text: We had set our sights on an early shot of the lighthouse on the Point but for some reason I just couldn’t find the shot I wanted this time.
  I like lighthouses, there is something I find quite photogenic about them but I think for this one I needed to be down at sea level and there was no easy way to get down there as far as I could see.
  It was especially disappointing as there was a dramatic looking wreck on the rocks below that was crying out to be the foreground interest for the shot.
  I did find this old fence post, lit up against the sea cliffs beyond for a quick shot before moving on.
  At Hartland Quay we were able to get down to the sea.
  A ramp built between the Hotel and the bay gives access to a rocky landscape washed constantly by the sea.
  It is very important here to keep a close watch on the tide as the sea can quickly cut an unwary soul off from the ramp and leave you stranded & potentially in danger.
  The brightness of the sun on this day meant that exposure times were shortening so much that I needed to use a neutral density to avoid stopping the motion of the water.
  As I have said before, I like my photographs to capture the spirit of a location and as the sea is in constant motion I feel that motion is an essential element in depicting the coast.
  Some people do not like the use of long exposures with water saying that it is creates a false effect.
  You could equally say the same of short exposures capturing every droplet and freezing them in mid air.
  Each technique has it’s place I think but my preference has always been to portray the fluid nature of water in my pictures.
  The geology of Hartland Quay is fascinating in itself, even a rank amateur like myself can see the results of cataclysmic forces that have buckled and folded the rocks through the ages here.
  I have already made a mental note to return here when the light better suits the cliff face formations.