SHOWKASE: Gregg Cashmore – North Wales Road Trip

SHOWKASE: Gregg Cashmore – North Wales Road Trip

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Ever since my first visit to Snowdonia in October last year I’ve been looking forward to heading back. With a bit more knowledge about the area, I feel I’ve made a real connection with this location. I’ve spent a lot of time travelling the UK in my small campervan and I must say this was possibly my favourite road trip to date.
With forecasts of freezing conditions over the Easter holidays, I decided to pack everything apart from the kitchen sink. Thermal blinds, thermal hats, thermal pants and socks, three duvets, ten jumpers, twenty tins of soup and lots of porridge. I might have gone a little overboard for a four-day trip but better to be over prepared.
Llyn Ogwen was to be my base camp. A valley that lies to the south of Bangor. It is bordered one side by Glyderau mountain range and on the other by Carneddau. The River Ogwen flows straight through it separating the two mountain ranges. A fantastic spot with heated toilets and a lovely little snack bar that opens its shutters at 8am each morning.
With a small list of destinations, I didn’t really have any plan of attack for images as I preferred to just see how things unfolded. The only routine I followed was to pop over to Llyn Ogwen before breakfast each day and try to capture some reflections. This took three days to achieve and was lucky enough to capture this image before the wind changed.

Llyn Ogwen Reflections

Canon 6D, 70-200mm @ 70mm, F/16, ISO 100, ¼ second. Kase Wolverine Filter 0.9 Soft Grad

As the wind changed the reflections were gone so I started picking out some of the finer details in the landscape.

Canon 6D, 70-200mm @ 91mm, F/16, ISO 100, ⅙ second with Kase Wolverine Filters, 0.9 Soft Grad & Circular Polariser.
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That particular morning was very successful. Shortly after shooting those images I took the mountain path up to Llyn Idwal. Things were still pretty calm and early enough to have the whole place to myself. You don’t actually get to see Llyn Idwal until you’re practically on top of it, so my fingers were crossed for more reflections as the sun came up and hit the mountains.

Llyn Idwal

Canon 6D, 16-35mm @ 16mm, F/9, ISO 100, 1/50 Second with Kase Wolverine Filters, 0.9 Soft Grad.

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On other days the weather wasn’t always so calm with heavy showers and strong winds making life difficult. Out came the waterproofs and off I went up this steep path to get a good composition of Tryfan Mountain with some decent foreground interest. This was hard work but I really think the bad weather suits this view.

Tryfan Mountain

Canon 6D, 16-35mm @ 16mm, ISO 320, 4 Seconds with Kase Wolverine Filters, ND64 (6 stop) & 0.9 Soft Grad.

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I had to visit the famous Lone Tree at Llanberis. A popular spot for good reason. There’s a nice little bench you can sit on and take in the view, so I waited around for conditions I thought gave me an image I was really pleased with. ( Minus the ducks and paddle boarders)

Llanberis Lone Tree

Canon 6D, 16-35mm @ 31mm, F/13, ISO 320, 1 Second with Kase Wolverine Filters, ND64 (6 stop) & 0.9 Soft Grad.

It wasn’t all about mountains and landscapes. I headed over to the coast of Anglesey to try and capture some seascapes at Penmon Point & Lighthouse. I’d never been here so I didn’t know what to expect, it’s a wonderful little place with loads of interest.

Penmon Lighthouse

Canon 6D, 70-200mm @ 154 mm, F/9, ISO 320, 0.8 Seconds with Kase Wolverine Filters, ND64 (6 stop) & 0.9 Soft Grad.

 

Canon 6D, 16-35mm @ 33mm, F/9, ISO 100, 6 Seconds with Kase Wolverine Filters ND64 (6 stop) & 0.9 Soft Grad.