THE Malvern Hills have inspired many artists over the years and Jan Sedlacek is no exception.

He photographs the hills with an artist’s eye and then uses digital techniques like an artist’s paintbrush, intensifying the colour, defining the shadows, enhancing the clarity of each branch, each blade of grass.

The results are panoramic landscapes of great beauty.

Jan’s distinctive landscape photographs of the hills are currently on display at Malvern Theatres.

They capture the hills in all their glory, in all weathers and lighting conditions.

Jan has been trying to capture the magic of the hills for more than four years, ever since he moved to Malvern in 2005.

A passionate photographer he fell in love with the hills but admits he struggled at first to get them as he wanted in a single shot. So he experiemented with panoramic techniques and as he experiemented he began looking for the most extreme weather and lighting conditions to create the most dramatic pictures possible.

“I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the hills and countryside around Malvern, looking for new compositions and the best view points for my shots,” explained Jan, adding that he had been lucky to witness many dramatic and atmospheric situations happening over the hills.

“It is a picturesque, tranquil and often mystical place where weather and light often create wonders. Day by day they play the game and every now and then I am lucky to be there to capture them. It is my great passion and joy capturing these moments, trying to be in the right place at the right time, ” said Jan.

As an artist, Czech-born Jan, finds himself torn between wanting to be out in the hills and needing to spend time managing the company, Digitlight Photography, that he has set up to sell his work.

The photographs with their intense colour and incredible detail have proved popular and Jan has exhibited in local galleries and sold his prints through local shops as well as his website. They have been particularly popular with commercial customers wanting to decorate public spaces and reception areas with beautiful images of the local area.

Jan believes he was lucky to come to Malvern where there was so much beauty right under his nose.

“I have done a lot of travelling and been to some beautiful places but I can honestly say thet Malvern is very special,” he said.

All Jan’s photographs are instantly recognisable to anyone who knows the hills and he has strict rules about the ones he chooses to exhibit.

“I choose the ones that fit my original painting-like style. If a photograph doesn’t have the wow factor I don’t want to show it. It has to have a painting like look and qualities otherwise it is just another photograph,” he explained.

Once Jan has selected a photograph the digital enhancements can take many weeks of work.

Once he is satisfied with a picture he produces limited edition prints on canvas.These sell for a set price whether purchased through shops, galleries, exhibitions or through his website.

Jan’s landscapes with their vibrant colour, drama and light fall somewhere between photography and paintings. They are real photographs of real places but enhanced as a painter might enhance, showing us the landscapes as we see them in our minds eye, a way the camera alone cannot capture.

Jan’s paintings are on display in the foyer at Malvern Theatres until January. A larger selection can be seen on his website www.malvernpanorama.co.uk.