Mirrors in the Sand
Water reflections at Sunrise
When you live by the sea and walk by the sea, water reflections are a daily delight, presenting a wonderful opportunity to capture them on camera.
On the South Coast of England, where I’ve lived for years, the weather and sea conditions are extremely unpredictable, ranging from wild, windy, and wonderful, all pristine blue with frothy white waves to flat, grey, and dull as dishwater.
Over time, I’ve learned to make no assumptions and show up regardless, camera at the ready, and armed with the mindset to expect the unexpected. But, I also make sure to keep an eye on the tide times, so that I’m aware of when the tide is high or low and when these tides coincide with sunrise and sunset. Scouting locations is a massive time saver too and can make the difference between a capture that sings or one that is out of key.
The sun rises on the eastern horizon behind the North Pier, Brighton, and because it is at a much lower angle at dawn, I know if I am up with the larks there is a good chance I will discover a shimmering silken pathway on the waves when the tide is high. It’s a fleeting moment though.
At this hour the light is softer, the scene more photogenic and I regularly find myself in the right place at the right time to witness unscripted stories that reflect aspects of life from the local community.
Like the moment these sea swimmers leave the sea in silhouette against a backdrop of the sun’s reflection on the water and I wonder if this is what is meant by Cartier Bresson’s decisive moment — the perfect moment to press the shutter — in some small way?
Another group who inhabit the seafront when most are still in bed are fishermen hunting for sandworms. These beach worm ‘warriors’ strike a pose on mirror-glazed sands at low tide, striding out or digging low in the soft sand to root out bait.
Frankly, I adore the super low tide sunrise combination, and make a note to be there if the tide level promises to be below 0.9m. There are no guarantees of course, but it does signal the potential for dramatic open seascapes and offers the best chance of catching a spectacular sky reflected in wet sand… if you are lucky.
Then when the beach is deserted and I am alone with my thoughts, with the sounds of the sea, with the fresh breeze in my hair and all the space in the world to breathe in a new day …‘something’ usually happens: something in the form of a furry friend that bounds in from nowhere and stops to pose…fleetingly.
And then he’s off…
Thank you for reading.
The SNAPSHOTS Editorial Team (Allan Rae (alto), Sherry Kappel, Dennett, David Montgomery, and with special thanks to Dennett for the inspiring March Monthly Challenge
