Photographing the Waterfall Country - The Afan Forest, Wales

This July, my husband and I spent a few days of camping and walking the winding woodland trails in the Afan Forest in Wales. Kitted out with the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon 28mm f2/2.8 wide angle lens, I was ready to capture these beautiful landscapes while having some quality time being fully immersed in the wild!

I didn't want this magical experience to end... The Welsh landscape is dynamic and exhilarating with constantly changing light and a different view on every hill top and valley. The rain poured, the sun shone but the land itself felt alive. As well as a biodiverse landscape, the area is rich in history. As well as photographing waterfalls in the Afan Forest, we also made a visit to the South Wales Miners Museum.

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Walking trails through endless woodland. f/9, ISO - 160, 1/60 sec.

Below are some photos of waterfalls taken with an ND filter and low shutter speed to capture water movement as it flows through the woodland. Travelling light without a tripod means that one has to be resourceful with how the capture these images without getting camera shake and I'm happy with how they turned out. We did dip out feet into the water and it was FRESH!

Waterfall country - Afan Forest f/10, ISO 160, 1/4 second, 28mm with ND filter

Water flowing through the woodland, carving it's path through the rock. ISO - 250, f/16, 1sec, 28mm lens with ND filter.

One of my favourite things about ancient woodland in is the layers. Live plants grow on live plants so that moss and lichen, ferns and fungi, and perhaps some species that we haven' even discovered yet, are all inter-connected in ways science is continually exploring. A wide range of plant species support a fantastic biodiversity of invertebrates.

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Ancient trees provide a habitat for ferns, lichen and mosses, supporting an ecosystem rich in biodiversity. F/11. 1/10 sec, ISO - 200.

Shield bug, also known as stink bugs! F/5, 1/160 sec, ISO - 100.

While walking through the woodland, there is evidence that this place has been dramatically carved and changed by the sheer power of rushing water, creating dramatic drops, overhangs, rock features and valleys.

Panoramic stitch of multiple photos created in Affinity Photo. Mixed woodland in waterfall country.

A bridge with breath taking views. F/9, 1/160 sec, ISO - 500.

With a deep history of coal mining, the Afan Forest is home to the South Wales Miners Museum, run by a team of dedicated volunteers, one of whom we met and showed us the black smithery, which still functions today. Walking around the Afan forest, there are plenty of remaining features of mills, old bridges and landmarks serving as a reminder of the area's industrial past. While this industry would have created jobs and boosted the economy, there are many reminders of the dangers of coal mining for the workers, many of which were children in the 1800's, as well as the industry's mark on the environment.

Carriages that would have carried explosives, South Wales Miners Museum. F/10, ISO - 500, 1/125 sec.

Wooden water pipes showcased in the South Wales Miners Museum. f/5.6, ISO - 500, 1/125 sec.

The South Wales Miners museum. F/10, 1/125 sec, ISO - 500.

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