Whitstable

As you know, I’ve come to stay with my sister for a while.

I do miss being at home though; especially my family and lovely dog.  But being away does have its advantages. Rest and recuperation come right at the top of that list, closely followed by spending some quality time with Corinne.

a man at peace – until I tried to get up, then I was a man in pieces!

Then there’s my photography.  Of course, I’ve brought my camera and other gear with me so I can still take photographs – in sometimes new locations.

The last time I was in Whitstable was around 12 years ago, and I didn’t take any photos.  This time was very different: I took plenty.  The landscape, or rather seascape, there is very, very different to the one I’m used to back home.  

Shallow shelfs replace massive rocky outcrops meaning the breaking waves are much softer than those I’m used to.

And then there are the features.  Man made groynes and slipways replace the geologically formed coastline of Gower and its surroundings.

4 minutes at f16, ISO 100

So, I was really excited to get to Whitstable.  The only problem was timing.  I wanted to be at the coast for high (ish) tide.  This meant having to be there during early afternoon, meaning the light would be far from ideal.  There are always compromises with photography though, and I enjoy the challenges these conditions present.  It feels much more like I’m creating a piece of art than taking a photograph!

2 minutes at f16, ISO 100

I got three images that I’m really excited about.  All were shot with my Fujifilm GFX50R and its 32-64mm f4.0 lens, on a tripod and using a Lee 10-stop filter along with a Formatt Hitech 3-stop reverse graduated filter.

The Lee allowed me to shoot really long exposures, and the Hitech filter with its magenta colour cast ensured that while the sky looked a bit off from being real, the art theme was continued.

30 seconds at f16, ISO 100

I can’t wait until I can get back to the North Kent coastline again – hopefully in the Autumn or Winter when more favourable lighting conditions would be present at more civilised times of the day.  

Oh, and with all my family along for the ride too.