Sunrise over Rape Fields, Woodingdean 2015
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This trip was the first time that I managed to catch a sunrise properly on camera. I’d been out before sunrise a few times, but not quite gotten the hang of how to capture it or what to do. This was shot just as I was on my way to Rottingdean (a small fishing village just on the edge of Brighton’s city limits) and as I drove towards Woodingdean from the A27 the sun started to come up over these fields. I hastily stopped and grabbed the camera, tripod and 0.6 ND Grad to help balance the exposure. The 0.6 Neutral Density Graduated Filter still wasn’t quite enough so I bracketed my exposures a couple of times and merged them in Photoshop using HDR.
I’ve never been a huge fan of HDR images but I’ve recently found a technique I like that doesn’t feel overdone. I’ve also found that combining it with the graduated filters works well.
Groyne 1, Rottingdean 2015
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So onto Rottingdean; what I particularly wanted here were shots of the groynes by the Sea as they’re slightly bigger than the typical ones along Brighton beach. Using the 10 stop ND filter helped smooth out the water for a long exposure. I really liked the way it abstracted images, and thought this obscure composition (below) worked quite well to achieve a really abstract image. I love the touch of light towards the end of the groyne, which just reveals a little detail in an otherwise empty image.
Groyne 2, Rottingdean 2015
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Rottingdean Sea Defence, 2015
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Standing on the actual groyne (I know you’re really not supposed to!) allowed me to shoot looking back toward the coastal walk beneath the cliffs. Again, I’ve used a 10 stop ND filter to smooth over the water. This shot is ok, but I think it would be better if the sun wasn’t behind the cliffs, so this may work much better in the winter months, not spring as pictured here.
