A Big Picture in Wales

At last we have been able to do our second field trip. The weather has been so bad in the last few weeks with torrential rain, floods and gale force winds that we had to postpone our scheduled day out. The trouble is that the schools need to know in advance to fit in their timetables. Anyway, this time it worked out pretty well. The visibility was very good and the clouds dramatic, giving the children plenty of opportunities to get good landscape pictures.

Cheryl and I arrived at the comprehensive at 9.15 – just in time to follow the two minibuses to Neyland, where we parked at Brunel Quay, not far from the statue to the great man (Isambard Kingdom Brunel, that is). The wind hit us straight away, not bothering to go round us! Excitement got the better of the bitter wind and the kids wasted no time at all making pictures of the sea, clouds, the monuments to the town’s great history and the quayside itself. Walking round looking at the new bridge, the beaches and the rails set into the tarmac, lots of very good photos were being taken. Almost the final thing arriving back to the buses was staring up at the bronze statue of Brunel with a ship in one hand, a train in the other and his trademark stovepipe hat firmly on his head. Grateful to be back in the warmth of the classroom for the last morning lesson, we took time to look through all the day’s photos.


Above: Mliford juniors enjoying taking pictures despite the cold at Neyland

This is one of the main advantages of digital photography – looking in the back of the camera at your work before it is downloaded and getting a real sense of how well the session has gone and how many are cracking images. This time the challenge has moved on. Today the children had to choose their first, second and third best pictures, show them to me and give reasons for their choices. I was very impressed by the quality of the work. There has been a general increase in ability to look through the camera and compose a picture, as well as the all-important measure of holding the camera steady to reduce blurring from shake. The single vital thing, though, is the joy and satisfaction they are all getting from picture taking.

Next week we’ll go to Pembroke Castle if it’s raining and Sandy Bay if fine. The new challenge will be to say something about the landscape and the things in it – for instance, why is the castle where it is, and what natural forces have helped shape the land forms – and at the same time take great pics.


Above: Milford Comp kids at Brunel Quay

Well, after a short lunch exploring the Mackerel Wharf, we met the juniors, who had walked down to meet us. Two new children have joined the group, making a full complement of fifteen. Both Katie and Ieuan are very keen. Braving the cutting wind, we walked around the wharf taking pictures of the sea and sun, the boats in the marina, reflections in the puddles and all sorts of other images that fired the kids’ imaginations. Like the comp, the juniors are getting a lot out of their picture taking and are producing some very good work. We were all ready to go back to the warmth of the school for the last part of the day. It was so cold! I’d forgotten how much colder you feel when wind chill is added – next week I’ll wear proper winter gear.

Looking through the day’s photos and appreciating the care they all have taken was a very nice experience. The challenge of choosing the three best (and why) was taken up with enthusiasm. Also, we started to take the pictures more carefully, trying to look at the whole picture as well as the main subject. Next time we’ll look at the things in the landscape and ask ourselves how they came about or why they are there.

Ken Day, photographer

A Big Picture in Wales

Wet, wet, wet!

Milford Haven today has been rainy from 9 am to 3pm, just the time we have been doing the first of our outdoor photo sessions with children from the comprehensive and junior schools. Cheryl and I were a few minutes late due to big road works along the way, but that made no difference to anybody’s enthusiasm at the comp.

So, we made our way immediately in the minibus and cars to Withybush Woods, which is near the airport and has paths through the woods. Dripping though it was, there were no complaints and loads of photos taken. We looked at leaves on the ground, moss and patterns of trees against the grey sky. After a while we came to a wooden bridge and took more pics of rain falling on water, and the group had the job of standing there trying to enjoy the rain while I took their picture. A bit further along the path we came to a lake with a small stone bridge and a lovely granite seat.


Above: MH Comp Withybush Woods

Some great shots were taken here. Then we made our way back to the vehicles in very good spirits, despite the constant rain. Back in class, everyone looked the pictures taken that morning and had the tough job of deciding which was the best. It was easy for me – all I had to do was sit and look at all those lovely photographs!

After lunch Cheryl and I met the juniors at the Rath, and supposedly in the under the cover of the bandstand. The weather, however, was doing its best to spoil our afternoon by blowing the rain horizontally at us off the sea. Luckily, the Winter Gardens are close by and we were at least out of the worst of the wind and able to take some photos. It’s a nice place to visit even on such a day. Apparently, the swimming pool used to be there and now it has been landscaped, making lots of photo opportunities for the children.


Above: MH Juniors Rath Golf

The rain eased a bit, so we walked over to the Memorial Gardens, where there are plenty of chances to take different kinds of images, with mature trees, various memorials and other structures. Having taken all the pics we could, the children made their way back to school and we set about sorting the photos we’d all taken that afternoon. It’s not an easy task, but it gets us in the swing of making decisions about what looks good. This practice will be handy towards the end of the project next spring when we will need to look at all the photographs and make the difficult choices of our ten best to go in the exhibition.

Ken Day, photographer.