It's a hot and humid morning in February 2008 when I find myself in a small group of tourists in the rainforests of Rwanda, watching one of the natural world's most impressive sights: a silverback mountain gorilla. But as we shuffle around, all trying to get a slightly better view, a slightly better photograph, we do precisely what we've been warned not to do. We surround him. And, right on…
I've had a few questions about how I took this photograph of Trwyn Du lighthouse on Anglesey. The technique is simple: long exposure using a neutral density (ND) filter. This tutorial will explain how to do it. This post is split into six sections: The theory Get your kit together Choose a time and location Set your kit up Take…
HDR is an increasingly familiar term in photography. We've all seen the punchy #HDR photos on Instagram (over eight million of them and counting). But what does HDR actually mean, and how do you produce HDR photos? Read on for my HDR photography tutorial. This tutorial is split into five sections: The theory Kit, time and location Take the shots Post-processing Alternative…
To mark the arrival of Spring, I spent a couple of weeks exploring the best photography locations Snowdonia has to offer. The whole of North Wales is chock full of gorgeous landscapes, so choosing the top locations is a challenge - but these were my favourite spots. Ogwen Valley Location: SH 64997 60380; 53.1234, -4.0188 Towards the north of Snowdonia, the A5 takes you through…
Volcanoes National Park (Parc National des Volcans) lies in the Virunga Mountains in north-west Rwanda. It borders the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The park's best-known attraction is the mountain gorilla - click here to read my post on mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda. But the park is a stunning…
I'm delighted to have been selected to be an ambassador for the British Photography Awards (BPA). The BPA is a newly-created, charity-oriented photography competition with two aims: firstly, showcasing the finest photography taken in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and secondly, working with a number of UK charities to raise funds and profiles within the photography community. It's run…
Last week I headed to Wasdale Head for six days of camping, hiking and photography. I found a few stunning spots for Lake District photography that I wanted to share. Wast Water Location: NY 168068; 54.4498, -3.2841 Wast Water is England's deepest lake and lies in the shadow of its highest peak, Scafell Pike. It's a beautiful location with plenty…
Last week I headed to Wasdale Head in the Lake District for a week of camping, hiking and photography. On the Wednesday the clear weather made for the perfect ascent of Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It was my first time climbing Scafell Pike, so I went for the most straightforward route: straight up from Wasdale Head via…
For the holiday weekend I joined the crowds on the classic Brecon Beacons Horseshoe ridge walk. It takes you up Corn Du, Cribyn and Pen y Fan (the highest point south of Snowdonia) in the Brecon Beacons National Park in southern Wales. Despite its popularity, it's one of my favourite walks as it's easily reached yet can feel truly wild. The sweeping landscapes…
To celebrate being back in the Chilterns, I decided to make the most of the gorgeous weather and take a walk around Ivinghoe Beacon. This is a great walk that can be done in a few hours, and is ideal for a clear, sunny day. Ivinghoe Beacon itself makes the ideal lunch stop, although it's only about 30 minutes into…