Gallery
Welcome and I hope you enjoy browsing through my photographic portfolios. I've divided these into three main groups. The first, Town and Around, shows some of the urban features of Cardiff and its surrounds. The second, Nature on the Doorstep, highlights the natural beauty that can be found within easy reach of a major city. More recently, to allow me to include photographs of my travels, I have included a third group, Further Afield.
Town and Around
Cardiff is a cosmopolitan city with a population of approximately 400,000 people. Three rivers, the Rhymney, the Ely and most famously the Taff, run through the city before entering Cardiff Bay. To the west lies the Vale of Glamorgan which is home to the old Victorian seaside town of Penarth, the historic coal port of Barry and the legendary Barry Island pleasure beach.
Cardiff city centre is dominated by the impressive Millennium Stadium, iconic home to Welsh rugby. Within a stone's throw is the famous Cardiff Castle resting at the southern end of Bute Park. Nearby are several modern shopping centres, the traditional indoor market and the elegant arcades. And lining St Mary's Street and Mill Lane are the pubs, clubs and restaurants which bring the city to life at weekends. A little further afield is Cardiff Bay with the bustling Mermaid Quay and the Millennium Centre, the new home of Welsh culture. The previously tidal waters of the Bay now form a permanent lagoon thanks to the Barrage, an initially controversial development which has now proven to be a fantastic leisure amenity for local residents and visitors alike. Alternatively, there is the attractive village suburb of Llandaff with its beautiful Cathedral and rectory buildings and its peaceful Cathedral Green. As with any modern city, there are also areas of urban neglect and industrial decline. These forgotten places are as much a part of the photographic profile of the city as the new and the modern.
The "City and Town" collection is intended to show the different faces of urban and suburban Cardiff and its neighbouring towns.
Cardiff city centre is dominated by the impressive Millennium Stadium, iconic home to Welsh rugby. Within a stone's throw is the famous Cardiff Castle resting at the southern end of Bute Park. Nearby are several modern shopping centres, the traditional indoor market and the elegant arcades. And lining St Mary's Street and Mill Lane are the pubs, clubs and restaurants which bring the city to life at weekends. A little further afield is Cardiff Bay with the bustling Mermaid Quay and the Millennium Centre, the new home of Welsh culture. The previously tidal waters of the Bay now form a permanent lagoon thanks to the Barrage, an initially controversial development which has now proven to be a fantastic leisure amenity for local residents and visitors alike. Alternatively, there is the attractive village suburb of Llandaff with its beautiful Cathedral and rectory buildings and its peaceful Cathedral Green. As with any modern city, there are also areas of urban neglect and industrial decline. These forgotten places are as much a part of the photographic profile of the city as the new and the modern.
The "City and Town" collection is intended to show the different faces of urban and suburban Cardiff and its neighbouring towns.
(Contains 37 photos)
 A collection of black and white photographs of the city centre. | (Contains 14 photos)
 A study of Llandaff, a little suburban oasis lying only two miles from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. At its heart is the Cathedral and the Cathedral Green. |
(Contains 39 photos)
 A portfolio of photographs, some conventional and some more abstract, of the Bay and the Barrage. | (Contains 20 photos)
 A portfolio of black and white photographs of Penarth waterfront, dominated by the recently renovated Victorian pier and esplanade. |
(Contains 40 photos)
 A study of Barry Island and its Pleasure Park which have now fallen on hard times. Colour photographs taken during the high season are contrasted against black and white photographs taken on a wet winter's day. | (Contains 6 photos)
 A small portfolio of colour photographs taken in the city centre just before Christmas to document the ever changing face of Cardiff during the year. The series features Queen Street, St Mary Street and the Winter Wonderland. |
(Contains 22 photos)
 Like all cities Cardiff has its neglected corners. This black and white portfolio depicts the unloved areas of dereliction or decay and tries to create visual beauty from subjects which are easily overlooked or dismissed as being ugly. | (Contains 16 photos)
 The Arriva Valleys Line is part of the lifeblood of the South East Wales communities. During the week it regularly transports commuters into Cardiff and at weekends it serves the shoppers, sports fans and evening revellers. This study shows the essential little trains running through an ever changing landscape and discharging their passengers at the central station. |
(Contains 90 photos)
 Velothon 2016 and thousands of cyclists descend on Cardiff ready to do a 140km loop. I was there for the start, 7 am, and five hours later I was on Caerphilly Mountain to see the riders attacking one of the most challenging sections of the route. I was moved. I've been a bit lazy for the last few years but I would like to get myself fit and give it my best shot in twelve months time! | (Contains 43 photos)
 After a period of inactivity I found a new subject to add to my portfolio and dusted the cobwebs off my camera. A local charity, Ty Hafren - a children's hospice, had launched a fundraising campaign. Fibreglass Snow Dog sculptures had been individually decorated and positioned in key sites around Cardiff and its surrounding environs. I wanted to photograph all of the figures, trying to put each in the context of its location and at the same time projecting the attractions of the city. I also wanted to take the opportunity to capture some candid people pictures. This is currently a work in progress, I hope to complete it in the next few days. |
(Contains 18 photos)
 Today we enter week 4 of the COVID-19 lockdown and life seems so removed from normal. Movement being restricted, I have started a project based on the balcony of my apartment. Over the next few weeks I plan to photograph my plants as they blossom and fade. Tulips were the first to emerge and I will use these to launch my new portfolio. I am trying to be creative in my approach, heavily post-processing the images for dramatic effect - almost to the point of psychedelia. |
Nature on the Doorstep
Situated just four miles north of the Millennium Stadium lies one of Cardiff's hidden gems. Forest Farm Nature Reserve occupies 150 acres between the River Taff to the south-west and a stretch of the old Cardiff-Merthyr Canal to the north-east. It provides an amazingly diverse range of habitats within a small area; rivers and streams, reed-lined ponds, wetlands, meadows and ancient woodlands. The Reserve is a source of great enjoyment for many: the early morning joggers or dog walkers, the energetic cyclists following the Taff Trail, the young families out to feed the ducks, or the camera enthusiasts out to try and capture that special shot.
The "Nature on the Doorstep" collection is intended to showcase the natural beauty which can be found within just a few minutes drive of Cardiff city centre.
The "Nature on the Doorstep" collection is intended to showcase the natural beauty which can be found within just a few minutes drive of Cardiff city centre.
(Contains 58 photos)
 A selection of photographs showing some of the plants and animals found on the Reserve. | (Contains 12 photos)
 A work featuring the same two fence posts photographed month by month to show the changing appearances through the seasons. |
(Contains 5 photos)
 A short sequence of photographs contrasting a wire fence and the surrounding vegetation. | (Contains 7 photos)
 A study of some colourful leaves that have survived the winter and await the spring. |
(Contains 7 photos)
 A venture into macrophotography, focussing on the dandelion. |
Further Afield
Although my original intention for this site was to concentrate purely on Cardiff and its immediate surrounds, I do a lot of travelling in the UK and abroad. During my trips I often photograph spectacular landscapes or fascinating wildlife and it seems a shame not to be able to upload some of my pictures to this site. So I've decided to create a new portfolio group to which I can add my favourite images from "further afield".
(Contains 15 photos)
 In May 2015 I spent a day on Skomer off the coast of Pembrokeshire in the company of Andy Davies, a professional photographer. This portfolio highlights some of my favourite nature shots from the island. | (Contains 5 photos)
 Several thousand miles away from my Cardiff base and a very challenging experience. An opportunity to photograph one of the most endangered species on the planet. But it wasn't easy. Tigers are widely dispersed and enjoy the security of a dense forest habitat. But I managed to get some half decent shots. |
(Contains 44 photos)
 When I first developed this website my intention had been to include only photographs taken within a few miles of my home. But now I wanted to display images from my travels. I have recently been to Namibia and present a selection of my pictures from remote Demaraland and the world renown Etosha National Park. |