rural | alan frost photography

The old A5 – Nant Ffrancon valley in Snowdonia

The road from the western end of Llyn Ogwen to Bethesda in Snowdonia passes though the deeply glaciated valley of Nant Ffrancon. Now a typical ‘A’ road the original road featured in this post is a single track road with just a few passing places. It is rarely used so parking is not really a problem. You just stop in the middle of the road and hope that no vehicles come along while you jump out of the car and take a few photographs.

The road twists and turns with a variety of fences defining field boundaries. Wire and post fencing, stone walls, but perhaps most interesting of all are the slate fences, nestling in the grasses which lean from left to right and undulate in harmony with the lie of the land.

It’s a fascinating area to explore and really does feel like you are stepping back in time. There are very few buildings along this stretch of road. The ones that are here are isolated and when I visited this part of Snowdonia at the end of October the weather was favourable. I tried to imagine what it might be like in the depths of winter, with rain or snow being swept through the valley by a cold and strong wind. Pretty bleak I thought to myself.

The first two images below are taken from the existing A5, looking down into the valley. The line of the old road can be seen in the top right of the frame of the first shot.

Nant Ffrancon valley

Wire and stone

Valley road

Valley farmhouse

Tree of light

Slate fence

Old road

Do click on any of the images to view a larger version which will open in a new window.

Taken by the wind

I love the way this tree has been shaped by the prevailing wind.

The branches appear to be reaching out, as if they are trying to grab hold of something, just anything, whilst the invisible roots grow deep and long, clinging to the earth below, preventing the tree from being torn out of the ground when the next wind blows.

To view a larger version, please click on the image which will open in a new window.

A ‘dank’ Devon walk with a camera.

There are times when I enjoy taking photographs in the mist and the rain, when visibility and the light is poor, but the mood and atmosphere can be rather special. These three photographs were all taken in Devon countryside whilst out on a walk with our dog. The low cloud and mist didn’t lift all day, but apart from some early rain, it was just a damp and rather dank sort of day. Nevertheless I found a few locations where the camera came out to capture what I saw and felt as I walked along narrow footpaths and country lanes.

In all three images I have added some grain or noise, as well a slight tone, which I think enhances the overall look of the photograph.

Please click on any image to see a larger version.

Thanks as always for looking.

Oh what a tangled web we weave…..

Tangled web

From a very young age I always remember the saying – ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.’ Whilst I have always tried to live my life accordingly, its relationship with the image is quite simply the fact that it was the first thought that entered my mind when I took the shot at the end of October. The cow parsley was absolutely covered in cobwebs, woven in amongst the drying flowers and stems. The dull and damp morning added another ingredient. Poor lighting but I knew I could add contrast in post processing.

Focusing and composition was a challenge, but I was more aware of the background and how it affected the overall appearance of the picture. I didn’t want it to be in focus, far from it, but I did want it to compliment the subject and provide the contrast necessary so that the cobwebs and lower stalks were clearly visible. The dense backdrop of trees provided the dark upper layer and the grasses in the field the paler lower layer.

This photograph may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it is very much a feature of the countryside in the autumn.

Tangled web yes, deceitful no; just testimony to the creative talent of the humble and sometimes scary spider!

The horse by the pond

Horse by the pond

During our recent trip to the North Norfolk Coast we regularly drove through the small village of Saltmarsh. In the centre was a pond which attracted ducks, gulls and other birds, including a couple of swans. The muddy field which adjoined the pond was home to a black and white horse with just a small shelter for when the rains fell or the winds blew. It was a bleak and exposed location.