ONE of Wales’ best-known journalists and top photographers have worked together to capture the essence of Pembrokeshire throughout all seasons in their new book.

A Year in Pembrokeshire is written by journalist Jamie Owen, formerly of BBC Wales, and photographed by world-class photographer David Wilson.

David and Jamie on Strumble Head. PICTURE: David Wilson.

Both born and raised in the county, the pair have wanted to work together for some time to capture a portrait of life in Pembrokeshire throughout the year.

Between 2016 and 2017, they embarked on a series of adventures, which took them from the County Show at Withybush, to a sailing boat down the Cleddau, from the wide-open reaches of a hill farm in the Preselis, to the communal singing of a Christmas at St Davids Cathedral.

What brought them together to write and photograph the book? Did they learn anything new about their home county?

They both give their own take on A Year in Pembrokeshire below…

The Milford Haven waterway. PICTURE: David Wilson.

Jamie Owen

The broadcast journalist Jamie Owen, a well-known face in Wales, was born in Haverfordwest and raised in Pembroke Dock.

For Jamie, who currently lives in Istanbul, working for the broadcaster TRT World, A Year in Pembrokeshire was a chance to discover new things about his home county.

“I think as you get older you perhaps end up begin more expansive. I spend a lot of time out of the UK now,” he said.

“The more you keep coming back home the more it engenders thoughts and feelings about the place and a sense of retrospection you might not have if you live there all the time,” he added.

Jamie has penned five books based on his travels around Wales by coast, car and on foot.

He and David Wilson had wanted to work together for a long time, after he had written an introduction to David’s earlier book of photography entitled Pembrokeshire, but only found time in their schedules to collaborate in 2017.

Their year of adventures never felt like work according to Jamie.

“I cannot say any of this was arduous,” he said, “walking in the Preselis and going out to the islands, it was like a holiday in every weekend.”

Creating the book with David allowed Jamie to experience a different style of working from the fast-paced world of broadcasting.

“Watching him is a completely different discipline. It’s waiting for the clouds to move to capture the right kind of lighting. It is a lot more considered work,” he said.

The Castlemartin round-up. PICTURE: David Wilson.

David Wilson

Photographer David Wilson is known for capturing scenes from rural life across Wales in stark black and white.

According to David, who lives in Llangwm, his preferred method of photography can add to the character of what is captured through the lense.

“If you a take a photograph of a farm that is abandoned in black and white, it invites a lot more questions and allows the people looking at the image to project their own stories and background and history on the building,” he said.

David and Jamie’s working process was very easy going, as they had a shared idea of what they wanted the book to be.

“There was never really any need for us to sit down and discuss any strategy because I knew what he was going to write and he knew what I was going to photograph. There was no need to question each other,” he said.

For David, the book was a chance to cross paths with people he would never have met otherwise.

“Some of the people we met were completely extraordinary.

“It was just magical being able to go into these people’s lives and talk to them and photograph them and to realise that there are contented, happy people out there who perhaps are not married to their phones or to the internet,” he said.

Leaving the boat at Caldey Island. PICTURE: David Wilson.

A Year in Pembrokeshire, published by Graffeg is now available to buy.

Jamie and David will discussing the book at an official launch at the Torch Theatre on July 19. Visit torchtheatre.co.uk to purchase tickets.

David also plans to talk about the book at the Llangwm Literary Festival and other venues this summer.