A good Ol’ favourite location of Caister-on-Sea was the chosen one this week.
One advantage of the onslaught of Autumn/Winter is the later sunrises. These are progressing rapidly now so meet time was 05:45.
The shoot
We ambled from our cars across the dunes as we were deliberately targeting a post, the one with the basket on top.
Fellow photographers have been saying that the ever moving sand around our coast changes the seascapes in front of us, and make our regularly visited locations more interesting to shoot.
Apparently, the post which was our target spot has been enveloped by more sand and appears more ‘sunk’ which provides some interest.
What we needed now was a decent sky and sunrise colours, and we could see the colours in the sky starting to emerge.
Sunrises are now emerging faster and therefore you need to utilise the time beforehand to get an idea of what you want to capture.
We set up to take our first shots of the post, as always, being courteous to not be in each others way.
My first capture was a simple one.
I realised that I needed to be careful to ensure the post was above the horizon just to separate it from the horizon.
We had lucked in this morning, not only with fantastic sunrise colours, lighting and cloud. We had a super subject and a person fishing in the distance.
Next up, I tried a wider shot and have deliberately placed the post far right completely breaking the rule of thirds.
Someone needs to report me, I’ve broken the ‘Rule of Thirds’!
This was a fun shoot as we also had the sea waves arriving at regular intervals so plenty of swooshery was on offer.
With my wellies on, I positioned myself to get right in the spot where I could capture water over the sand near the post.
I left the bird in – it’s blurred of course by the slow shutter speed but I think it adds something.
As we were shooting different variations, I became aware that on occasions, the the basket was reflected in the wet sand so I tried to time things such that I captured that, the texture in the sea.
I also like the swirly damp sand shapes leading your eye to the post and beyond, and misty sea spray from the sea in the distance to the fisherman.
I was taken with that sea spray so captured another shot with that in mind forgetting about reflections.
With such a glorious morning, it’s hard not to want to capture the wind turbines, so I grabbed a couple of obligatory shots.
Very quickly though, I went back to the post as the sky was an amazing pink colour, and rapidly getting lighter and less prominent. My senses were sounding the FOMO alarm!
I decided to risk wet feet again and see if I could get a shot of the water coming in. I was chasing the perfect combo of water, reflections, sky, shapes, sea spray and fisherman but try as I may, it wasn’t quite coming off.
I am very pleased with the following shot though, and it’s perhaps a second favourite from the trip.
I’ve been forgetting about ICM on recent trips, and had pledged that I would try them on every shoot.
I moved in from the sea water as my socks and wellies were soaking and could do with a breather, and shot the following scene.
I had a long spell where I was addicted to ICM’s of the post, and in reality all the captures were similar. They were variations of zoom bursts.
One of my fellow photographers suggested a close-up of the post which hadn’t occurred to me so I did a shot of just that.
And that was a wrap.
The morning sun was up now brightening the sky, and the pink colour had evaporated with it.
We wandered back to the car park for coffee and debrief, and we were all thrilled to have experienced such an amazing sunrise, and a subject which had brought us all shots for the keeper’s bag.
I got my wellies and sodden wet socks off and was drying my feet with a spare fleece from the back of my car when a fellow photographer handed me a towel to do the job properly.
Debrief done, coffees drank, dry feet and a fresh pair of socks meant I drove away happy as Larry (whoever he is)… see here to be enlightened.
But that wasn’t the end of the morning…
RPSB Strumpshaw
I’ve thought many a time about calling in at RSPB Strumpshaw on my way home, particularly if I’m driving back from the East coast, as I pass it on the way home.
I’ve not done so to date, either because I’m too tired (particularly if it’s a very early start) or I haven’t brought my longer lens. Today I brought my longer lens and was determined to call in.
A bonus or another threat to a reduction in my lifespan is that Ronald has his crack food den just a few miles away from the reserve.
I called in for my usual sustenance and elected for a tea as I had a decent coffee intake from my flask post the shoot in Caister.
I pour the tea into my morning cup/flask which I can then enjoy in one of the reserve’s hides.
I parked up, and after putting my long lens on, went on an amble into the reserve with the intention of sitting in reception hide watching the birdlife and supping my tea.
As I approached the hide, I was met with the view of a different hide! 🤢
With a packed outer deck, and that sight I could not ‘unsee’, I made my way into reception and took my seat indoors.
It was quiet for quite a while and I was keeping my eyes peeled for the kingfisher.
On the odd occasion, I could a kingfisher, but they were on a post too far away near an island full of reeds.
I could consider up scaling this crop factor shot but I know it will not be great, and I want to capture this bird with maximum image quality.
I was glued to the spot, enjoying my tea when a heron flew across and landed on a high tree stump.
I grabbed the following shot which I’m very pleased to have captured.
I’ve flipped the image round, and removed a distracting tree to create more space where the heron is looking.
I had a wander round to Fen hide but there was nothing doing, and now it really was a wrap.
Arriving home, I was knackered so went to bed for a couple of hours restorative sleep.
What a morning! No kingfisher, but a bag full of lovely shots.
Editor’s Note
No, not a note from the editor, but a note about editing.
I’ve been reflecting on my post production and editing, and after observing other photographers and pro photographers I like, I’m making an effort to tone down my images.
I’m sure it’s a coincidence but I realise I love pastel colours and tones, and as it happens I’ve seen 2-3 magazine articles this month about editing to a pastel palette.
This means I am reducing editing detail such as dehaze, clarity, contrast, saturation and temperature. I’m also trying harder to see if I can edit shots without masks, or where masks are needed, it’s for a specific non-harsh effect.
I’m also starting to see if I can finish an edit using Lightroom only thereby saving myself a second pass through Snapseed which has become my go to (pre-Instagram) final edit regime.
Not all of the images here have 100% this new approach but I will be trying the more subtle approach a lot in the coming weeks and months.
I hope you like the output, and over time can notice the difference, and see an improvement.
Onwards and upwards…