of Clwyd we soon decided against straying too far from the car, as heavy clouds and bands of rain were powering up the Vale from the Irish Sea coast, just a few miles to the north, and threatening to engulf us at any moment. ...Read more
For lovers of sunsets, such as myself, the North Wales coast offers a multitude of beautiful and dramatic locations from which to enjoy the event over the Irish Sea during the summer months.
But during the winter months the angle of the sunset swings around to the southwest, away from the sea, which makes viewing the sunset from the coast a rather tricky exercise. ...Read more
A lovely afternoon spent walking along the beach at Porth Dafarch on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, just off th North Wales coast, culminated in my wife Liz and I enjoying a dramatic sunset out over the Irish Sea to the southwest.
Of course, I was filming the lightshow, using two cameras. ...Read more
A wintertime ridge of high pressure over North Wales brought with it crisp, clear skies and a strong northerly wind, direct from the arctic.
Having been stuck indoors under very grey and dreary skies for almost a week, my wife Liz and I were all too keen to brave the icy conditions and head to the coast for a bracing stroll along the promenade at Prestatyn. ...Read more
It's quite rare to get a clear horizon over the Irish Sea, when looking out from the North Wales coast around sunset.
Normally there's a band of claggy cloud and haze over the water that stops you from seeing, or filming, a sunset that actually sets cleanly. ...Read more
It's that time of year again, that few weeks either side of the winter solstice when the sun sets as far to the southwest as it can at our latitude of 53°N.
Which means that, for this brief window in the calender, you can witness and film a spectacular sunset overlooking the beautiful and dramatic bay at Porth Dafarch on the Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast. ...Read more
You can tell from the #23 in the title of this video that this isn't the first time I've stood with my camera and tripod looking out over the beautiful Vale of Clwyd in north Wales at sunset.
You'd think after 22 previous videos of sunset over the Vale of Clwyd that I would have gotten tired of this view by now, but no. ...Read more
Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to hike up a mountain in the freezing cold at the dead of night to try and capture the movements of stars and planets in the skies overhead.
But what to do when the urge to do some night time photography becomes too hard to resist, like at the peak of the Geminid meteors in December 2023? ...Read more
A beautiful evening spent by the banks of the river Mersey at Seacombe ferry terminal, looking out across the water at the famous Liverpool skyline.
As the sun set behind me I started to video the scene, hoping to capture the transition from day to night over this wonderful view. ...Read more
Think of Liverpool and a few iconic cultural treasures spring to mind.
The Beatles, the Mersey ferry and, of course, the famous Liver Building at Pier Head, with the two Liver Bird statues watching over the city, situated right on the River Mersey waterfront. ...Read more
An evening spent by the side of the river Mersey, looking across the water from the Seacombe ferry terminal to the iconic Liverpool skyline on the far bank, is always a treat as the natural light of day fades through twilight and on into night.
And as my wife Liz and I sat and watched, with me filming the scene, the famous Mersey ferry came into view on the far side of the river, travelling sedately seawards towards the container docks. ...Read more
During our cruise around the western Mediterranean sea during October 2023, Naples, on the west coast of Italy, was the furthest south my wife Liz and I managed to get.
Once ashore we headed into town, determined to find a genuine Neapolitan pizza, an endeacvour in which we suceeded admirably thanks to a bustling little backstreet restaurant. ...Read more
The port of Marseille, on the south coast of France, proved to be a fascinating stop on the cruise around the western Mediterranaean sea that my wife Liz and I enjoyed during October 2023.
Of all the places we visited, I think Marseille had the most character, especially the old town which we we able to walk to from the quayside. ...Read more
One of the big pluses about going on a cruise for me is the unique vantage point you get being high above the water, overlooking scenery that you normally only get to see from ground level.
Also, the views of coastal ports and towns as you approach or leave from seaward is usually much more visually appealing than actually being in place on the ground, where views are obscured more often than not. ...Read more
During our cruise around the western Mediterranean sea in October 2023, my wife Liz and I encountered a richly diverse set of weather conditions.
From pouring rain in Naples to dramatic storms in Livorno, to warm, sunny weather in Ibiza. ...Read more
That magical half hour inbetween sunset and night is captured here in this time lapse video, overlooking the port of Genoa on the Mediterranean coast of northern Italy.
Genoa has a fascinating collection of colourful old buildings, set right along the waterfront, and my wife Liz and I were perfectly situated to enjoy the view from the balcony of our cruise cabin, thirteen decks above the water, as the warm artifical lights of the harbour slowly took precedence over the cool blue tones of twilight in the skies above. ...Read more
Of the many ports that Liz and I sailed into during our cruise around the western Mediterranean during the October of 2023, the approach to Genoa, right on the north coast of Italy, must have been the most interesting.
The colourful old buildings of the town extended right down to the harbour waterfront and we had a great view from the balcony of our cabin, high up above the sea on the thirteenth deck of our ship. ...Read more
The secret lives of the rich and famous were on display from the balcony of our cabin of our cruise liner, thirteen decks above the Mediterranean sea, as we sailed into the seaside town of Cannes on the French Riviera.
Megayachts and helicopters were the order of the day in this bastion of indulgence and wealth, and my wife Liz and I were looking forward to getting off the ship and having an explore around this hitherto un-visited part of France. ...Read more
The start of a fresh adventure for my wife Liz and myself, as we sailed away from the port of Barcelona on the southern coast of Spain at the beginning of a two week cruise around the western Mediterranean sea.
Wanting to film us sailing out of the port, we headed aft to the highest point on the ship we could find where I set up my camera on my newly acquired Gorrilapod tripod, firmly wrapped around the ship's rail.
...Read moreBeing on an enormous cruise liner while docked in port gives one a rather unique viewing platform over the landscape and town.
And I took full advantage of this fact during the cruise that my wife Liz and I enjoyed in the western Mediterranean during October 2023. ...Read more
Of all the places my wife Liz and I visited on our cruise around the western Mediterranean in the autumn of 2023, our favourite was Naples on the east coast of Italy.
The old town architecture was magnificent, the wood fired pizzas were delicious, and the view from the balcony of our cruise liner, thirteen decks above the sea, was just stunning. ...Read more
This is the fifth in a series of time lapse videos that I shot from the balcony of a cruise liner, thirteen decks above the Mediterranean sea, while docked at the Port of Livorno on the west coast of Italy.
In this video the weather over the Mediterranean was really kicking off, with roiling storm clouds heading ever closer to our ship. ...Read more
This is the fourth in a series of time lapse videos that I shot from the balcony of a cruise liner, thirteen decks above the Mediterranean sea, while docked at the Port of Livorno on the west coast of Italy.
In this video, shot pointing westwards out to sea, I was keeping a beady eye on the approaching rain storm while I filmed the movements of container ships sailing in and out of the docks.
...Read moreThis is the third in a series of time lapse videos that I shot from the balcony of a cruise liner, thirteen decks above the Mediterranean sea, while docked at the Port of Livorno on the west coast of Italy.
In this video, shot pointing backwards over the port, my attention was drawn to two other cruise liners docked behind us, both with their engines running to provide onboard power and emitting a good deal of smoke from their funnels as a result. ...Read more
This is the second in a series of time lapse videos that I shot from the balcony of a cruise liner, thirteen decks above the Mediterranean sea, while docked at the Port of Livorno on the west coast of Italy.
In this video, filmed pointing out over the sea, we witness some of the dramatic autumnal weather we experienced during our cruise, with storm clouds dropping sheets of rain over the sea while advancing ominously towards us. ...Read more
This is the first in a series of time lapse videos that I shot from the balcony of a cruise liner, thirteen decks above the Mediterranean sea, while docked at the Port of Livorno on the west coast of Italy.
In this video, filmed pointing out to sea, we see some lovely clouds dancing over an azure sea, and right at the end of the clip a container ship sails right past our liner, guided by tugboats front and rear. ...Read more
After a pretty miserable week of cloud and rain over North Wales in the latter half of November 2023, I was certainly glad when a ridge of high pressure developed over the UK, bringing a brief respite to the damp and dreary conditions.
So it was out with the camera and off to catch a winter sunset. ...Read more
It was promising to be a lovely afternoon and evening over our home in Northeast Wales one Tuesday in late November 2023.
So in anticipation of filming beautiful skies over the Vale of Clwyd as the sun sank towards the western horizon, my wife Liz and I bundled ourselves into the car and set off for the fifteen minute drive that would take us to Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with spectacular views out over the Vale of Clwyd and beyond. ...Read more
With a lot of rainfall you get a lot of rivers, and that's certainly the case in the Snowdonia National Park (now called Eryri) in North Wales.
With weather fronts blowing in from the Atlantic ocean to the west and hitting the high mountains of Snowdonia, it's raining more often than not here.
...Read moreThere are numerous rivers and streams criss-crossing the Snowdonia National Park (now called Eryri) in North Wales, and no wonder with the amount of rain that falls over this mountainous region.
One of the prettiest, and most accessible, is the Afon Llugwy which runs through the middle of Betws-y-Coed before joining the much larger river Conwy just to the north of the town. ...Read more
The view over the North Wales coauntryside has been changing over the past few years, with the addition of a goodly number of onshore wind turbines scattered across the landscape.
Love 'em or hate 'em, they're here to stay, and as an outdoor photographer, I love 'em, and will take every opportunity to feature them in my photographs and videos! ...Read more
Surely one of the most beautifully situated lakes in the Snowdonia National Park (now called Eryri) in North Wales, this is Llyn Crafnant, situated in the hills above Trefriw.
My wife Liz and I make a point of walking around the lake in every season of the year, but without doubt our favourite time is autumn. ...Read more
Here in north Wales we enjoy a rich variety of weather, as autumnal depressions stream in from off the Atlantic ocean, driven by the jetstream oscillating wildly in the upper atmosphere around our latitude.
All of which makes for some spectacular cloud effects in the skies above our coastline. ...Read more
A promising looking sky in the late afternoon of an otherwise cloudy day in early October 2023 had me loading up the car with photographic gear and heading out to, hopefully, catch a sunset.
At this time of year the sun sets just to the south of due east, which makes the westward facing slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Northeast Wales, a great spot from which to view and photograph the rolling landscape of the Vale of Clwyd under a big sky. ...Read more
This short time lapse video was filmed from a layby on the A4086 road, running through the Snowdonia National Park (now called Eryri) in North Wales, and giving this amazing view of Snowdon (now called Yr Wyddfa) and the surrounding peaks.
As usual, the mountainous landscape was causing clouds to continuously form and decay, as the warm, moist air coming in off the Irish sea was forced to rise, cool and condense. ...Read more
A trip to our local seaside at Rhyl on the North Wales coast didn't work out quite as planned for my wife Liz and I.
We were hoping for a nice stroll along the seafront while being caressed by warm autumnal breezes wafting in from the Irish Sea, but that was not to be! ...Read more
Sometimes things don't go quite according to plan in the outdoor photography world. (Who would have thought it!)
My wife Liz and I are keen aurora watchers, and whenever there's a good chance of photographing this amazing phenomenon here in North Wales at 53ºN, we are up and out to the coast, looking north hopefully out over the Irish Sea. ...Read more
My wife Liz discovered a prime spot for photography on her weekly commute (now a long time ago) to Rhyl, on the North Wales coast, to teach english to foreign students.
A shortcut took her along narrow country roads, through the tiny village of Gwaenysgor and past this car park, with an amazing view overlooking Prestatyn and westwards along the highly developed stretch of coastline. ...Read more
A brief break between weather fronts in early November 2023 was all the incentive my wife Liz and I needed for a quick to the seaside at Prestatyn on the North Wales coast.
Just a gentle forty minute drive from our home, Prestatyn is one of our 'go to' places to get some some bracing seaside air and, hopefully, a photo or two. ...Read more
With increasing solar activity, the latter part of 2023 is getting quite interesting for watchers of the night skies.
It's that time of year that the aurora borealis, or northern lights, puts in an appearance in the skies of the northern hemisphere, and the further north you are, the better your chances of catching a display. ...Read more
You'd think that after an adult lifetime of photography I'd be tired of capturing sunsets.
No way! A sunset (or sunrise) is one of the most wonderful sensory feasts I know of, when the world seems to hold its breath at the birth or death of another day. ...Read more
Whenever Liz and I find ourselves in a location we've never explored before, it's out with the maps to have a good look at what places might be interesting to visit.
So during our week long holiday with family at Kilkeel on Northern Ireland's eastern seaboard, we made a special effort to drive north along the coast to see the lighthouse at St John's Point near Downpatrick in County Down. ...Read more
A week long holiday, spent exploring the beautiful scenery along the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland, found my wife Liz and I between the two seaside towns of Portrush and Portballintrae, looking out over the Atantic Ocean to the Skerries Islands just offshore.
Sunset was approaching, and the sky had taken on a magical appearance, with high broken cloud allowing shafts of sunlight to beam down onto the seascape below. ...Read more
During a week long holiday with our Irish family at Kilkeel in County Newry, Northern Ireland, we took full advantage of our location to explore the beautiful scenery of the Mountains of Mourne.
Nestled high in a secluded valley we eventually found the Silent Valley nature reserve and reservoir, and enjoyed a good hour's worth of walking around and a visit to the café, culminating in a climb up to the dam wall at the southern end of the reservoir. ...Read more
If, like me, you're a fan of dramatic weather, then the Atlantic coast of Northern Ireland should definitely be on your 'must see' list.
A few days spent with my wife Liz, exploring the beautiful scenery in this part of the world, found us at sunset on the beach at Portstewart on the coast of County Londonderry, looking west across the water to the high ground of the Warren in County Donegal in the Irish Republic. ...Read more
This is the fifth and final offering in a series of time lapse videos, filmed in the beautiful Mountains of Mourne, Northern Ireland, during a week's holiday with family at Kilkeel, just a ten minute drive from this wonderful location.
This particular video, which is the shortest and maybe the most dramatic of the series, features a bank of storm clouds sweeping across the wild and remote Spelga reservoir, set high in the mountainous landscape. ...Read more
This is the fourth in a series of five time lapse videos, filmed in the beautiful Mountains of Mourne, Northern Ireland, during a week's holiday with family at Kilkeel, just a ten minute drive from this wonderful location.
This particular video features wind driven storm clouds over the wild and remote Spelga reservoir, set high in the dramatic mountainous landscape. ...Read more
This is the third in a series of five time lapse videos, filmed in the beautiful Mountains of Mourne, Northern Ireland, during a week's holiday with family at Kilkeel, just a ten minute drive from this wonderful location.
This particular video features the play of sunlight and shadow over the slopes of Slieve Muck mountain, next to the Spelga reservoir.
...Read moreThis is the second in a series of five time lapse videos, filmed in the beautiful Mountains of Mourne, Northern Ireland, during a week's holiday with family at Kilkeel, just a ten minute drive from this wonderful location.
This particular video features beautiful and delicate cloud patterns over the wonderful Spelga reservoir, set high in the dramatic mountainous landscape. ...Read more
This is the first in a series of five time lapse videos, filmed in the beautiful Mountains of Mourne, Northern Ireland, during a week's holiday with family at Kilkeel, just a ten minute drive from this wonderful location.
This particular video features a sunset through clouds over the wonderful Spelga reservoir, set high in the dramatic mountainous landscape. ...Read more
A two week holiday, during which my wife Liz and I explored hitherto unvisited parts of Northern Ireland, found us, one drizzly afternoon, at Maghery Country Park on the shores of Lough Neath, the largest body of fresh water in the UK.
The country park turned out to be a lovely quiet oasis of calm, looking out over the lough, so we spent a good hour here just sitting and watching the play of light on the shallow ruffled waters in front of us. ...Read more
The week my wife Liz and I spent with the Irish side of our family at Kilkeel on the east coast, just above the Ireland / Northern Ireland border, was a wonderful time.
Not only did we get to spend time together, but Liz and I were able to explore some coastline and mountains that we'd never seen before. ...Read more
This is the fifth and final installment of a series of time lapse videos, filmed around Carlingford Lough, which forms part of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, during August 2023.
The location for this view was Carlingford itself, in the Republic of Ireland, with the magnificent Carlingford castle stealing the coastal scene.
...Read moreThis is the third of a series of five time lapse videos, filmed around Carlingford Lough, which forms part of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, during August 2023.
The location for this view was in the hills near the village Tulla, County Lough, in the Republic of Ireland, overlooking Carlingford Lough and the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland. ...Read more
This is the third of a series of five time lapse videos, filmed around Carlingford Lough, which forms part of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, during August 2023.
The location for this view was in the hills near the village Tulla, County Lough, in the Republic of Ireland, overlooking Carlingford Lough and the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland. ...Read more
This is the second of a series of five time lapse videos, filmed around Carlingford Lough, which forms part of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, during August 2023.
The location for this view was the beach at Carlingford in the Republic of Ireland, looking across the water towards the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland. ...Read more
A two week holiday spent exploring the beautiful scenery of Northern Ireland, with occasional forays over the border into the Republic, found my wife Liz and I along the coastline of Carlingford Lough under skies punctuated with alternating bursts of sunshine and rain.
The views under these lighting conditions were just stunning, with patches of sunlight and shadow playing over the surrounding hills and foreshore. ...Read more
A two week holiday with family, spent exploring the beautiful scenery around the northern Ireland coast, with excursions south of the border into the Republic of Ireland, was a real eye opener for my wife Liz and myself.
We've spent may very happy times in Ireland, but mostly along the west Atlantic coast, so this trip to the eastern side of Ireland, bounded by the Irish Sea, was a fresh experience for us both. ...Read more
August 30th 2023 heralded that rare astronomical event, a 'blue supermoon', which only occurs when the full moon is unusually close to earth, and there are actually two full moons in the calendar month, the second being the 'blue' moon.
Hence the phrase 'once in a blue moon', which relates to a very rare or very unlikely event. ...Read more
When my wife Liz and I arrived at Seacombe Dock in Wallasey on the banks of the river Mersey, planning to film the rising of the August 30th 'blue' 'supermoon' over the iconic Liverpool skyline, we were somewhat perturbed at seeing the huge cruise liner 'The Norwegian Dawn', parked right in front of the Liver Building, just where the moon was due to rise in around an hour's time!
But with smoke rising from the ship's funnel, we were hopeful of a timely departure, and sure enough, at 8pm, just twenty minutes before moonrise, the mooring lines were cast off and the floating palace began to move. ...Read more
The night of August 12th/13th is a special time each year, as this is the date that marks the peaks of the Perseid meteor shower, the most spectacular meteor display of the year.
And with a reasonable weather forecast, plus no moon to speak of, conditions were looking good for a fine celestial show. ...Read more
Having missed the rising of the first 'supermoon' of August 2023 due to bad weather, I was determined to catch the second, rare, 'blue' supoermoon on August 30th as it rose above the horizon at sunset.
The weather forecast was looking good, with clear skies at sunset/moonrise predicted over north Wales and the Wirral peninsula. ...Read more
The seaside town of Rhyl, once the poor relation of north Wales coastal resorts, has enjoyed something of a renaissance over the past few years, with a refurbished promenade and new developments replacing the old, somewhat tacky, attactions.
But it's not the tourist attractions that interest me. ...Read more
Sometimes a time lapse video shoot takes hours of planning and miles of travel to achieve the desired result.
And sometimes you just poke your head out of your back door et voila, a dramatic weather event is taking place right over your house! ...Read more
One thing you can pretty much guarantee in north Wales is active weather.
Especially along the coast, as warm, moist air coming in off the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean is forced upwards by the mountains of Snowdonia, forming towering clouds over the high ground, just inland from the coast. ...Read more
When Liz and I decide to have a day out, one of our favourite things to do is to drive across the Denbigh Moors, a high altitude wilderness that is absolutley beautiful, when it's not raining/foggy/blowing a gale!
Such was the case on this afternoon in late July 2023, with summer cumulus clouds drifting lazily over the landscape, casting patches of sunlight and shadow over the landscape below. ...Read more
The Snowdonia National Park in North Wales is a wonderland of mountains, forests, lakes, waterfalls and lively weather.
Which is why you'll find my wife Liz and I exploring its beautiful scenery on a very regular basis from our home just an hour's drive away. ...Read more
There are some great beaches on the North Wales coast, with acres of sand revealed at low tide thanks to the very large tidal range in this part of the world.
Couple that with some lovely old beach architecture, decaying groynes, breakwaters and so on, and you've got a recipe for some wonderful and dynamic views to photograph. ...Read more
Another summer's evening and another delightful trip to the North Wales coast for my wife Liz and I.
One of the great attractions of the North Wales coast for me as an outdoor photographer is that I never know what the weather is going to do one minute from the next. ...Read more
Quite an unusual night time photoshoot for me this time, as usually I'd be out up a mountain or on the North Wales coast for such an exercise.
But being in the middle of a course of chemotherapy in early July 2023 my more involved nightime adventures had been temporarily curtailed. ...Read more
With a couple of days break at Dinas Dinlle on the North Wales coast lined up for my wife Liz and I, we made the choice to take the scenic route from our home in northeast Wales.
For us, the scenic route involves driving through the beautiful Snowdonia National Park, with mountains, forests and lakes to enjoy along the way. ...Read more
One of the best views in southern Snowdonia, this is the tidal estuary of the river Mawddach at Penmaenpool.
My wife Liz and I make a point of stopping here when we're in the area, to enjoy a drink at the historic George 3rd pub. ...Read more
There are loads of interesting old structures dotted around Wales, but few have the visual appeal of the historic wooden toll bridge at Penmaenpool on the tidal estuary of the river Mawddach.
My wife Liz and I usually make an effort to stop here when we're in the Barmouth area, not only to see the bridge, but also to have a drink at the wonderful George 3rd pub by the side of the river. ...Read more
Driving through the Snowdonia National Park in north Wales, on our way to a couple of days by the sea at Dinas Dinlle, my wife Liz and I took our time, stopping off to enjoy some of the many beautiful views along the way.
And of the many lakes in the park, one of the most lovely is Llyn Gwynant, nestled in the Nant Gwynant valley at the foot of Snowdon. ...Read more
The second day of our mini break at Dinas Dinlle, just south of Caernarfon on the North Wales coast, and my wife Liz and I are once again on the beach, looking northwest towards the setting sun.
Only on this particular evening there's not a lot of sun to be seen! ...Read more
My wife Liz and I never pass up a chance to go to the seaside, so when a friend of ours offered us the use of her caravan at Dinas Dinlle on the north Wales coast for a couple of days, we jumped at the opportunity.
Dinas Dinlle is a beautiful spot, with a long beach of shingle and sand boasting views out over the Llyn Peninsual to the south, and the Isle of Anglesey to the north. ...Read more
There are some wonderful driving roads through the landscapes of north Wales, and one which my wife Liz and I enjoy travelling very much is the A543 that runs between the county town of Denbigh and Pentrefoelas on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park.
This route takes you high over the Denbigh moors, through some of the most desolate and beautiful scenery the north Wales has to offer. ...Read more
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside....Oh I do like to be beside the sea...
Well that's old song is cetainly true for my wife Liz and I, and we make sure we get to the seaside along our strietch of the north Wales coast as often as practical.
...Read moreLooking out over the Irish Sea from the promenade at Prestatyn on the North Wales coast, there's one thing that immediately catches the eye.
And that, of course, is the vast array of giant offshore turbines that go to make up the Gwynt-y-Môr wind farm, stretching across the waters of Colwyn Bay. ...Read more
As you know, most of my photography is based around my home in northeast Wales, but every now and then I'll sneak over the border and check out some of the views in England.
And one of my favourite spots to visit is the seafront at New Brighton on the Wirral Peninsula, on the banks of the river Mersey and Liverpool Bay. ...Read more
During the early summer of 2023, the UK enjoyed a rare spell of good weather, underneath a stationary area of high pressure.
Which was great for those of us who enjoy a good sunset, with cloud free skies laden with moisture and dust particles which combined to give rich, golden colours as the sun's rays had most of the blue spectrum of light filtered out as sunset approached.
...Read morePrestatyn, on the North Wales coast, has been enjoying a bit of a renaissance recently, with revamped promenade and leisure facilities amongst other improvements.
And with easy parking right on the promenade, Prestatyn has become a favourite place for my wife Liz and I to spend a couple of hours when the fancy takes us, as it's just half an hour's drive from our home. ...Read more
Well it's that time of year again, the couple of weeks either side of the midsummer solstice when I get up ridiculously early and head to the North Wales coast to catch the sunrise.
There are a few 'go to' spots along the north facing coast that provide a great foreground against which to set the sunrise, and my chosen destination on this particular morning was that queen of seaside resorts, Llandudno.
...Read moreA beautiful clear morning over the Vale of Clwyd in northeast Wales and I was up before the lark to catch the full moon drifting downwards through the lightening skies over the market town of Ruthin.
There was not a breath of wind as I made my way, in the dark, up the Offa's Dyke path on the flanks of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), to my chosen viewpoint overlooking Ruthin's glowing streelights. ...Read more
Always a popular spot for photographers, this is the iconic but de-commissioned Point of Ayr lighthouse, improbably situated on the beach at Talacre on the North Wales coast.
Talacre is just a half hour's drive from my home, so whenever the tide, weather and lighting conditions are favourable I can choose to come here to catch the view. ...Read more
Compared to the moon, which has phases and lots of interesting surface details, photographing the sun can seem a little bit samey.
So in the early summer of 2023, when I'd discovered that the sun's activity had increased and there were more sunspots visible on the surface, it was time for a re-shoot. ...Read more
There are some sunset photography locations that only work at certain times of the year, and this view of the iconic lighthouse at New Brighton, overlooking the river Mersey estuary from the Wirral side, is one of them.
With a view looking towards the northwest, you can only get the sunset and the lighthouse together in one composition in during a few weeks either side of the midsummer solstice. ...Read more
Looking for an outdoor photography location that has everything?
You need look no further than the iconic lighthouse, nestled on a small island at the base of the magnificent sea cliffs at South Stack on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast. ...Read more
One of the loveliest locations on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast, is Church Bay (or Porth Swtan to give it its welsh name).
Church Bay is a small coastal village with a magnificent sandy beach, backed by cliifs comprised of a golden coloured rock which glows in the light of the setting sun. ...Read more
Some times I travel long distances to capture a time lapse video, planning around weather, sunset or sunrise times, tide, angle of light on the landscape and all the other considerations that go into a well reasearched shoot.
And sometimes (rarely) I just step out of my front door to be confronted with an 'oven ready' (to quote Boris Johnson) photographic opportunity. ...Read more
I've lost count of how many times I've wound my way up from the Pen Barras car park, along the Offa's Dyke path to the Jubilee Tower on the summit of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
After all, it's only a fifteen minute drive from my home, and climbing Moel Famau regularly is a great way to keep fit. ...Read more
The Jubilee Tower, that ruined stump of something that was once much grander, sits atop the summit of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), right near my home in northeast Wales.
The tower is visible from miles away, and everytime my wife Liz and I spot it on the horizon as we drive along some motorway or other we know we're nearly home. ...Read more
The border region of northeast Wales, where I live, is steeped in a history of violent clashes between warring princes, which have left their mark on the landscape over the centuries.
And one of the most spectacular and impressive defensive works is the 177 mile long Offa's Dyke, built in the 8th century by King Offa, of what was then the kingdom of Mercia. ...Read more
T'was the night before Eurovision, and all through Liverpool plenty of things were stirring.
Including my wife Liz and I, who were watching the antics on the Liverpool waterfront from a safe distance, across the river Mersey at Seacombe Dock in Birkenhead. ...Read more
A clear horizon at sunset is a rare occurence on the North Wales coast, as normally there's a band of cloud sitting out over the Irish Sea which prevents the sun being visible all the way down to the earth's rim.
So when the horizon is clear I take full advantage to shoot time lapse videos of the sun disappearing into the sea, hoping to catch a glimpse of that mystical and elusive 'green flash' that apparently can occur at the moment the last of the suns orb vanishes. ...Read more
Back in 2007 the British public was invited to vote for thier favourite view.
And the winner was - Wastwater in the Lake District. ...Read more
Some of the loveliest countryside in the UK is to be found in the magnificent Lake District.
And amongst so many stunning locations it's hard to pick a favourite. ...Read more
Of all the beautiful lakes in England's Lake District, Ullswater has to be one of my wife Liz's and my favourites.
With the picturesque village of Pooley Bridege at the northern end - very handy for a cup of tea, scone and a trip to the loo, and the magnificent peaks around Helvellyn at the southern end, Ullswater has something for everyone. ...Read more
Driving home from a week long stay at Carnforth at the southern end of England's Lake District, my wife Liz and I decided to prolong our enjoyment with a side trip through the Yorkshire Dales.
We headed for Hawes where we stopped for a cheese buying break at the Wensleydale factory before heading south along the Ribble Valley. ...Read more
The lake of Tarn Hows and the surrounding countryside really are one of the jewels in the crown of England's Lake District.
Run by the National Trust, this lake is partly man-made, having been two seperate smaller lakes in times past. ...Read more
During the week long break my wife Liz and I enjoyed in April 2023, staying at Pine Lake resort at Carnforth just to the south of England's Lake District, we looked out for a place to watch and film sunsets from.
A study of the relevant Ordinance Survey map showed us that the view to the northwest, out over Morecambe Bay to the mountains of the southern Lake District, was worth considering.
Here are three time lapse videos, shot from our chosen spot overlooking Morecambe Bay. Just click on the links for more inforamtion about the videos.
...Morecambe Sunset Timelapse #1
...Morecambe Sunset Timelapse #2
...Morecambe Sunset Timelapse #3
In the April of 2023 my wife Liz and I spent a lovely week exploring the Lake District in the north of England, with sunlight and showers being the weather throughout the time we spent there - perfect for outdoor photography and much more interesting than boring blue skies!
And it was on a drive up past Windermere that we came across this beautiful view overlooking the village of Elterwater and the Langdale Pikes beyond. ...Read more
A week long break in April 2023 found my wife Liz and I exploring the beauties of the Lake District in the north of England.
We'd had a few holidays here in the past, but usually in the autumn, so a trip in spring was something new for us, even though we re-visited a lot of our known viewpoints and beauty spots. ...Read more
Towards the end of April 2023 my wife Liz and I enjoyed a week's break at the Pine Lake resort at Carnforth, just to the south of England's Lake District.
Of course, our days were spent exploring and photographing the beautiful lakes and mountains of the Lake District, but the photographic effort didn't end on our return to Pine Lake.
Here are three time lapse videos, shot overnight from the balcony of our cabin overlooking the lake. Just click on the links for more inforamtion about the videos.
...Carnforth Night Timelapse #2
...Carnforth Night Timelapse #3
...Carnforth Night Timelapse #4
A gorgeous evening with clear blue skies found my wife Liz and I out and about enjoying the light and scenery near our home in northeast Wales.
Our travels took us along the tiny mountain road past Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and beyond to the market town of Ruthin. ...Read more
Living here in beautiful North Wales, it's just too easy to hop in the car and pop along to the coast for a stroll by the sea whenever the fancy takes you, and the weather is playing ball.
Which is just what my wife Liz and I did on this lovely afternoon and evening in the spring of 2023, heading up to Prestatyn to take in the sea air and get some exersise. ...Read more
There are many beautiful places scattered along the North wales coast, from which to watch a sunset developing over the waters of the Irish Sea.
And depending on the time of year certian locations give a better viewing angle than others. ...Read more
A gentle evening on the North Wales coast at Dinas Dinlle, overlooking the Irish Sea and the beautiful mountains of the Llyn Peninsula at sunset was the perfect end to an afternoon spent driving through the scenery of the Snowdonia National Park from our home near Mold, to arrive at our friend's caravan for a couple of day's R&R.
And although the actual sunset was hidden behind a layer of cloud along the horizon, that didn't detract from the tranquil beauty of the scene as those clouds glowed in the evening light as day slowy faded to night. ...Read more
At the close of a day spent admiring and photographing the wonders of the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales, my wife Liz and I usually head back home to Buckley along the coast.
Not only is this the fastest route, but takes in some great spots to stop to watch the sunset. ...Read more
The opportunity to spend a couple of days on the North Wales coast, in a friend's caravan at Dinas Dinlle, was too good to pass by.
Especially as the weather forecast was unusually favourable for this part of the world at the end of March. ...Read more
A lovely afternoon of sunshine and showers found my wife Liz and I enjoying a walk along the promenade at Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula.
As we strolled back to our car, my eye was captivated by an very large and threatening cumulonimbus storm cloud to the northeast, over Liverpool on the far side of the river Mersey. ...Read more
There are some great driving roads in North Wales, and one in particular that my wife Liz and I enjoy travelling is the A543 from Denbigh to Pentrefoelas, otherwise known as the Sportsman's Pass.
This road take you through the wonderful and desolate landscapes of the high altitude Denbigh Moors, with views to the Clwydian range of hills to the east, and the high peaks of the Snowdonia National Park to the west. ...Read more
This is the beautiful Nant Ffrancon valley, sitting between the Carneddau and Glyderau mountain ranges in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.
My wife Liz and I often stop here to visit the café and toilets at the Llyn Ogwen visitors centre as we enjoy one of our regular scenic drives around the park. ...Read more
Following an early spring snowstorm in 2023, the morning of Tuesday 7th March dawned bright and clear, with the prospect of a glorious day to come.
So no further incentive was required for my wife Liz and I to bustle through our morning chores and then head out for a drive around the mountains of the Snowdonia National Park. ...Read more
Shafts of sunlight beam across the undulating landscape of the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales, bathing farms and fields in a golden glow as the sun finds a small gap in the clouds as it makes its way inexorably towards the far western horizon.
And once again I'm at one of my favourite sunset spots on the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just a fifteen minute drive from my home. ...Read more
One of many iconic scenes in the beautiful Snowdonia National Park in North Wales.
This is the view looking southeastwards down the length of Llyn Padarn at Llanberis, on a cold winter's day with threatening clouds blowing over the lake and mountains. ...Read more
Finally!
After years of trying and failing, my wife Liz and I were in the right place at the right time to witness one of the most wonderful atmospheric phenomena, the aurora borealis, or northern lights, in the skies over north Wales. ...Read more
A stunning afternoon with rare clear skies over northeast Wales was all the reason my wife Liz and I needed to head to one of our many local beauty spots to watch the sunset.
At this time of year, February, with the sun setting to the southwest, one of the best viewing spots is on the slopes of Moel famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. ...Read more
One of the iconic North Wales viewpoints and hikes, that people come from miles around to enjoy, this is the view out over the Vale of Clywd as seen from the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Fortunately for me, a fifteen minute drive gets me to this spot, so whenever the weather looks interesting around sunset my wife Liz and I can jump in the car and set off to enjoy the spectacle. ...Read more
An overnight stay with my wife Liz at the Treaddur Bay Hotel on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey on the North Wales coast in February 2023 gave me the opportunity to shoot this time lase video of dusk falling over the rocks and beach of this popular tourist coastline.
We'd spent the day bathed in glorious winter sunshine as we explored the local beaches and headlands around Porth Dafarch, a favourite and well loved spot for us, but as we retired to the hotel overlooking Trearddur Bay the clouds rolled in just as the sun started to set. ...Read more
After a long period of 'not going out' due to poor winter weather in January 2023 my wife Liz and I were certainly glad to see a clear, sunny sky for once.
So off we headed to enjoy an early sunset (4.30pm at this time of year in North Wales) at one of our 'go to' spots on the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just a short drive from our home. ...Read more
Surely one of the most dramatically situated lighthouses anywhere in the world.
This is the wonderful South Stack lighthouse on the northwest tip of the Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast looking out over the Irish Sea. ...Read more
One of my wife Liz's and my favourite places to go for a bracing seaside walk is the promenade at Prestatyn on the north Wales coast.
With great views northwards out over the Irish Sea to the turbines of the offshore Gwynt-y-Môr windfarm, and along the shore to the unmistakeable limestone edifice of the Little Orme to the west, a walk along this well appointed stretch of promenade is a real treat, especially when you arrive at the Beach Hut Cafe for a fish and chip break! ...Read more
A rare bright, clear winter's day over North Wales found my wife Liz and I on the hunt for beautiful scenery lit by gorgeous low angled light.
Having spent the afternoon touring some of our favourite places in the wonderful Snowdonia National park, we then headed down to the coast to catch the sunset. ...Read more
Well, so far the winter of 2022/23 had been rather damp and miserable, but every now and then a ridge of high pressure arrived over north Wales, the skies cleared and the sun came out.
January 2nd was just such a day, and my wife Liz and I were determined to make the most of it, with a drive around the beautiful scenery of Snowdonia, planning to end up at the coast to catch the sunset. ...Read more
My wife Liz and I are really blessed to live near the north Wales coast, less than an hour's drive away from the many wonderful seaside locations on offer in this amazing part of the world.
And one of our favourites is Llandudno, considered a jewel in the crown of gracious coastal resorts. ...Read more
There are some wonderful driving roads through the landscapes of north Wales, and one which my wife Liz and I enjoy travelling very much is the A543 that runs between the county town of Denbigh and Pentrefoelas on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park.
This route takes you high over the Denbigh moors, through some of the most desolate and beautiful scenery the north Wales has to offer. ...Read more
Heading back home to north Wales from a wonderful two weeks spend exploring the beauties of northwest Scotland in the October of 2022, my wife Liz and I decided to take the scenic route.
This involved crossing the country from west to east, and driving down the east coast of Scotland and England, taking in some of the places we'd always wanted to see. ...Read more
In the October of 2022 my wife Liz and I spent two weeks exploring the beauties of northwest Scotland from our AirBnB cottage overlooking the Atlantic ocean at Aultgrishan.
In order to get anywhere from Aultgrishan we had to drive though the lovely seaside town of Gairloch, and on one of our trips out we decided to stop there and have a look around. ...Read more
During our two week holiday in October 2022, spent exploring the beautiful scenery of northwest Scotland my wife Liz and I came across many lovely, unspoilt beaches.
But we both agree that the beach that we loved the most was Firemore on the shores of Loch Ewe, open to the Atlantic ocean. ...Read more
After a few days spent touring around the wonderful and dramatic landscapes of northwest Scotland I was beginning to think that this wonderful country had run out of surprises.
But that was before my wife Liz and I took a detour one afternoon down to Big Sand beach, just outside Gairloch on the wild Atlantic coast. ...Read more
Before spending time here, I wouldn't have thought that the atlantic coast of northwest Scotland had any sandy beaches as such.
But a two week stay at Gairloch proved me wrong, with some really lovely and unspoilt beaches dotted along the rugged coastline to discover. ...Read more
After having spent two weeks in the October of 2022 exploring the dramatic landscapes of northwest Scotland, my wife Liz and I were loth to hurry back home, so we took a leisurely diversion across to the northeast coast, crossing border into England near Eyemouth and heading on down to Bamburgh in Northumberland.
The big draw of Bamburgh was the famous, and very photogenic, castle. ...Read more
Whenever my wife Liz and I go on a holiday to somewhere new in the UK we always buy an Ordinance Survey map of the locality before setting off.
We use the maps to spot interesting features to explore and photograph, such as castles, mountains, waterfalls and, in my case, lighthouses. ...Read more
Mean, moody and magnificent doesn't even begin to describe the landscapes of northwest Scotland, as my wife Liz and I found out during our two week holiday here in October 2022.
Based in an AirBnB near Gairloch on the atlantic coast, we spent our time driving and walking (weather permitting!) around the mountains, lochs, coast and forests of this wild and untamed land. ...Read more
Driving round northwest Scotland during our two week holiday in October 2022 my wife Liz and I were amazed at just how many beautiful lochs there are in this part of the world.
Each loch seemed to have its own characteristic, some bleak and forbidding, others more open and friendly. ...Read more
Driving up through the magnificent scenery of the scottish highlands on our way to Gairloch on the atlantic northwest coast of Wester Ross, my wife Liz and I were compelled to stop at this viewpoint just outside Glencoe, looking down the dramatic valley of Glen Etive.
Flanked by majestic mountains, and with storm clouds boiling over the landscape, I just couldn't resist the urge to shoot my first time lapse of our Scotland adventure. ...Read more
Nestled on the altantic coastline of northwest Scotland, this is the view overlooking the seaside town of Gairloch.
My wife Liz and I spent an amazing two weeks exploring this part of the world in October 2022, taking in the rugged coastline, big mountains and dramatic lochs. ...Read more
This short timelapse video catches the beautiful interplay of sunbeams through broken clouds at sunset over the dramatic altantic coast of northwest Scotland.
Filmed on a blustery October afternoon from Gairloch, these conditions were typical of the fantastic light that my wife Liz and I enjoyed during our two week stay here in 2022. ...Read more
The rugged atlantic coastline of northwest Scotland isn't a place you would normally consider for a holiday in October, but my wife Liz and I aren't your usual holidaymakers.
We're more interested in seeing magnificent scenery and dramatic light than lying on a crowded beach somewhere, So the scottish coast and highlands were just made for us. ...Read more
October in the highlands of northwest Scotland, and my wife Liz and I are revelling a two week break in this stunning part of the world.
Needless to say, we didn't come here to bask in warm sunshine on a crowded beach, but rather to get immersed in this ancient and dramatic landscape. ...Read more
One of the reasons my wife Liz and I chose to holiday on the atlantic coast of northwest Scotland in October was our desire to actually see the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, in the night sky.
And obviously, the further north we could get, the better our chances - right? ...Read more
Blue skies, sun kissed beaches, tropical heat warming your old bones?
If that's your idea of a good holiday then the northwest of Scotland in October is definitely not for you! ...Read more
This is the third in a series of four time lapse videos featuring the dramatic weather out over the Atlantic ocean, as witnessed from Aultgrishan in Wester Ross on the northwest coast of Scotland.
I was hoping to film a dramatic sunset through broken clouds but on this occasion the cloud cover was too heavy along the horizon, with no chance of seeing the actual sun. ...Read more
This is the second in a series of four time lapse videos featuring the dramatic weather out over the Atlantic ocean and the mountains of the Isle of Skye, as witnessed from Aultgrishan in Wester Ross on the northwest coast of Scotland.
In this particular sequence I was treated to an approaching rainstorm as clouds raced towards me from the far horizon on a stiff westerly breeze. ...Read more
Who would consider a holiday on the atlantic coast of northwest Scotland in October?
Someone who's crazy about dramatic light and stunning scenery, that's who! ...Read more
The end of a lovely day on the North Wales coast, and my wife Liz and I are squeezing the maximum enjoyment from the evening with a stroll along the seafront promenade at Rhyl.
Above the western horizon of the Irish sea the sun had just set over the turbines of the Gwynt-y-Môr offshore wind farm and the sky was ablaze with colour as dusk fell. ...Read more
I love watching a dramatic sunset, and living in North Wales we get our fair share of those.
With atmospheric systems from the Atlantic clashing overhead, lively weather is the order of the day in this part of the world, and the North Wales coast is a great place to watch and film as clouds and sun do battle for supremacy over the Irish Sea. ...Read more
There's something marvellous about the lunar cycles, as regular as clockwork (even better in fact!) on a 28 day timetable.
Each different phase offers a photographic opportunity, depending on the cloud cover of course! ...Read more
The last supermoon of 2022, the 'Sturgeon supermoon' was due to set in the west on the morning of the 12th August.
And thanks to a long lived area of high pressure over the UK the skies over North Wales were clear of the usual clouds. ...Read more
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...Oh I do like to be beside the sea!
And where better to be 'beside the sea' than on the North Shore promenade at Llandudno, North Wales' premiere seaside resort. ...Read more
I love a sunrise, don't you?
A new day is dawning, full of promise and potential as the glowing disc of the sun appears like a jewel on the eastern horizon. ...Read more
This is my second attempt at filming a time lapse video of the sunset over the turbines of the Gwynt-y-Môr offshore wind farm, on the North Wales coast, within the course of a week.
My first attempt, Windfarm Sunset Timelapse #6, was nice, but a bank of cloud along the horizon of the Irish Sea resulted in a somewhat premature sunset, and I was sure that I could do better on an evening with clear skies. ...Read more
The night of August 11th to August 12th 2022 was pretty special.
Not only was it the night of the final supermoon of 2022 (the sturgeon moon), but it was also the peak of the best meteor shower of the year, the Perseids. ...Read more
The giant turbines of the Gwyny-y-Môr offshore wind farm form a dramatic focal point to this time lapse video, capturing yet another lovely sunset over the North Wales coast, this time from the promenade at Rhyl.
Rhyl isn't usually considered as an outdoor photographer's paradise, with its highly developed, rather garish seafront. ...Read more
Not only is North Wales blessed with outstanding scenery, we also have some great old castles from the 13th century to admire as well, and one of the best is at Conway on the banks of the tidal estuary of the river Conwy.
Having spent the afternoon and early evening strolling down various promenades along the North Wales coast, my wife Liz and I made one last stop at Deganwy, on the far side of the river from the famous castle and town. ...Read more
With its north facing beaches, the North Wales coastal strip between Talacre and Caernarfon is a wonderful place to visit on a summer's evening for a stroll along a promenade while waiting for the sun to set out over the Irish Sea.
And my wife Liz and I take full advantage of the fact that we live less than an hour's drive from all this beauty. ...Read more
July 2022, and with a clear sky forecast overnight at the time of the new moon, conditions were just right for a spot of night time star photography.
Here in North Wales we have some reasonably dark skies away from the towns and villages, and on a clear night the milky way can be clearly visible arcing across the heavens overhead. ...Read more
A beautiful summer's evening in July 2022, and where else would you want to be but at the seaside?
But this isn't one of my usual photographic sunset haunts along the North Wales coast. ...Read more
The summer of 2022 provided a few days of scorching heat, with temperatures in the south of the UK reaching a record breaking 40°C+.
Fortunately here in North Wales we didn't get quite that hot, topping out at a reasonable 37°C! ...Read more
As my wife Liz and I finished our evening stroll along the promenade at Deganwy on the North Wales coast I was in two minds as to whether to go to the pfaff of setting up my camera to record this time lapse video.
With heavy clouds covering the skies above it seemed very unlikely that the sun would put in an appearance before nightfall. ...Read more
Where do you take visiting relatives from Harpenden (near London) to see some of the best views in Wales together with the chance of a stunning sunset?
The South Stack cliffs on the Isle of Anglesey of course! ...Read more
Another beautiful day during the summer of 2022 and my wife Liz and I were enjoying a few days of family holiday on the wonderful Isle of Anglesey.
We had a great time showing our relatives from down south just how beautiful Anglesey is (when its not raining that is!), taking in some of our favourite beauty spots. ...Read more
The combination of reasonably clear skies, light winds, and the July 2022 'Buck' supermoon was a set of events I could hardly ignore as an outdoor photographer!
So I spend the afternoon of the 13th pondering where to base myself to capture the moonrise with maximum impact. ...Read more
A lovely summer's day on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey just off the North Wales coast, and my wife Liz and I are out and about enjoying the great weather at one of our favourite spots, Moelfre on the east coast of the island.
Moelfre is a charming little seaside village, with a great cliff walk round to the popular beach at Lligwy, but before you get that far you walk past the lifeboat station with two impressive bronze scultures overlooking the coast. ...Read more
An evening in early July 2022 and I'm at one of my 'go to' midsummer sunset filming locations, rubbing shoulders with the angling and photographic crowd on Dock Road in Conhah's Quay on the banks of the tidal river Dee estuary.
Why here at this time of year? ...Read more
Early in the morning of the summer solstice 2022 and I'm all alone in the peace and quiet on the huge expanse of sand that is Talacre Beach on the North Wales coast.
It's now just after 3am and already the sky to the northeast is glowing with the warm colours of the coming dawn, reflecting in the glass like waters of the Irish Sea as its wavelets lap at my my feet on the incoming tide. ...Read more
I'll never tire of watching a beautiful sunrise or sunset, as each heralds that miraculous change from night to day and back again as the precise clockwork of God's creation provides for life on earth.
But living in North Wales, with its interesting and varied weather patterns, means that more often than not there's a band of cloud along the horizon which hides the actual sunrise or sunset. ...Read more
This is the twenty seventh time lapse video I've shot of the sunset out over the Irish Sea from the promenade at Deganwy on the North Wales coast, taken in late June 2022.
The first time I discovered this wonderful spot and shot a time lapse video here was all the way back in 2016, eight years ago now, and you might wonder why I keep on repeating the same thing over and over again. ...Read more
The final act in a three part drama, this lovely and dramatic sunrise over the iconic Point of Ayr lighthouse on the North Wales coast at Talacre Beach was the culmination of a six hour long shoot on the night of the summer solstice 2022.
The first act in this time lapse extravaganza started at midnight as I set my camera up on Talacre beach overlooking the lighthouse in order to capture the etheral beauty of noctilucent clouds for my Talacre Noctilucent Timelapse #1 video, which took till just after 3am as the sky started to lighten with the coming dawn. ...Read more
Before dawn on the morning of the summer solstice 2022, and I'm taking advantage of the beautiful clear weather to film at one of my favourite North Wales locations, the beach at Talacre.
I'd actually been here since midnight, taking hundreds of still images of noctilucent clouds over the iconic Point of Ayr lighthouse to create my Talacre Noctilucent Timelapse #1 video, which you can watch by clicking the link. ...Read more
The North Wales coast on a midsummer's evening, and this is the time of year when those elusive noctilucent clouds can occasionally be seen in the night sky looking northwards.
With a clear, still night forecast for the early morning of the 21st June 2022 I reckoned I had a good chance of catching these ethereal high altitude ice clouds, formed in the mesosphere, almost on the edge of space at an altitude of around 80km. ...Read more
A mesmeric interplay of clouds, sun and sunbeams over the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales held me entranced for three quarters of and hour as I watched and filmed the sunset on a glorious evening in early June 2022.
At a latitude of 53°N we experience a great swing in sunset and sunrise times and angles over the course of a year, which means that I can visit the same beauty spots and never see the same view twice! ...Read more
Sometimes you have to travel miles and wait hours for that certain something that makes it worthwhile getting your camera out.
And sometimes you just look out of your window, stumble into the back garden and start shooting! ...Read more
A gorgeous evening on the North Wales coast and my wife Liz and I are making the most of it with a trip to Rhyl for a stroll along the newly rebuilt promenade.
Damaged in the storms a few years ago now, the eastern end of Rhyl's seafront has only just been reopened, which we were very happy about as, for us at least, this is the prettiest and quietest end of an otherwise heavily developed strip. ...Read more
The ever changing weather over North Wales provides us outdoor photographers with opportunities to capture the same view again and again, but each time with different clouds, lighting, sunset angle and so on.
And living in such a beautiful and varied part of the world, how could I not take advantage of what lies on my doorstep? ...Read more
Every time my wife Liz and I visit our family over in Limerick in the west of Ireland, we always make a point of spending time exploring the Wild Atlantic Way, that amazing 1,600 mile long route that runs right up Ireland's dramatic west coast.
Westward facing, this coastline is the ideal place to catch a wonderful sunset out over the ocean, and there are a few locations that we've come to know and love over the years that draw us back time and time again. ...Read more
No matter where you go in Ireland, you're never too far away from a ruined tower or castle.
A relic of Ireland's turbulent history, these strongholds hark back to the days of local chieftains constantly at war with each other. ...Read more
The atlantic coast of County Galway in the west of Ireland is a landscape photographer's dream.
With dramatic mountains sweeping down to deserted beaches, bathed in clear oceanic light, the risk of sensory overload is high! ...Read more
For anyone wishing to experience the beauty of true wilderness, the Connemara National Park in County Galway to the west of Ireland, is the place to visit.
A breathtaking combination of wild Atlantic coast, rugged mountains and quiet loughs, my wife Liz and I spent a very happy week exploring and photographing in this sensory wonderland. ...Read more
The Connemara National Park in the west of Ireland is a stunning region of wild coastline and unspoilt landscapes which, coupled with dramatic weather streaming in off the Atlantic ocean, makes Connemara an outdoor photographers' wonderland.
So I was really looking forward to spending a week exploring this amazing country, with my wife Liz, for a week in the early summer of 2022. ...Read more
Not only does the west of Ireland have a dramatic and beautiful Atlantic coastline, this region also boasts some lovely inland loughs as well.
This time lapse video features boats moored along the shore of one such lough, Lough Corrib in County Galway. ...Read more
The famous 'Wild Atlantic Way', running along the west coast of Ireland, doesn't get much more wild than the stretch along the north coast of Loop Head in County Clare.
The loop Head peninsula sticks out into the Atlantic ocean and is the first landfall this side of America, 3,000 miles away. ...Read more
Killary Fjord, along the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland, is unique in that it is the only recognised fjord in Ireland.
Flanked by impressive mountains, this long finger of water stretches 16km inland from the Atlantic coast of Connerama and forms the border between County Galway and County Mayo. ...Read more
The west coast of Ireland, known as the 'Wild Atlantic Way', has long been a favourite destination for my wife Liz and I, and we are determined to travel and explore it's entire 1,600 mile length.
And we're not doing too badly, as the spring of 2022 found us in County Galway, dropping in on deserted beaches and rugged coastlines. ...Read more
Love 'em or loathe 'em, the offshore turbines of the Gwynt-y-Môr windfarm make a striking addition to the view out over the Irish Sea from the North Wales coast.
In fact, the turbines aren't the only addition to the skyline in Colwyn Bay, as there's also a gas platform, servicing the Douglas field, further out to sea. ...Read more
Prestatyn on the North Wales coast has long been associated with summer beach holidays, but with the advent of the cheap package holiday abroad, with guaranteed warmth and sunshine, Prestatyn's appeal as a holiday destination has somewhat waned over the past few decades.
Which is a shame, because if you don't mind getting chilly, blown off your feet and rained on every now and then, the coast and beaches here are absolutely fantastic. ...Read more
Appearing like clockwork every twenty eight days, the full moon is always a dramatic sight in the night sky.
But given the somewhat active weather we get over North Wales, quite often a fleeting glimpse is all we get as clouds hide the moon's face. ...Read more
A May evening in 2022, and over northeast Wales a nice colourful sky was developing as the sun drew nearer to the western horizon.
All the excuse my wife Liz and I needed for a quick drive to the slopes of Moel Famau in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to watch and film through the sunset and beyond into dusk. ...Read more
The prospect of a clear sky overnight and on into dawn over North Wales had me setting my alarm for a 1am wakeup call, with the prospect of filming the stars over the hills of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty getting me all excited!
The Clwydian Range AONB currently has a bid in to become the fourth internationally recognised Dark Sky Zone in Wales, along with Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and the Elan Valley, but being in close proximity to the bright lights of Merseyside, the Cheshire plain and the North Wales coastal strip means that any sort of atmospheric haze or cloud will glow orange against the true deep blue of the night sky, as you can see in this time lapse video. ...Read more
When we're not exploring the beauties of the North Wales coast and countryside, my wife Liz and I often take a drive up to West Kirby, over the border on the Wirral peninsula in England, to enjoy a bracing stroll around the seawall and promenade of the Marine Lake.
We'd just completed a circumnavigation of the lake in the spring of 2022 when a stiff breeze started blowing and fast moving clouds arrived overhead, signalling the approach of a cold weather front. ...Read more
Full moon at the spring equinox in 2022 meant one thing on the North Wales coast- high tides - the highest tides of the year in fact.
This is the only time in the year (apart from the autumn equinox, that is) that the sea manages to rise across the acres of silted up salt marsh on the river Dee estuary and touch the walls of Flint castle. ...Read more
That's the thing with the weather over North Wales, you never know what you're going to get until you get it!
A day of clear skies in March 2022 gave me hope for seeing and filming a clear, crisp sunset over the beautiful countryside of the Vale of Clwyd from a wonderful vantage point on the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). ...Read more
One of the most iconic, and most photographed, views in the wonderful Snowdonia National Park in North Wales.
This is the scene from the side of the A4086 at Capel Curig, overlooking the waters of Llyn Mymbyr to the magnificent peaks of Snowdon and the surrounding ridges of the Snowdon Horseshoe. ...Read more
Early spring 2022 in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, and winter was having its final fling as a blast of cold artic air collided into a moisture laden weather front, dropping a dusting of snow over the slopes and summit of Snowdon and the surrounding ridges of the Snowdon Horseshoe.
As the weather front cleared and the heavy cloud cover gave way to sunlight and showers my wife Liz and I decided to spend the day in Snowdonia, enjoying the beautiful scenery, chiaroscuro lighting and the fresh, clear, newly washed air. ...Read more
My wife Liz and I had spent a lovely day out visiting some of our favourite places in North Wales, and were heading back home along the A55 coastal highway when we decided to have one last treat.
So we pulled off the A55 at Llanddulas in order to park on the seafront and watch the stars come out over the Gwynt-y-Môr windfarm, with turbines dotting the far horizon with the red lights of their anti-collision beacons. ...Read more
A beautiful day of mixed cloud and sunshine found my wife Liz and I driving around the wonderful scenery of the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales.
In an area redolent with stunning views it's hard to know where to stop next to take in the fresh air and enjoy the play of sunlight and shadow over the landscape. ...Read more
This is the 26th time lapse video of sunset over the North Wales coast that I've shot from the promenade at Deganwy, looking out over the river Conwy estuary to Puffin Island and Anglesey to the west.
And no doubt it won't be the last! ...Read more
My wife Liz and I share a keen interest in actualy seeing the aurora borealis (northern lights) over North Wales where we live.
So whenever there's an increase in solar activity, and the skies are dark and clear (a rare combination), we will head to the coast and look northwards over the Irish Sea, hoping to catch a glimpse of coloured bands along the horizon. ...Read more
A beautiful spring morning in March 2022 gave me the perfect opportunity to head to one of my local beauty spots for a spot of photography.
But which one? As here in North Wales there are just so many to choose from! ...Read more
The coast of North Wales is a fascinating and ever changing environment, and some of the most beautiful beaches and cliffs are to the found on the wonderful Isle of Anglesey.
Which is why my wife Liz and I have kept on coming back here over the past nearly forty years! ...Read more
A lovely spring day in March 2022 found my wife Liz and I enjoying the beautiful coastal scenery on the Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast.
We headed up the west coast, taking in Newborough, Aberffraw and Cable Bay before turning northwards at Valley to head for one of our favourite beaches, Church Bay (Porth Swtan), in order to take in the sunset. ...Read more
In late March 2022 there was an unusual spell of lovely weather over North Wales, with clear skies and calm conditions lasting for over a week.
And fortunately for me, this spell of good weather coincided with an event which only occurs twice a year. ...Read more
The early spring of 2022, towards the end of March, has been an amazing time for me photographically, with a high pressure system firmly rooted over northern Europe bringing stable weather conditions across the normally turbulent North Wales skies.
The third week in March is also one of the two times of year that the sun will set over the slopes and summit of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) near my home in Northeast Wales, which is crowned by the ruined stump of the once much taller Jubilee Tower. ...Read more
A beautiful early spring day in March 2022 found my wife Liz and I emerging from our winter hibernation (not really!) and heading up the North Wales coast to the stunning Isle of Anglesey.
We've been spending time together on Anglesey for the past forty odd years, and never tire of walking the coastal path overlooking the Irish Sea. ...Read more
I'm really blessed to live right next to the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Wales, so whenever the fancy takes me I can jump in the car and in ten minutes I'm looking at stunning views out over the welsh countryside.
Which is just what I did on this particular afternoon in early March 2022. ...Read more
I've shot many time lapse videos of the moon in its various phases in times past, taking hundreds, if not thousands, of still images of the moon as it traversed my camera's viewfinder.
So I thought I'd try something different on this occasion, using just one still image of the full moon shot against a completely black sky. ...Read more
A rare spell of clear weather in early spring 2022 gave me a great opportunity to take a ten minute drive to the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near my home in Northeast Wales, to watch and film early in the morning as a full moon set over the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range. ...Read more
Living on the edge of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Wales means I can hop in my car and be in stunning scenery whenever the light starts to look interesting.
Which was the case on this particular afternoon in early March 2022. ...Read more
I've shot many time lapse videos of the moon in its various phases in times past, taking hundreds, if not thousands, of still images of the moon as it traversed my camera's viewfinder.
So I thought I'd try something different on this occasion, using just one still image of the full moon shot against a completely black sky. ...Read more
Twice a year, around the end of February and the beginning of November, I get the opportunity to watch and film the sun setting over the peaks of the Snowdon Horseshoe mountains in the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales.
This view, overlooking the beautiful Llyn Mymbyr, is one of the most photographed in the park, and you can usually find a few photographers stumbling over the rocks that line the shore of the lake, looking for elusive light. ...Read more
The rocky coastline of Anglesey at Trearddur Bay on the North Wales coast makes for some dramatic photography, especially in winter when the sun sets to the southwest out over the Irish Sea.
Which is why, at the end of a cold February day spent exploring the beauties of Anglesey, my wife Liz and I ended up at Trearddur Bay, watching and filming as the sun sank slowly towards the horizon at high tide. ...Read more
On the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands there's one geological feature that's hard to miss from wherever you are.
That is, of course, the magnificent and huge volcano in the centre of the island, Mount Teide. ...Read more
A two week winter break on Tenerife in the Canary Islands was a much looked forward to treat for my wife Liz and I after the two years of Covid restrictions.
But lying on a beach is not for us, instead we drove all over the island exploring the beautiful and dramatic volcanic landscapes that form the geological basis of Tenerife and its neigbouring Canary Islands. ...Read more
One of my favourite places on earth to visit and to photograph, this is the extreme landscape of the huge volcanic caldera surrounding Mount Teide on Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Driving up from sea level at the coast you pass through Spain's highest village, Vilaflor, as you watch the outside temperature gauge reading dropping away as you gain altitude. ...Read more
A sun-kissed beach, swaying palm trees and calypso music playing gently in the background.
If that's your idea of a perfect holiday location then the Playa de la Arena on Tenerife in the Canary Islands is for you! ...Read more
After a two year hiatus due to Covid my wife Liz and I were finally able to enjoy a much postponed winter break on Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Our idea of a good holiday doesn't involve sitting on a beach or by a hotel pool, but rather getting in a hire car and exploring the more out of the way (and more interesting) places. ...Read more
The first day of the winter break on Tenerife in the Canary Islands that my wife Liz and I had been looking forward to ever since the start of the covid pandemic, and a nice sunset was developing over the coastline next to our resort.
So we postponed the unpacking and headed down to the promenade and found a suitable vantage point from which to catch the sunset, out over the Atlantic Ocean with a conveniently placed marina providing a nice collection of yacht masts in silhouette to set against the glowing skies. ...Read more
I was really looking forward to the two week winter break my wife Liz and I had planned for February 2022 on Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Not least because our resort, with its south facing aspect right on the sea front, meant that I could climb out of bed with the first light of dawn and walk down to the beach to film the gorgeous sunrises out over the Atlantic ocean that this part of the world is famous for. ...Read more
The magnificent volcanic sea cliffs along the northwest coast of Tenerife in the Canary Islands form the backdrop to this time lapse video overlooking the seaside resort of Los Giganates.
My wife Liz and I were enjoying a two week break on the island in February 2022, spending most of our time driving around looking and photographing the scenery. ...Read more
Dominating the skyline on the southern plains of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, 'El Roque de Jama' is an eye-catching plug of hard volcanic lava that is hard to miss.
Which is why sunset found my wife Liz and I perched on the Mirador de le Centinela viewpoint, near Valle San Lorenzo, looking north over the Roque de Jama as the landscape caught the last light from the setting sun, over on the western horizon. ...Read more
A two week 'warm up' holiday to Tenerife in the Canary Islands for my wife Liz and myself in February 2022 just happened to coincide with the arrival of the 'Calima' weather system, blowing fine dust across the Atlantic ocean and filling the skies over the island with an atypical haze.
This resulted in some interesting sunrise and sunset effects, which I took advantage of during our stay to shoot some different time lapse videos looking out over the west coast. ...Read more
On a winter sun break on Tenerife in the Canary Islands in February 2022, and I was hoping to film some lovely time lapse videos of sunrise over the Atlantic ocean from the promenade just next to our seaside resort.
But my plans had to be modified somewhat due to the effect of an unseasonable 'Calima' wind, blowing ochre coloured dust across the ocean from the Sahara desert to the east. ...Read more
I'm so blessed to be living in beautiful North Wales, with so many wonderful locations within a short drive from my home.
One such is the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which is where I found myself on a cold winter's morning in Janaury 2022, standing near the summit of Foel Fenlli looking out along the Clwydian Range to the north and the Vale of Clwyd to the west. ...Read more
A cold winter's morning in mid-January 2022 and I'm stood near the summit of Foel Fenlli, an iron age hill fort in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near my home in northeast Wales.
I'd made the sweaty and breathtaking climb up this steep hill (those iron age folk must have been tough!) in order to create a time laspe of the first full moon of the year (known as the 'Wolf Moon') as it set over the Vale of Clwyd, stretched out to the west beneath me. ...Read more
A bright, cold and clear winter's eve in January 2022, and I'm out and about on the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near my home in northeast Wales.
Far to the northeast, the first full moon of the year, known as the 'Wolf Moon' has risen into the twilight sky over the larch trees of Coed Moel Famau amd I'm all set up and ready to capture the hundreds of still images needed to create this time lapse video of the event. ...Read more
The wolf moon of January 2022 is pictured in this time lapse video, rising into the skies above the larch trees of Coed Moel Famau, part of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty here in North Wales.
It was a beautiful winter's afternoon, with clear blue skies and crisp, cold air as I made my way from my home, just ten minutes away, having planned to capture this moonrise since having missed its predecessor in December. ...Read more
At a latitude of 53°N, the North Wales coast enjoys a variation in the position of sunset and surise of over 80° ove the course of a year.
That's great for us outdoor photographers who enjoy catching the start and end of the day, as we get a variety of angles and compositions as the seasons roll by. ...Read more
I'm really blessed to live right next to the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Wales, so whenever the fancy takes me I can jump in the car and in ten minutes I'm looking at stunning views out over the welsh countryside.
Which is just what I did on this particular evening in late January 2022. ...Read more
Hooray! Hooray!
Finally, after multiple attempts I've finally managed to capture the time lapse sequence I've been dreaming of ever since I set eyes for the first time on the famous 'Lonely Tree' on the shores of Llyn Padarn at Llanberis in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. ...Read more
I'd just spent half an hour shooting the hundreds of still images needed to create my Clwydians Sunset Timelapse #2 video, perched on top of the limestone escarpment at Loggerheads Country Park near my home in Northeast Wales.
And with the January evening sky slowly darkening with the onset of twilight a thin crescent moon, just past new, appeared like a jewel in the heavens above the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. ...Read more
A bracing winter's drive through the snow dusted mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales culminated for my wife Liz and myself at the famous coastal town of Caernarfon, just a few minutes before sunset.
With some breaks in the clouds allowing beams of golden sunlight to sweep across the sky, I was in somewhat of a hurry to get to a location with a southwesterly view so I could capture this time lapse video of that lovely sunset. ...Read more
I'm really blessed to live right next to the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Wales, so whenever the fancy takes me I can jump in the car and in ten minutes I'm looking at stunning views out over the welsh countryside.
Which is just what I did on this particular afternoon in early January 2022. ...Read more
The weather forecast promised some clear skies at sunset over the coast of Anglesey on this cold and windy January in the winter of 2022 here in North Wales.
And with sunset occuring just after 4pm at this latitude of 53°N, my wife Liz and I wasted no time after lunch, as we loaded up the car with survival gear, a flask of hot coffee and the usual 10KG of camera equipment. ...Read more
This panoramic view features the oldest church in Wales, Saint Partick's at Llanbadrig on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, dramatically situated on high sea cliffs overlooking the Irish Sea and the tiny island of Middle Mouse.
Just click on the image to see a larger version, then click your browser's 'back' button to return to this page.
See more photos from Anglesey in my Wales - Anglesey gallery.
I'd just finished shooting the hundreds of still images needed to create my Vale of Clwyd Sunset Timelapse #11, but I was loth to pack up and leave such a lovely location on such a beautiful evening just yet. ...Read more
It was the winter solstice, and with the weather forecast promising broken cloud in the pre-dawn morning hours it was an ideal opportunity for me to tick off one of my 'bucket list' time lapse shoots.
The shoot in question was to be sunrise over the famous 'Lonely Tree', the most photographed tree in Wales, located in the dramatic setting of the Snowdonia National Park at Llanberis, just off the shores of Llyn Padarn on its own tiny little island. ...Read more
Standing muffled up to the eyeballs in the freezing cold of a December afternoon, watching as a dramatic and colourful sunset starts to unfold over the beautiful Vale of Clwyd, stretched out under me to the far hills of Snowdonia away to the west. ...Read more
With giant air masses from the Atlantic Ocean battling overhead, the North Wales coast rarely has dull weather!
I'd just finished shooting the still images for my Llandudno Sunset timelapse 23 video when I noticed this magnificent cumulus cloud, catching the last light from the sun which had just set.
...Read moreJust a few minutes of real time compressed into a few seconds in this time lapse video featuring clouds just catching the last light from the setting sun as they stream over the headlands of Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan.
In the winter months, with the sun setting to the southwest, there's very few places on the North Wales coast where you can actually catch the sunset, with the promenade on Llandudno's West Shore being one of the finest. ...Read more
A weather window of just a few hours in early December 2021 had my wife Liz and I scrambling into the car, desperate to get out of the house after having been cooped up for seemingly forever under almost constant rainfall.
Checking the forecast, things seem to get better the further west we could get (west is almost always best for us!), so we headed out along the North Wales coast towards the (sometimes) sun-kissed Isle of Anglesey.
...Read moreTaking the road less travelled, my wife Liz and I took the newly renovated path along the side of the Great Orme limestone headland on the North Wales coast at Llandudno.
Starting from the less popular West Shore we climbed the footpath westwards towards the summit, and were soon immersed in a fantastic landscape of eroded karst limestone.
Of course, it helped to have some sunshine for our excursion, which we thorougly enjoyed, never having hiked this particular path before.
What a find!
See more photos from Llandudno in my Wales - Llandudno gallery.
Captured from the slopes of Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), this panoranic collage shows a 180° view out over the beautiful Vale of Clwyd, just before sunset.
Just click on the image to see a larger version, then click your browser's 'back' button to return to this page.
See more photos from the Vale of Clwyd in my Wales - Vale of Clwyd gallery.
Living right next door to the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a real blessing for my wife Liz and myself, as any time the weather calms down a bit we can get out and walk in some of the loveliest countryside in Northeast Wales.
And here are some views out towards Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian Range, as captured from the limestone escarpment in the Loggerheads Country Park.
Just beautiful.
See more photos from the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in my Wales - Clwydian Range gallery.
One of the autumn treats my wife Liz and I enjoy is a walk through the beech woods at Loggerheads Country Park, near our home in Northeast Wales and part of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
On a sunny afternoon the autumnal beech leaves glow in the light as we stroll along the woodland paths coated with nature's gold.
And then the first of the autumn storms blows through and the trees are stripped bare, awaiting the onset of winter.
See more photos from the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in my Wales - Clwydian Range gallery.
Being members of the National Trust has been a great retirement investment for myself and my wife Liz, as whenever the weather is nice we can head off to one of our local stately homes and gardens for a couple of hours enjoyment, plus a coffee and scone of course!
One of the best, Bodnant Gardens, is quite close, so on a lovely sumnny afternoon in autumn 2021 off we went.
One of my favourite places at Bodnant is the lily pond in front of the main house, so while we were there I took the opportunity to capture these images of the lily pads and flowers, basking the in afternoon sun.
See more photos from Bodnant Gardens in my Wales - Bodnant gallery.
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