It's been a tough few months for all of us in a locked down world. Even tougher for those of us involved in keyworking roles or who have lost friends and loved ones to covid-19. Our team would like to extend our thanks, condolences and support to all, whether situated along The Trafalgar Way or not, in these sad and challenging times.
Spring into summer!
One of the frustrating things for us has been watching the season change and the passing of spring, without being able to urge you to head out and explore! The quiet towns and country lanes, the blossom and spring flowers, fresh greenery and newborn lambs, and the charming and tranquil scenes from Cornwall to London would have made marvellous content for entries to our Competition, 'Postcards from The Trafalgar Way'. Still, let's be positive, there remain three and a half glorious months of late spring and summer before the deadline (Sept 1st)*. Now that government guidelines allow some travel and encourage outdoor activity, this is the perfect time for you to head out along The Trafalgar Way to seek picture-perfect scenes for photographs and art projects! Here is our guidance for entrants in the light of the changing rules and guidance from the UK government, along with some ideas to inspire you.
*Ed: As of 11/8/2020 the deadline for the competition has been extended to midnight on 16th April 2021.
Photographers should stay local
Have you noticed the beauty and interest in your immediate home surroundings in these past weeks? We bet you have been snapping away. Why not turn those pics into a chance to win £1000? All along the Trafalgar Way from Falmouth to central London, we know there are amazing scenes just waiting for you to capture and submit as competition entries. Our rules about where submitted photographs should be taken— as close to the route of The Trafalgar Way as possible - 1 mile or 2 at most —remain valid. A reminder of full competition guidelines can be found here: https://www.thetrafalgarway.org/postcards-competition-guidelines.
- Don't travel too far out of your way to enter, but if you are craving a change of scene the current coronavirus guidelines do allow you to travel a little further afield and explore some new places.
- The photography categories are ideally suited to residents of The Trafalgar Way itself.
- If you live along the Trafalgar Way, show us your neighbourhood! You know where the most photogenic, most interesting aspects are!
- Please observe proper social distancing while out and about, and be hygienic. In particular, don't forget that the virus lives longest on hard surfaces such as metals, so if touching metal gates or posts, wipe them down afterwards as a courtesy to others, and wash your own hands before touching anything else.
Artists can have a field day
If you are an artist, then you can enter this competition from ANYWHERE in the UK! All it takes is a little imagination, resourcefulness and creativity.
- Ideally, if local, you can get out to paint or sketch on site. Or take photographs on location to work from when you get home.
If you don't live close enough to The Trafalgar Way to visit it in person, then there are other things you can do:
- If more distant, why not ask a friend or relation who is close to The Trafalgar Way to take some photographs for you to use as the basis for your painting, sketch or other artwork?
- Research historic or existing pictures or photographs to use as inspiration for your picture (but be careful, don’t breach copyright).
- Look for webcam footage along the route (eg look at this view in Whitchurch). Or use Google Streetview to paint landscapes or townscapes, such as this one in Bridestowe, Devon, or this one in Salisbury.
- Peruse our galleries of inspirational scenes for ideas. You are free to draw or paint from any of the images we have provided in the special galleries on our website.
- Use your imagination! As long as the scene represents The Trafalgar Way in some form. It might even be graphical or abstract. It might depict an imagined scene from the past, or mapping for example. You are welcome to zoom in on our interactive map and use elements of that.
The cities, towns, villages and countryside traversed by The Trafalgar Way are both interesting and attractive. There are so many things to photograph and paint. We know you are a talented lot—so show us your work and who knows, prizes and accolades could be yours!
