Great photo ops – and great fun – on day one of my photo walk here in Conwy Valley, North Wales, UK.

We had a talented group of photographers, all of whom were interested in making good pictures, including HDR pictures. We'll have a different group tomorrow, and we're going to new locations. Stay tuned for more photographs.

Here are a few of my favorite photographs from the walk, and some quick tips.

Serious about waterfall photography? A variable ND filter is a must. It lets you shoot at slow shutter speeds in bright light. Of course, a tripod is needed when shooting at slow shutter speeds, too. All my gear is listed on my gear page.

Framing a subject with a foreground object adds sense of "being there" to a photograph. It also adds a sense of depth to a scene.

I took the photographs directly above and below with my Canon 14mm lens. I never leave home without it.

In high-contrast scenes, HDR is a must. I used the Canon's 5D Mark III built-in HDR feature to create this image.

Talk about a picture-postcard scene. This is another Canon 5D Mark III in-camera HDR image.

Dolwyddelan Castle, where I took the castle pictures in this post, is situated on a hilltop in the Conway Valley. Well worth the walk in the light rain . . . even with a bit of jet lag. We only arrived yesterday.

A fun group deserved a fun photograph. Great fun here in Conwy Valley, North Wales, UK.

A special "thank you" to Anthony Woodhouse, Conway Rural Tourism Project Officer. Another "thank you" goes to local pro photographer Pierino Algieri for all his photography and logistics recommendations.

Here's the flickr page or this fun group.

Check out these videos from this photogenic area.

I am planning a fall 2013 workshop to Rural Conwy, North Wales. Shoot me an email to get on the info list.

For more intensive photo training, check out my workshops.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. We are staying at the Meadowsweet Hotel. Room, service, staff and food: A+.