So I went to Woodchester Park the other day to shoot a fairly well known boathouse.  Woodchester is a National Trust property just over the border in Glos, with a car park at the top of a long valley.  The car park is at about 240m, and just over 2km away is the pond with the boathouse at just under 100m, so not a huge height difference, and the walk down - downhill all the way - was very nice, with lovely autumn colours in the trees.

 Unfortunately, when I got to the boathouse, the bushes and trees all but blocked the view, and there wasn't a decent clear shot of either the boathouse or its reflection in the pond.  I took a few images anyway, and then began the return trip to the car.  

 

It was getting late by now, and there was no light to shoot any of the autumn scenery.  To add pressure, the site closes at 5pm, and it was now well after 4, and the long slog back up was unrelenting - it's uphill constantly, and with just over 20kg of camera gear it felt a lot longer than 2km!  No time to rest either as I had to get to the car before the gates were locked!

Will I go again?  Oh yes, next spring I will make sure I leave more time for the return hike so I can stop for a breather part way, and maybe the view of the boathouse will be clearer.

Workshops

 I offer 1-to-1 guided photo shoots and workshops for up to 4 people around Wiltshire, with the added bonus of a nice hot drink in my VW camper.  It's comfortable, warm and dry.  Especially useful at this time of year.

Woodland workshops in Savernake forest or Longleat woods:

                            Longleat autumn

Sunrise or sunset shoots at Stonehenge or Avebury stone circles:

                            Avebury at sunset

Or maybe some famous film locations such as Castle Combe (Dr Dolittle), Corsham (Poldark) or Lacock (Harry Potter) 

            Lacock, or is it Hogwarts?

Lacock Abbey, where the first photographic negative image of the Oriole window was made, is also home to the Fox Talbot museum.  There will be an additional charge for entry, but if you're a National Trust member, then you get in free.

                                    Oriole window in Lacock Abbey
 

Cost for these workshops is from £40 per person for a half day (sunrise to 1pm or 1pm to sunset) and includes travel to and from these locations (or any others around Wiltshire and the surrounding area) tea, coffee and soft drinks.  

For details and an accurate cost, contact Alan:  digitaliphotouk@gmail.com or call 07854 469981

Welcome to Digital i photography

 Welcome.  

 

This will be my blog until I get my website up an running.  Here I will host some of my images, and you can see more over on instagram: @digitaliphotouk

If, like me, you enjoy following photographers on YouTube and Instagram, you will no doubt be used to seeing epic images from epic locations, but we don't all have the luxury of access to those places... at least not very often.  Most of us only get the chance to shoot more locally, and I'm lucky here in Wiltshire to have some iconic locations:  Stonehenge and Avebury stone circles; Savernake and Longleat forests; famous filming locations like Lacock and Castle Combe, and loads of white horses.  Other locations are just outside Wiltshire, but are just as close by.

                                            Sunrise at Woodborough Hill, near Pewsey, Wiltshire

I'm planning to launch a YouTube channel, vlogging some of my photo shoots, usually within around 30 miles of my home or certainly less than an hour's drive.  Sometimes I will venture further afield in my VW camper van, and sometimes I might vlog from one of my other, temporary, bases in Scotland or Singapore, and maybe some holidays.

Stick around and join me on my travels.