Talley Abbey

This week I have selected some photographs of Talley Abbey to show and discuss. This initial set was taken a couple of years ago when I first had my digital SLR when I was trying out its capabilities.

Talley Abbey is the ruins of an abbey built between 1184 and 1189. It was founded for the monastic order of the Premonstratensians, or White Canons, by the Lord Rhys . The monastery was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1536 (when he had a bust-up with the church and dissolved many monasteries and took their lands). Subsequently, most of the buildings were destroyed and their materials used in other buildings or homes.

The first image above shows the ruins from the entrance gateway. This is about 15-20 ft above the monastery ground level (you go down some wooden stairs to approach the Abbey) and gives a good view of the building and the surrounding countryside.

The second photograph below I like because it is taken through the remaining three arches. I took a number like this, each time trying to eliminate the surrounding buildings from the image to try and give a timeless feel to the place.





In the third photo below I have tried to capture the size and power of the building. I believe this to be the remains of the tower. I can barely imagine the effort that went into such a building without any equipment that we now take for granted. The thickness of the walls and the amount of stones that went into them was truly a work of labour.




More pictures can be seen in the Images from Wales Gallery.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: EFS 17-85mm IS hand held
Sensitivity: ISO200
Exposure: typically 1/250 at f13.
Lighting: Natural light A bright but cloudy day with the clouds sometimes covering the sun.

Another fine day at Cors Caron (Tregaron Bog)

This week we went for another walk over Tregaron Bog (Cors Caron) which is an ancient peat bog that is now run as a nature reserve. We were lucky with the weather as it was quite a clear sunny day with a bright, but low, autumn sun.

The first picture is a view through some trees across the width of the bog. I like this image because of the contrast between the blue sky and orange-brown grasses. The bare trees give a feeling of the isolation possible in this part of Wales.

The second photograph was taken moments later when a line of horses galloped by in the middle distance. Some of the local farms have grazing rights on the bog and horses are often overwintered on the bog. Often the horses are Welsh Cobs - a hardy breed that can stand the conditions.




I like this third image more due to the colours rather than the composition. I think the particular shades of blue and green complement each other well. These have not been enhanced - the colour is that 'out of the camera'. On this occasion I used a polarising filter which may have improved the saturation of the colours.



You can see more of the photos in the Cors Caron section of the Images from Wales gallery.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: EFS 17-85mm IS hand held, Circular Polarising filter
Sensitivity: ISO200
Exposure: Aperture Priority - Mostly f8, exposure times typically 1/160sec.
Lighting: Natural light.

The Ystwyth River above Cwm Ystwyth

Last week I wrote about my recent visit to the mine workings near Cwm Ystwyth. Whilst there, I did not concentrate just on the mine workings, I looked around for other photgraphic opportunities.

The photo above was taken by the river adjacent to the mine workings. The river flows down one side of the valley with the bulk of the mine workings on the other side. As you can see, at this point the river is little more than a stream, especially during a drier spell as it had been. At this location we are not far from the high boggy moors in the Cambrian mountains where this, and other, rivers originate.

The photo above is taken looking downstream, partially into the light. You can just see some old mine buildings and spoil heaps to the right of the Vally in the distance.

The second photograph below is looking at the river upstream. The river winds from side-to side as it flows down the valley. I have tried to capture the dark metallic blue colour of the water. The blue sky and low sun gave the water a most attractive colour.



As a contrast, this third photo was taken on the way to Cwm Ystwyth and shows the river valley lower down. A quiet pastoral setting amongst the higher hills forming the Cambrian mountains.



More photos can be seen in the Images from Wales gallery.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: EFS 17-85mm IS hand held
Sensitivity: ISO200
Exposure: Aperture Priority - Mostly f11, exposure times typically 1/250sec.
Lighting: Outside - Natural light.

The valley and old mine at Cwm Ystwyth

A couple of weeks ago, it turned out to be a fine autumn day with a clear blue sky. So I decided to visit the old mine workings near Cwm Ystwyth. Cwm is Welsh for a shallow valley and Ystwyth is the name of the river. The location is well into the Cambrian Mountains.

My initial researches indicate that the mine ceased working in about 1922, but I have yet to discover what was mined. I did find one reference that indicated that copper was mined here in the bronze age. A number of mines in the area can trace their origins back to the Roman times. I recall reading that one motivation the Romans had for invading Britain 2000 years ago was for the metal from the mines (gold, silver and lead has been mined in the area).

By the time we got to the mine, there was some light cloud which, at times, hampered the photography - I had to wait for the clouds to pass the sun and the shadow of the cloud to move on several occasions. The autumn sun was quite low.

There are a number of paths along the side of the valley which enabled me to get to some higher viewpoints. The first photo (above) shows a view from the valley side looking upstream across the mine workings and derelict buildings.

The second picture (below) is a similar view but taken further back and from higher up. One thing I do like about the Welsh mountains (and the other mountainous areas of Britain) is their accessibility. They do not have the grandeur of the big ranges such as the Alps or the Rockies), but they are easy to get to and explore, and have a soft, well rounded character - the result of glaciation during the ice ages.



The third photograph shows one of the ruined mine buildings. Although it is difficult to tell without any historical records, this seemed to be a grander building - perhaps it was offices or a residence for the mine owners or managers.



More photos can be seen in the Images from Wales gallery.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: EF-S 17-85mm IS hand held
Sensitivity: ISO200
Exposure: Aperture Priority - Mostly f11, exposure times typically 1/250sec.
Lighting: Outside - Natural light.