Don't forget to click on the small images to enlarge
Saturday 30th April:
I've mentioned before about returning to locations time and time again and always finding something different. It can just be that the conditions are different but there are always different compositions to be found, especially the small intimate scenes. We went up to Levant this evening where I am always fascinated by the juxtaposition of the damage caused by long gone industry and the fight of nature to take over. Tiny little plants fighting for a foothold in polluted soils where in the summer they completely dry up. Another dull and hazy evening with no sun to add that bit of dynamic interest.
I've mentioned before about returning to locations time and time again and always finding something different. It can just be that the conditions are different but there are always different compositions to be found, especially the small intimate scenes. We went up to Levant this evening where I am always fascinated by the juxtaposition of the damage caused by long gone industry and the fight of nature to take over. Tiny little plants fighting for a foothold in polluted soils where in the summer they completely dry up. Another dull and hazy evening with no sun to add that bit of dynamic interest.
Friday 29th April:
Little wind today but very hazy with no direct light. I walked around the cliffs below Kenidjack Castle today, starting off with normal black and white and then switching to colour for some images including the thrift on the cliffs. A lot of the rocks here are covered in ultra bright orange lichen, which often looks a bit unreal in photographs. The sea is also flat calm at the moment so no interest there for images. I met local artist Gary Harwood at his usual spot looking down Kenidjack Valley to the sea and Cape Cornwall. (see Kenidjack page for more details about Gary)
Little wind today but very hazy with no direct light. I walked around the cliffs below Kenidjack Castle today, starting off with normal black and white and then switching to colour for some images including the thrift on the cliffs. A lot of the rocks here are covered in ultra bright orange lichen, which often looks a bit unreal in photographs. The sea is also flat calm at the moment so no interest there for images. I met local artist Gary Harwood at his usual spot looking down Kenidjack Valley to the sea and Cape Cornwall. (see Kenidjack page for more details about Gary)
Thursday 28th April:
Another photo study with the infrared camera this afternoon. This time I spent two hours wandering around Sancreed Beacon and into Tony's Wood. The Beacon has lots of lone trees all wind battered and struggling but just hanging on. As you approach the wood there are one or two larger ones where there is a little shelter from the prevailing south westerly gales. The wood is named after Tony Hole who started "guerrilla planting" trees here in the 1990s, with the project now official and backed by the local village and conservation groups.
Another photo study with the infrared camera this afternoon. This time I spent two hours wandering around Sancreed Beacon and into Tony's Wood. The Beacon has lots of lone trees all wind battered and struggling but just hanging on. As you approach the wood there are one or two larger ones where there is a little shelter from the prevailing south westerly gales. The wood is named after Tony Hole who started "guerrilla planting" trees here in the 1990s, with the project now official and backed by the local village and conservation groups.
Wednesday 27th April:
A study of Higher Bal in infrared black and white. Bal=mine in Cornish.
"Originally part of a mine called Spearn Consols, Higher Bal became part of Levant Mine in 1877. There are two archways in the massive retaining wall; the first gives access to Guide Shaft, now grilled to allow safe viewing; the second leads to steep steps up to the engine house. This engine was both a pumping and a winding engine." (National Trust)
An impressive but lesser known mine ruin with amazing engineering and building work that went into its construction-worth a visit-situated on the road down from Trewellard to Levant.
A study of Higher Bal in infrared black and white. Bal=mine in Cornish.
"Originally part of a mine called Spearn Consols, Higher Bal became part of Levant Mine in 1877. There are two archways in the massive retaining wall; the first gives access to Guide Shaft, now grilled to allow safe viewing; the second leads to steep steps up to the engine house. This engine was both a pumping and a winding engine." (National Trust)
An impressive but lesser known mine ruin with amazing engineering and building work that went into its construction-worth a visit-situated on the road down from Trewellard to Levant.
Tuesday 26th April:
An evening trip over to Godrevy to see if there was much thrift in bloom and to watch the sunset. Not a cloud in the sky and lots of others there enjoying the evening sunshine but not as much thrift blooming on the edge of the cliffs where it needs to be for a good composition. I'm sure the erosion of the cliffs here has meant a lot less thrift than in past years.
As you can see in the first image the colours are all a bit garish and when editing later I found that the black and white versions seemed more pleasing to me. Sunsets without some kind of clouds to soften things always look over the top I find and last night things looked all a bit muddy orange. Mixture of images below so you can take your choice.
An evening trip over to Godrevy to see if there was much thrift in bloom and to watch the sunset. Not a cloud in the sky and lots of others there enjoying the evening sunshine but not as much thrift blooming on the edge of the cliffs where it needs to be for a good composition. I'm sure the erosion of the cliffs here has meant a lot less thrift than in past years.
As you can see in the first image the colours are all a bit garish and when editing later I found that the black and white versions seemed more pleasing to me. Sunsets without some kind of clouds to soften things always look over the top I find and last night things looked all a bit muddy orange. Mixture of images below so you can take your choice.
Monday afternoon:
Too nice to stay in but the light too harsh for good photography-but we had a go anyway. We went up to Porth Nanven but this time spent most of the time on top of the cliffs taking images of the thrift and other wild flowers. I did climb down to the beach, I've put a couple below just as a record of the effort.
Too nice to stay in but the light too harsh for good photography-but we had a go anyway. We went up to Porth Nanven but this time spent most of the time on top of the cliffs taking images of the thrift and other wild flowers. I did climb down to the beach, I've put a couple below just as a record of the effort.
Monday 25th April:
An exploratory visit to Tony's Wood at Sancreed this morning to see how the bluebells are developing. Not fully out yet but there are a few clumps here and there. I hope there will be a flowering climax as there are some lovely winding paths that will make good compositions if they are lined by bluebells en-mass. I did take my Fuji and some prime lenses today and it was a matter of picking out individual flowers and other details. Some lovely small groups of wood anemones have appeared since my last visit.
An exploratory visit to Tony's Wood at Sancreed this morning to see how the bluebells are developing. Not fully out yet but there are a few clumps here and there. I hope there will be a flowering climax as there are some lovely winding paths that will make good compositions if they are lined by bluebells en-mass. I did take my Fuji and some prime lenses today and it was a matter of picking out individual flowers and other details. Some lovely small groups of wood anemones have appeared since my last visit.
Sunday 24th April:
I waited till early evening before heading over through Marazion and down the footpath to Top Town Beach. With grey skies and no wind it was a perfect evening for some black and white long exposures varying from one to sixty seconds. It was low tide and some interesting rocks provided lots of choice for foregrounds.
I waited till early evening before heading over through Marazion and down the footpath to Top Town Beach. With grey skies and no wind it was a perfect evening for some black and white long exposures varying from one to sixty seconds. It was low tide and some interesting rocks provided lots of choice for foregrounds.
Four hours at Porth Nanven on a largely chilly grey day but just a hint of pink as the evening approached.
Friday 22nd April:
Spent about four hours at Porth Nanven this afternoon. This time I went for low tide so that I could spend some time exploring the rock formations that are frequently seen in images taken by many photographers visiting here. No direct sun today, just a glimpse of light now and again to add a sheen to the rocks. Just a couple of images below for the moment, probably lots more over the weekend.
Spent about four hours at Porth Nanven this afternoon. This time I went for low tide so that I could spend some time exploring the rock formations that are frequently seen in images taken by many photographers visiting here. No direct sun today, just a glimpse of light now and again to add a sheen to the rocks. Just a couple of images below for the moment, probably lots more over the weekend.
Following on from what I wrote earlier the three images below are very simply edited black and whites and the more I think about it this is what I really prefer-perhaps I should just buy a Leica Monochrome and stick to that. Just need to take out another mortgage!
A real mixture of images from yesterday taken at Porth Nanven and Cape Cornwall. When you are faced with such dramatic condition it is sometimes difficult to know where to point your camera and style of image you want to end up with. Below illustrates some of the possibilities rather then trying to be a set of images that sit well together. These are just quick edits for the website, after a while of looking at them and many others I captured I usually print one or two and will then edit them again more carefully. Sometimes the ones in colour end up as b&w and vice versa.
Thursday 21st March:
Going out in the daytime yesterday proved to be disappointing photography wise so today we waited until evening hoping for some sunset colour. The surf report for Sennen said 2-3ft but when we arrived at Porth Nanven it was at least 6-10ft and when we moved on to Cape Cornwall it was 10 foot plus. There was a lot of pink in the sky but sunset never happened-well it obviously happened but we just couldn't see it as a grey blanket of cloud hid it from view. Below are a few quick edits to give an idea of what we saw-lots more to follow tomorrow I expect. Believe it or not the first image is a photograph of the Brisons like the other two.
Going out in the daytime yesterday proved to be disappointing photography wise so today we waited until evening hoping for some sunset colour. The surf report for Sennen said 2-3ft but when we arrived at Porth Nanven it was at least 6-10ft and when we moved on to Cape Cornwall it was 10 foot plus. There was a lot of pink in the sky but sunset never happened-well it obviously happened but we just couldn't see it as a grey blanket of cloud hid it from view. Below are a few quick edits to give an idea of what we saw-lots more to follow tomorrow I expect. Believe it or not the first image is a photograph of the Brisons like the other two.
Wednesday 20th March:
We went down to Porthgwarra today, just for a day out really. The sea is calmer now, just a small swell and the sky a hazy blue with no direct sunlight. Really not a day for serious photography especially as we were out at midday. When you get days like this being out at sunrise or sunset would be a much better idea with the only problem being the former is now early and the latter now getting late.
We went down to Porthgwarra today, just for a day out really. The sea is calmer now, just a small swell and the sky a hazy blue with no direct sunlight. Really not a day for serious photography especially as we were out at midday. When you get days like this being out at sunrise or sunset would be a much better idea with the only problem being the former is now early and the latter now getting late.
Tuesday 19th March:
An exploratory visit to the woods below Sancreed Beacon this morning. The conditions weren't really right for great photography as the sun was quite harsh which meant too much contrast between the dark and light areas. I wanted to pay a few visits to familiarise myself with the place and look for likely compositions before the bluebells are at their best. The first time I went it was misty and that gave the place a much more mystical atmosphere.
I found another entrance to the woods today and a sign told me it is called Tony's Wood so a bit of research is needed to find who Tony was and the history of this lovely place. Sancreed Beacon has a history going back thousands of years as the whole area is littered with burial mounds, roundhouses and much evidence of mining activity. Fascinating small piece of West Cornwall.
An exploratory visit to the woods below Sancreed Beacon this morning. The conditions weren't really right for great photography as the sun was quite harsh which meant too much contrast between the dark and light areas. I wanted to pay a few visits to familiarise myself with the place and look for likely compositions before the bluebells are at their best. The first time I went it was misty and that gave the place a much more mystical atmosphere.
I found another entrance to the woods today and a sign told me it is called Tony's Wood so a bit of research is needed to find who Tony was and the history of this lovely place. Sancreed Beacon has a history going back thousands of years as the whole area is littered with burial mounds, roundhouses and much evidence of mining activity. Fascinating small piece of West Cornwall.
Easter Monday:
Parked near Pendeen Lighthouse this afternoon and made our way west along the coast path and then dropped down onto a sheltered grassy area with views looking up at the lighthouse. As the tide was still quite low I clambered down to sea level to try and get a unique image and think I succeeded. I only had ten minutes, as where I'd ended up was about to be cut off by the incoming tide. Certainly somewhere I'll return to on a spring tide but getting there a bit earlier next time. Also took some images of an angler and his girlfriend who pushed their luck and probably got a bit wet.
The sea today was a beautiful blue with still a biggish swell running and out of the westerly wind it was positively warm.
Parked near Pendeen Lighthouse this afternoon and made our way west along the coast path and then dropped down onto a sheltered grassy area with views looking up at the lighthouse. As the tide was still quite low I clambered down to sea level to try and get a unique image and think I succeeded. I only had ten minutes, as where I'd ended up was about to be cut off by the incoming tide. Certainly somewhere I'll return to on a spring tide but getting there a bit earlier next time. Also took some images of an angler and his girlfriend who pushed their luck and probably got a bit wet.
The sea today was a beautiful blue with still a biggish swell running and out of the westerly wind it was positively warm.
"Think I'll take my girlfriend fishing, should be safe here"
...and a bit of black and white
Easter Sunday:
There was some rain forecast for the afternoon so we decided to get out in the morning and drove up to Cape Cornwall. We arrived to an empty car park, a thick fog and a chilly breeze. Down in Priest's Cove it was more sheltered so we decided to stay. I made my out across the slippery rocks to the right as the waves were looking good as they met the end of the reef. The mist gradually cleared as the morning wore on and there was even a glimpse of sun on the waves for a short while. I made my way back with a memory card containing more images than I meant to take but waves tend to make you do that.
Stopped to chat with a couple by the rock swimming pool and managed to fall over in front of them. Think they took pity on me and gave me a lovely homemade flapjack made from a recipe in Good Housekeeping 1952 apparently!
Plenty of images below, colour and black and white, mostly of the same Brisons composition as that was where the action was. Think I prefer b&w today as there was a distinct blue haze in the air-like them both really though. As yesterday, with the waves coming in above me it was exhilarating and I can still hear the noise now. Should have made a short video really but forgot to unfortunately.
There was some rain forecast for the afternoon so we decided to get out in the morning and drove up to Cape Cornwall. We arrived to an empty car park, a thick fog and a chilly breeze. Down in Priest's Cove it was more sheltered so we decided to stay. I made my out across the slippery rocks to the right as the waves were looking good as they met the end of the reef. The mist gradually cleared as the morning wore on and there was even a glimpse of sun on the waves for a short while. I made my way back with a memory card containing more images than I meant to take but waves tend to make you do that.
Stopped to chat with a couple by the rock swimming pool and managed to fall over in front of them. Think they took pity on me and gave me a lovely homemade flapjack made from a recipe in Good Housekeeping 1952 apparently!
Plenty of images below, colour and black and white, mostly of the same Brisons composition as that was where the action was. Think I prefer b&w today as there was a distinct blue haze in the air-like them both really though. As yesterday, with the waves coming in above me it was exhilarating and I can still hear the noise now. Should have made a short video really but forgot to unfortunately.
.....and a little bit of something different
Saturday 16th April:
Third day running up to Levant. Interesting patchy sky, some long spells of sunshine and still a good size swell running. We took the same route as yesterday but this time even further along the coast path towards Pendeen Lighthouse. This time I braved the sea and went down the broken steps to the miners swimming pool and out onto the reef. As yesterday I took more of my images back into the sun but I did take a few towards the lighthouse, one of which is below. The waves hitting the black rocks of the reef was hard to ignore, I was reasonably safe but being so close to the sea in this mood is quite intimidating.
Third day running up to Levant. Interesting patchy sky, some long spells of sunshine and still a good size swell running. We took the same route as yesterday but this time even further along the coast path towards Pendeen Lighthouse. This time I braved the sea and went down the broken steps to the miners swimming pool and out onto the reef. As yesterday I took more of my images back into the sun but I did take a few towards the lighthouse, one of which is below. The waves hitting the black rocks of the reef was hard to ignore, I was reasonably safe but being so close to the sea in this mood is quite intimidating.
Friday 15th April:
Following a pattern, that I find works for me, of returning to locations again and again we paid another visit to Levant, glad we did as the conditions were completely different to yesterday. The sea was much bigger and we had some good spells of light with great texture in the sky. We walked down through the old workings and out onto the cliffs the other side. I did take some images looking towards the lighthouse but I'll save those for another day and below show the images I took facing west. I was shooting into the sun and all the images below were taking focussed on one small area of cliff below the Levant workings. The combination of black rocks, white surf and the sun backlighting the scene made for some really different images and shows the benefit of revisiting locations again and again. I've edited them all in colour apart from one just to show that they work in either, difficult to choose.
Following a pattern, that I find works for me, of returning to locations again and again we paid another visit to Levant, glad we did as the conditions were completely different to yesterday. The sea was much bigger and we had some good spells of light with great texture in the sky. We walked down through the old workings and out onto the cliffs the other side. I did take some images looking towards the lighthouse but I'll save those for another day and below show the images I took facing west. I was shooting into the sun and all the images below were taking focussed on one small area of cliff below the Levant workings. The combination of black rocks, white surf and the sun backlighting the scene made for some really different images and shows the benefit of revisiting locations again and again. I've edited them all in colour apart from one just to show that they work in either, difficult to choose.
Thursday Evening:
A very interesting trip up to Levant this evening. When we got there it was windy, cloudy and grey with a thick fog just offshore but as we walked down through the workings a spotlight of sun appeared from nowhere and lit up the lighthouse. I put my bag down and pulled out my camera but before I could get it to my eye the sun went out as if someone had clicked a switch. Looking up there were no gaps in the clouds to be seen so how it got through is a mystery. Missed a great image.
I set up the camera to capture the foggy scene in black and white. I was hoping the fog was going to envelop the lighthouse but the bank drifted down parallel with the cliffs. Thinking that would really be it we started making our way back along the cliffs over the area that looks just like the surface of Mars. As we did light broke through the cloud and mostly using a very wide angle lens I tried to capture colour images that showed the light hitting the colourful foreground, the industrial past and the lighthouse view.
Two completely different shoots in the same hour!
A very interesting trip up to Levant this evening. When we got there it was windy, cloudy and grey with a thick fog just offshore but as we walked down through the workings a spotlight of sun appeared from nowhere and lit up the lighthouse. I put my bag down and pulled out my camera but before I could get it to my eye the sun went out as if someone had clicked a switch. Looking up there were no gaps in the clouds to be seen so how it got through is a mystery. Missed a great image.
I set up the camera to capture the foggy scene in black and white. I was hoping the fog was going to envelop the lighthouse but the bank drifted down parallel with the cliffs. Thinking that would really be it we started making our way back along the cliffs over the area that looks just like the surface of Mars. As we did light broke through the cloud and mostly using a very wide angle lens I tried to capture colour images that showed the light hitting the colourful foreground, the industrial past and the lighthouse view.
Two completely different shoots in the same hour!
Thursday 14th April:
A very different blog today-no sea in sight-which is very difficult in West Cornwall. In the morning we went up to Sancreed Beacon, an area of moorland with windswept lone trees, Dartmoor ponies and a magical nature reserve woodland in the more sheltered valley. Best visited in foggy weather for photography but interesting all the same. A return visit won't be long as we discovered an area where bluebells are about to burst into flower.
Just a handheld exploration trip with my Panasonic G9 today using a long lens and standing back from the subjects.
A very different blog today-no sea in sight-which is very difficult in West Cornwall. In the morning we went up to Sancreed Beacon, an area of moorland with windswept lone trees, Dartmoor ponies and a magical nature reserve woodland in the more sheltered valley. Best visited in foggy weather for photography but interesting all the same. A return visit won't be long as we discovered an area where bluebells are about to burst into flower.
Just a handheld exploration trip with my Panasonic G9 today using a long lens and standing back from the subjects.
Wednesday 13th April:
With the inside of the house being painted we decided to go out for the morning and went off down to Sennen. We parked by the school and went down over the sand dunes to the beach. We left Penzance in grey, cool weather but down at Sennen there wasn't a breath of wind and it was positively warm in the hazy sunshine. Quite a few down on holiday with surfing lessons going on and people taking dogs for a walk before the May to September ban comes into force. Had a chat with a lady down on holiday from the Southampton area, just been to Lands End and now enjoying this beautiful beach while her husband was flying his drone. A lovely relaxing morning.
With the inside of the house being painted we decided to go out for the morning and went off down to Sennen. We parked by the school and went down over the sand dunes to the beach. We left Penzance in grey, cool weather but down at Sennen there wasn't a breath of wind and it was positively warm in the hazy sunshine. Quite a few down on holiday with surfing lessons going on and people taking dogs for a walk before the May to September ban comes into force. Had a chat with a lady down on holiday from the Southampton area, just been to Lands End and now enjoying this beautiful beach while her husband was flying his drone. A lovely relaxing morning.
Tuesday 12th April:
Third episode of the "Botallack Trilogy" saw me half a mile or so along the cliffs on a ledge by the Wheal Owles shaft and commemorative plaque. In January 1893 twenty miners lost their lives when the mine flooded-the bodies were never recovered.
The ledge here gives a view along the cliffs to the Crowns Engine Houses. I think the composition is really interesting especially in rough weather when the a white line of waves crashing up the rocks and then receding back down gives a lovely leading line. There are also small islands and stacks that you can zoom in on to capture the movement of the water. The gorse is coming out now and in about 2 weeks there will be lots of bluebells as well. No sun this afternoon, unless you count a ten second burst, just before the clouds thickened and there was a spell of heavy rain as I drove home.
Third episode of the "Botallack Trilogy" saw me half a mile or so along the cliffs on a ledge by the Wheal Owles shaft and commemorative plaque. In January 1893 twenty miners lost their lives when the mine flooded-the bodies were never recovered.
The ledge here gives a view along the cliffs to the Crowns Engine Houses. I think the composition is really interesting especially in rough weather when the a white line of waves crashing up the rocks and then receding back down gives a lovely leading line. There are also small islands and stacks that you can zoom in on to capture the movement of the water. The gorse is coming out now and in about 2 weeks there will be lots of bluebells as well. No sun this afternoon, unless you count a ten second burst, just before the clouds thickened and there was a spell of heavy rain as I drove home.
Monday 11th April:
Back to Botallack this afternoon and this time Alison came as well and bravely crossed the crumbling narrow path to the outer section of rocks. We then went down lower to where I was yesterday. Still no sun but some texture in the sky and the sea a little bit rougher. All colour for today's images, edited from the Fuji raw files..
Back to Botallack this afternoon and this time Alison came as well and bravely crossed the crumbling narrow path to the outer section of rocks. We then went down lower to where I was yesterday. Still no sun but some texture in the sky and the sea a little bit rougher. All colour for today's images, edited from the Fuji raw files..
Sunday 10th April:
Late afternoon saw me drive up to Botallack, a photography honey pot location but one I haven't visited for a while. Once down below the cliffs, near sea level, I was completely out of the strong south easterly wind and really warm. Up at the top you could hardly open the car door. Grey for most of the time I was there but the sun did pop out for a while later. I stuck to black and white today firstly focussing on the mines themselves and then the rocks and gullies below me.
Late afternoon saw me drive up to Botallack, a photography honey pot location but one I haven't visited for a while. Once down below the cliffs, near sea level, I was completely out of the strong south easterly wind and really warm. Up at the top you could hardly open the car door. Grey for most of the time I was there but the sun did pop out for a while later. I stuck to black and white today firstly focussing on the mines themselves and then the rocks and gullies below me.
Saturday 9th April:
A sudden impulse saw us drive up to Bosigran on the north coast this morning. The wind was light and the sun was out with the cliffs well populated with climbers but for a change I resisted taking images of them. I have never taken photographs at Bosigran at this time of day before and was pleasantly surprised at the light coming down the valley as the sun was further around to the south than I expected.
As we parked a coach turned up, ten people got off to take phone images of the mines, the rest stayed put, then it was back on the coach and off again- to St Ives I expect. Down on the cliffs there were quite a few walkers and I met and had a long chat with a couple from Melbourne in Australia who were over exploring the history and scenery of the area. The man was in the mining industry back home.
Up on the headland Alison had met a family from Helston. When I arrived the talk was about photography as their daughter was very keen, combining her photography with a love of art.
As usual I couldn't make up my mind whether I preferred colour or b&w so there's a selection of both below. With the last photo stacked image I've put colour and b&w next to each other for comparison.
Today I was using a Fuji XT3 with a 12mm prime for the wide angle images and a 55-200mm for others.
A sudden impulse saw us drive up to Bosigran on the north coast this morning. The wind was light and the sun was out with the cliffs well populated with climbers but for a change I resisted taking images of them. I have never taken photographs at Bosigran at this time of day before and was pleasantly surprised at the light coming down the valley as the sun was further around to the south than I expected.
As we parked a coach turned up, ten people got off to take phone images of the mines, the rest stayed put, then it was back on the coach and off again- to St Ives I expect. Down on the cliffs there were quite a few walkers and I met and had a long chat with a couple from Melbourne in Australia who were over exploring the history and scenery of the area. The man was in the mining industry back home.
Up on the headland Alison had met a family from Helston. When I arrived the talk was about photography as their daughter was very keen, combining her photography with a love of art.
As usual I couldn't make up my mind whether I preferred colour or b&w so there's a selection of both below. With the last photo stacked image I've put colour and b&w next to each other for comparison.
Today I was using a Fuji XT3 with a 12mm prime for the wide angle images and a 55-200mm for others.
Colour or black and white?
Friday 8th April:
Heavy rain followed by a sunny afternoon tempted us back for a quick visit to Porthcurno Bay but this time to the beach at Porthcurno itself. A few visitors appearing now as the Easter holidays begin and families start to make the journey to West Cornwall. A few surfers enjoying the smallish but well formed waves that were being held up by the offshore wind. Drove around to Trewellard for a pint of real ale on the way home and they were fully booked for evening meals which is a good start to the season for them.
Just in case it's of interest to you, I was shooting handheld with my Panasonic G9 and 50-200mm lens today.
Heavy rain followed by a sunny afternoon tempted us back for a quick visit to Porthcurno Bay but this time to the beach at Porthcurno itself. A few visitors appearing now as the Easter holidays begin and families start to make the journey to West Cornwall. A few surfers enjoying the smallish but well formed waves that were being held up by the offshore wind. Drove around to Trewellard for a pint of real ale on the way home and they were fully booked for evening meals which is a good start to the season for them.
Just in case it's of interest to you, I was shooting handheld with my Panasonic G9 and 50-200mm lens today.
Thursday 7th April:
A really strong north westerly but after early heavy rain the conditions improved in the afternoon. We drove to Treen and walked down the lane, past the campsite and on to the cliffs above Pedn Vounder. This would certainly be described as a "honey pot" location for photographers but I never tire of visiting the area. The wild ponies are back on the cliffs and you can't ignore them and there were also a few surfers about. It was low tide which is usually best for the beach and Logan Rock images as the sand bar shapes change each tide and also vary depending on the height of the tide.The light was lovely, quite subdued really and I like the images in colour and b&w so there's a selection of both below.
A really strong north westerly but after early heavy rain the conditions improved in the afternoon. We drove to Treen and walked down the lane, past the campsite and on to the cliffs above Pedn Vounder. This would certainly be described as a "honey pot" location for photographers but I never tire of visiting the area. The wild ponies are back on the cliffs and you can't ignore them and there were also a few surfers about. It was low tide which is usually best for the beach and Logan Rock images as the sand bar shapes change each tide and also vary depending on the height of the tide.The light was lovely, quite subdued really and I like the images in colour and b&w so there's a selection of both below.
Wednesday 6th April:
Heavy showers, a strong south westerly but some moments of sunshine in between. Mid afternoon I went up to Bosigran and Commando Ridge, one of my favourite spots but one I have not been to for a while. When I arrived at the clifftop there was some lovely light for a while as you can see in the first image below. It didn't last long so I switched to black and white as flurries of drizzle swept in but luckily I was relatively sheltered in the lee of the ridge. The sun threatened to reappear a couple of times but never really did. Walking back along the cliff edge later the wind was literally blowing me over but at least it was pushing me inland!
I made a short video to give you an idea of where I was and the scene around me-just click the black box below.
Heavy showers, a strong south westerly but some moments of sunshine in between. Mid afternoon I went up to Bosigran and Commando Ridge, one of my favourite spots but one I have not been to for a while. When I arrived at the clifftop there was some lovely light for a while as you can see in the first image below. It didn't last long so I switched to black and white as flurries of drizzle swept in but luckily I was relatively sheltered in the lee of the ridge. The sun threatened to reappear a couple of times but never really did. Walking back along the cliff edge later the wind was literally blowing me over but at least it was pushing me inland!
I made a short video to give you an idea of where I was and the scene around me-just click the black box below.
Monday April 4th:
A drizzly old day but I was determined to get out, so mid afternoon I drove down to Penberth, where I knew I would be out of the north westerly wind. A little damp on and off but generally still and quiet. With a grey sky and no direct light (apart from ten seconds) I shot everything in black and white to reflect the mood and atmosphere of the cove. Lots of plants springing into life especially the gunnera alongside the river.
A drizzly old day but I was determined to get out, so mid afternoon I drove down to Penberth, where I knew I would be out of the north westerly wind. A little damp on and off but generally still and quiet. With a grey sky and no direct light (apart from ten seconds) I shot everything in black and white to reflect the mood and atmosphere of the cove. Lots of plants springing into life especially the gunnera alongside the river.
Sunday April 3rd:
We decided to have a relaxing day for a change and for the first time in a while I didn't go out with the camera. What I did do though was have a look at some colour images from two days ago to show you how bright and blue the conditions were.
We decided to have a relaxing day for a change and for the first time in a while I didn't go out with the camera. What I did do though was have a look at some colour images from two days ago to show you how bright and blue the conditions were.
Saturday April 2nd:
We drove up to Cape Cornwall this afternoon through the rain. When we arrived it stopped so we went for a walk around the Cape and just got back when it poured down again. Half an hour later we got out and 10 minutes jumped back in just managing to avoid another downpour, unlike the family in the car next to us who were drowned when they got back. After another half hour pondering whether to go home I seized the chance of some b&w images in a brief dry spell. Some dramatic clouds and light trying hard to find the gaps as I went along the coast path just a short distance to get some compositions from higher up behind the Cape. On the way home the heavens opened over Mounts Bay hiding everything from view.
We drove up to Cape Cornwall this afternoon through the rain. When we arrived it stopped so we went for a walk around the Cape and just got back when it poured down again. Half an hour later we got out and 10 minutes jumped back in just managing to avoid another downpour, unlike the family in the car next to us who were drowned when they got back. After another half hour pondering whether to go home I seized the chance of some b&w images in a brief dry spell. Some dramatic clouds and light trying hard to find the gaps as I went along the coast path just a short distance to get some compositions from higher up behind the Cape. On the way home the heavens opened over Mounts Bay hiding everything from view.
Friday April 1st:
The new month begins with possibly the coldest night of the year but it did warm up as the sun got higher in the sky despite the very chilly north easterly wind. Looking at the map I decided the east side of Cape Cornwall would be sheltered and had an idea that I might get some decent black and white exposures with the clouds over and behind the mine stack. After spending an hour on the steep sloping side of the Cape I made my way down to Priest's Cove where it was positively hot eating my tea behind the fishermen's sheds.
If you are interested in birds I saw three black redstarts and a wheatear up on the Cape itself, all having a rest and feed before heading north for the breeding season.
I have got some colour images, taken down by the slipway, to process as well so they might well appear over the weekend.
The new month begins with possibly the coldest night of the year but it did warm up as the sun got higher in the sky despite the very chilly north easterly wind. Looking at the map I decided the east side of Cape Cornwall would be sheltered and had an idea that I might get some decent black and white exposures with the clouds over and behind the mine stack. After spending an hour on the steep sloping side of the Cape I made my way down to Priest's Cove where it was positively hot eating my tea behind the fishermen's sheds.
If you are interested in birds I saw three black redstarts and a wheatear up on the Cape itself, all having a rest and feed before heading north for the breeding season.
I have got some colour images, taken down by the slipway, to process as well so they might well appear over the weekend.