Pre-Ordered FotoVUE Photographing Pembroke and South Wales

Available August 2018
 
In this comprehensive 448-page photo-location and visitors guidebook Drew Buckley takes us along the Pembrokeshire coast visiting the most photogenic locations for photography: sandy beaches, cliff tops, rocky stacks emerging from the sea, panoramic headlands, lighthouses, fishing villages and harbours, seaside towns, and woodlands filled with wild garlic and bluebells. Included is the Gower, with its towering sea cliffs and big vistas, Carmarthenshire’s Laugharne castle and Dylan Thomas’s writing shed, and many locations in South East Wales including the Welsh capital Cardiff and its bay.

Then it’s up the peaks of the Brecon Beacons for lofty views over the surrounding bucolic countryside, down the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal, and he guides us around Waterfall Country, perhaps the best place in the UK for autumn waterfall photography. Further north locations in Ceredigion are described and the dark sky area of the Elan valley, including the nearby red kite centre.

This guidebook Includes topographic OS maps, co-ordinates and directions for all locations, and recommendations on where to eat and stay, along with advice on the best time to visit and take photographs.

Stretford Meadows 5:30am 7th July

A fantastic early morning walk.
The meadows started off with a bit of mist but that was burnt off quickly as the sun rose.
Weather: warm and sunny

Butterflies:
Gatekeeper (alt: Hedge Brown)
Speckled Wood (Wings Folded)?
Small Heath (Wings Folded)

Birds:
Reed Bunting
Greenfinch
Whitethroat
Goldfinch

Top Tips for Photographing Birds in Flight

Tips for Photographing Birds in Flight

• Learn Flight Behaviour of the Birds. Birds normally have the predictable flight behaviour. ..you might be able to predict the path of the bird.
• Point of View Matters the Most. ...preferable for the bird to be flying towards you and at eye level for best results.
• Start with Slow Flying Birds. ...master your technique by photographing herons and Egrets
• Use the Right Camera Settings. ...Set your camera up as follows:
• Aperture Priority
• Matrix/Evaluative metering
• Auto ISO
• 1/500th  or faster
• AI-Servo
• Continuoes frames
• Choose the Proper Focus Points. ... 9 or 21 point auto focus
• Track Before You Photograph. ...See learning flight behaviour and the next one checking background
• Wait till You Get the Best or Contrasting Background. ...remeber the focusing needs good enough contract between the subject and the background
• Take-off and Landing Shots. Birds take off and land usually into the wind, stand with your back facing the wind.
• Get Creative, Silhouettes for example
• Composition....Use rule of thirds, dont clip wings.