A Cold Self-Portrait by Andrew Huddart: Overall Winner of the LLAMFF/UKC Photo Competition

Taken on the penultimate belay on Pygmy Ridge (IV 5) in November 2008, this self-portrait is part of a project to capture the essence of winter climbing through portraiture.   I'd had the idea of this shot for a while but never found the right combination of conditions to make it work – diffuse light, cold enough and with sufficient air moisture for frosting and time to take the photo.

The Llanberis Mountain Film Festival 2010 is this weekend.

Headline speakers are, Stephen Venables, Dave MacLeod, Steve McClure, with Pete Robins, Jack Geldard, James McHaffie, Stu McAleese, Pete Catterall, Adam Harmer and Jon 'Spike' Green, Mike Raine, Martin Chester, Hosey B, Paul Gannon, Oliver Sanders, and Rocio Siemens.

Also Elfyn Jones will be talking about: Snowdon Rescues - adventures gone wrong or avoidable mishaps?

Not-to-be-missed is Big George Smith who is doing, 'A Reading'.

FOR KIDS....Draw the Padarn Lake Monster

Sprayaway are running a drawing competition for kids. You have to draw the Padarn Lake Monster, a mythical creature that Jack Geldard, UKC's Chief Editor says goes Grrrrrr, and filmmaker and musician Ray 'Scouse Ray' Saunders says is big. They must have heard it and seen it! I even googled it but found diddly squat. Anyway the winner of this competition will have their imaginative drawing printed on a T-shirt for next years LLAMFF

LLAMFF and UKCLIMBING.COM PHOTO COMPETITION

The winners of this competition have been decided by you and professional photographer Ray Wood and Sue Peyton of Joe Browns and the winners' work has been printed by Living Art and are being hung at the Electric Mountain in Llanberis, as I write.

EXHIBITIONS

John Redhead will be having a multi media intervention - Remains of Languedoc: an orchestrated dialogue with the landscape and rocks. Philip Gibson, well known as a crag illustrator, he has also designed for Wedgwood and Moorcroft, will be displaying his work. Both are superb artists and their work is worth viewing.

FILMS

Films include, Banff Mountain Film Festival

Here is the full film programme including competition entries, many will be projected in High Definition: LLAMFF Film Programme and here is the trailer for these films: