Photography News Issue 26 absolutephoto.com
Interview 27
Tell us what was in your kit bag. I’ll be honest: I’m not really a ‘gear head’, I don’t think there’s such a thing as a bad camera these days. Having said that, for landscapes I think the Nikon D800 just offers that little bit more than most so I went for that and I don’t regret it. I carry the usual stuff: a tripod, I try to go light (ish) so use a Benro CF Travel Angel II most of the time, and just take two lenses and plenty of spare batteries – nothing worse than running out of power when out for a full day. I also use Lee Filters and occasionally a Heliopan polariser. I carried a Sony RX100 compact with me most of the time, it’s a great back-up and really useful for macro shots. The other essential kit is warm, waterproof clothing. The book is about NorthWales, after all. Which lens did you rely on most? I don’t really have lots to choose from. I think you can have too many lenses, so I deliberately limit myself. I used the Nikon 16‑35mm f/4 much of the time, with the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 for the longer and detail shots. Was there an accessory that proved to be really invaluable? Knowing when to be in the right spot to catch the light is pretty much essential when you’re on a limited timescale. In fact, it’s pretty much essential all the time, to get the best shots from a trip. The Photographers’ Ephemeris app was a great help. Do you have any advice for others setting out to create their own books? I’d saygo for it, it’s a fantasticway to improve your photography. I see things now that I never used to see before starting the book. Getting out of that comfort zone is very rewarding, if rather challenging. I’d take even more photos next time; you can never have enough choice when producing a book like this. Was there anywhere you weren’t able to capture but really wanted to? I wouldn’t say I wasn’t able to capture anywhere particularly, but we made a deliberate decision to limit the high, mountain locations we included in the book, as we wanted to make North Wales as accessible to as many people as possible, not everyone can or wants to climb to the summit of a 3000ft peak. This might happen in a future book, though, who knows? What do you hope to achieve with the book? I’d like to think that the book showcases how amazing a place North Wales is and encourages people to come here and see it for themselves. I think it’s one of the most diverse areas of the UK and it would be nice to hear if others agree with me. Who would enjoy the book? Honestly, anyone interested in great views, history, industrial heritage or just being out and about in the great outdoors. The whole concept of the book was to reach as wide an audience as possible, so whilst it’s called Photographing North Wales , you really don’t need to be a photographer to find it useful. Many early customers are using it as a guidebook to find their way around the area. Do you have any other projects in the pipeline? I must admit, as much as I enjoyed working on the book, I like having the freedom to go out with the camera when and where I want at the moment, so I’m holding off on any major projects for a while. I am still doing some writing in the form of location articles for photographymagazines, and promoting the book is something I’ll be doing for some time to come. If someone has a project in mind, though, I’m always open to offers.
be more than that, we wanted it to appeal to fans of all styles of landscape photography and, importantly, non-photographers, too. The concept was really to promote the diversity and heritage of the area, as well as the stunning landscape. The book definitely broadened my own photographic style. We all have a comfort zone, and working on the book made me look well beyond mine. What about the challenges of shooting such a large area as North Wales? It isn’t until you start a project like this that you realise just how big an area North Wales is. Fortunately, I already had a good start in Snowdonia, as my back catalogue of photos provided some of the content and saved some travelling. I’d not really photographed the Llyn Peninsula and southern Snowdonia, however, both the farthest away from home, so several nights were spent in local B&Bs to save the two hours drive and make the early starts a little easier. What can we expect to see in the book? I like to think the book captures something of everything about NorthWales: the obvious is its stunning coastal scenery, impressive Snowdonia peaks and incredible castles. Beyond this, though, there’s a wealth of scenery and heritage that’s far less well-known, such as my own area of North-East Wales, and I really wanted to make sure this was featured in the book, as areas such as the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and historic sites like Valle Crucis Abbey, Castell Dinas Brân and the incredible engineering marvel of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in the Dee Valley are brilliant places to explore with a camera. Did you have a favourite location? It’s difficult to pick a favourite, as there are so many great places, but Cwm Idwal in Snowdonia would have to be one. It’s so dramatic and offers so many photo opportunities in one place. It can get busy, though, so it’s not a place to escape from it all. That brings up my next favourite, Cwm Pennant. I visited three times in total and sawhardly anyone, despite the wonderful scenery. It has a sense of something special about it, and the bluebells that carpet almost the entire hillside at the bottom of the valley in spring are truly breathtaking. What was your most memorable day of shooting on the project? I’d have to say my first trip to photograph Cwm Cau and Talyllyn in southern Snowdonia. I was blessed with a day of glorious September light, from arriving at Cwm Cau for sunrise, having walked the Minffordd Path in the dark to get there, to capturing the lovely reflections on the lake and then driving down to the wonderful little Talyllyn Railway to photograph a passing steam locomotive. The light was so good that I managed to capture nearly all the photographs I needed in a single visit.
For landscapes, I think the Nikon D800 just offers a bit more than most, so I went for that and I don’t regret it
Left The stunning Llyn Llydaw, a natural lake part-way up the slopes of Mount Snowdon in Snowdonia National Park. Below The ruined beauty of Ynys Pandy slate mill, near Porthmadog.
landscapephotographyuk.com
Buy the book
Whether you’re looking for photo inspiration, want to discover more of North Wales or are just into looking at damn decent landscape shots, Simon Kitchin’s Photographing North Wales is a real crowd pleaser. As well as stunning photos, the book also guides the reader to some of the most photo-worthy spots and educates on how to take a decent pic or two whilst you’re there. Over 100 locations are featured within the book, and some 300 photographs illustrate the true beauty of North Wales. Get your hands on a copy via the publisher’s website. At just £19.95, it’s a bargain, too.
fotovue.com
Above The 13th century Criccieth Castle, Gwynedd, which dominates the rocky peninsula overlooking Tremadog Bay.
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