Welsh Photographer Seeks to Share Wonder Through Images

A photographer from Wales, whose photographs of the Northern Lights achieved widespread popularity online, expressed his desire to convey a feeling of wonder through his work. Cormac Downes, a resident of Newport, drew inspiration from the night photography of Alyn Wallace, an award-winning astrophotographer, taken within the Bannau Brecheiniog National Park, also known as the Brecon Beacons. The individual, who works full-time as a civil servant, began capturing Welsh landscapes four years prior, during the Covid lockdown period. It was then that he learned to master image capture by watching Wallace’s YouTube videos. Currently, his photographic collection is featured in a solo exhibition hosted at the International Welsh Rarebit Centre, located in Defynnog, Powys. He considers certain images chosen for the exhibition particularly significant, owing to the considerable effort invested in capturing those specific moments. Capturing his photographs of the Northern Lights demanded both determination and perseverance, involving drives that occasionally lasted for hours to reach suitable locations, followed by ascents up mountains to secure optimal vantage points. “You need to pay attention to the weather, the moon phase. Everything can come into play,” he stated. An impressive photograph of the Newport transporter bridge was captured on a Sunday morning characterized by fog. He recounted, “The gondola was around a third of the way out and just looked like it was emerging from the fog and I just knew it would be a fantastic shot. I was lucky that the Welsh flag was in full display too.” This particular photograph was a finalist for the World Historic Photographer of the Year prize in 2022. Regarding his photograph of St Govan’s chapel in Pembrokeshire, he made an impromptu decision to position a spare head torch inside the structure. He explained, “I was waiting to capture the Milky Way at Broadhaven South and I had a couple of hours to spare.” The route to the chapel was accessible, and while photographing the chapel, he considered: “Wouldn’t it be better with a light inside?” Similarly, at Llangorse Lake, he made a spontaneous choice to photograph fishermen upon observing their reflections flawlessly mirrored in the calm water. “A lot of the time you’re hoping for good conditions with photography. You want nice light or mood,” he commented. He noted that the striking Welsh landscapes contributed to framing his night sky images, imparting a “sense of balance.” Visiting a dark location and witnessing a truly dark sky for the initial time instilled in him a profound sense of wonder, he conveyed. “When the stars really pop, they’re really bright, that’s a special feeling,” he remarked. He added, “It enables me just to focus on one thing and forget about everything else.” “It’s getting away from it all. Having an opportunity to reflect and get away from the nine to five,” he elaborated. Cormac expressed surprise at discovering his creative aptitude in photography, noting his focus on composition rather than solely technical aspects. “I never knew I had it in me. It was a shame it happened later on in life,” he commented, further stating his desire to dedicate more time to photography. “It’s not something normal people can’t do. You can do it. You’ve just got to go ahead and do it,” he encouraged. He concluded, “You’ve just got to put the effort in.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.