Chirk Exhibition

Since last Monday, 4th November 2013 I am exhibiting some of my images in the Chirk Library. I managed to display 20 images, all Landscapes from Wales, and most from North Wales. I am also displaying 2 of my Canvas Prints, just to show really how my images would look on Canvas.

It is the first time I am displaying my images publicly like that, although I had a few images shown in exhibitions through the camera club I am a member off. I was quite pleased withe the result once I had them all hanging up and the librarian even thought it worth while to ring the local paper to inform them about the exhibition. I had an interview with the reporter today and he took my image to put in the paper alongside a small write up about the exhibition. The article will run next week in the Advertiser as well as the Wrexham Leader.

I also managed to sell one of my images so far as a mounted print.

Although the exhibition was not designed to sell I am more then happy that people are impressed enough by my images to buy them. The Librarian also has ask me to come back next year and do another exhibition, and I already have got some ideas of what to display in that exhibition.

I am looking forward to more feedback from the public about the exhibition and hope that it will continue to be successful, so that I will be able to come back next year and do it all again.

Update:  7th Dec 2013

The Exhibition in Chirk Library has now been up for nearly a month and it will be up for one more week. I have mentioned the newspaper articles and I have been mentioned in two different newspapers and in one of the papers I have been mentioned for two weeks in a row. My work colleagues have even put the article up on the black board at work... eeeek lol.

I have been asked by one of the other camera clubs in the area to do a talk in their club next year after the chairman of that club has seen the article in the paper and visited the exhibition. He enjoyed my images so much that he would like me to do a talk about them in their clubs. I am very excited about that and more than just a bit worried too. I am not very good at public speaking and I can see me totally freezing up when the time comes. I have to say.. I dont even know what to talk about exactly.

Besides that opportunity I also managed to sell two more images. The first one is called Tryfan through the reeds and has only been taken in august this year. Its one of my fave images of the year actually although I will talk about some other ones soon.

The other image I manage to sell is entitled Peaceful Morning and had been taken in 2012 on Anglesey. I really went there early in the morning to photograph Penmon Lighthouse but sometimes other opportunities will arise that were rather unexpected. This shot was one of them.

So overall... what started off as a new adventure within my photographic adventures has turned out to be a bigger success than I would have anticipated. The exhibition will stay up for another week. I will take it down on Monday 16th of December. But I have already been asked to do another exhibition there next year and I have started working towards a new display. I also have organised the date for another venue and another exhibition, this time in Llangollen. But that wont be until mid next year. I will keep you all updated.

Plas Power Woods

Last month I was talking about Bersham and Minera and its industrial importance on Wrexham, the place I live. In between these two areas however is a walk that is especially special to me - Plas Power Woods. Plas Power Woods comprises of 33.7 ha of woodland of which the vast majority is ancient woodland although some parts were replanted with conifers and with beech or sycamore as late as the 1960s. The woodland trust is gradually restoring the native broadleave woodland character. Plas Power Woods runs along the river Clywedog. Several features of historical importance are also present in Plas Power Woods, including a Wier that has been used as a power source for Bersham Iron Works, a lovely Waterfall and a section of Offa's Dyke. 

For myself however Power Woods starts at St Mary's a 19th-century parish church which is the heart of the village. The church was founded and built by Thomas Lloyd FitzHugh in 1875. His wife Emily Mary from Charlecote in Warwickshire took a great interest in the building and is the reason why the architect and organ builder were both from that county. It was originally built without a bell tower; however, one was added some years later. When Captain Godfrey FitzHugh was killed on active service in Palestine in 1917 his widow Ethel had the bells installed in his memory. 

Right opposite the church is Power wood weir. The weir in itself is a lovely location for some photography and one can get some lovely shots not only of the weir in itself but also some close up and abstract shots. I have used the wier quite often in the camera club to explain shutter speed and the effect of different shutter speeds on moving objects such as water.  Personally I favor a very slow shutter speed when photographing water.

I also sometimes use the near by Waterfall as a demonstration for a creative use of shutter speed. The waterfall however also has some more of a personal connection for me as I always walk my dog there when I am not working or hiking in Snowdonia. He loves playing in the water.

Plas Power woods is a lovely place to be in every weather and every time of year. However, saying that,my favourite time of year there is in the autumn when the whole wood just turns bright red with the autumn leaves creating a think red carpet on the floor, as can be seen in the above image. One of my aims for this year is however to go to Plas Power Woods in the winter as I have not as yet managed to get a shot with the weir or the waterfall covered in snow. 

There are other images that can be captured within Plas Power Wood and I was going to do it within this blog entry. I have however decided to rather create another posting for them. So stay tuned for next month blog entry.. Plas Power Woods, Take 2. 

Be safe xxx