PhotoGuernsey

Sunset Reflection at Grande Rocques

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00 +0100

Photo of sunset reflecting in a rock pool at Grande Rocques, Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands. The sun setting in the west causes the fluffy clouds to glow red and orange in a deep blue evening sky and reflects in a calm, still rock pool in the foreground.

Le Jaonnet Gulley at Dusk

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:27 +0100

Photo of rocks in a rough sea at sunset at Le Jaonnet bay, Guernsey, Channel Islands. The long exposure has smoothed the waves in the raging blue sea and caused the colourful clouds to recede as leading lines into the center of the photograph

St Peter Port Rooftops at Sunrise

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:25 +0100

Photo of rooftops and chimneys in the old quarter of St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel islands. The raking early morning warm light of sunrise illuminates this rooftop scene of town houses photographed from burnt lane, outside Notre Dame primary school overlooking Victoria Road and Trinity Square

Pulias Rocks on a Rising Tide

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:54 +0100

Same rocks, different sky ...and no rats this time! This was taken a little while after sunset. I had taken a few before a little further along this rocky stretch as the sun passed through the yellow gap you can see here. The light was stunning for a few moments but created more contrast than I would have liked. After the sun has set, the contrast lessens as you see here, although I still needed to use 5 stops of ND grads across the sky. The high and translucent cirrus clouds where thick enough to reflect some colour from the sun, but not so thick that they turn grey as lower cloud may have done - the gap above the horizon was enough to let that late light through. These rocks make great sculptural subjects and the difference in tide, cloud and viewpoint do enough to create a different atmosphere to that taken on my last visit.

Fort Grey Moorings at Sunset

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:08 +0100

As seems to have been the pattern for most of the week, the thick cloud only began clearing an hour before sunset, almost to the point that I wished there was a little more in the sky. Another photographer was already at the same location when I arrived so I was mindful not to encroach on his shots and also not to go for the same scenes. The sea had calmed by this time to a flat mirror-like surface but rushed in extremely fast over the flat sand. I picked a boat still on dry land so as not to disturb the other person there and waited for the tide to rise around it. Unfortunately as it did, my camera's remote release decided to go swimming and drowned in my hands. A little frustrated I packed up early and headed off, slightly regretful as the colour of the sky and its reflections appeared to improve immensely as I walked back up the beach.

Castle Cornet Illuminations at Dusk

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:25 +0100

Castle Cornet is the dominant feature guarding the harbour of Guernsey's capital St Peter Port. There's no drama in the sky in this shot; as much as I try, I haven't quite mastered the creation of perfectly photogenic cloud formations yet! Instead, I composed my shot early and waited for a balance of light in the scene. On a clear night such as this, there is a short moment in time where the ambient light hits that 'sweet-spot'. It is a fleeting moment, usually somewhere within the half-hour after sunset, where everything balances perfectly and the sky glows the deepest blue. This perfect light exists for a very short time, a couple of minutes at most, and it is this moment I intentionally waited for in this photograph. Another thing I can't control is the tide. This image will be improved drastically with a still high-tide lapping the uprights of the walkway - a return visit is on the cards!