I have volunteered to drive my father up to Newtown in Powys during the Christmas break and thought I would combine it with a visit to Gigrin. I have been to Gigrin Farm some years ago, long before they introduced the photography hides and so used the original narrow opening hides. Can anyone give me some updated info on:
A/ Which of the three hides (Photographers gateway and two towers) would you recommend I book.
B/ My elderly father and his wife will be in the ordinary hides to witness the feeding. Is there a tea room / cafe on site where they can get a cuppa in the warm as, if not, then it will obviously shorten the time I will be able to spend on photography after the feeding frenzy is over?
I'm sure there are plenty who can give me some advice to enable me to make the most of the opportunity.
Thanks.
I would book one of the tower hides simply as these give you a better opportunity to vary the BG of the Kites and also, potentially, get more eye level or 'above' shots.
As for a Cafe, yes there is - it is small - and it is about 300 yards from the hides right by where you park your car.
Robert I have only been once and went to the Gateway Hide. I found it good but agree with Tom. Next time I would book the Tower Hide. Just the ordinary one though. I don't see what the new one has over the older one except that I think its another £5 e.g. £20
Posted by Mike Smith on December 7, 2010 at 4:34 AM
There are now 2 tower hides;
The original tower is quiet small and only takes 4-5 people and is good for in flight shot photography only cost is £15 per day, but as the name says on the tin is elevated so not so good for ground feeding shots of raven, buzzard etc,
The newer tower hide is much larger and aimed at the video photography/Autumnwatch brigade (and in my opinion is angled wrongly for backdrop) and costs £20 per day,
The gateway is a traditional hide with much larger viewing slits to get your lens out and costs £10 better for the ground work but is more restrictive for in flight shots.
Posted by David Sewell on December 7, 2010 at 4:38 AM
I paid the extra fiver for the Tower hide, and found it got me that much closer to the birds that I was happy with my 300mm for the flight shots. It is fairly open, so you get more photo opportunities. I would also imagine it is pretty cold at the moment!
If you work out what it costs to get you there in the first place, the extra fiver isn't all that much.
Cheers fellas, the last time I went there the 'Gateway' hide was just a gateway between the standard hides and after the main show was over Chris was happy enough for me to set up a tripod in the gateway so I'm more or less familiar with the type of images obtainable from there. I will go with the advice and use the £15 tower hide (having taken into account Tom's words on the backdrop issue from the £20 hide). As David says, travel costs are so high these days but on this occasion I have to drive right past Gigrin so would be daft not to utilise the opportunity. I just hope the weather is OK on the day I have to go. That is another reason to use the tower as it will hopefully give me more options in the event of a 'white sky'.
Thanks to all.
Posted by Paul Rosser on December 7, 2010 at 3:30 PM
Discussion
7 repliesA/ Which of the three hides (Photographers gateway and two towers) would you recommend I book.
B/ My elderly father and his wife will be in the ordinary hides to witness the feeding. Is there a tea room / cafe on site where they can get a cuppa in the warm as, if not, then it will obviously shorten the time I will be able to spend on photography after the feeding frenzy is over?
I'm sure there are plenty who can give me some advice to enable me to make the most of the opportunity.
Thanks.
I would book one of the tower hides simply as these give you a better opportunity to vary the BG of the Kites and also, potentially, get more eye level or 'above' shots.
As for a Cafe, yes there is - it is small - and it is about 300 yards from the hides right by where you park your car.
T
The original tower is quiet small and only takes 4-5 people and is good for in flight shot photography only cost is £15 per day, but as the name says on the tin is elevated so not so good for ground feeding shots of raven, buzzard etc,
The newer tower hide is much larger and aimed at the video photography/Autumnwatch brigade (and in my opinion is angled wrongly for backdrop) and costs £20 per day,
The gateway is a traditional hide with much larger viewing slits to get your lens out and costs £10 better for the ground work but is more restrictive for in flight shots.
If you work out what it costs to get you there in the first place, the extra fiver isn't all that much.
David
Thanks to all.
Paul.