After being openly challenged by a friend who’s photographic talents I greatly admire I resolved to head out and see what I could do today… I discovered Ladram bay whilst pouring over a large format OS map of the Dorset and Devon coast., nestled between Sidmouth and Exmouth and appearing as an indent on an otherwise uninterrupted stretch of the coast. I had a few things to get in Exeter so once done I navigated my way along twisty roads heading for Ladram Bay. I noticed I had a little while until the sun reached that all important point where it casts it’s golden light across the land so stopped off at a small pine wood en route. I was drawn to the tunnels of light and set about trying to find the best way of interpreting them.

Dense bracken everywhere prevented too much rummaging around but I was satisfied with the results. I hopped back into the car and continued on to my destination. Ladram Bay is in fact a caravan park, perhaps more accurately; a sprawl. Not entirely pleasant to see a mass of white plastic roofs across the rolling Devon hillsides but there you go. I quickly got down to the waterfront and was instantly glad I made the trip, Ladram Bay presents a fascinating geological phenomenon whereby erosion of the sandstone coast has left behind several ‘stacks’ a short way off the shore, you can read a bit more here. Indeed just around the corner in the next bay are several more, though access to these is only possible during low tide and even then only limited for the danger of being cut off, yet so many never learn, just check the RNLI call-out records! Low tide reveals a shelf upon which the stacks rest but I was glad to get the dimension of water when I was there, completely isolating the stone towers as the sat in the pounding surf. I walked around the bay to try and catch some of the dying light reflecting off the orange rock face, I believe this would be a much better location for a morning shoot… I chose a slightly longer exposure to account for the growing shadows and also to get some of the water movement. Photography is not static, in my mind time is the most vital element required after the components of the scene are arranged so being sure to capture this dimension of the creative process is something I always try to do, water is most often the best substance for enabling this.

and all the shots for you to browse;