Photographer gets stuck in a bog after trying to get a perfect sunset

Aberdyfi Search & Rescue Team
Saturday's call-out took us south of the Dyfi and into Borth Marshes (Image credit: @aberdyfiSART -Aberdyfi Search & Rescue Team)

A 73-year-old man has been rescued from Borth Bog in Wales after trying to capture the perfect sunset shot. The photographer is said to have slipped into the bog by mistake and it took his wife and friends 45 minutes to set him free.

Borth Bog (officially known as Cors Fochno) is part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve near Aberystwyth. It’s one of the largest peat bogs in Britain and over the last 6,000 years has reached a depth of more than 6 meters making it an important ecosystem for the plants and animals that call it home. Although open to the public, visitors are advised to stick to the boardwalks or risk getting stuck - as the photographer found out at the weekend. 

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In a report posted on BBC News, the man (who has not been named) found himself in a spot of bother at around 15.45 on Saturday as he attempted to position himself in order to get a picture-perfect shot of the sunset. He slipped and landed in the bog, injuring his hip and requiring assistance from the Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team. 

After 45 minutes, the man was freed thanks to his wife and their friends, and at 17.20 both the search and rescue crew and the HM Coast Guards Borth stepped down. According to a volunteer on the rescue team, the man in question was in a considerable amount of time and was sent to the hospital to receive further treatment. 

Getting the perfect picture is a pursuit photographers often find themselves in - but no photo is worth risking life or limb over. So next time you find yourself climbing something precarious, balancing on an edge, or entering a structurally unstable building, make sure you have weighed up the risks and considered if the photo is really worth it.

Check out these sunset photography tips for capturing that perfect sunset shot – but make sure you're in a safe place to capture it!

Hannah Rooke
Freelance contributor

Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. Hannah spent three years working at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant, using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With eight years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.