Carmarthens schools soldier on

Queen Elizabeth High

Today, we worked hard at our second session at the computer face. For logistical reasons we had to dived the class into two parts. This meant that we had to work efficiently at making those all to difficult choices about which pictures to put in the '20 Best' folder. The task can be very tricky, especially when there are lots of lovely photos from which to choose.



Above: QE High computer session

With help from staff and buddies, though we were all able to get to the point where we could leave the work for our next and last class. Many students managed to achieve the even more tricky separation of the '10 best'. These, of course, will be the shots that will be printed up for the exhibition.


Johnstown Juniors

All, despite problems with the computer system, today had a great session. This entailed quite long waits for everybody while the files were copied to the individual computers. Nevertheless, buddies from year six were on hand to help out when things got going. Everybody achieved the goal of choosing their twenty best and some did better by getting to the final choices. Well done!



Above: Johnstown Juniors hard at it!

Next session, we will need to finalise choices and name the pictures, providing a caption for each one. Also, the individual portraits and final group shots will be taken.

Llandovery schools’ first field trips

Pantycelyn Comprehensive students go to town

We were lucky with the weather – it was cold, but not freezing and the rain stayed away – for the first time out for the students at Pantycelyn. It's only a short walk to the town from school and there are plenty of exciting subjects to photograph. The first stop was the car park beneath the castle, where we were able to get shots looking upward to the remains of the castle itself and to the stainless steel sculpture. A short walk up the hill and were next to the wonderful statue of the local hero Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan. Martyred in 1401 as a supporter of Owain Glyn Dwr, his shining monument overlooks the town.



Above: Pantycelyn visit the statue of Llewelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan

The children were quick to take lots of pictures of it from all perspectives. Further up, Llandovery Castle has dramatic landscape views of the town and hills around from its massive masonry walls. Pausing to take a group picture at the statue, we then walked to the market square where scenes of townscapes, buildings, the market hall and fountain made a contrast to the previous location. There were plenty of photo opportunities here, ranging from close-ups of cobbles and trees to roofscapes and town buildings. It was a very good example of a built environment and, as proof of the children's commitment to the project, it was gratifying to see the high quality of their work back in class.


Ysgol Rhys Pritchard look up to the Heart of Wales line

In contrast to the morning session, the children of Ysgol Rhys Pritchard chose to make the short journey in the minibus to Cynghordy. Here the huge railway viaduct dwarfs the local landscape. Built in the 1867, it carries the Heart of Wales railway line. It's a dramatic subject for photography and its dizzying height of ninety three feet gave everybody plenty of creative options, both as close-up shots of the monumentally sized stone blocks from which it is made, and as unusual perspective pictures. The viaduct curves away, allowing photos that fill the frame with pillars and arches. The clear but cold weather continued as we walked up the valley.



Above: The Rhys Pritchard team dwarfed by viaduct at Cynghordy

Now the fields by the side of the road were laced with shallow ice-filled depressions, which offered different creative options, especially viewed against the woods and pastures of the valley sides. Afon Brân flows near the lane and we were able to take pictures of its fast flowing stream before turning back and getting images of the viaduct filling the valley. Back in the bus, we made a detour up the mountain, where we stopped to photograph the distant viaduct in its setting of the Cambrian Mountains. It was very pleasing to view the children's work back in class and to realise again the value of this project in raising their confidence.

Carmarthen schools begin work on their pictures

Queen Elizabeth High

Today we started the process of sorting the hundreds of photos the students have taken on their four field trips and their first session in the school. It's quite a task to create folders for each session, plus the two extras for the best choices for printing. Despite some technical problems, we all managed to learn how to make the folders, to download some files and to play with an image on the computers.

Now that the school is getting more flash drives, our next session in a fortnight will focus on making the tricky decisions about which of all those pictures we took will go into the 'Best twenty five' folder and from them the 'Best ten'. These ten will be the pictures that are printed and displayed in the big exhibition.


Johnstown Juniors

The children were as enthusiastic as ever when we arrived and were happy to get started on this second phase of the project. We were pleased to have 'buddies' from year six to help out. As usual in this part of the project, the first task was to make the seven new folders.

This went well and the next job to download images from the cameras was fast, thanks to plenty of space on the hard drive. Thanks to the buddies, everybody had lots of fun at the end of this session altering one of their photos by including text and changing the colours in very radical ways. We ended up with time to spare.

Exciting first day for the Llandovery schools

Pantycelyn Comprehensive and Ysgol Rhys Pritchard

It's one of the most rewarding parts of this project: the look on the children's faces when they open the boxes and get out their new cameras. This morning at Pantyceln Comprehensive in Llandovery, the students were excited and delighted. As usual, it didn't take long for them to work out how to use the cameras and with just the most basic instructions in how to hold the camera steady, they were busy practicing by taking pictures of other people in the class room. Of course, we'd had to make them wait a little while we explained what the project was all about; but that only built up the anticipation.



Above: Students and staff at Pantycelyn on day one

They followed instructions and took at least thirty photos indoors before going into the school grounds to take another fifty of the buildings, trees and other aspects of the landscape. We were lucky with the weather - it didn't rain. Viewing the kids' choices of their best three pictures of the morning, it was pleasing to know that they all had grasped the principles of the project and had produced some good work.

After lunch, we went to Ysgol Rhys Pritchard, which is the main feeder school for Pantycelyn. If anything, the children here were more excited about their new photography project. Even before they'd opened the boxes, their enthusiasm for the idea was a delight. Emphasising the need to take lots of pictures is one of the important elements of the work we do. The children need to have plenty of choices for the exhibition and they will learn from their mistakes more readily.



Above: The class at Ysgol Rhys Pritchard delighted with the new cameras

We all took plenty of pictures indoors, but when it came time to go outside, we found it was pouring with rain. The best we could do was to dodge the rain looking through open doors and even take photographs from under the equipment in the play area. Nevertheless, everybody had lots of fun. Lots of good pictures were taken and I'm certain we will be seeing a great exhibition in due course.

Next time, 24th January, will be the first field trip; so let's hope for good weather.

The Carmarthen schools enjoy their final field trips

Queen Elizabeth High go to the seaside

A fine morning greeted the students from QE High when we arrived at the beach in Ferryside. At the mouth of the Tywi River, we were opposite Llansteffan Castle, where two weeks before the children of Johnstown Junior School had visited. From this side of the estuary, the castle was very dramatic across the water and the village, church and big house made a number of nice scenes. The children were not slow in capturing these landscapes, together with many other possibilities in the shore itself with patterns and textures in the sand, flotsam and seaweed. The jetty and shoreside buildings provided other creative opportunities.



Above: Queen Eliizabeth High students and staff on Ferryside platform

One of Ferryside's significant features is, of course, the railway. The main line between Swansea and Carmarthen runs round the coast and up the Tywi estuary. The trains are quite frequent, though many do not stop here. Taking pictures of the trains, and the station from the footbridge and the platform gave our students some exciting shots. Before leaving, we all gathered on the platform in front of the signal box for the group picture. The exhibition is going to be wonderful, judging by the quality of the images we looked at back in school.


Johnstown Juniors in the formal garden of the Bishop's Palace

A short bus ride from Johnstown is the Bishop's Palace at Abergwili. Home now to the Carmarthen Museum, this fine building has beautiful grounds with mature trees, lawns and shrubberies. The first thing we did was to tour the gardens taking many photos of the magnificent trees in their late autumn finery and on the way making the most of details in the leaves, bark and fungi.



Above: Johnstown Juniors on the grand staircase at the Bishop's Palace Abergwili

Completing the circuit, we made the most of the curators' invitation and spent the rest of our time in the museum itself, enjoying the displays of the history and archaeology of our great county. There was much to see, ranging from mineral samples, through paintings to the great stone frieze depicting the death of General Picton at the Battle of Waterloo. We were allowed to take pictures inside, but not with the flash on our cameras, due to the bad effect that bright light can have on some of the exhibits. It was a real treat for the kids to get this opportunity and thanks are due to the staff at the Bishop' Palace for their hospitality.


Next year

This was the last field trip for the two Carmarthen schools in this part of the project. When we resume in January, we will undertake the three classroom sessions, learning about downloading images, making folders and choosing and naming pictures. This will start on the nineteenth of the month. Prior to that, on the tenth, we begin work in the last two schools in the project, Pantycelyn Comprehensive and Rhys Pritchard juniors, both in Llandovery.

A great day out for the Carmarthen schools

Queen Elizabeth High visit Gwili Railway

We had a lovely morning with the students visiting the Gwili railway at Bronwydd. The weather was fine and the light excellent for photography when we rolled up to be greeted by volunteers at the station yard. The yard was a good place to start and we took lots of pictures of the rolling stock before making our way to the signal box, where everybody except wheelchair users were able to climb the steps and see all the levers working and observe the work going on outside on the rails by the road crossing. Next, we crossed the line and went onto the station platform, which gave new perspectives and lots of photo opportunities for the kids. The enthusiasm for the assignment was a joy to see.



Above: QE High in front of Haulwen at Gwili Railway

Back over the line and to the engines themselves, we were give a guided tour and were able to get shots of both the machines and all the fascinating details of massive wheels, pistons, boilers being refurbished and lots of other railway items. Finally, we got to stand next to the lovely 'Haulwen' saddle tank engine, which was fired up especially for us. Here we were dwarfed by the machine for the group shot. There is no doubt that the students were inspired by the visit to take many excellent pictures, as was evident from the one-to-one sessions viewing the work back in school.

A huge thanks to the staff and volunteers at Gwili Railway!


Johnstown Juniors and Llansteffan Castle

What a castle! And so close to Johnstown. A short journey in the bus took us to the village centre, where we walked up the lanes to the castle, taking pictures of the church, Plas, trees and landscapes on our way. After the final climb, we entered via the gatehouse and spent nearly and hour exploring and photographing the towers, walls and views. The castle's situation on a promontory at the mouth of the Tywi provides magnificent scenes of Carmarthen Bay, the sands of the estuary and across to Ferryside. We could have spent more time there, but before leaving, the group picture taken in the middle part of the Keep, demonstrates the kids' happiness at taking part in the project.



Above: Johnstown kids and staff at Llansteffan Castle

After the walk back to the village and more picture-taking, we boarded the bus back to school. Viewing the afternoon's best three shots from each child, it's obvious that they all have taken on the project with great enthusiasm and have produced superb work.

Swansea schools' photos in the Grand Theatre

Wow! Penyrheol and Penybryn schools end of project exhibition was a fine thing to see. On two floors of Swansea's Grand Theatre, there were hundreds of photographs to admire. Each student had visited four locations, which landscapes ranged from seasides through rivers to city parks, taking and average of 100 pictures each time. Not only were their ten best shots displayed on their own boards, but there were nine shots of each of the eight beauty spots they had visited. It took quite a time to absorb the quantity. The quality, on the other hand was immediately obvious. With no exceptions, each student had produced stunning images, many of which would not look amiss in the pages of magazines. Many of the visitors left comments like, "lovely photographs", "very impressed" and "what a delightful exhibition". Parents, teachers and visitors alike were captivated by this show.



Above: Pen-y-Bryn with their goody bags - and the Lord Mayor

What was also obvious was the children's pride in their achievements. This was no more apparent than when the Lord Mayor of Swansea, Councillor Richard Lewis, presented every pupil with a gift bag to commemorate their participation in the project. In the bag was a certificate, a framed copy of one of their best images and various 'freebies'. Later, they will receive a dvd containing all the work they have done throughout the project, portraits, group shots at the locations and, perhaps best of all, a picture of them with the Lord Mayor. After the speeches, the presentations and the photo calls, there was another kind of opportunity – a lovely buffet, with sandwiches, pies, pizzas and many other delights. It was also a nice to chat with his worship and to observe the pleasure on the kids' faces at other people's acknowledgements of their achievements.



Above: Peyrheol students together with Swansea's Lord Mayor

All this happened on the first day. The next and last day of the exhibition, we had lots of visitors, including some of the students who weren't able to come on the first day. It was another excellent culmination of two schools' participation in this project, one in which we are proud to be involved.