Trevose Head - An Iconic South West Coast Path Location on the North Cornwall Coast
If there's one place to get light from the setting sun, it's the coast. With such a small gap between the clouds and the horizon, will my trusty friend Trevose Head give me the light I'm looking for?
Trevose Head - I Just Keep Going Back
In my last blog post I talked about how I was going to spend a bit less time on Dartmoor and start reconnecting with the South West Coast Path. Just after writing that though I started a new mini project on Dartmoor! What can I say. When you are inspired, you’re inspired!
The start of a new Dartmoor project however does not mean I’ve decided not to spend more time photographing the coast. Far from it. I’ve just decided to give up on a little sleep!
When I was considering which coastal locations to photograph while I reconnect with the South West Coast Path, one location stood out as one that I must revisit. Trevose Head is probably one of my favourite locations on the South West Coast Path. It’s a dramatic bit of coastline with crashing waves, sharp rocks, cliffs, and a lighthouse. It also shoots well at sunset just about all year round!
With that all said, it wasn’t my original plan to go there, but the weather conditions weren’t favouring my original choice of The Rumps. While I was eating my fish and chips (a mandatory treat when visiting Cornwall), I was trying to think of a location that might work even when the sky was heavy with cloud. It didn’t take long. There was only one choice and that was Trevose Head.
Photographs on Trevose Head on the South West Coast Path
Trevose Head #1, South West Coast Path, North Cornwall - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 0.4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Trevose Head #2, South West Coast Path, North Cornwall - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 19mm, f/11, 5 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Trevose Head #3, South West Coast Path, North Cornwall - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Bite-Size Blog Post #37 - Dawlish
In this blog post I head to Dawlish to photograph something a little different but I'm not sure of the results.
And now for something completely different…
Over the last couple of years, I've spent a lot of time photographing Dartmoor. It feels like the only thing I've been photographing! Looking back at the list of blog posts I've published recently it's probably a fair assessment. Apart from the odd deviation, it’s all been Dartmoor, Dartmoor, Dartmoor!
Despite my need for a change of scenery I decided the best place for me to photograph with my next block of available free time would be Dartmoor! After such a good run photographing the heather on Dartmoor, I wanted to push my luck and go for one more shoot. However, while driving to Dartmoor I could clearly see the that the conditions weren't the same as what the weather forecast had predicated. The sky was looking very overcast. Glancing over to the coast however, there were patches of blue sky. A change of plan was needed!
It was already too late to go anywhere too far away like Dorset or Cornwall, so after pulling over to check my map, I settled on Dawlish. I had spotted a large stone groyne last time I was there, and I remember thinking it might make for a good long exposure photograph. I knew the tide was high, but as with any sunset shot there's always a risk that you get there to find the groyne populated with people or anglers.
I needn't have worried as to my surprise it was free of people, so I quickly got to work and captured this photograph.
Dawlish Groyne, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 15 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND Grad.
Looking at the photograph now, I'm not convinced it works though. I like the tones, the cloud cover and the simplicity of the image. However, I think my main issue is that while the horizon is completely level, the groyne doesn’t appear level in the frame. There’s one simple reason for this and that's because it's not actually level. Well, not at that point on the groyne anyway. It does level of a bit further down, but that would require me to shot it at a lower tide. (Which would also allow the red marker post at the end to be larger in frame).
I think the groyne being unlevel unbalances the composition in a composition where I feel balance is everything. It's also possible that this view simply doesn't work as a photograph. Just because it's a simple composition, and a long exposure, doesn’t make it good. Time will tell. I'll look at it again in a few months and I'll either think it does work, or I wish I hadn't bothered. Well, that’s not true. I'm glad I tried something different. It's important that I did and perhaps I need to do so more often.
Sea Signatures by Marianthi Lainas and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S05E10
In this episode of On My Bookshelf, I discover not all photographs are created using cameras. Sea Signatures is a collection of cyanotype photographs created by Marianthi Lainas as she explored the littoral zone of her local coastline. Reading this book has opened my eyes to a whole new type of photography and art, but is it a book for your bookshelf?
Cameraless Photography
Photography comes in many forms, styles, and genres. Even though my own photography journey is leading me towards the development of a particular style of landscape photography, I like to expose myself to a wide range of photographers and styles. I’ve always found that by digesting the images contained in books by photographers that have a vastly different style to me, I can normally learn something about my own photography.
However, Sea Signatures by Marianthi Lainas is something quite different. The images contained in this book aren’t even taken with a camera. Marianthi has used the cyanotype process coupled with her use of mixed media to create a body of work that is unique. They are images created by the sea, but they aren’t seascape images as I would imagine them.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew with this book? Are the images in this book to artistic and abstract? Join me in the latest episode of On My Bookshelf to find out.
You can purchase a copy of Sea Signatures by Marianthi Lainas directly from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/seasignatures
A Return to Coastal Photography in Cornwall
After a long break, I return to Cornwall for some seascape photography. It’s also an excellent opportunity to catch up with a mate.
A Day Out in Cornwall
Looking through my Lightroom catalogue I was surprised to see that I hadn’t been to Cornwall or done any seascape photography since June. As part of my long-term photography project, I have been focusing my efforts on capturing images of Dartmoor. While there’s no doubt that this focus has paid dividends for my project, it has left me missing the coast.
There is also the cost of driving to Cornwall to consider. With fuel being so expensive it can be hard to justify burning through £25 of fuel on the off chance you might capture something new, unique, or special. However, there is one reason I will always head to Cornwall no matter what the cost of fuel is and that is to spend the day with my mate (who is also a photographer).
We hadn’t seen each other since my last trip in June and despite trying to organise something we found it impossible to align our availability and a half-decent weather forecast. Finally, when things did align, we just decided that we would make it a proper day out. Dawn to dusk.
Padstow Lifeboat Station
The first stop on our day out was Padstow Lifeboat Station near Trevose Head. When we arrived, we could sense the conditions might be favourable for us. Our first viewpoint was what you might call the classic viewpoint, close, and looking down on the lifeboat station. It’s a photograph we’ve both taken before and given that access is even more restricted these days, we decided to head along the coast to see if we could find a different angle.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #1, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 21mm, f/11, 30 sec at ISO 64.
As we approached our alternative viewpoint the warm light from the rising sun started to illuminate the scene. While the sky lacked some contrast in the clouds, the rest of the view was a joy to shoot. I spent a bit of time wandering from one rocky outcrop to another and adjusting my focal length trying to decide whether to include the beach or not.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #2, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 10 sec at ISO 64.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #3, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 18mm, f/13, 10 sec at ISO 64.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #4, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 25mm, f/13, 3 sec at ISO 64.
Padstow Lifeboat Station at Trevose #5, Cornwall, South West Coast Path - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S at 24mm, f/13, 13 sec at ISO 64.
In the end, I think both the wider and slightly tighter shots work well. I think we were both happy with our efforts. However, not happy enough that we didn’t think we ought to shoot those viewpoints again!
Snacks, Chat and Walking
I’ve never been much for capturing landscape photographs during the day unless the conditions are particularly special. Unfortunately for us, the conditions were less than special. So, what do you do then to fill the time until sunset? Easy! Eat, chat, and walk.
Things started with a cooked breakfast and coffee. This was followed by a bit of a walk. As photographers though, our walk still had a purpose. We used this valuable time to scope out new locations and discuss ideas for compositions. It wasn’t all photography chat though. We also covered other life critical issues such as the various Star Wars TV series and the new GoT show. Much was said on those two items.
It was then time for a cake stop, another walk, lunch somewhere, an ice cream, and another walk looking for new locations and viewpoints. Despite not taking any photos since sunrise, it was a most enjoyable way to spend the day.
Holywell Bay
The weather forecast for sunrise is what I might have called, inconclusive. It was hard to tell what was going to happen when comparing what we could see in the sky, and what the forecast was telling us. We ultimately decided to go to Holywell Bay. While my mate has shot this location many times, this was my first visit.
Arriving at Holywell Bay we wandered up and down the beach for a while, looking for compositions. Because of the settled conditions, the outgoing tide hadn’t created as many ripples and textures in the sand as we might have liked, but we did eventually find a composition we thought might work.
It had some of the elements we were looking for. Rippled sand, a pool of water, and a view directly out to Gull Rocks. There was even a chance that the sun might set between the two islands that make up Gull Rocks.
The only problem with shooting Cornwall’s beaches in peak season is that they are busy. Naturally, a calm, somewhat sunny evening means that the beaches can be full of people, even near sunset. There’s not a lot you can do about that, and people wandering in front of your beautifully crafted composition is just part of sharing the beach. I don’t get upset about it I just get the clone tool out!
Holywell Bay #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 27mm, f/13, 1/6 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
Holywell Bay #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 27mm, f/13, 3 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
With our day coming to an end, we looked back and concluded it was a successful day out. Though we’d captured some photographs, our primary goal, the highlight of day was catching up with a mate. Well, almost the highlight. We did get some chips on the way home from our favourite chippy. After all, we’d barely eaten anything all day!
Seascapes by Neil Burnell - On My Bookshelf S04E05
In this episode of On My Bookshelf, I look at Seascapes by Neil Burnell, a collection of long exposure and fine art coastal photographs.
From Woodlands to Coastlines
Last year I published an episode of On My Bookshelf in which I talked about Neil Burnell’s previous book, Mystical. I thought it was a stunning collection of woodland photographs. So, when Neil announced that he was producing a book focusing on his coastal photography, I jumped straight in and pre-ordered a copy.
That was a little while ago now, but this has allowed me to spend some quality time looking through Seascapes before bringing you this latest episode of On My Bookshelf.
If you’d like to pick up a copy of Seascapes, you can do so directly from Neil’s website here.
A Decade Photographing Dawlish Warren
Ten years ago, to the day I took my first photograph of Dawlish Warren beach. In this blog post, I look back at the photographs I have taken at Dawlish Warren and discuss why I keep going back.
That First Photograph of Dawlish Warren
I can’t remember exactly how I was inspired to visit the beach at Dawlish Warren for the first time. It could have been a black and white image of the beach huts that I saw in one of my LPOTY books or I simply saw an image of the beach somewhere, realised how close it was to home, and decided I’d like to photograph it
Whatever way I was inspired, I made my first trip to photograph Dawlish Warren ten years ago to the day, the 29th August 2011. This is the image I took.
1st Dawlish Warren Sunrise (2011), Devon, South West Coast Path - Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 at 18mm, f/18, 13 seconds at ISO 100.
While I do hope my compositional skills and camera technique have improved since taking this image, the photograph does represent the start of a love affair I have with photographing Dawlish Warren. It’s difficult for me to remember what it is I saw that morning that made me keep coming back over the next 10 years. Perhaps it was the stunning sunrise, or the simple joy or being on the coast. If it had been a grey and overcast morning, would I have written the location off? Who knows and to be honest it doesn’t really matter. It was a special morning, and I did keep going back.
My 10 Favourite Photographs of Dawlish Warren
Over the next ten 10 years I continued to return to Dawlish Warren to photograph the beach at sunrise. Not all visits have been fruitful but some of them have been spectacular.
It’s not just epic sunrises that keep me going back. There are other reasons. Firstly, it’s close to home. With a 20-minute drive, it’s one of the closest photography locations I have access to. It’s also a constantly changing environment. Every visit is unique. Being a tidal location, the tide is constantly rising and falling, resetting, and changing the beach. The final reason is that the coast is one of the best places to witness sunrise. With no hills or mountains to block the sun, as soon as it starts to rise you can get the benefit of the light. That is assuming it’s not overcast. Not that it being overcast is a problem as I’ve captured some perfectly good images on cloudy days.
Below are ten of my favourite Dawlish Warren photographs that I’ve captured over the decade. These have been captured during my many adventures there which have been well documented both here on the blog and my YouTube channel. If you want to know more about all those adventures, then why not sign up to get my free landscape photography locations map. There you’ll find links to all my published adventures (of which there are at least 18).
My Most Recent Collection of Dawlish Warren Photographs
A decade on from that first visit to Dawlish Warren I continue to return to this wonderful location. Here is a collection of photographs from Dawlish Warren that I took on a recent visit. It’s not often that I’ll publish six images from one shoot, but it was one of those mornings where the conditions were just right for creating photographs.
I hope you have enjoyed this look at Dawlish Warren. Let me know in the comments if you’ve photographed Dawlish Warren or if you have a similar location that you photographed over the years.
Sharing the Joy of Printing
What's the best way to show someone the benefits of printing their landscape photographs? Simple. Take your Canon imagePROGRAF Pro-300 and some Fotospeed papers to Boscastle in Cornwall, meet a friend, take some photos, and then print them from your car!
From Discovery to Sharing
I first started printing my landscape photographs back in 2017. Since discovering the joy of printing, I have been sharing my passion for printing photographs at home on my blog, YouTube channel, and by talking about it at The Photography Show. I’ve even got this handy “playlist” of blog posts of my printing-related content here.
Over the years, I have been rather evangelical about printing but sometimes the only way to really get the message across is with a practical demonstration. Even better than that, why not take a printer on location with you, capture some photographs, and then print them! What could be more satisfying and exciting than capturing a photograph and then making a print all before breakfast?
This is exactly what I do in the video below. I’m joined by friend and fellow photographer Chris Sale as we both attempt to battle the thick fog of Boscastle harbour to capture a photograph that we can take back to the car and print.
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I hope you enjoyed this video. Chris might not be rushing out to buy his own printer, but he certainly appreciated the quality of the print and the experience of making one. It was a real pleasure being able to share my passion for printing in such a beautiful location and with such a good mate. It’s mornings like that one that makes photography such a rewarding thing to do.
Boscastle Coastline Photographs
Bite-Size Blog Post #18 - Trevose Head
Sometimes the weather forecast changes for the better and the gamble to stay out pays off!
The Need to Be Flexible and Positive
The ability to be flexible in landscape photography is an important skill. I had made plans with my mate to shoot the thrift along the Cornish coast, but a worsening forecast was making that prospect less and less likely. Our desire to eat chips and catch up overrode any concerns we had about the forecast, and we decided to meet up regardless.
After a good chat and some excellent chips, we headed to our first location. We were only there a few minutes before we came to the rapid conclusion that shooting thrift was not going to work. The wind was strong, the cloud heavy and getting a soaking was a real possibility.
We could have just given up and gone home, but with a positive attitude and a bit of local knowledge, we decided that Trevose Head might be a good bet. We’d both shot Trevose Head many times before, but with good reason. It’s one of those dramatic coastal locations that can work well in unsettled conditions.
When we got to our regular viewpoint though there was a nasty area of seafoam. Not something that could be avoided or cloned out in post-processing. Too late to try another location we started to explore the area. As we did the clouds started to break a little and for the briefest of moments, we got some half-decent light.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 13 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
I wasn’t in the best spot for my first shot. While the light is good, I feel the composition doesn’t work as well as I thought it did when I took the shot. In retrospect, the foreground area dominates the photograph.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/13, 20 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
The 2nd shot addresses that problem and there is a better balance between the two areas of land. However, the light isn’t as good.
Trevose Head Lighthouse #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 49mm, f/11, 15 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
My final shot was a bit of a salvage shot. This is a vertical crop from a horizontal frame. Though I took a few vertical shots of this composition, I had failed to clean my polariser and those frames were ruined by some unsightly water droplets! This version gives you an idea of what I was aiming to capture, but I much prefer the water patterns in those original vertical frames.
Image critique aside, given the last 12 months, it was just good to be out again on the Cornish coast. I’ll be going back again soon.
Bite-Size Blog Post #16 - Thurlestone
After some encourage from a friend, I finally make a long overdue trip to Thurlestone to capture some long exposure seascapes.
Thurlestone - Finally!
I’ve had the coastline around Thurlestone on my list of places to photograph for a long time. While Thurlestone isn’t particularly far away, like most places in the South Hams it’s a bit of a pain to get to. I’m happy to drive twice as far to some locations in Cornwall, but those narrow, twisty roads in the South Hams always makes the journey seem a little more of an effort.
So, when a friend and fellow photographer asked if I wanted to join him one evening for a spot of seascape photography at Thurlestone, I jumped at the chance! To hell with the twisty roads. Chat and photography would make it all worthwhile.
Thurlestone Sunset #1, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200 f/4-6.3 at 36mm, f/8, 30 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
When we arrived at the beach, I could instantly see the appeal of this location and I could understand why my friend frequented it. Due to the lack of cloud cover and the direction of the light, I had to wait till the sun was nearly set before I started capturing images I was happy with.
Thurlestone Sunset #2, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 3 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL.
I’m not normally that keen on clear skies but the light was producing some lovely tones and pastel shades of colour in the sky. The main element in the compositions is of course the rocky outcrops which offered me plenty of different ways to shoot the scene.
Thurlestone Sunset #3, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/8, 15 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
As is often the case when you visit a location for the first time you spend a lot of time changing composition, changing lenses, swapping out filters and moving to different parts of the beach. It was an exciting evening, but I also remember not being that excited by my photographs when I viewed them on the camera. It wasn’t until I got home, and I processed some of the images I took later in the evening that I realised I had some photographs I was happy with.
Thurlestone Sunset #4, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/8, 25 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters CPL and ND.
Now that I’ve been to Thurlestone, I will most definitely be making a return.!
Bite-Size Blog Post #15 - Crackington Haven
Do you spend too much time looking for the perfect landscape photography forecast? Tired of postponing a trip Crackington Haven I throw caution to the wind and just go for it. I’m so glad I did.
Postponements
Too windy, too cloud, too clear, too rainy. There always seemed to be a reason not to meet up with my friend and fellow photographer. It’s not that we lack the motivation, but our time is precious, so we want to make sure what time we do invest in our photography together is well spent.
Sometimes though you need to look past how successful a photography trip might be and focus on friendship instead. It had gotten to the point where if we stood any chance of having a good old catch up, we would have to make the photography aspects of our meetups less of a priority. With that in mind, and despite the poor forecast, we decided that the thought of chips and chat was enough of a reason to justify a trip to Crackington Haven.
Chips and chat aside (both of which were excellent), the photography turned out to be rather successful. It was an important lesson for me that I shouldn’t rely on the weather forecast too much. In fact, the less than favourable conditions produced some heavy, moody skies which suited the types of photographs I was capturing.
Crackington Have #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 30 seconds at ISO 64.
Weather forecasts only tell half of the story. The other half of the picture (if you excuse the pun), comes from experience, both from the field and understanding what that forecast really means in the real world.
Crackington Have #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/11, 30 seconds at ISO 200.
My trip to Crackington Haven was an important lesson. Not only should I visit more new locations (it was my first visit), but that I should also take more risks with the weather forecast. Sometimes that cloudy sky is just what I’m after.
A Day Out to Kynance Cove in Cornwall
In the blog this week I explore the area around Kynance Cove.
Deep into Cornwall
During the spring and summer months, you’ll often find me making journeys down the A30 into Cornwall. With the increased number of daylight hours that these seasons provide I can venture further into Cornwall and explore the nooks and crannies of this most beautiful part of the South West Coast Path.
Even with those longer days, getting deep into the south-west corners of Cornwall for landscape photography is still a challenge for me. Well, I say it’s a challenge, but the biggest problem is with me and my willingness to travel that far. It’s a case of risk vs reward. With some locations being 2 to 2.5 hours drive, I have to be very certain that the effort (and cost) or driving there is going to yield worthwhile results. Unfortunately, the weather forecast is rarely that concrete.
A Winter Excursion
Saying all that though, sometimes all you need is a bit of extra encouragement. In this case, it came from a good friend of mine who also happens to be a photographer. He was also looking to do some exploration of the south-west area of Cornwall so when he suggested we head down towards Kynance Cove one day in December I jumped at the chance. Even if the photography turned out to be poor it would be a fantastic opportunity to catch up with a mate.
Dawn
After a long drive in the dark, I met my friend in the Kynance Cove car park. We chatted through our car windows (UK tiering restrictions were in place at the time) and wondered if we had done the right thing coming all this way. It was cold and wintery and neither of us fancied getting out of our nice warm cars.
This reluctance to get out of the car didn’t last long though and soon enough we were walking along the South West Coast path to find the first of our photography viewpoints.
Kynance Cove #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 at 29mm, f8, 4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND.
The views were stunning, but the conditions less so. The wind and rain I can cope with, but flat grey light is always a challenge. That’s not to say you can’t get a photograph in those conditions, but you do have to work that bit harder to make it work. I’m not sure I managed it with that first image.
Kynance Cove #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 at 34mm, f11, 1 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
I much prefer the result of the second photograph. Though the photograph would benefit from light and some interest in the cloud, the drama of the sea as it crashes around the coastline make for a pleasing image.
With no sign of the weather improving, we continued to explore the area making notes of any viewpoints that we might want to return to that day or at a later date.
Daytime
Landscape photography is demanding work!
After any dawn shoot, there is nothing better than grabbing a cooked breakfast and a cup of coffee and that is exactly what we did when we drove onwards to Lizard. As we ate breakfast, we discussed what we might do next and which other locations we might explore. As this was December, we didn’t have many daylight hours to work with so the more we discussed it the more we decided to keep it simple.
As we were in Lizard it seemed sensible to head to Lizard Point to see what we could see. We had a good walk about the area but couldn’t get inspired so decided to head to one of the cafes and have an oversized piece of cake!
The more we discussed what to do next, the more it became apparent that we should head back to Kynance Cove. The time between 2 pm and sunset would soon fly by and we felt it was best not trying to cram too many locations in and find ourselves in a hurry.
Kynance Cove #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 at 31mm, f8, 1.3 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Returning to Kynance Cove around 1;30pm I captured the image above and as it turns out, my favourite of the day. Though shooting in the middle of the day is rarely my favourite time, the combination of light, movement in the seas and the big clouds in the sky make it my favourite photograph of the day. I was glad we had returned to Kynance Cove and things were looking positive for sunset.
Sunset
Sunset was fast approaching when moved further south down the coast to see what else we might photograph. The conditions were more favourable than those we experienced at dawn, and despite some dramatic skies, I did find myself struggling.
Kynance Cove #4, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f13, 4 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND.
I’m relatively pleased with the image above. The side light from the setting sun has added depth to the foreground, and there is an impressive storm cloud in the sky, but for me, the image is lacking something. Perhaps it has too much contrast or there simply isn’t a strong focal point. Maybe it’s an image I need more time with. Not all photographs are instant winners!
Kynance Cove #5, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 at 24mm, f13, 2 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
I have similar feelings and reservations about the last of my photographs as well. It’s not a bad photo but I feel it is lacking something that would make it a great photo.
As the sun set, we packed up, walked back to the car park, and discussed the day. For me, it was a difficult day. Sometimes you go out with the camera and you know as soon as you take a photograph that you will be happy with the result. Other times like on this trip, it isn’t until you process a few images that you realise that you managed to capture a couple of good images. That image I captured during the day was the saving image of the day. I was pleasantly surprised by that one.
Overall, though, I had a fantastic day. Exploring Kynance Cove was a joy, but what made the day was spending time with a mate chatting, eating, and drinking. If I hadn’t had the company of a friend I don’t think I would have spent the drive home feeling it had been a good day out. Landscape photography can be a solitary past time, but never underestimate the power of company to turn a challenging day into a fun day.
Start Point - A 5 Minute Photo Adventure from the South West Coast Path
Grab yourself a cup of coffee because it's time for another 5 Minute Photo Adventure! In this episode, I head to one of my favourite South West Coast Path locations, Start Point Lighthouse in south Devon.
The Challenge of Getting There
There’s only one problem with going to photograph Start Point on the south Devon coast and that’s the effort required to get there. It’s not so much the 50-mile driving distance (37 miles as the crow flies), but more with the time it takes to get there. The journey time for me takes around 90 minutes and while I’m no stranger to making such journeys for the benefit of my landscape photography, it’s the roads that make the journey more challenging.
Once I leave the A38 and start driving towards Kingsbridge the quality and width of the roads start to reduce. Nothing to bad (for Devon standards) but after Kingsbridge things get dull. Lots of small villages with low-speed limits and that last five miles just seems to take an age. It’s not so bad when you are shooting sunrise as there is a lot less traffic, but during the day when you can get caught behind a tractor or a broken-down cement truck and it all becomes very boring.
However, all those complaints about the roads all disappear when you park your car and step out to one of the finest views along the South West Coast Path. Once I’m there, breathing in that glorious sea air I couldn’t care less about how long it took me to get there.
Risk vs Reward
With the apparent extra effort it seems to take to get to Start Point, I don’t go there as much as I might like to. Unlike some other coastal locations where I’ll just take a punt, I’m always looking for favourable conditions before I commit to the drive. Even with a good forecast, there is no guarantee of interesting conditions. There is always an element of risk vs reward. This is especially true when the conditions are a bit stormy or unsettled. In terms of capturing photographs, heading out in these types of conditions is risky, but the rewards can be amazing.
Back in December, I decided that I wanted to return to Start Point and capture some photographs looking at the peninsula from the west. I had checked out this viewpoint a couple of times, but the forecast was predicting some unsettled weather and the opportunity to capture this location with setting sun and some big clouds were too tempting to ignore.
Knowing very well that I could spend 3 hours in the car to end up with not a lot to show for it at the end, I packed my camera bag and set off regardless. Here is how I got on.
I hope you enjoyed my 5 Minute Photo Adventure to Start Point. While the conditions weren’t as dramatic as I might have hoped, I still came away with some images that made the trip worthwhile.
Do you have any locations that seem to be “harder” than others to get to? Let me know in the comments below.
Start Point Photographs
As always here are the photographs you saw me capture in the video. Enjoy!
Sunset at Start Point #1, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 44mm, f/11, 1.6 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND.
Sunset at Start Point #2, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 39mm, f/11, 2 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND.
Sunset at Start Point #3, South West Coast Path, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 24-200mm f/4-6.3 at 44mm, f/11, 13 secs at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL.
Tides and Tempests by Rachael Talibart and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S03E11
In this episode of On My Bookshelf I take a look at Rachael Talibart’s Tides and Tempests.
Sirens
Though I was familiar with Rachael’s work, it wasn’t until I saw her talk at The Photography Show in 2019 that I became a bit of a fan. Listening to her talk about her life, her journey from solicitor to photographer and most importantly her photographs, changed the way I viewed her work. Sometimes there is nothing like engaging with a photographer on a personal level to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for their work.
In the presentation, Rachael talked a lot about her body of work called Sirens. Though these aren’t the type of photographs I might capture, I found them fascinating. There is always something to learn from other people’s work. One of the things Rachael talked about was how her pictures lacked a sense of place. In other words, they could have been taken anywhere. This is perhaps why Rachael’s photographs have such a wide appeal. This is a complete contrast to my work which is very much about where the photograph was taken.
With my interest in Sirens very much sparked I decided to purchase a copy of the book. Unfortunately for me I was a little late to the party as it was completely sold out. I was disappointed for sure, but I had a feeling that since Sirens had been such a success Rachael would look to publish another book in the future. Fortunately for me I wouldn’t have to wait too long.
Tides and Tempests
Fast forward to December 2020 and my pre-ordered copy of Rachael’s new book Tides and Tempest has finally arrived. This book and Neil Burnell’s Mystical are the two books I have been most excited about getting this year. Was Rachael’s book worth the wait? Is it a book for your bookshelf? Let’s find out.
I do hope you enjoyed this episode of On My Bookshelf. If you’d like to purchase a copy of Tides and Tempests you can do so directly from Kozu Books here. Go on, treat yourself!
Why I'll Never Bore of Dawlish Warren
In this blog post, I share my latest photographs from Dawlish Warren and tell you why I don't think I'll ever get bored of photographing this wonderful south Devon coastal location.
How Many Times?
Searching through this blog I can count more than 15 posts that feature photographs from Dawlish Warren. To be honest this is more than I even thought there were and given that I’d been photographing Dawlish Warren even before I started the blog 4 years ago, I hate to think how many times I’ve been to this beach on the south Devon coast.
I say hate, but there is obviously something special about Dawlish Warren that makes me keep coming back.
Dawlish Warren Sunrise #2, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/11, 1.3 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND Grad.
Every Visit in Unique
The one factor that keeps me coming back is that every visit is unique. Unlike many locations, the seasons don’t have a direct impact on what you photograph there. Apart from what time sunrise is, it doesn’t matter if it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter at Dawlish Warren. The two factors that make it so variable are the weather and the tides.
The tide levels and times might be predictable, but every high tide resets the beach. Each time the tide comes in and then goes out the sand and the layout of the beach is subtly different. Sand patterns, stones, and debris all come and go. Even how the wet the groynes are results it a vastly different look for incoming tides compared to outgoing tides.
The weather delivers the most variety though. Wind and air pressure can impact the effect of the tides and the strength of the waves. This can change your whole approach to your photography for that visit. Making a choice between a shorter exposure time to capture movement or going for a longer exposure to smooth out the water is a creative decision but how the water is behaving can limit or extend your creative options (depending on how you look at it).
To add into the mix, you’ve got ever-changing cloud coverage. Even on overcast days, there are shots to be had but it is perhaps when the sun just rises above the horizon that excites me the most. It’s a special moment when the reds and oranges of the morning light catch the water and the sides of the groynes.
All these variables mean that I’ve never looked through the viewfinder and thought this looks familiar.
Dawlish Warren Sunrise #4, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16m, f/16, 1 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND Grad.
More to Discover
With 15 groynes there is a lot to photograph. I’ve probably only photographed a third of them and given that each groyne can be photographed from two sides, I’ve barely scratched the surface.
But there is more to Dawlish Warren than the groynes. Immediately behind you are the dunes is the nature reserve. The nature reserve is well known for its birds, but I’m far from a wildlife photographer. The dunes, however, are well worth a visit. I’ve only recently started photographing them, but with long grasses, fences, big views, and sweeping dunes they are well worth photographing.
At the top of the beach are the colourful beach huts. Having only photographed these once I must spend a bit more time with them. I’m sure there are some interesting compositions to be made there.
Dawlish Warren Sunrise #1, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 23mm, f/13, 1.6 seconds at ISO 125, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND Grad.
Different Styles
Finally, I’ve discovered that Dawlish Warren beach is a good location for trying something a little different. When I captured the images in this blog post I was with my friend and fellow photographer Neil Burnell and he was capturing images using ICM and multiple exposure techniques. These aren’t techniques that have previously excited me but seeing the results Neil was getting certainly changed my mind.
I gave both techniques a try, and while I found ICM tricky, the effect of multiple exposures has inspired me to give this technique further work. The beach, with its constantly changing view, seems the ideal location to use this technique. While I did capture some multiple exposure photographs on this visit, I don’t think they are worth sharing here. It is a technique I will continue with next time I’m at Dawlish Warren and this will open even more creative opportunities as this varied and much-loved location.
For all these reasons, this is why I will never bore of photographing Dawlish Warren.
Dawlish Warren Sunrise #6, Devon - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 28mm, f/10, 0.4 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 CPL and ND Grad.
Bite-Size Blog Post #11 - No More Sandymouth
For the last time this year (probably), I head to Sandymouth to see if I can finally kick start a project I’m working on.
What Is It About Sandymouth Anyway?
It’s not unusual for me to write about a location I’ve visited before but what makes this post about Sandymouth different is that it is the 3rd one in a relatively brief period of time. While I was happy with the images I shared in blog posts Bite-Size Blog Post #3 - Sandymouth and Bite-Size Blog Post #10 - More Sandymouth I still had the need to return.
My return to Sandymouth for a 3rd time was nothing to do with a lack of inspiration or imagination but the desire to start a new photography project. I’ve had the idea for the project for a long time now but have failed to find a location that will give me what I’m looking for. Though I had visited Sandymouth a couple of years before it was the 1st of my recent visits that potentially gave me what I was looking for.
Charged and inspired I returned for a 2nd visit only to find I had completely misjudged the tides. I still managed to capture images I was happy with but not what I needed. I, therefore, planned for a 3rd and final visit. I say final because sunset times were getting earlier and soon I wouldn’t have time to make the 90-minute drive to Sandymouth before I lost the light.
I was full of optimism for my 3rd visit but I already knew it was going to be very tight with the tide height for the shots I wanted. Unfortunately for me, I had pushed my luck too far and the tide was still a little too high to allow me to capture the shots I needed before it was dark.
I’m not saying the trip was a right off. Far from it! I got some images I was pretty happy with. They just weren’t what I needed for my project. You might be wondering what the project is? Well, I’ll tell you all about it very soon….hopefully.
Into the Blue #1. Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/13, 1 second at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser and ND grad.
Into the Blue #2. Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 6 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser and ND grad.
Into the Blue #3. Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/13, 13 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters circular polariser and ND grad.
Bite-Size Blog Post #10 - More Sandymouth
Eager to return to Sandymouth to start a photography project I get another difficult lesson on understanding tides.
A Tide Table Is Not Enough
Back in August, I wrote about my experience of not appreciating how high a high tide was at Sandymouth Beach. With most of the beach cut off because of the high tide, I was lucky to get the photographs I did. When I recently decided to return to Sandymouth beach to start a photography project I was keen not to repeat my previous mistakes.
While I captured images of the rocks on that last visit, I was eager to get images of the sandy part of the beach this time. I have shot this part of the beach before and the images I captured of the sand patterns and pools had inspired me to return.
I already knew that to get photographs of the sand it would need to be a low tide. What I hadn’t appreciated was how low it needed to be. If I’d done a simple check of the historical tide data from my last shoot of the sand, I would have noticed how low the tide needed to be.
When I arrived at Sandymouth I was surprised to see that the sandy part of the beach was already covered in water! The low tide I had looked up wasn’t that low for Sandymouth. As the tide was coming in the situation wasn’t going to change in my favour either. I was going to have to switch tactics. I decided that I would instead shoot the rocks that I’d shot previously. However, the tide was a bit far out for that!
So, it was back to square one for me and I had to do a little bit of exploring to see what else I could find. You can see the photographs I did manage to capture below. More important than the photographs was the lesson I learnt.
Tide tables only tell half the story. The tide at beaches like Sandymouth has a huge reach. When they are out, they are miles out and when they are in it can be up to the cliffs. From all my experiences of shooting at Sandymouth I have learnt that I need specific tide heights for specific subjects. Knowing if the tide is going in or out isn’t enough.
Next time I visit, I will pick a time where the tide is going to support my creative vision!
Sandymouth Rock Channels #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/11, 0.5 seconds at ISO 64, Kase K9 CPL and ND Grad.
Sandymouth Rock Channels #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/11, 3.0 seconds at ISO 64, Kase K9 CPL and ND Grad.
Sandymouth Rock Channels #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 17mm, f/9, 1 seconds at ISO 200, Kase K9 CPL and ND Grad.
Bite-Size Blog Post #6 - Dartmouth Sea Stacks
In this bite-sized blog post, I head to the coast near Dartmouth in Devon to check out a sea stack.
Long Exposure Seascapes
Unusually this summer I’ve spent a lot more time photographing Dartmoor than the coast. The summer month not only brings better conditions, but the extended hours of daylight allow me to travel further afield to places like Cornwall. I just love photographing the Cornish coast as you can see from all these blog posts.
I think lockdown knocked me out of my normal yearly routine and so I’ve spent more time closer to home which in turn means I’ve been spending more time up on Dartmoor. However, the coast is never far from my thoughts, so I decided that a visit to my local coastline was long overdue.
There is a sea stack near Dartmouth that I’ve been eager to revisit for some time now. I believe it needs a specific set of conditions to make the most of it. A high tide is one of them and while on this visit the tide was high, the weather was calm and the skies blue.
I knew I wasn’t going to come away with any photographs that I was going to get excited about so this trip was very much another reconnaissance mission to check out compositions. Despite this being my 2nd or 3rd visit, I still struggled to find a composition I am happy with. Maybe the calm conditions weren’t helping, or I simply need to work harder at getting the composition right.
So, while these photographs aren’t anything amazing, I’m happy to share them with you. After all, not every trip out with the camera results in a portfolio image. Some trips out with the camera are all about preparation for the next trip.
Bite-Size Blog Post #3 - Sandymouth
In this Bite-Size Blog post I share with you the photographs I captured after a near disastrous trip to Sandymouth Beach in Cornwall.
Sandymouth Beach, Cornwall
Yes, another week, another Cornish Beach to photograph. However, this trip was almost a disaster! My original plan was to go there and photograph the patterns in the sand that sometimes get left by the receding tide. Like my previous visits that you see here and here.
With high tide at 7:30 pm and sunset around 9:30 pm I thought my timing would be perfect. The only thing I thought I had to worry about would be people walking all over the freshly washed sand. How wrong was I! When I arrived at 7:30 pm I realised just how high the tide gets there. There was no beach to photograph. Even with two hours to go before sunset I still wasn’t sure there would be anything to photograph.
I stuck with it and as 9 pm came around some of trock formations started to make an appearance. I wouldn’t be photographing the sand pools that I was hoping for, but these lines of rock might just save the day. The forecast was for clear skies but just as I was able to access the beach the sun disappeared behind a bank of cloud. I wasn’t going to let that put me off though and I got to work capturing these images.
I have since made a note in my location library for Sandymouth not to visit at high tide!
Sandymouth Rocks #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 1.6 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser, ND Grad and ND.
Sandymouth Rocks #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 18mm, f/13, 1.3 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser, ND Grad and ND.
Sandymouth Rocks #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1.3 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser, ND Grad and ND.
Sandymouth Rocks #4, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/13, 4 seconds at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser, ND Grad and ND.
Sandymouth Rocks #5, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/13, 2.5 seconds at ISO 100, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser, ND Grad and ND.
Bite-Size Blog Post #2 - Porthcothan
In this Bite-Size Blog post I share with you the photographs I captured while wandering the beach at Porthcothan in Cornwall.
Porthcothan Beach, Cornwall
Welcome to the 2nd Bite-Size Blog Post and this week I bring you images from Porthcothan Beach in Cornwall. In case you don’t know what my Bite-Size Blog Posts are then why not check out Bite-Size Blog Post #1.
My evening at Porthcothan is what you might describe as typically Cornish! The weather started fairly settled but as sunset approached the clouds rolled in and it got a little stormy. This doesn’t mean the photography stops though! Some of the best pictures can be captured during this time. There was no way I was leaving the beach early so I carried on shooting until it got dark! It’s evenings like that when I appreciate living so close to the coast. While many photographers dislike summer because of how green everything looks. I, on the other hand, look forward to spending more time at the coast.
I hope you enjoy the photographs and they inspire you to the head to the coast.
Porthcothan Beach #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 15mm, f/13, 2 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Porthcothan Beach #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/13, 2 sec at ISO 400, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Porthcothan Beach #3, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 3 sec at ISO 400, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Porthcothan Beach #4, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 19mm, f/13, 1 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad, single image pano crop (6:17)..
Porthcothan Beach #5, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 2 sec at ISO 200, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Bite-Size Blog Post #1 - Perranporth
In the first of my Bit Size Blog posts I share with you the images I captured on a trip to the beach at Perranporth in Cornwall.
What are Bite-Size Blog Posts?
Welcome to the first Bite Size Blog Post! So, what are they I hear you ask? Simply put they are very short blog posts. They allow me to share some of the photographs I have recently been capturing without writing lots of associated text. Don’t worry though, this doesn’t mark the end of my normal blog posts.
I’ve decided to do this now as I’m just about to go on my summer holidays and I’d like to have some content to share with you while I’m away or just after I get back. It’s unlikely that I’ll do any serious photography while I’m away and I don’t want to have nothing to share with you the first weeks after I get back.
I hope you won’t mind the odd Bite Size Blog Post and that you will find the picture heavy posts interesting or inspiring. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Perranporth
For the first Bite-Size Blog Post, I would like to share with you some of the photographs I captured from Perranporth Beach in Cornwall. This trip out with the camera marked the start of the recovery of my photographic mojo (something you can read about here). Both my friend and I were initially doubtful that it would prove to be a fruitful evening. How wrong we were! After spending the first hour walking along the beach chatting it suddenly fell silent as we scrambled to make the most of the evening light.
It was a long drive to Perranporth, but I hope you agree that it was worth it.
Perranporth Beach #1, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1/3rd sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Perranporth Beach #2, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1/3rd sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Perranporth Beach #4, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 16mm, f/13, 1 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.
Perranporth Beach #4, Cornwall - Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 at 14mm, f/13, 1 sec at ISO 64, Kase Filters K9 Circular Polariser and ND Grad.