News
This page includes my favourite pics of the
Month, info on planned projects, updates on travel plans etc.
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Latest
News
I
am please to announce that I was successful
in getting a Distinction in photography from the Welsh Photographic
Federation on November 2 2008. My kingfisher panel was highly
praised so Iam now Paul Richards AWPF. Next stop will be a
Distinction from the Royal Photographic Society. |
Planned
Projects
I wish to travel around Britain and Europe
in the next few years and will be selecting some project work
to keep me focused. Trips in the next 24months will include:
- A
walk down the Wye Valley Way from source to sea
-
Ireland and Scotland for coastal Landscape and perhaps a little
fishing!
- A
tripto Finland through Norway and Sweden in the camper van
Anyone
with advice and or recommendations on must visit places in
these locations please contact me.
In addition
to my travel plans Iset myself a few annual targets. These
are outlined in my portfolio section under New Year Resolutions!
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Want to learn a little more about how to be a better nature
photographer?
I am
available on a one to one basis for anyone wishing to improve
their nature and landscape photography. I know how technical
and confusing digital photography and image processing can
be - I have learned the hard way! I can deliver anything from
a half day instruction course on the principals of good photography
with a review on editing and image processing options to an
intensive action packed weekend out in the very best locations
along the S.W. Wales coast.
If you
fancy a weekend's intensive nature photography at my favourite
locations on the Gower or in Pembrokeshire Please contact
me to arrange a specific programme for your needs. I do a
two or three day tuition course on nature photography looking
specifically at heathland and coastal wildlife including adders
and many of the less common heathland birds. We can also look
in detail at basic processing and editing of digital images
in Lightroom and photoshop.
Accommodation
can be provided at both locations ( bed and breakfast provided
in Pembrokeshire at my home if required) or if you fancy a
weekend away I have a static caravan at Rhosili on the Gower.
Here we can have an intense weekend of nature and landscape
photography working late into the night or mull over our days
photography with a pint and a pie in the local pub.
Prices
vary depending on accommodation required:
half
day instruction - £50.00 pp
weekend/two
day instruction - £100 pp without accommodation
weekend/two
day instruction course £250 Two nights B&B and packed
lunches provided. Extra days provided at £100 per day
- includes accommodation.
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NOVEMBER 08 |
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OCTOBER 08
Bingo
I'm in seventh heaven with a tame kingfisher doing everything
I want her to do and all in slow motion! Well I must make
the most of this whilst she is around. My canon 5D failed
after only 18 months light duties - I am disgusted with the
Canons' at the moment and may swap to Nikon!
Iam
pleased to announce that my panel of kingfisher pictures was
awarded a Distinction by the Welsh Photographic Federation
- this pic was one of twelve put forward highlighting a day
in the life of a kingfisher. |
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SEPT 08
This
month I spent a day with seals along the pembrokeshire coast
to try and get some action shots depicting the harsh environment
in which they have to survive. This is a moment when two females
had a dispute in the surf. |
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AUGUST 08
At long
last a kingfisher in flight. I have been trying for ages to
get an action shot of these delightful birds. This one came
up with a nice fat shrimp - more to come I hope! |
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JULY 08
They
say the best selling wildlife images display anthropomorphic
qualities. This is my all time favourite of swan and Cygnet
enjoying a quiet moment together |
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JUNE 08
A trip
to mid-Wales and a friends garden led to a series of woodpecker
shots. I like this natural shot of a young bird feeding on
nuts placed in a rotten log . |
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MAY 08
May
is the best time for adders and this year I got series of
unusual shots using a new 180 mm macro lens. This female reared
up as a walker leaned over to see what I was doing stretched
out on the ground. Click! I had an angle not previously shot. |
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APRIL 08
April
started slowly but a dawn visit up onto the cliffs near Broadhaven
South led to a series of stunning backlitshots of the Welsh
Mountain ponies - I love them anyway! |
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MARCH 08
March
wasn't a fantastic month so once again practiced landscape
photography and spent some time on getting quality shots from
the feeding station in the garden. I am so looking forward
to the return of the breeding sea bird colonies to the cliffs
of Pembrokeshire. |
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FEB 08
My canon
1D mark 3 had to be repaired due to faulty auto focus in servo
mode - tested again on red kites with variable success. |
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JAN 08
Weatherr
dull and uninviting here in Pembs so tried to get close to
woodland birds at our local nature reserve |
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31/12/07
Not
too many opportunities for waders this month so practiced
my landscape photography. Not too many sunsets though- very
wet and dull! |
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30/11/07
A trip
to a very wet Scottish Highlands to improve my landscape photography
was a most memorable experience thanks to our expert tutor
Ian Cameron. The remains of this old pier proved to be my
favourite shot you can see more on portfolio shortly.
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31/10/07
This
picture of our friend Anna and her greyhounds Esmie and Millie
is my first attempt to captivate the special relationship
between owners and their pets. The greyhounds prove facinating
subjects for photography and I am sure that their agility
and movement will be the subject of future photo sessions
on the beach at Freshwater West.
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30/09/07
My target
this Autumn of a kingfisher diving in for fish just wasn't
possible as I just wasn't quick enough. Autumnal pics of foxes
in the city was the next best thing
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31/08/07
For
August I spent a little time photographing badgers at a nearby
sett. A few nuts and a little patience was allit took to attract
these lovely animals and I had them feeding just feet away!
Bliss! |
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30/06/07
June
highlight was the discovery of breeding Dartford Warblers
on the Gower. I watched and photigraphed a young family whilst
laying in the gorse - ouch! |
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31/05/07
Early
May , before it got wet provided a chance to get something
unplanned. A super sunset and strong almost blinding light
and a mountain pony enabled this fluke backlit shot of a horse
-I call it "Spirit of the horse" |
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30/04/07
April
was hot hot hot and the snakes were out early. The adders
provided many happy hours of stalking and waiting but thanks
to the sunshine there were plenty of opportunities. |
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31/03/07
It was
so nice to greet spring with the return of the fulmars - my
favourite bird. Spent a few dozen hours watching and photographing
this elegant and beautiful bird. |
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28/02/07
February
is not yet over but it was nice to visit the kites again at
Gigrin farm in Rhayder. Here is my best shot of the day . |
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31/01/07
January
was spent photographing the few waders that were around. My
favourite picture is a compilation of two shots - curlew flying
in a gale at sunset. It all happened but It took two shots
to create the scene that I had experienced on the day. |
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31/12/06
My target
this month were the elusive Jays I had seen and heard in the
woodland where I was photographing kingfishers. A few nuts
and alot of patience payed off big time as they started to
use the kingfishers perches around the pond. |
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30/11/06
THis
month was spent watching the estuaries and I managed to get
very close to kingfishers and little egret. The kingfishers
gave me then most satisfaction and must be one of my favourite
birds. |
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31/10/06
The
happiest day of the month was the day I captured my best kingfisher
shot and curlew pic on the same day. As I lay on the beach
with camoflauge gear a chough nearly landed on my head, cheeky
buggar! What a joy this photography is sometimes. |
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30/9/06
Another
quiet month for me. Whilst out trying to photograph snakes
I came across these Migrant Hawker dragonflies in a mating
wheel. so in the water and two wet feet later a nice photograph. |
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31/8/06
August
is often a quiet month for wildlife as wild birds remain quiet
after the breeding season and young birds keep a low profile.
So Itook a visit to my brother in london to photograph urban
foxes and his cockerel! |
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31/7/06
I was
delighted this month as I achieved a long term ambition to
photograph a kingfisher at close range.
An all day wait at teifi marshes nature reserve was rewarded. |
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30/6/06
I am
now making at least one trip annually to Skomer island and
this month the object was to photograph a flying puffin with
sandeels. I got it on a rather wet and cloudy day, but target
achieved! |
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31/5/06
This
was a desparately sad month as my dear 19 year old niece was
killed in a car accident. I was on photo trip up in Scotland
and this was one of the last photos taken before I heard the
news. Fly free my dear sweet girl! |
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30/4/06
This
was an unexpected photograph, as we visited a man with a barn
owl only to photograph a cat with beautiful green eyes |
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31/3/06
Moved
to Pembroke this month. Another lousy month as far as the
weather was concerned but a new venue proved to be successful
with this close up a wild Pembrokeshire otter - fantastic
luck! |
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28/2/06
Poole
harbour and a silky red sea - perfect for February blues |
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30/1/06
A rather
boring grey and very wet month led to some experimentation
- A cockerel provided the most memorable experience of the
month. |
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30/12/05
Formby Point
proved to be a fantastic venue for photographing red squirrels
and fox.
Definately a
highlight |
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30/11/05
Another arty
print taken at a slow shutter speed giving it a soft focus
feel. The swan's position brings an elegance to the picture |
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30/10/05
Scotland proved
to be the highlight of my year. Yes wet but the photo opportunities
were Terrific. |
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30/09/05
Caught these
six ringed plovers in a row late in August on coast of N Wales.
Another Arty photo!
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30/08/05
Ijust love this
shot of a sleeping gull on still water. The reflections look
like an oily slick. Arty photos give me great pleasure. Taken
with 300 mm lens
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30/07/05 July's picture of the Month for me
was this seal. I sat and listened to two or three seals singing
to each other in a cave on Worms Head on the Gower coast. After
an hour or two one of the seals floated out half asleep and
didn't see me hidden behind a rock. I got a few real close ups
with 300 mm lens.
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30/06/05 June'sPicture of the Month.
The picture of the fox was taken near a cattle
feeding trough. I was hiding behind a tree in the shadows. Just
after taking this shot the fox saw a grey squirrel and chased
it towards me. Both squirrel and fox jumped up within inches
of my head neither noticing my presence. A fantastic experience.
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