I didn't post anything yesterday because I was out with friends having a good time and I just didn't have an opportunity to choose anything to share.
So today although it is late I have picked another image from my wintry walk in Betws Y Coed last Saturday.
On a fallen tree with frozen branches this curious looking moss was growing. It was rather dull so with the help of a pocket torch I was able to brighten things up for this shot. I think it makes a good image.
Here are three shots of the second stack I built on the banks of the River Llugwy from slightly different angles. This was quite a tricky balance to be honest because the stones were slippery and I was shivering because it was so cold. But I managed to do it without it collapsing and that was important to me because I didn't want to spoil the snow around it.
I really like the effect of the out of focus background and the way the wet stones glisten.
As with the first stack that I showed you yesterday I dismantled it afterwards to leave no trace...
Two different shots from a wintry day in Betws y Coed and two different effects tweaking blacka nd white images in Lightroom. I had some assistance from my son so that I didn't overdo the saturation in either shot and I think they look pretty good.
The first shot is a very simple image of the apex of the snow covered roof of a timber building in the village. Framed by the trees and with a slight blue hue it has a cold wintry feel.
The second shot is looking up the valley along the course of the river Llugwy. I love the mist rising above the trees mixed with the wood smoke from the houses on the hill. I have given the picture a lift by adding a slightly yellow hue which has brought out some definition in the clouds which otherwise appeared flat and grey.
So the culmination of our stacking efforts last weekend was this stone arch. It took a couple of attempts to get it right and the construction was a real team effort but it was the first time we had tried to build an arch so I was very pleased with the result.
I have taken pictures from slightly different angles and from both sides to try and get the best image. In the final picture you can see the tree from yesterdays shots reaching across the river with the two small stacks balanced on it. I have deliberately used the depth of field to keep the background just out of focus so that the eye is drawn to the arch in the foreground.
I really like all of today's pictures; I would be hard pressed to pick a favourite. All of them are good reminders of a great day out with my kids, moments to treasure.
Walking along the river bank we found a large fallen tree that stretched out into the river and I had the idea to balance a small stack of pebbles on the trunk.
To begin with I took an easy option and built it close to the edge as you can see in the first of today's pictures. Taken from a different angle it actually looks like quite a stable and really easy stack but from this angle you can see just how precariously the stones are perched and I have tried to get them angled to reflect the line of the tree as it stretches out behind.
For the next two pictures I wanted to do something a bit different and so I framed the small stacks with the ferns and built them against a darker background with the moss and the spaces between the rocks, I think it works quite well.
So far these have been fairly simple stacks and so we decided to ramp up the pressure and so I suggested building a stack on the end of the tree. This involved standing on some fairly slippery rocks out in the river and it was eldest son as you can see who drew the short straw (to be fair he volunteered). He had to catch each stone one handed as I threw them from the river bank as he held onto the tree and then he carefully balanced them one by one.
You can see the sliver of daylight beneath the bottom stone and in the final image you can see just how finely balanced they are. I am really pleased with our day's work and the pictures that resulted from it.
After this we took things a bit further and for that you will have to come back tomorrow, I promise it will be worth it...
So here are a few more pictures of the pebble stacks that I built with my boys down in Betws y Coed last weekend. Each one got slightly taller than the last, or if not taller it had more stones. The final one in today's selection was 13 stones (14 if you count the boulder it was built on) You might think that with flat pebbles it would be quite easy to get them balanced but it is not and try as I might I couldn't get an extra stone on the last stack.
I have a few more cool shots to share over the next few days so if you like these come back tomorrow...
I suffered to get these pictures, I have so many bites from the midges, on my arms, legs and face and a nice big bruise on my arm from when I slipped on the rock but regardless of all that I had loads of fun down by the river building these stacks and finding the best angle to photograph them.
These shots were taken on the banks of Afon Llugwy just below the Miners Bridge at Betws y Coed in North Wales. It is a great place to visit, a nice easy walk and some lovely scenery. I love the sound of the river just below the waterfalls and I love the shapes, colours and textures of the pebbles.
I have some more pictures to share over the coming days and hope you will come back to have a look.
Today's selection of butterflies were taken today while on a walk near Betws y Coed in sunny North Wales. I have been saying for a little while that I wanted to take some butterfly shots and so I was chuffed to bits to get these, even though they were not the most cooperative of specimens and it took some time to get these pictures.
I hope you will agree that it was worth it...
