Pumlumon Fawr Photography Trip

In October some friends from home came to stay and we went on a hike up Pumlumon Fawr in mid Wales, I decided to take my camera. I spent time walking and taking photographs as a part of my MA practice. Rather than focusing on the summit, the aim was to move through the landscape slowly and respond to what was around me as it unfolded. The walk became both a method and a subject, with the photographs emerging from observation, pauses, and the simple act of paying attention while moving through the space.

Stile up Pumlumon, Photograph, Canon 2000D.

Walking up Pumlumon, the landscape opens out quickly, with long views, subtle changes in elevation, and very little to interrupt the horizon. I photographed as I walked, stopping when something caught my attention rather than constantly searching for images. I tried not to be too snap happy... Working this way allowed the images to develop out of the experience of moving through the landscape and photographing the memories that came out of the hike, instead of being imposed on it. I was conscience that I was trying to shoot compositions which didn't include people in them as most if not all of my prior photography has some kind of human presence. I realise now that all aspects of the hike - Human or Nature - make up the memories.

A reflective friend up Pumlumon, Photograph, canon 2000D.

Memory became an important factor when reviewing the images after the walk. Certain photographs triggered specific moments from the hike, while others felt more detached. This raised questions about what photography can hold onto and what will fade from memory. The images do not attempt to fully describe Pumlumon Fawr, but instead, operate as fragments of a larger experience. These experiences shaped by time, movement and personal engagement.

Osprey Backpack with Maps peeking out of the pocket.

Mushrooms in the grass

Paraglider in the sky

Mother sheep and its lamb on a grassy hillside.

Metal manmade structure on the grassy hillside.

Man with orange cap.

Overall, this hike reinforced the value of working slowly and on location within my practice. Using walking as a method to photograph the landscape and my observations allowed me to encounter my surroundings gradually and take it all in as I had to slow down with my camera when I saw something. The hike up Pumlumon Fawr became not just a subject to photograph, but a process through which ideas of memory and presence on this trip could be explored. This approach continues to inform my wider practice, particularly in how I think about time spent in place, and the relationship between experience and photography.