Dolbadarn Castle Mugs

With so much rain the grassy lands of snowdonia looked so lush and green ~ that I wanted to capture a colour setting of Dolbadarn Castle and the spirit of Dolbadarn in summer. I stacked neutral density filters to achieve a wispy cloud like movement across the mountains and a lengthy exposure to develop the light over time and exposure... The wispiness of the cloud emanating from the castle, which I actually liked, to me added to the capture - as 'the spirit of Dolbadarn'.

Thinking about the works and looking back at techniques of old masters ~ those that excelled in Black and White and wanting to replicate using modern full frame 35mm DSLR technology - I created this 'olde worldy' piece... of Dolbadarn Castle from across the lake. The almost completely obsolete technique of photo format single lens reflex camera work conducted by the masters is very seldom implemented now ~ due to the advent of the much simpler and quicker digital single lens reflex cameras... Yet, it is often nice to reflect and try to emulate some of the techniques which were so diligently adhered to by those masters of the past... Taken with 35mm format full frame A7 SONY ~ modern camera.

A long exposure over the llechog mountain and up the pass helps to balance out the light and dark of Dolbadarn in black and white...

After a deluge of heavy rains a very early morning's drive up into Snowdonia reveals millpond like conditons. Catching the light just perfectly, the balance of sun, shade and shadow. Timing is paramount! From Padarn to Dolbadarn...

The landscape of Wales is dotted with Castles, times of Majesty, mystery and bravery! The Welsh Prince Llywelyn Ap Iorweth a.k.a. Llewelyn the Great built Dolbadarn before the creation of Caernarfon Castle in the 13th Century. In 1284 Dolbadarn was taken - by arch enemy of Llewelyn, Edward the first, who removed some of its timbers - to build his new castle at Caernarfon. Within the framework of Welsh thinking ~ I am sure that this was the upmost insult..! Dolbadarn still remains to this very day as one of Wales most iconic and small fortress like Castles... "the finest surviving example of a Welsh round tower" ~ although we have many Castles in Wales! In its idyllic setting that is Llanberis and the famous mountain range ...