Porlock Bay, Exmoor
The Photo
One of the UK's National Parks, Exmoor is an area full of character and charm. Moorland, rocky cliffs, tree lined valleys, coastal villages - Exmoor has them all. This photograph shows the spectacular sweep of Porlock Bay, situated on the northern coast where the moors end and the sea begins. The shingle beach that stretches across the bay was formed some 8000 years ago, but due to changes in the surrounding coastline it is no longer naturally replenished - one day it will likely be no more.
I had wanted to capture an image that took in the dramatic sweep of the bay, the rising mass of the moors behind and the last of the light from a setting sun. Within my mind I had pictured a mirrored sea, bringing a gentle peace to the scene and drawing the eye along the beach and to the land beyond. The photo you see is the result of this vision.
Planning and Preparation
Planning for this photograph began three months before the image was taken, shortly after the trip to Exmoor had been booked. Visiting during mid-august meant that it would be a close call as to whether the setting sun would be too far south, and blocked by the hills in the background. To check that this wouldn't happen, that my hopes wouldn't be dashed, a sun-compass was used in conjunction with an OS Map - the combination of these two tools making it easy to determine that my luck was in and that the photo was possible.
Upon arrival in Exmoor a quick scouting trip allowed time to wander the scene and decide upon the rough location for the shot, then, as is often the case with landscape photography, it was a case of waiting for the right weather and the right light.
Two days later the weather looked good and the game was afoot! Arriving about an hour before sunset the scene was one of serenity. A few people idled away the last of the sun's warmth and a fisherman began to slowly wind in his line for the last time. The three months of planning was looking good, but then disaster - a bank of cloud began to roll lazily across the horizon and obscure the setting sun. Luck seemed to be on my side though and just in time the sun dropped back out of the clouds, once again casting its warm light across the bay. A few clicks of the shutter later the sun was gone and the light began to fade.
Technique
There were a number of technical problems to overcome in capturing this image as it appeared in my mind and to my eye. Two filters were used in the shot, stacked together in a Lee filter holder. A neutral density filter was used to cut down the overall light and allow me to blur the sea, whilst a 2 stop graduated filter was added at an angle to balance the brightness of the sea and sky with the land.
The required depth of field meant an aperture of f22 was used, with the lens being focussed at the hyperfocal distance. This small aperture is beyond the diffraction limit for the lens/camera, but test shots proved it to provide a sharper overall image than the lack of focus that would have occurred at larger apertures.
I shoot all my images in RAW format, so some degree of post-processing is always required. For this photo processing was limited to colour/contrast adjustments, together with a slight correction to a tilt of the horizon - must remember to put a spirit level in my pack!
Final Thoughts
I always derive greater pleasure from photos that have been planned well in advance. I think this is because of the additional thought that has gone into them, and the satisfaction of seeing a vision become reality at the click of a shutter. This photo is no exception in this regard, but as if often the case it also required a little bit of luck.