Just a new post to show that I am still alive and kicking.
I’m back from my eagerly awaited trip to Snowdonia – North Wales with the newly promoted Major Mills. Snowdon is Wales’ highest mountain. Yes there was snow in Snowdonia last week. I have the pictures to prove it.
North Wales is known for the Slate Quarries and was the worlds largest exporter of slate products mainly roofing tiles before the first world war. The Ffestiniog Railway was built to carry the Slate from the quarries around Blanaeu Ffestiniog by the Quarry owner a man called Madox to the port of Porthmadog.
Now there are a hand full of working slate quarries left. Wales has been left with half a dozen or so narrow gauge railways that have been preserved as tourist attractions as a change of use for the infrastructure.
I wanted to convey the mood of the place so the contrast of backlit steam from the locomotive surrounded by the dark and pensive sky did it for me. North Wales is one of the wettest places in the UK hence the darkclouds.
A big hello to all the patient followers of my little blog.
(c) Andy Beel FRPS 2012
Andy Beel FRPS 
Very nice image, great contrast!
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Hi thanks for your kind appreciation of my work. Andy
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Beautiful image, love the range of tones!
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Hi Kolman thanks for the appreciation – what appears to be a simple picture of smoke on a windy day is a complex set of dodging and burning and adding of contrast to emphasis the smoke. Andy
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Ahh, yes, nice work and definitely worth your time!
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A very striking image, Andy.
Beautiful lines and tonal range.
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Hi Karen thanks for the appreciation. The lines of the original as taken were far better but also included the end of a building. I might revisit this picture to remove or darken the building that would mean I get back the stronger leading lines. Andy
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Snowdonia is my favourite walking area in the UK. There’s comething special about being high and seeing the sea and those vast expanses of yellow sand that you get around the Lleyn Peninsula. I know this view well – I’ve never got it. Very well captured, Andy. (Did you see my comment on the previous post?)
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Hi Andy yes its a fascinating place. Thanks for commenting. Andy
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The photo, to me , sums up the gloomy, rainy, depressed feelings that can be experienced anywhere though, not only in Wales! I love the light on the rails and the smoke and presume the train is going away from the station and is not about to flatten you. A picture that “sticks” in my memory.
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Hi Paula its gratifying that you like the picture. Thanks Andy
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this is striking…
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Hi Barbara nowhere near as striking as your portfolio! Andy
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Sweet shot sir. like the angle and lines and the way the smoke is blowing makes this shot IMO.
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Hi As I replied to drawandshoot I am going to revisit the left hand side of the picture to bring back features lost in the crop. Thanks for the appreciation. Andy
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