We love: Chris Ashwin Landscape Photography
As regular visitors to our site already know, we like to shout about people we meet in the course of running Charley Chau who are doing amazing things. Chris Ashwin is one those people – a Director at Hill Farm Furniture (a family run business that hand-crafts dream kitchens & other gorgeous furniture) but Chris devotes his spare time to astoundingly beautiful landscape photography: www.chrisashwin.com.
We were lucky enough to work with Chris recently as he volunteered to take the photographs to support the launch of the Charley Chau Raised Wooden Dog Bed (hand made for us by his aunt, Tracy Kerry, at Cottage Garden Hen House) and it was a real privilege to see a professional in action.
The Charley Chau Raised Wooden Dog Bed - photos by Chris taken at the Hill Farm Furniture Showroom
But while Chris took fantastic photos of our Raised Wooden Dog Bed, his passion is not product photography, it’s in capturing beautiful landscapes on camera in a way that takes your breath away...
Wyming Brook, Sheffield. "Taken in the middle of the day (not the best light for landscape photography) and I was desperate to do some serious photos having been so busy with the day job for so many weeks. It was taken at the beginning of Summer, with this year’s late Spring providing the remaining few Blue Bells."
A receding tide on Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall. "One of my first ‘serious’ attempts to do an artistic coastal-type shot. There are lots of things I would do differently if I was to take the same photo today." OK, we at Charley Chau are thinking 'Who cares if you've got an eye for a photo like this!?'
Looking at these photographs it’s astonishing to think that Chris is a self-taught photographer who only started looking at landscape photography seriously three years ago. His passion comes from Chris’ love of ‘getting away from it all’, escaping into the great outdoors, and a fascination with the weather and changing seasons.
Porthmeor Beach, St Ives in Cornwall. "This photo is probably my personal favourite so far. I love the sky, dramatic yet calm as it appears to be coming out of the image and over your head."
Chris says: “Trying to photograph these elements enables me to stand and stare with fascination and appreciation of nature, whilst also doing something productive, that I can potentially share with others and also hang on my walls!”
The results, we think, are awe inspiring.
St Ives, Cornwall. "This was taken with almost no daylight left, hence the blue twilight appearance. I remember the rising sea catching me off-guard and coming over my wellies while I was taking this shot!"
The Lake at Burghley House, Stamford, Lincs. "The lake looking very different to how it will look at the Horse Trials in September! This was taken at sunset after three whole days of freezing fog. I was working down the road and managed to steal an early finish. I had about an hour before the light went and I was originally photographing frosty trees in the eerie thick fog. All of a sudden fog turned from a cold grey colour to a glowing warm orange. I knew what was about to happen so I rushed over to the lake and spent the last half hour of daylight capturing this incredible moment. It was amazing how a thick fog could clear so quickly leading to crystal clear air and such vibrant colours. Winter has always been my favourite time of year!"
See more of Chris’ stunning photography at www.chrisashwin.com.
Chris will also be at the Burghley Horse Trials from 5 - 8 September on the Hill Farm Furniture stand at A30 just a hop skip and a jump from the Charley Chau stand (A34)!
p.s. We couldn't possibly end this post without mentioning Bolly ... Chris' beautiful Labrador girl who joins Chris on his adventures into the remote hills of the Peak District and secret coves on the British coast. We love her too!
Bolly – the perfect Photographer’s Assistant!