In association with my Facebook Page Robert Felton Photography I am pleased to announce that I will be giving away a set of Bedford postcards in a free draw (normal price £10 inc p&p) All you have to do is make sure you have liked my Facebook page and commented on one of my posts/pictures before Sunday 11th April. I will make the draw on the following Monday. The more you comment the better your chances - GOOD LUCK
I was very sad to see that the iconic lone Tree on Greensand Ridge has all but been destroyed by some careless ditching work. The tree which was plainly visible from Cardington Village has for as long as I can remember, stood as a beautiful ragged beacon well loved by many of the locals. Below you will see some of my favourite images of the tree taken over the last 20 odd years. I hope what is left of the tree survives in some form or another. Hover over the pictures for titles etc:
A view along Greensand Ridge
A blended image
Taken in 2020
A cloudless day in winter
Taken late 2020, the last image I took before the destruction
A very cold, cloudless sky, taken just before sunrise
Never the most beautiful tree, but still iconic
One picture of the tree in winter and one of a woodburning stove blended together.
The sun hiding behind the tree
A rather old and poor image taken from Cardington Village (included for reherence only)
One last image of what remains of the tree today!
The same tree at the end of February 2021 (Hopefully it will survive)
The half price A4 sale continues until the 10th of April (see previous blog) and I will be giving away a free A4 print in a draw on 11th April. If you want to be entered in the draw just be sure that you have subscribed to my blog by using the form below.
If you have any questions or comments please contact me by using the form below:
Due to the wonderful response to my half price A4 print sale I have decided to extend it for a couple of weeks. All A4 prints are half price (£12.50 inc UK p&p) payment by Paypal, pm or email me letting me know which picture(s) you are interested in.
Below are a few examples of what is available:
More pictures here:
https://www.facebook.com/RobertFeltonPhotography/photos
I will also be giving away one A4 print at the end of the campaign. The draw is open to anyone subscribed to my mailing list, so if you haven't signed up yet now is the time. Just pop your email address in the box below and sign up.
If you have tried to sign up recently but have not had a response I must apologise as there was a glitch which led to the relevant information not being forwared. That has now been rectified sorry for the inconvenience.
Beacause of the lack of opportunity to sell my prints at the Gallery this year I have a fair amount of stock ready to go. All A4 prints are half price at the moment (£12.50 inc UK p&p) payment by Paypal, pm or email me if interested letting me know which picture(s) you are interested in. More pictures here:
https://www.facebook.com/RobertFeltonPhotography/photos
I have created another set of screensavers in some popular sizes for use on Laptops, PC’s and mobile phones. They are provided completely free of charge to anyone who subscribes to my Blog. Those lovely people who have already subscibed havepreviously received the link to get them.
I have created a set of screensavers in some popular sizes for use on Laptops, PC’s and mobile phones. They are provided completely free of charge to anyone who subscribes to my Blog. Those lovely people who have already subscibed havepreviously received the link to get them.
Phone Screensaver
What with lock down and mobility problems I have stayed very local this year. On looking through my images there are a lot of trees at sunrise and sunset. As much as I love my village (Cardington) I am looking forward to spreading my wings again once we are through this.
So here we go with a very quick dash through some of my images this year.
The music is once again provided by my very good friend Max Milligan, it is entitled Tropea and is from his CD Homage which is available from Amazon
Huge thanks Max.
The second in the present series of short videos depicting my images of Bedfordshire that have recently featured on my Facebook page. I am now using the free version of Da Vinci Resolve to make my videos. It is a steep learning curve but there is tons of useful Youtube pages to help out! I am hoping that this is a slight improvement on my first effort The music is Oceans by Walter Mazzaccaro
I’ve just together a short video to show some of the images I have posted on my Facebook Page in the last couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy it.
Some time ago I put together a short video to show through my pictures Bedford at it’s best.
The music is composed and played by my very good buddy Max Milligan.
A collection of images of Bedford, Bedfordshire from Robert Felton Photography. Music is “Valerie” from the album Homage by Max Milligan:
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A very early start on the 21st May and I was up on Greensand Ridge, overlooking Marston Vale with Cardington just below me and Bedford in the distance. It was 4:15 am and pre-sunrise but there was already some beautiful colour in the sky, this is a favourite time for me as when the sun rises it usually blasts the colour from the clouds.
Greensand Ridge Track
A few yards along from my parking spot on Southill Road, heading north east the track passes through an archway of trees by the Old Warden Tunnel Local Nature Reserve. It is the first shot of the day and it is just before 4:30 am. The trees make a lovely frame of the brilliant pre-sunrise sky.
The Lone Tree
The Ridge Lone Tree which can be spotted from many places in Cardington Village as it sits majestically astride the summit of the hill. The cloud is spilling up from the vale illuminated by that gorgeous dawn light.
Looking North-east
My Tree
Well obviously not my personal tree but it is an image I have shot on numerous occasions. This is the tree I use for my logo and it was looking resplendent in this setting.
Sunrise
About 5 am and the sun is up bathing warm Summer light over the fields and hedgerows.
The Track
Finally on my way back to the car, from the same location as my first picture with just one hour between the two images. Already at only 5:30 am the light is getting too harsh and the sky is washed out, making photography difficult. Time to get home to look at the images on my PC and have some breakfast.
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Before the lock down I had an idea to photograph the interior of some of Bedfordshire Churches. Needless to say I managed just one and I have been sitting on the pictures ever since in the hope of adding another church or two.
The Church of St Margaret of Antioch is a delightful ancient rural church situated in Knotting in northern Bedfordshire. The architecture suggests Saxon origin but it is certain to have existed in 1176 as it is mentioned in Church archives held by the the Bishop of Exeter. The registers date from 1592.
There are several excellent features that easily lend themselves to some Fine Art Photography.
Harmonium or Foot Pump Organ
I was first attracted to this church by an image I had seen of this fine Harmonium. It’s setting against the plain colour-washed walls suggested a bygone age. I was alone in the church for my entire stay and the atmosphere was very peaceful. The organ can be found in the South Transept.
The South Transept thought to have been built about 1280
The Chancel
There are spiked gates to the Chancel (not shown here) built in 1637 by order of Archbishop Laud to stop cock fighting which actually took place on Shrove Tuesdays in 1634, 1635, 1636. Even the Churchwardens and the Rector appear to have been present. - a pastime for which the rector of the day was defrocked.
The Nave
The arch between the Nave and the Chancel is generally considered to date from circa 1140 and the chancel itself to have been rebuilt in the 14th Century.
The Pulpit
The unusual pulpit and sounding board are thought to be 17th Century.
I hope to add to this occasional subject soon more information on this church can be found at:
Great resources for additional reading
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Introducing the second set in a series of postcards of wildflowers.
Here is your opportunity to own some of my pictures at a very reasonable price. These postcards are 6"x 4" so will easily fit into frames or an album if required.
You can also send them to friends and loved ones to keep in touch. Set 2 is £10 for 6 cards inclusive of p&p.email me if interested. (form below)
Introducing the first set in a series of postcards of wildflowers.
Here is your opportunity to own some of my pictures at a very reasonable price. These postcards are 6"x 4" so will easily fit into frames or an album if required. You can also send them to friends and loved ones to keep in touch. Set 1 is £10 for 6 cards inclusive of p&p.email me if interested. (form below)
My next set of pictures were taken on 5th May 2020. The subject is Elstow Brook another location close to where I live and one that I have photographed on numerous occasions. Elstow Brook runs from west of Elstow, Bedfordshire. through Harrowden, and on to Cardington, to the east of Cardington it’s course takes it on to the Grange Estate & Octagon Wood. The brook enters the Great Ouse near the Danish Camp at Willington, Bedfordshire and I have photographed it along most of it’s course.
When I arrived at the side of the brook I soon found there was a heavy dew and the bottoms of my trousers and boots soon became sodden as I waded through the long grass. By the time I had found my composition there was already some wonderful light in the sky and some mist on the water so I quickly set up my shots perched on the edge of the bank before the colour disappeared from the sky.
Painted Clouds in Reflection
Just before sunrise the light cloud cover lit up the sky casting deep reflections on the water. It was a brief but magnificent show and I was glad I was there to capture it.
Just west of Cardington Bridge.
Left
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, 1/30 seconds, F 7., 29 mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
Below
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, 1/30 seconds, F 7., 48 mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
Warm Spring Light
As soon as the sun topped a nearby bank of trees I was bathed in warm, golden light that left wispy reflections from the light cloud on the surface of the brook.
Another portrait image looking west this time.
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, 1/25 seconds, F 8., 29 mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
Casting Golden Light
As I looked along the brook I could see the sun was casting some glorious side light on a stand of trees that flanked the south bank. The beautiful warm morning light lit up the new growth on the trees and cast some marvelous reflections.
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, 1/15 seconds, F 6.3, 28 mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
In association with my Facebook Group Robert Felton Photography I am giving away a set of postcards (normal £10 inc p&p) If you do not win and would like a set drop me an email (link envelope below) All you need to do is like and comment on one of my Facebook posts between 12th - 20th June. Draw to be made on Sunday 21st June.
I have been away from this site for about a year. We have all had a lot to deal with for the last three months. I thought that now would be an ideal time to get things moving but it has not worked out that way. Despite seemingly being very busy I do not feel I have achieved much during this time. The one positive thing I have achieved has been going out around dawn to take the odd picture or two, so here is the story of some of them.
It all started on a frosty morning way back on 23rd March 2020 (seems like a lifetime ago). I decided it was time to get out and create some content. It was lockdown, it was just before dawn and I was on foot so there was no prospect of going very far. I headed for a local field and to an old favourite dead tree of mine. Here are my images from that day:
Winter Tree
The first tree I photographed has some dead branches at it’s crown so the only time to get a clean image is before leaf bud. The sun was below the horizon in a cloudless sky so time would be limited to get my shot.
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, F9, 1/40 seconds, F 9.00, 53 mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
The Survivor
Thus may seem an odd title for what is essentially a dead tree but it has survived in this condition for over 25 years and I have photographed it many times.
The sun had already broken the horizon and was shining very brightly, any picture with the sun in it would render the tree a silhouette. Now I like a good silhouette but there was too much interest in the bark to render it completely black. My solution was to hide the sun behind the considerable girth of the tree which enabled me to get the image I wanted.
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, F9.00, 1/100 seconds, F 9.00, 33mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
Waiting for Spring
The sun was now a huge yellow ball in a cloudless sky, it was casting beautiful side light on this lovely tree which was just coming into bud. It made a great subject for my last picture as I made my way home for a well deserved coffee and current bun!
Sony A7iii, ISO 50, F9.00, 1/13 second. F 9, 56 mm, Tamron Lens 28-75mm F2.8
Lilley
Father & Son
Embankment Mist
Ridge Tree
