HAFOD FIELDS in Infra-red, Ceredigion 1994

Disgrifiad

Notes on HAFOD FIELDS in Infra-red, Ceredigion 1994

During the first few years of photographing I took a number of black and white infra-red images in 35mm and 120 roll film format. I also shot a few sheets on 5x4inch negative film - mostly these were fogged due to the wooden camera and plastic film holders which do not offer complete protection from the wavelengths used in the manufacture of this unusual film. this image was an exception and shows parkland at Hafod, just below the ruins of the house.

My home territory – the house that stood was much older than its famous owner, Thomas Johnes, who inherited 1760.

One of the greatest monuments to the picturesque movement, Johnes created a paradise in the then wild and dangerous Cardiganshire by planting over 3 million hardwood trees (all but felled for the two great wars), folly’s, many miles of paths, a hermits cave, monuments, a robbers cave (a small walk down a cave turns a corner into a mass of sound as you stand confronted by a waterfall), many secret gardens and retreats. The ruins came down in 1956.

A pile of rubble remains. It was painted by Turner, visited by George Burrows and inspired Peacocks in Paradise by Elizabeth Eglais Jones. The famous monument by Chantrey in Hafod church survived the fire in 1932 but did not survive the fireman’s hose: the coolness of the water caused the hot monument to irreparably crack and crumble.

Much has been written about Hafod. I moved to one of the lodge houses in 1989 when I was 17 years old. At about the same time I purchased my first camera and began innocently to document the landscape around me.

I have chosen the landscape of Hafod many times but as unpredictable and beautiful as it is, it can be a frustrating photographic experience. For this I am partially thankful, since I live here I can appreciate the landscape and history without the worry that I have let myself down creatively.


YR HAFOD. Pontrhydygroes. Ceredigion 2000
Hwn yw fy nhiriogaeth i - roedd y ty a safai yno lawer yn hyn na'i berchennog enwog, Thomas Johnes. Creodd Johnes baradwys yn Sir Aberteifi drwy blannu mwy na 3 miliwn o goed pren caled (torrwyd y cyfan i lawr ar gyfer y ddau ryfel byd ). Fe wnaeth hynny mewn sir a oedd ar y pryd hwnnw'n wyllt a pheryglus. Hefyd adeiladwyd ffoieddau, milltiroedd o Iwybrau, ogof meudwy, henebion, ac ogof lladron ynghyd a nifer o erddi ac encilion cudd. Dymchwelwyd yr adfeilion yn 1956.

• https://www.welshruins.co.uk/hafod-fields-in-infra-red.html (link opens in new window)