Hi Steve. I'm so sorry to have viewed this so late. One of your best, in my opinion. Stunningly beautiful, with the much underated and amazingly featured Nikon F80. The Delta 400 looks great. I love your approach. Please, keep on doing what you're doing. Inspirational!
Superb video and photos Steve. You are in a different league to everyone else. I think you reach the heart of every landscape photographer because you are truly the epitome of what a landscape photographer is. It's why we all just keep enjoying your videos. It's like going on a landscape journey with your best buddy. Simple as that.
I found this video to be pleasantly soothing. Great job showing the remnants of the structures and shifting from tight detail to wider overview... nice. You really put a lot into your videos and we love it. Thank you.
There is an undeniable beauty about derelict man made objects. Something that touches deep inside our soul. Perhaps an familiar ending for us all. Brilliant photography, Mr O' Nions.
This is one of the best videos you have posted. It was beautiful in so many ways. The music was haunting and evocative and fitted the scenery and mood perfectly. The colour videography was splendid, and the monochrome stills brilliant. I did not miss the voice over as I was transported into your world by your art.
Nice, Steve. I really enjoyed that presentation. It's inspired me to get out of bed and go and take some photos - filled me with a quiet energy, if you like. And the truth is.... i've only just got into bed (with a hot coffee) having just come in from being out this morning - taking photos. Anyway, thanks so much... again, a lovely presentation. All the best from New Zealand.
As we see more and more photography people joining UA-cam showing people how to take pictures and what camera equipment to buy they should watch video's like this one first! Thank you Steve this was just wonderful to watch and most interesting too.......
I prefer the tighter compositions, and the b&w is the perfect compliment to this location. Although you’ve done a fine job of mixing the color video with the monochrome film stills. No vocals is a truly experimental direction for a UA-cam video. I’m leaning that direction too. I’d love to work a location like this with the 4x5. Great work Steve.
You have done many walk throughs and walkarounds of this site before. I've always thought that it deserved a more leisurely exploration, and a photo essay - such as you have just done. This is a thoughtful approach and I commend you for it. I hope that you use it again on future outings. Thank you for sharing it with us - Tom
One day when I visit my daughter in Newcastle I'd love to spend a day exploring some of those old slate quarry ruins. Beautiful images - enjoyed the video very much.
A cracking narration in pictures Steve 😁 I took a group of friends over to N Wales for a photographic week. They were impressed what was on offer, but in Awe of Dinorwic Quarry. Next time we come over over its to Cwm Penmachno as a starter. My one for the wall would have to be the Slate laid up the wall @ 7 09 Cheers Diz
Thanks Diz, I was also pleased when I saw those two matching pieces of slate up against the wall. The quarries up there are so quiet it really gives you a feel for the place.
What comes to mind for me (besides the beautiful images) is what this will look like in a thousand years - much like many archeological finds - covered with dirt and crumbled. But instead of not knowing what it looked like now, your images and others will be able to tell the story more completely. Cheers!
Thank you immensely for this soothing look st the old quarry - I was genuinely sad when it ended a I wanted more. Today I'm in noisy, dusty, cacophonous Hong Kong, and I needed - even just to look at - a gentle stroll in fresh-aired, peaceful scenery. Your choice of music was perfect as well. 👏🏻💙
It's hard to watch your record of this outing and not suspect that there are still the echoes of stories and people who lived and worked there. And you came away with some lovely photos. I hope that you're pleased with them.
I love these kinds of places, as I've said before. Some nice images again, Steve. I like your eye for composition. Seems like there is always some new composition to discover in places like this, too. Thank you for posting.
Thanks James. I find the location a bit overwhelming if I’m honest, there are so many structures and possible viewpoints it’ll take me some time to narrow down the best ones.
I've been a subscriber for a while now, and on this occasion, and you're probably going to hate me for this, I think your video footage, combined with a really good choice of music, outperformed your stills work. But then you have taken us there before, so it would be fair to say that you have supplied a well rounded coverage of a fascinating site... Whatever - I was rapt from start to finish and found myself remembering those roads climbing towards Blaenau where the landscape is composed of slate offcuts. I really liked the slate walls and doorways at 7.47. Any chance of a print?
great video as usual, watching your content has made me go back in time and two weeks ago, i developed the first roll of FP4 for around 25 years, i have got frustrated with Ai
Thank you, that was quite a treat. I think you are more inspired by the subject matter and it shows. You must feel better about your work and effort, a rejuvenation of sorts. I get that too, makes it all worth while.
I’m keen to take my direction from the subject matter and not try and force it to be something it isn’t. That said, I don’t feel I’ve got the right approach for the site yet, it deserves more.
The silent movie style seems appropriate for the scenes of post-industrial disintegration and adds to the melancholy beauty of the images - good choice! Nice to see there is a version of Machu Picchu in North Wales - so much more convenient for us Brits to visit. An enjoyable, restful video Steve, thanks for sharing.
A great video Steve, the best of slow TV in 8.5 minutes, and with a perfect spacing between exploration and the final images. I’d like to see more like this, not that what you say isn’t interesting, it always is, but sometimes you don’t need to say anything because when you are out photographing you don’t have a commentary going on in your head, just contemplation.
It’s often a tough decision whether to add a voice over but having decided not to record any audio whilst on the trip it felt right to leave the place to speak for itself.
The hardships those men endured are perfectly captured by the images of the 'echoes' left behind in the buildings and detritus of their working lives. A fitting tribute.
So relaxing, I nearly fell asleep! Great subject matter, but I must admit I kept thinking Ortho 80, Ortho 80 as that works really well with weathered stone. You would need a tripod tho' Heck, what do I know eh? 😉
I have seen similar forms of dereliction in the countryside here. I always think of all the work that went into building, and all the work clearing fields, and all the lives, and I consider we fail to appreciate those who went before us, we do not give them the due regard they richly deserve. We think water and food and clothes and power and roads are "just there". We fail to be thankful, and we fail to thank God. Good work. God bless! We need to work at being more worthy of the gifts and guardianship of our civilization.
I also find this type of subject very appealing. I find Illford Delta films very appealing. Generally shoot TMAX when I can afford it but the Delta film is its equal and generally cheaper.
@@SteveONions Just got back myself from Malta. Quite frankly, with how much you shoot your in rainy UK I just didn't expect you to pop up there of all places. Hope you are having/had a lovely time over there as well!
love old barns !!! .... not so keen on grain .... the thing about 35mm B+W film is I don't like grain 🙁 .... it shows up most in the grey areas (skys and midtones) .. so in editing I tried to de-clarify and un-sharpen those areas and it seems to have worked ... cool !! ... (Kentmere 100 film)
Grain has always been an issue with 35mm film which is why the larger formats were so popular. You can only go so far with fine grain developers and slow films, ultimately it isn’t going to match even the smallest rollfilm cameras.
Isn’t it crazy how man made structures can look so organic after years of weathering? Still out of place, but slowly returning to the raw materials. Great video as always.
Not sure I'd use the word beautiful for something in disarray. For something that once was and now is not. Maybe poignant? Evocative? Maybe Milton's `Enormous bliss' for `Paradise lost'? Milton plugs in to our human story. Lensman said it touches deep inside our soul. I agree. Only Christianity speaks to us on this level. Its partly what gives it credibility. What happened to us?
Hi Steve. I'm so sorry to have viewed this so late. One of your best, in my opinion. Stunningly beautiful, with the much underated and amazingly featured Nikon F80. The Delta 400 looks great. I love your approach. Please, keep on doing what you're doing. Inspirational!
Superb video and photos Steve. You are in a different league to everyone else. I think you reach the heart of every landscape photographer because you are truly the epitome of what a landscape photographer is. It's why we all just keep enjoying your videos. It's like going on a landscape journey with your best buddy. Simple as that.
Many thanks Simon, I was going to add a commentary but thought the location didn’t need any interruptions.
Just lovely, thank you
Thank you too!
I found this video to be pleasantly soothing. Great job showing the remnants of the structures and shifting from tight detail to wider overview... nice. You really put a lot into your videos and we love it. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Mark, it’s a beautiful location.
There is an undeniable beauty about derelict man made objects. Something that touches deep inside our soul. Perhaps an familiar ending for us all. Brilliant photography, Mr O' Nions.
Thank you 🙂
Brilliant.
Beautiful photos and a very peaceful video, Steve!
Thanks James.
Fantastic!
Evocative and stunning work, Steve.
Glad you enjoyed it
BEAUTIFUL
an enchanting entrancing production. Thankyou for making it
Thanks Mark.
Great video, great mood to contemplate and work in. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it Yury.
This is one of the best videos you have posted. It was beautiful in so many ways. The music was haunting and evocative and fitted the scenery and mood perfectly. The colour videography was splendid, and the monochrome stills brilliant. I did not miss the voice over as I was transported into your world by your art.
Thanks David, I’m glad I managed to convey something of the place.
Nice, Steve. I really enjoyed that presentation. It's inspired me to get out of bed and go and take some photos - filled me with a quiet energy, if you like. And the truth is.... i've only just got into bed (with a hot coffee) having just come in from being out this morning - taking photos. Anyway, thanks so much... again, a lovely presentation. All the best from New Zealand.
Sounds great!
Indeed, Very BEAUTIFUL.
Thank you.
Lovely video. Sometimes words aren't needed!
So true.
Beautifully done😊
Thank you.
Magnificent.
Great video Steve!!! I never get bored watching the beautiful countryside and your's sincere comments. Keep them coming!
Thank you 😊
Terrific. Well done, Steve. Lovely images - and a great new format.
Many thanks Graham.
As we see more and more photography people joining UA-cam showing people how to take pictures and what camera equipment to buy they should watch video's like this one first! Thank you Steve this was just wonderful to watch and most interesting too.......
Thank you, locations like this make you forget about the equipment and think more closely about the feel of the place.
You defined Nostalgia! The abandonment, remnants are so sad! Great work Steve! Bravo!
Many thanks Jason.
I prefer the tighter compositions, and the b&w is the perfect compliment to this location. Although you’ve done a fine job of mixing the color video with the monochrome film stills. No vocals is a truly experimental direction for a UA-cam video. I’m leaning that direction too. I’d love to work a location like this with the 4x5. Great work Steve.
It would work well with large format, not too far to walk and nobody to bother you 🙂
Bravo on the production; my only ask would be a 16mm cine camera for the interstitial footage. 🎥
That would be nice but I’d probably only manage a few vlogs a year 😊
Relaxing .. Beautifully Done .... Shows how time changes everything ....
Glad you enjoyed it
You have done many walk throughs and walkarounds of this site before. I've always thought that it deserved a more leisurely exploration, and a photo essay - such as you have just done. This is a thoughtful approach and I commend you for it. I hope that you use it again on future outings. Thank you for sharing it with us - Tom
Thanks Tom. I’m only just scratching the surface here and if I’m honest it’s a site that deserves more from me, Must try harder!
Great, relaxing video
Glad you enjoyed it
One day when I visit my daughter in Newcastle I'd love to spend a day exploring some of those old slate quarry ruins. Beautiful images - enjoyed the video very much.
Well worth a visit.
I really like black and white for this category of photography. It accentuates things like 'stark' and 'lonely' and adds a bit of nostalgia.
After shooting colour last time I was certain it needed the mono look, shame it wasn’t raining though (or snowing!).
I will add the choice to push grainy film accentuates the feeling of almost destitution. Great choice and wonderful photos.
Another great presentation, Steve. B&W greatly compliments the subject. Thanks. KB
Thanks Ken.
Well done. Image 6:33 really pops. Thanks for sharing copious time in post/edit goodness .
Glad you enjoyed it.
Always when i got a depression i watch ur videos. Feel better than. I know the baby will grow up one day, and i will come back to this hobby...
Your shadow photo 👏👏👏👏👏👏⬆️🚀🚀🚀
So beautiful
It is indeed, the old buildings feel like they belong there.
Beautiful
Thank you
Extraordinary, Steve. Thank you for this eloquent gift.
You are welcome Jim.
A cracking narration in pictures Steve 😁 I took a group of friends over to N Wales for a photographic week. They were impressed what was on offer, but in Awe of Dinorwic Quarry. Next time we come over over its to Cwm Penmachno as a starter. My one for the wall would have to be the Slate laid up the wall @ 7 09
Cheers
Diz
Thanks Diz, I was also pleased when I saw those two matching pieces of slate up against the wall. The quarries up there are so quiet it really gives you a feel for the place.
Beautifully done! The most enjoyable part of my day. Thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it Philip.
What comes to mind for me (besides the beautiful images) is what this will look like in a thousand years - much like many archeological finds - covered with dirt and crumbled. But instead of not knowing what it looked like now, your images and others will be able to tell the story more completely. Cheers!
It’s returning to the earth in such a natural way, gradually reducing and softening into the landscape.
Wonderful. Thank you.
Nice trip and great photos!
Thank you.
a nice calm video very relaxing to watch.
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you immensely for this soothing look st the old quarry - I was genuinely sad when it ended a I wanted more. Today I'm in noisy, dusty, cacophonous Hong Kong, and I needed - even just to look at - a gentle stroll in fresh-aired, peaceful scenery. Your choice of music was perfect as well. 👏🏻💙
Thank you. It is a very calm and melancholy place, the almost total lack of visitors gives it an air of mystery.
It's hard to watch your record of this outing and not suspect that there are still the echoes of stories and people who lived and worked there. And you came away with some lovely photos. I hope that you're pleased with them.
You can feel the history as you walk around, it would have been a very busy place in its day.
I'm curious as to just when this quarry would have been in operation. Slate, yes? and would it have been used for roofing? or other purposes?
I love these kinds of places, as I've said before. Some nice images again, Steve. I like your eye for composition. Seems like there is always some new composition to discover in places like this, too. Thank you for posting.
Thanks James. I find the location a bit overwhelming if I’m honest, there are so many structures and possible viewpoints it’ll take me some time to narrow down the best ones.
@@SteveONions Worth the effort I think. Good luck. Looking forward to what you get if you share them.
Lovely Steve, it’s also amazing underground in Rhiwbach slate mine if you ever fancy it.
Now that would be an experience.
I've been a subscriber for a while now, and on this occasion, and you're probably going to hate me for this, I think your video footage, combined with a really good choice of music, outperformed your stills work. But then you have taken us there before, so it would be fair to say that you have supplied a well rounded coverage of a fascinating site... Whatever - I was rapt from start to finish and found myself remembering those roads climbing towards Blaenau where the landscape is composed of slate offcuts.
I really liked the slate walls and doorways at 7.47. Any chance of a print?
I’m happy that the video works well, I do consider it as important as the stills these days.
Great vlog Steve and I appreciated the soft music accompanyment instead of chatter :) I especially liked the trees across the lake pic.
Thank you. I was surprised to come across the small lake (doubtless man made), it offers quite a different experience to the main workings.
Soulful images. There is an elegant beauty in the old and derelict, especially in BW. Too much colour can be distracting. Thanks
Agreed 👍
Must admit, I prefer your talkies! Shot several woodland images the last couple of days that I must admit have some inspiration from your videos. 👍📸
Plenty of talking on the next outing 😀
great video as usual, watching your content has made me go back in time and two weeks ago, i developed the first roll of FP4 for around 25 years, i have got frustrated with Ai
Great to hear, the perfect antidote to the tech race!
Thank you, that was quite a treat. I think you are more inspired by the subject matter and it shows. You must feel better about your work and effort, a rejuvenation of sorts. I get that too, makes it all worth while.
I’m keen to take my direction from the subject matter and not try and force it to be something it isn’t. That said, I don’t feel I’ve got the right approach for the site yet, it deserves more.
Love the format Steve. Beauty is where you find it!
Absolutely 👍
The silent movie style seems appropriate for the scenes of post-industrial disintegration and adds to the melancholy beauty of the images - good choice! Nice to see there is a version of Machu Picchu in North Wales - so much more convenient for us Brits to visit. An enjoyable, restful video Steve, thanks for sharing.
Definitely easier to get to and a lot fewer visitors too 🙂
Steve, this one of your better videos, very nice.
I’m glad you think so 👍
Lovely video and excellent black and white work Steve 😊
Thanks Christine.
A great video Steve, the best of slow TV in 8.5 minutes, and with a perfect spacing between exploration and the final images. I’d like to see more like this, not that what you say isn’t interesting, it always is, but sometimes you don’t need to say anything because when you are out photographing you don’t have a commentary going on in your head, just contemplation.
It’s often a tough decision whether to add a voice over but having decided not to record any audio whilst on the trip it felt right to leave the place to speak for itself.
Photography Slow TV - very relaxing to watch.
Many thanks!
@@SteveONions Inspired me to go photograph the broken things in the garden. I'll leave it at "I found many broken things in the garden." 🤣
Amazing place and great photos. I would have loved to have seen it in its heyday too.
Me too, it must have been noisy and dangerous.
@@SteveONions Indeed, but also full of life.
Just what the doctor ordered. Thanks Steve.
You’re welcome Andrew.
Speechless
Beautiful.👏
The hardships those men endured are perfectly captured by the images of the 'echoes' left behind in the buildings and detritus of their working lives. A fitting tribute.
It would certainly have been a tough existence, health and safety weren’t exactly the priority back then.
Certains endroits sont un véritable paradis pour photographes ! Très belle vidéo.
Merci beaucoup 🙂
@@SteveONions Keep up the good and inspiring work :-). Greetings from the Jura Mountains in Switzerland.
Brilliant video Steve.
Thanks Peter
So relaxing, I nearly fell asleep! Great subject matter, but I must admit I kept thinking Ortho 80, Ortho 80 as that works really well with weathered stone. You would need a tripod tho' Heck, what do I know eh? 😉
It would definitely suit an Ortho film, especially on a dull wet day.
great video.......
Thanks!
I have seen similar forms of dereliction in the countryside here. I always think of all the work that went into building, and all the work clearing fields, and all the lives, and I consider we fail to appreciate those who went before us, we do not give them the due regard they richly deserve. We think water and food and clothes and power and roads are "just there". We fail to be thankful, and we fail to thank God. Good work. God bless!
We need to work at being more worthy of the gifts and guardianship of our civilization.
It must have been a tough life for the miners, once such a busy place.
BEAUTIFUL!
I also find this type of subject very appealing. I find Illford Delta films very appealing. Generally shoot TMAX when I can afford it but the Delta film is its equal and generally cheaper.
Delta is indeed a lot cheaper.
Wunderschön !
and it’s all falling to bits, gloriously
😊
(that's the final sentence on PIL's "Religion", actually)
Ahh so soothing.
Just out of curiosity, how long has the quarry been abandoned? When did they stop working there?
The main quarry closed in 1952 having been in operation since 1812. There’s a chance that someone who worked there is still alive to talk about it.
Lovely video.
Thank you.
very very nice ..
Perhaps a bit random, but did I just see you at the bus station in Valletta?
Er, yes, that was me 😀
@@SteveONions Just got back myself from Malta. Quite frankly, with how much you shoot your in rainy UK I just didn't expect you to pop up there of all places.
Hope you are having/had a lovely time over there as well!
The music gave me midsommer murders vibes
😀
love old barns !!! .... not so keen on grain .... the thing about 35mm B+W film is I don't like grain 🙁 .... it shows up most in the grey areas (skys and midtones) .. so in editing I tried to de-clarify and un-sharpen those areas and it seems to have worked ... cool !! ... (Kentmere 100 film)
Grain has always been an issue with 35mm film which is why the larger formats were so popular. You can only go so far with fine grain developers and slow films, ultimately it isn’t going to match even the smallest rollfilm cameras.
As a history buff I would love to know where this is and when it was in its glory.
I believe it was in operation between 1812 and 1952 Eric, there are a couple of books out, sadly unavailable at present.
Love Delta 400. Even with ilfosol it gives great results. DDx apparently, is the stuff to use (from Ilford of course)
Good in 510 Pyro too 🙂
Nice change from your more verbal videos :-)
I’ll be back to full on chatting on the next one 😀
Stirs the soul. Both past and present.
Thank you.
Very nice. the lens is a little soft but who cares!
Isn’t it crazy how man made structures can look so organic after years of weathering? Still out of place, but slowly returning to the raw materials. Great video as always.
My thoughts exactly, the decay is a thing of beauty in itself and I don’t find the structures out of place in such a lovely location.
Black and white images have a strange appeal.
iNSPIRATIONAL!
Not sure I'd use the word beautiful for something in disarray. For something that once was and now is not. Maybe poignant? Evocative? Maybe Milton's `Enormous bliss' for `Paradise lost'? Milton plugs in to our human story. Lensman said it touches deep inside our soul. I agree. Only Christianity speaks to us on this level. Its partly what gives it credibility. What happened to us?
It does feel beautiful when you are alone and retracting the steps of so many workers over its 140 year life, quite haunting too.
Brilliant! Could still see you though. Looking mean and moody. Keep it up.
Black and white images have a strange appeal.
Timeless 🙂