Walberswick in Suffolk was the chosen destination for our latest sunrise excursion.
With sunrise just before 08:00, meet time was 07:00.
About Walberswick
Walberswick is a village and civil parish on the Suffolk coast in England. It is at the mouth of the River Blyth on the south side of the river. The town of Southwold lies to the north of the river and is the nearest town to Walberswick, around 1 mile (1.6 km) away. Walberswick is around 11 miles (18 km) south of Lowestoft on the North Sea coast. It is 7 miles (11 km) east of Halesworth and 28 miles (45 km) northeast of the county town of Ipswich.
Coastal erosion and the shifting of the mouth of the River Blyth caused the neighbouring town of Dunwich, 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south, to be lost as a port in the last years of the 13th century. Following a brief period of rivalry and dispute with Dunwich, Walberswick became a major trading port from the 13th century until World War I. Almost half of the village’s properties are holiday homes.
The name Walberswick is believed to derive from the Saxon Waldbert – probably a landowner – and “wyc” meaning shelter or harbour. At the top of the village is the 15th-century St Andrew’s Church, which has been reduced in size since its medieval heyday. The size of the remaining St Andrew’s ruins demonstrate how large the parish church once was.
The name ‘Walleburyswyke’, appearing in a Latin legal record, dated 1440, may refer to the village.
The defences constructed around Walberswick during the Second World War have been documented. They included a number of pillboxes, landmines and flame fougasse installations. The beaches were protected with extensive barriers of scaffolding.
The Shoot
We parked in the common car park and walked over towards the beach.
Although it was still partially dark, the sky was looking very promising.
We had a good walk round and talked about our last club visit here where we focused on the pier, as many photographers and visitors may do.
We agreed that there is so much more potential with the beach, the various fencing, the black huts, the buildings near the car park, and much more.
We took our care having a really good look around then moved to our preferred starting positions. I always think there’s a balance to be had between sticking in one spot all morning vs zipping around at pace almost rushing to grab as many shots as possible. I tend to be most at risk of the former.
My first shot is below:
From the get go, I was trying to think more about composition. In the image above, I’ve got foreground interest, an amazing sky and a wave as I timed the shot such that I would get this in the shot. Is it a 10/10 shot? No. I think I should’ve got in lower and closer to that isolated grass and made it more dramatic.
The sky was developing rapidly and we were treated to the most awesome sunrise sky. After the disappointment of the drab sky last weekend at Thurne, this was one of those mornings where getting out of bed early is worth it.
My next shot has a diagonal row of clumps of grass which I quite liked. This shot has been posted on social media and appears to be receiving a lot of praise. Check out that sky!
Is it a ‘Ten’ shot? No. I think (again), it probably lacks a bit more drama. Maybe a little less foreground at the bottom, and a bit more sky maybe?
I walked further up the beach as a log had caught my eye and I thought it might make for a good shot.
Three variations are below:
Unfortunately, they just don’t do it for me.
I walked onto the beach and spotted this clump of vegetation and duly took a shot.
I’ve since gone back to the shot and made a portrait version which I think is a little more compelling.
I retreated back to where the black huts are located but couldn’t really see a composition at all.
I wandered behind the huts just to take a different route back down the top of the beach and spotted this path to the beach which caught my eye.
I have a couple of shots of the above scene (one exposed for the foreground, and the other exposed for the sky) that I need to blend together which may make this image better. As you will see, the sky was really bright so the single image above contains a blown out sky.
I walked a little further up and turned around to see a nice scene across to Walberswick harbour.
The sunrise was developing at quite a rapid speed so I skipped over to the beach again.
I was loving the clumps of grass and took this shot deliberately to capture a wave in the background.
I had a closer look around this part of the beach and decided to form a different composition.
I liked the way the brighter sunlight was lighting up parts of the grass.
Wandering to the pier end of the beach, I felt I needed a shot with some of the fencing in so grabbed the image below.
With the sun fully out now, the light was a little too harsh so I caught up with the guys taking images of the buildings near the car park.
I grabbed the image below but unlike the other guys, I was not particularly wowed by the buildings.
And that was a wrap.
Our usual debrief with flask coffee back at the car park and then we made our way home.
Ronald took more of my money as I couldn’t resist a bacon roll on the way back.
A catch up on sleep on my return made it the perfect trip.
Onwards and upwards…