I’m only taking the time to type this because I genuinely believe it: I think you’re one of the best photographers on TH-cam. Your work reminds me why art is more than just a hobby. Your work amazes and inspires me to shoot more
As a former historian, I can see this place has enormous potential for a photographer, and not just as a documentary image. The snow alone made for a more creative image, than if it was taken on a normal summer’s day, although that too would depend upon the conditions at the time. It shows too what workers endured when it was a working quarry. I enjoyed all your images, James - and I’m still enjoying your book too! Again, a great video! Cooled me down!🇦🇺
Just want to say a general thanks for mostly posting content about photography, and not falling into the TH-cam temptation to mostly post gear videos. 🙂
Making common images of pretty things vs Making pretty images of common things... I'll keep that thought in my mind as I dig in to your brilliant newly arrived book. I'm in kind of a transitional period in my photography and your approach gives me a nice starting point😊
When talking about the northern lights, you put into words something I have been contemplating but haven't been able to put into words. I also find myself drawn to photographing things that would make people say, "oh I didn't notice that" or "I would have never seen that". Kind of like street photography where someones keen eye anticipates an moment and somehow captures it before it's gone again. Thanks James! Beautiful photography too :)
Don’t forget that loads of people may never have seen the Northern Lights before, hence the excitement around that particular day/ evening. In addition, where we are in Norfolk, they looked totally different to my experience of them in Iceland.
I feel the same way about sunrise and sunset photos. All my friends are always shocked I don’t feel the urge to go out and capture a particularly colorful sunset. But personally, I’d rather just experience it and enjoy the moment. Also, sometimes it almost feels too easy to get a good photo in those moments.
People photographed the Northern Lights because the overwhelming amount of Brits have never seen them before, and most of those may never see them again. It was a memory moment. You've been very lucky, and now you can just sit back and relish them.
I started investigating photography because I wasn't capturing what I saw with my phone camera. Thank you for sharing your realization about photographing the good stuff vs. the seemingly boring. I will worry less about capturing what I find beautiful and more on finding photos I take that might convey the same feeling I get from something I'd rather just look at.
Unusually, you've made your photos look hand-drawn to my eye. The odd, ethereal glow of the snow and the saturated red of the rusty beams in the long house. Very nice, but very different
Its been a long time since I saw pictures of the quarry with snow falling you done a great job on that one! The arch picture is a wow picture for me! Thank you for the tips they are always noted....
Love your work James. Here in southern Australia was overjoyed to photograph the southern lights at a great location earlier this year, loved my images but now happy to just watch & enjoy if/when they happen again.
I agree with your northern lights sentiment, similarly, photographing sunsets. Using the light is one thing, but photographing the sunset is generally boring. Also, I just received your book, absolutely stunning and cant wait to dive into it more! great work!
I saw northern lights in Iceland. And I tried to take pictures of them for a bit... but my old Lumix DMC-G6 with the 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 travel zoom showed it's limitations there. The 10 year younger phone did a better job. After a bit of trying I just lay down and looked up, enjoying the fascination of extra terrestrial particles making our protective layer of gas glow in such beauty. You can't quite capture that mesmerizing movement in a still, I think. And even the best video I have seen doesn't come close enough to just witnessing it. The photos I have of it are mediocre from a photography perspective. But they are a great help in remembering the awe and fascination the northern lights made me feel.
Anyone else from the US click on James’s videos just to hear him pronounce “purchase” in the sponsorship intro? I mean, the content is always top notch too, inspiring in fact. But still 😅
I’m 3 mins in and I so relate! Even to the specifics of dinorwig being photogenic or not depending on the light. The buildings not standing out was hard and the slate was reflecting so much flare even with a polariser!
Great advice, there's a lot less of that type of architecture across the globe in New Zealand but definitely worth keeping in the back of my head for when I find them. Love your videos
I would love some tips on how you edit snowy scenes specifically. I really like your bright style and I see it in some of the shots you took at the quarry. I find it very refreshing. I have been struggling editing some snowy photos of my own lately and would really appreciate seeing how you go about it. Also I enjoy your musings on photography I always find them quite relatable!
The (drone?) photo at 1.34 is a really epic human nature shot. I love the contrast between the untouched landscape in the top 2/3 of the photo, contrasting with the man-made mountain destruction of the bottom 1/3, plus the snow, autumnal colours and patchy light.
You inspired me so much. I watched a lot of your videos without having a camera. Finally Bought a sony a7iv, 24-50 g and a 40mm g lens after a couple years without a camera. Just because of you I guess
Thanks for the tip about shutter speed and snow. I also love the Mads Peter Iversen-like self-portrait of you in the stone tunnel. The fact that the buildings are made of the same material as the surrounding is just so cool, and the one photo with the rock pile behind the building gives the impression they are organizing themselves into the structure. Nice.
Regarding your opening statements; you have a particular skill in shooting something I never would consider and making a very good photograph. Teaches me to adjust my eye. Don't be so quick to walk by something. Now the quarry. My reaction would be to shoot it (or process it) in black & white. However; I don't recall you doing much in B&W (just had my first cup of coffee so it may be just me). That said, for some reason snow storms like you experienced brings me so much joy - it was a huge mood lifter experiencing that so thank you for including it.
I recently was witness to a spectacular sunset in our small city of Frederick, Maryland. I was attending a gallery opening of a gallery of which I am a member and one of only two photographers. I had my camera. When the sunset slowly turned to a brilliant orangey fellow artist all expected me to go out and shoot a spectacular photo of this incredible sunset. I resisted because what I wanted to do was enjoy the sunset with everyone else. I eventually did go out and grab some shots but I had missed the crescendo of the moment. I really did not mind missing the "shot". But like you I was more interested in experiencing the moment.
Enjoy watching your videos every entertaining and educational. We had the opportunity see/photograph the Northern Lights here in southeast Kansas this past summer and early fall. A VERY rare occurrence. Would love to get to Iceland someday to chase the lights.
Thanks for being inspirational in this winter grey gloom. Enthralling video, I'd like to see how you got up there and where it is too. But sure, instagram vs reality is a feeling I often get when editing my photos, I know they'd be more popular if I used a heavy preset, but I often don't to be true to how I experienced it.
It is difficult to get good photos in Dinorwic Quarry for sure. It’s either too bright and harsh or too dull with little contrast. You weren’t too far away from the grotto, but that little adventure would have been a bit treacherous in those conditions. Great photos though 👍
Taking photographs is like catching Pokémon. Everyone can catch a Pidgey just outside of Pallet Town; but we need to go further afield or be willing to walk in the grass again and again for something like a Moltres or Zapdos.
I haven't experienced that deficit yet. The one time that I actually got to see the northern lights, they were not visible to the naked eye. I was able to see them through my viewfinder and on my phone. I hope to someday experience them without electronic assistance.
Really enjoy your photography and videos, James. In a previous video on post-production, you talked about negative clarity. With these photos, it seems like you're really leaning into the negative clarity beyond your normal processing....perhaps getting on too much :)
People interested in the concept of an experience vs a photo should really check out the film, the secret life of Walter Mitty. A fictional photographer in this film, Sean o’connel gives a really interesting perspective on this.
Another great video James. Out of curiosity, how much time do you typically spend at a location on average regardless if you’re recording for your weekly YT videos or not?
3:57 would make a nice card or print. Great stuff James. Your intro was oddly disconcerting, because the audio was up close but you were very far away. It made for an interesting brain processing moment. (Not in a bad way. Just novel.)
It's feels less fun to photograph something that everyone else is photographing. That quarry might look cool in grainy black and white. I personally like the look of snow frozen in air
James I love you… but when you say “you need light”. It’s more that you need a specific type of light. Harsh? Soft/Overcast? Golden hour? Blue hour? And what direction do you think the light would be best coming from. You have talked about all this in the past… but when light is important I find it is good to isolate what about the light is important, and get a feel for what would make it better (so that you can hypothesize when it’s best to come back).
Was just about to ask if you was using bracketing because of the 3 shutter burst... but then you said "bracketing helps" which answered my question 😆 Kind of a pointless comment, now I think about it... anyway, great video as always
Lets be honest, it is very very easy to get lost in the process of taking an image and forget to breath and well, live? I have been to places like Iceland and the Rockies where I got obsessed with the 'I've got to get an image' thought process and forgot to remember that the reason I went to these places is to experience them and while having a nice photo to look at afterwards is a great reminder, it's not the same as actually experiencing it. The northern lights are the same, if you've already photographed them, put the camera down and just,,,, enjoy them. A bit of a cliche but just be in the moment?
Oops. As the americans would say. My bad. had to stop watching your video. Came back later and then saw your bit about bracketing. My dog is frightened of that lovely place. Maybe senses all the hardships that went on.
Just a hint... You left on the feature, that YT can transalte your Audio-Track in other languages... I'm German... I have never seen this feature live before so i tryed watching it in german... Man you might want to think about deactivating it, it is TERRIBLE. It messes up, desyncs the video and kills all the atmosphere of you beeing out there... Do with that info what you want, just wanted to let you know since the feature is slowly rolling out...
Got an automatically translated German title from TH-cam that is probably not wrong, but it sounds like stupid clickbait. You should turn automatic translation of, since this could be harmful to your reputation.
I’m only taking the time to type this because I genuinely believe it: I think you’re one of the best photographers on TH-cam. Your work reminds me why art is more than just a hobby. Your work amazes and inspires me to shoot more
this place is perfect, what do you mean its not photogenic? it doesn’t get more perfect than that, the snow, the hills, the house, its so beautiful
As a former historian, I can see this place has enormous potential for a photographer, and not just as a documentary image. The snow alone made for a more creative image, than if it was taken on a normal summer’s day, although that too would depend upon the conditions at the time. It shows too what workers endured when it was a working quarry. I enjoyed all your images, James - and I’m still enjoying your book too! Again, a great video! Cooled me down!🇦🇺
Just want to say a general thanks for mostly posting content about photography, and not falling into the TH-cam temptation to mostly post gear videos. 🙂
Making common images of pretty things vs Making pretty images of common things... I'll keep that thought in my mind as I dig in to your brilliant newly arrived book. I'm in kind of a transitional period in my photography and your approach gives me a nice starting point😊
When talking about the northern lights, you put into words something I have been contemplating but haven't been able to put into words. I also find myself drawn to photographing things that would make people say, "oh I didn't notice that" or "I would have never seen that". Kind of like street photography where someones keen eye anticipates an moment and somehow captures it before it's gone again. Thanks James! Beautiful photography too :)
Don’t forget that loads of people may never have seen the Northern Lights before, hence the excitement around that particular day/ evening. In addition, where we are in Norfolk, they looked totally different to my experience of them in Iceland.
Too right, we can’t always get it in Norfolk (unless you go to the North coast) so when I can get it from down near Swaffham I’m over the moon.
Beautiful images, James. You are so talented. Your images are uniquely you. Thank you!
Every artist faces the challenge of finding their own voice. This artist’s work speaks to me.
I feel the same way about sunrise and sunset photos. All my friends are always shocked I don’t feel the urge to go out and capture a particularly colorful sunset. But personally, I’d rather just experience it and enjoy the moment. Also, sometimes it almost feels too easy to get a good photo in those moments.
100% agree that when you're taking pictures, you're not really taking in the event or whatever you're photographing.
People photographed the Northern Lights because the overwhelming amount of Brits have never seen them before, and most of those may never see them again. It was a memory moment. You've been very lucky, and now you can just sit back and relish them.
Exactly 💯
The only photography channel I can reliably come back to, to just unwind and learn. Legend.
One of your best videos
I started investigating photography because I wasn't capturing what I saw with my phone camera. Thank you for sharing your realization about photographing the good stuff vs. the seemingly boring. I will worry less about capturing what I find beautiful and more on finding photos I take that might convey the same feeling I get from something I'd rather just look at.
Excellent video James and I was thinking turn around at 5:30 and you did. Great photo's.
Yes, when you showed that cloud, I was thinking I’d be out of there!
Unusually, you've made your photos look hand-drawn to my eye. The odd, ethereal glow of the snow and the saturated red of the rusty beams in the long house. Very nice, but very different
0:59 That is literally between a rock and a hard place! 😉
Its been a long time since I saw pictures of the quarry with snow falling you done a great job on that one! The arch picture is a wow picture for me! Thank you for the tips they are always noted....
Love your work James. Here in southern Australia was overjoyed to photograph the southern lights at a great location earlier this year, loved my images but now happy to just watch & enjoy if/when they happen again.
I‘ve seen this quarry before in Kyle McDougall‘s videos. It’s so interesting to see how different your approach is. Some stunning pictures indeed!
Thanks. One of your best videos i think. Great location and your musings are thought provoking. That's why your channel is one of the best.
You are bonkers, I’ve been to Dinorwic a couple of times, it’s fantastic and your images were very nice too
Hi James,
Thank you for this new video.
That place seems very interesting. Wales seems to be a wonderful place for photography.
I always enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing. I could hang out in that quarry all day and just absorb the vibe.
The picture at 2:59 killed me
I agree with your northern lights sentiment, similarly, photographing sunsets. Using the light is one thing, but photographing the sunset is generally boring.
Also, I just received your book, absolutely stunning and cant wait to dive into it more! great work!
You are good.
Really good insight! I wasn't able to put it into words either but I understand the feeling.
Good tip on bracketing for SS!
I saw northern lights in Iceland. And I tried to take pictures of them for a bit... but my old Lumix DMC-G6 with the 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 travel zoom showed it's limitations there. The 10 year younger phone did a better job.
After a bit of trying I just lay down and looked up, enjoying the fascination of extra terrestrial particles making our protective layer of gas glow in such beauty.
You can't quite capture that mesmerizing movement in a still, I think. And even the best video I have seen doesn't come close enough to just witnessing it. The photos I have of it are mediocre from a photography perspective. But they are a great help in remembering the awe and fascination the northern lights made me feel.
Anyone else from the US click on James’s videos just to hear him pronounce “purchase” in the sponsorship intro?
I mean, the content is always top notch too, inspiring in fact. But still 😅
I’m English and I enjoy it too 😂
I've just spent the last 10 minutes fascinated and learning how to photograph snow. That's going to be really useful when it's 43C here on Monday 😂😂😂
Great shots. Thanks for sharing. Poignant
Love these shots, that light along with the snowy conditions look pretty amazing👌
I’m 3 mins in and I so relate! Even to the specifics of dinorwig being photogenic or not depending on the light. The buildings not standing out was hard and the slate was reflecting so much flare even with a polariser!
Great advice, there's a lot less of that type of architecture across the globe in New Zealand but definitely worth keeping in the back of my head for when I find them. Love your videos
I would love some tips on how you edit snowy scenes specifically. I really like your bright style and I see it in some of the shots you took at the quarry. I find it very refreshing. I have been struggling editing some snowy photos of my own lately and would really appreciate seeing how you go about it.
Also I enjoy your musings on photography I always find them quite relatable!
Absolutely lovely photos. Always enjoy your inspiring videos.
The (drone?) photo at 1.34 is a really epic human nature shot. I love the contrast between the untouched landscape in the top 2/3 of the photo, contrasting with the man-made mountain destruction of the bottom 1/3, plus the snow, autumnal colours and patchy light.
Another excellent video, just keep taking images like this.
You inspired me so much. I watched a lot of your videos without having a camera. Finally Bought a sony a7iv, 24-50 g and a 40mm g lens after a couple years without a camera. Just because of you I guess
Thanks for the tip about shutter speed and snow. I also love the Mads Peter Iversen-like self-portrait of you in the stone tunnel. The fact that the buildings are made of the same material as the surrounding is just so cool, and the one photo with the rock pile behind the building gives the impression they are organizing themselves into the structure. Nice.
Astonishing first shot in the video! A true "Bingo!", as you said!
Regarding your opening statements; you have a particular skill in shooting something I never would consider and making a very good photograph. Teaches me to adjust my eye. Don't be so quick to walk by something. Now the quarry. My reaction would be to shoot it (or process it) in black & white. However; I don't recall you doing much in B&W (just had my first cup of coffee so it may be just me). That said, for some reason snow storms like you experienced brings me so much joy - it was a huge mood lifter experiencing that so thank you for including it.
Have to enjoy the moment. One that really gets me as wasting an experience is people taking shots of the Tour de France going by on their phones
100% agree, some things are best experienced without the intrusion of a camera.
That deficit is like people who phone-film at concerts. Diluting the whole experience happening in front of them, by watching it on a small screen.
I recently was witness to a spectacular sunset in our small city of Frederick, Maryland. I was attending a gallery opening of a gallery of which I am a member and one of only two photographers. I had my camera. When the sunset slowly turned to a brilliant orangey fellow artist all expected me to go out and shoot a spectacular photo of this incredible sunset. I resisted because what I wanted to do was enjoy the sunset with everyone else. I eventually did go out and grab some shots but I had missed the crescendo of the moment. I really did not mind missing the "shot". But like you I was more interested in experiencing the moment.
5:11 the first thing that came to mind when i saw this scene is me in full iron armour suite battling the final boss!
Love your channel
Loved the snow photos, James! Great location, according to this Midwesterner 😊
Enjoy watching your videos every entertaining and educational. We had the opportunity see/photograph the Northern Lights here in southeast Kansas this past summer and early fall. A VERY rare occurrence. Would love to get to Iceland someday to chase the lights.
I have never had an inclination to photograph the northern lights as other earthly moments, just enjoy the memory
Thanks for being inspirational in this winter grey gloom. Enthralling video, I'd like to see how you got up there and where it is too. But sure, instagram vs reality is a feeling I often get when editing my photos, I know they'd be more popular if I used a heavy preset, but I often don't to be true to how I experienced it.
Smart. Not all great views make great photos. But, I've noticed you seem to find a way. Congrats on another great video. Cheers.
Great stuff! This setting reminds me a lot of the work of Nicholas JR Whites work - a Devon based photographer.
It is difficult to get good photos in Dinorwic Quarry for sure. It’s either too bright and harsh or too dull with little contrast. You weren’t too far away from the grotto, but that little adventure would have been a bit treacherous in those conditions. Great photos though 👍
I always say that "Not every good view makes for a good photo"
Taking photographs is like catching Pokémon. Everyone can catch a Pidgey just outside of Pallet Town; but we need to go further afield or be willing to walk in the grass again and again for something like a Moltres or Zapdos.
That was lucky someone leaving a camera to video you walking through the arch! 😂😂😂
I haven't experienced that deficit yet. The one time that I actually got to see the northern lights, they were not visible to the naked eye. I was able to see them through my viewfinder and on my phone. I hope to someday experience them without electronic assistance.
All I can say is that I wish I was there!
Really enjoy your photography and videos, James. In a previous video on post-production, you talked about negative clarity. With these photos, it seems like you're really leaning into the negative clarity beyond your normal processing....perhaps getting on too much :)
Bryce Canyon fits the intro for me. It is a gorgeous place and no photograph comes remotely close to the experience of being there.
People interested in the concept of an experience vs a photo should really check out the film, the secret life of Walter Mitty. A fictional photographer in this film, Sean o’connel gives a really interesting perspective on this.
What gloves are those at 2:27 !? They seem very useful
One can see what one can’t capture, and shoot what one can’t see. One can even take photos about things that don’t exist.
I think I've seen this exactly spot on Kyle Mcdougall's videos lol.
Another great video James. Out of curiosity, how much time do you typically spend at a location on average regardless if you’re recording for your weekly YT videos or not?
3:57 would make a nice card or print. Great stuff James. Your intro was oddly disconcerting, because the audio was up close but you were very far away. It made for an interesting brain processing moment. (Not in a bad way. Just novel.)
And then I saw the rest, and it would make some nice triptychs. :)
Could this be an upcoming theme for a book - the flip side of beautiful locations :p
It's feels less fun to photograph something that everyone else is photographing. That quarry might look cool in grainy black and white. I personally like the look of snow frozen in air
When you run out of topics, a deeper dive on bracketing would be welcome. Carry on. 👍🥂
Sorry, do not like the over exposed snow images. But I do like the rest though.
This may be better suited for a Q&A video but I notice that you rarely expose for or bracket for the sky. How did you land at this decision?
James I love you… but when you say “you need light”. It’s more that you need a specific type of light. Harsh? Soft/Overcast? Golden hour? Blue hour? And what direction do you think the light would be best coming from. You have talked about all this in the past… but when light is important I find it is good to isolate what about the light is important, and get a feel for what would make it better (so that you can hypothesize when it’s best to come back).
I love your quiet analysis of scenes, and the opportunities they present. And as always, the results speak for themselves. 👍🦘
Are you always on burst shot mode James? S
Edit : should have watched the entire video. That was bracketing.
5:30 he mentions he's bracketing
If you’d run into McDougal up there would you guys have fought to the death?
Was just about to ask if you was using bracketing because of the 3 shutter burst... but then you said "bracketing helps" which answered my question 😆 Kind of a pointless comment, now I think about it... anyway, great video as always
What are those gloves with the removable fingers?
Hey James, have you tried taking shots from angles other than from standing and holding the camera to your eye?
I made a video about why that’s all I do 🙂
Goodbye Telephoto Lenses...
th-cam.com/video/z9i6mMQlgnI/w-d-xo.html
James are you still having fun with 40mm or u have a new favourite focal length 😮
What camera strap were u rocking here?
At 5:03 is it your new red tripod, at the right?
Whereabouts is this quarry in Wales, James? My in laws are from Germany and they love mines and rocks. It would be great to show this to them
Dinorwig quarry, above Llanberis :)
woah
Noisy shutter james. HDR or something.?
Triple-shot for bracketing
what quarry is this? Thanks,
Dinorwig, above Llanberis :)
Do you use 24mm 1.4 for all your videos?
My two cents on this video is similar. Everything is a photograph waiting for the photographer.
Please TH-cam fix the robotic ai translation !!! It’s horrible
Good Vlog James if you want that Picture like you said you got to be Bonkers Sometimes to get it my thoughts indeed buddy your not on your own there
Lets be honest, it is very very easy to get lost in the process of taking an image and forget to breath and well, live?
I have been to places like Iceland and the Rockies where I got obsessed with the 'I've got to get an image' thought process and forgot to remember that the reason I went to these places is to experience them and while having a nice photo to look at afterwards is a great reminder, it's not the same as actually experiencing it.
The northern lights are the same, if you've already photographed them, put the camera down and just,,,, enjoy them. A bit of a cliche but just be in the moment?
Oops. As the americans would say. My bad. had to stop watching your video. Came back later and then saw your bit about bracketing. My dog is frightened of that lovely place. Maybe senses all the hardships that went on.
TIL: You need light for photography
(I actually like the point there, so just trolling, sry)
Just a hint... You left on the feature, that YT can transalte your Audio-Track in other languages... I'm German... I have never seen this feature live before so i tryed watching it in german...
Man you might want to think about deactivating it, it is TERRIBLE. It messes up, desyncs the video and kills all the atmosphere of you beeing out there...
Do with that info what you want, just wanted to let you know since the feature is slowly rolling out...
At least for me, your titles are now all automatically translated into german and there is no way I can disable it 😀
Click the cogwheel button on the bottom of the video and change the audio track to the English original
@soundscape26 thanks, but I don't mean the audio track. It's the video title that is translated
@@eike.zender Oh it translates video titles too? Bad idea.
Got an automatically translated German title from TH-cam that is probably not wrong, but it sounds like stupid clickbait. You should turn automatic translation of, since this could be harmful to your reputation.