coast | alan frost photography

Posts tagged ‘coast’

East Head – At the end of the day

At the end of last week I met up with a few fellow photographers at East Head down in West Wittering. It’s a place I seem to be visiting on quite a regular basis at the moment, although I am more likely to be there in the morning walking the dog, as opposed to the end of the day.

I had already decided that the lighting conditions would probably suit some colour work and not black and white. I could always convert to mono later if I wanted to do so. I am so used to ‘seeing’ in black and white that taking images in colour and processing them later does throw up some new challenges for me, and there are plenty of times when I feel I am having to learn a whole new set of skills. Composition, overall tone and texture are still important but colour balance and how colours work with each other, is very different to monochrome.

So here are four images taken that evening. Given that when I arrived it was pouring with rain, I consider myself fortunate to have come back home with anything at all! The four of us had a lot of fun and we will have all photographed this location in a different way. The day ended up in an excellent pub with food and drink and a commitment to repeat a most enjoyable evening somewhere else in the not too distant future. Can’t wait!

Do click on any of the images to view a larger version which will open in a new window.

Alone on The Cobb

The Cobb at Lyme Regis in Dorset is an old stone curved pier forming a large harbour. Some 870ft in length there is an appreciable slope to the upper section with a sheer drop on one side into the sea. The lower promenade on the harbour side is better protected from the elements, but far less spectacular. On the horizon are the dramatic cliffs of the Jurassic Coast but I would advise stopping to take in the view. There is a notice informing anyone who wishes to walk along The Cobb not to do so in high winds. It’s easy to see why. Even on a clam day walking along the slope of The Cobb can be a little unnerving. This location was of course made famous in the 1981 film ‘ A French Lieutenant’s Woman’ featuring Meryl Streep.

A popular and much photographed scene, the inclusion of a lone figure walking on The Cobb not only adds human interest but also raises questions in my mind. It’s an image of solitude, coupled with the drama of truly spectacular location. The Cobb’s slope is clearly visible and the sea is clam. What are the thoughts going through the mind of the person in the picture? Is he enjoying an inner calm and peace or are his feelings of a very different nature? Perhaps he is simply enjoying the wonderful view on a beautiful Spring day? Questions but no answers, but hopefully an image which can be appreciated for a variety of different reasons.

Protection – Sand dunes at East Head

Protection

I seem to have spent a fair amount of time down at East Head in West Wittering recently. The sand dunes and large areas of beach when combined with ‘big’ skies provide me with so many scenes to photograph. The low light at the end the day is a great time to be there; more so, if a weather front is just passing through. In this image the last rays of sunlight are illuminating the old and rickety dunes fence, one of the last of its type at East Head. There are now more metal posts and wires which are far less attractive from a photographer’s point of view.

These sand fences are put in place to protect the dunes from erosion by reducing wind speed across the sand surface and encourage foredune deposition. They also help to control public access, but for me they quite simply provide some excellent foreground interest in a photograph which is always going to be enhanced by a dramatic sky.

I read a quote by Ansel Adams the other day which read. “Sometimes I do get to places just when God is ready to have somebody click the shutter”. I think this might just have been one of those occassions.

Do click on the image itself to view a larger version.

Tranquility at East Head

There are many subjects which I enjoy photographing but seascapes are a particular favourite of mine. There is something about a deserted beach at low tide when the wet sand reflects the clouds in the sky above. There is a sense of calm and tranquility in this image, even though this might quickly change, as circling rain clouds threaten to alter the scene.

Whilst black and white is my preferred style, I am beginning to find that the introduction of subtle colours adds another dimension to an image and this is certainly true of this shot. The almost painterly quality in the sky is lost without the combination of the blue and grey hues. A hint of ochre in the sand is also important to the overall feel and mood. This colour palette is I think rather pleasing and I hope you agree.

East Head is owned by The National Trust, so for more information about this rather beautiful location on the South Coast do click here.

Here are two more posts which also feature East Head –

Low tide at East Head

Gathering storm at East Head

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

There are many quotes attributed to Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of them being that – “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”. With this image I have taken his saying quite literally. To an extreme in fact because there is absolutely nothing sharp or in focus anywhere in the frame. As a consequence this picture is sure to divide opinion.

When I took the shot I quite deliberatly adjusted the focus ring to give me an out of focus image. It was also shot with a wide aperture opening to minimise the depth of field, further ensuring a blurred image. The light was reasonably good and with a maximum shutter speed on my camera of 1/4000th of a second, I had to use a 3 stop ND filter to avoid blown highlights. In processing I added grain, a vignette and split toned the image.

Ignoring the complete lack of any sharpness the viewer can still discern a man, virtually a silhouette, standing on the beach watching his dog standing in the water. The ripples of the sea along the foreshore and the distant land mass on the horizon provide a sense of depth, and the placement of the man and his dog on the intersection of the thirds gives balance to the overall composition. There is also a triangle which is formed from the man’s head, out to the dog and back to the man’s feet.

I know this is what might be described as a ‘marmite’ shot – you either love it or hate it. Or perhaps you simply can’t understand why the photographer couldn’t at the very least focus his camera properly!

So does this image appeal to the viewer or is it quickly rejected for being technically poor because nothing is sharp, even though that was my intention at the outset? Does this very soft image portray a mood or feeling which would be non existent if the image had been sharp from front to back? There are so many questions and in my view there are no right or wrong answers. It’s my creative vision of a simple scene – one man and his dog, alone on the shoreline…..and the rest is down to your interpretation and imagination.

As always your comments and thoughts on this post would be most welcome.