From Dawn till Dusk - A Photography Adventure

It's 4am and the faint sound of my alarm begins to stir me. I currently don't have curtains up in my bedroom but it's still pitch black and I struggle to drag myself out from under the warmth and comfort of my duvet. My eyes burn as one tap of my bedside lamp lights up the room, and after a quick rub of my face I try to leap out of bed with the enthusiasm of a lottery winner.

I don't really function too well this early on a morning without some caffeine, so after a quick drink while allowing my car to warm up and de-ice the windows I hit the road for the short drive to Minehead. From Dawn till Dusk is a photography challenge that I give myself from time to time in order to motivate me to get out somewhere new with my camera. The aim is simple - choose a location (and research the area if you wish), get there before the sun comes up and come back home long after the sun goes down. It's not really important that I end up capturing amazing photos; its more about getting my camera out and practicing any technique I feel I need to. Brushing off the cobwebs if you will.

My plan is to start on the beach in Minehead and try to locate what appears to be a wooden warning post just sitting out at sea to add something of interest in the composition. Of course until I get there and see it then I need to remain flexible. Minehead faces north but after a quick look on google earth, if I situate myself in a specific place then I might be able to look east and catch the sunrise. I checked the weather the night before and it looked questionable. The chance of low cloud or mist and strong wind. But at least the rain should stay at bay.

I arrived in Minehead with plenty of time to spare before sunrise and find my first shooting location with little trouble. Its' a dead end road with a few parking spaces so I park facing out to sea. It's so dark that I can't tell if the tide is in or out. Not even my headlights can reach the breaking waves. The outside air temperature gauge says its 4 degrees and I can feel the wind rocking my car from side to side, but I decide to brave it and get out to try and locate the wooden post. Its no good though, its too dark. The sound of the powerful waves can be heard over the howl of the wind braking on the shore and so I retreat back to the warmth of my car. Time to sunrise is getting closer and I find myself asking, "am I in the right place?"

I decide to take a drive around the area to see if I can find any clues as to whether I am in the right location and after about 15 minutes I find myself back in the same place. By now I can see the sky beginning to lighten and the low cloud is clearly visible. The wooden warning post is just starting to appear out of the darkness so I brave the wind and cold once more to find a good composition. My hands are so cold and I struggle to release the latches on my tripod. The wind is biting at my ears and it's time to put some more warm clothes on. I can feel the spray of the waves hitting my face and I am having to constantly try and shield the front of my lens. I start to question if the early start is going to be worth it?!

As it begins to get lighter I start to take a few shots. I am beginning to lose my enthusiasm and have no inspiration at all. I am battling the elements so much that I can't even think about camera settings or exposures and pretty much revert to winging it! The cloud is still low and obscuring any chance of a sunrise, but I can now see the beach. Vibrant purple pebbles mixed with rocks and old wooden posts cracked and aged with years of battering from the waves. My visions of a beautiful landscape shot are fast fading away, but maybe I can get some nice abstract shots or images of patterns and textures. I use a Canon 5D Mk2 which I bought with the Canon 24-105mm. For the rest of my lenses I have had to buy on a budget. Although they are not what I would like to own, they do give me some flexibility and range when out shooting. The most recent addition to my kit is a 50mm prime lens which strangely I haven't used yet, so this seems like a good a time as any.

I spend the next 30 minutes or so exploring up and down the beach and taking some images but I still feel the lack of inspiration. I am now freezing cold and although the low cloud has started to burn off and turn into mist, the light is dull and flat, so I decide to find a hot drink somewhere while I decide what to do next. Even though I plan the location of where to be for the sunrise and sunset, I don't normally plan the in-between part. I am at the point now where I am fighting the urge to head back home but I am trying to stay optimistic. I come up with a plan to drive to an old abandoned village. I have no idea what it will be like but that's part of the fun of these little adventures, and of photography in general.

Warmed up and feeling a little refreshed I jump back in the car ready to head off again. Suddenly a bright golden light fills the sky. The clouds have broken and the sun is fighting through. The mist is hovering low over the beach and the silhouette of Butlins is looming in the distance. This is what I have been waiting for. This is why I crawled out of bed while the rest of the world slept, and this is my chance to capture some images at last. Not only is the view in front of me beautiful, I can feel the sun warming my face and the wind dying down. Conditions like this instantly make me smile and excited to be out with my camera. I lift the camera to my eye in anticipation of pressing the shutter button hoping that the colour and warmth will be captured perfectly. I can't help but look at the screen as I wait anxiously for the image to be processed ready to view. It takes seconds but feels like an eternity when you know the scene won't last much longer. The exposure looks good so now I just need to make the most of what little time I have left before the sun burns away all of the mist and the light becomes harsh.

Re-energised and with the golden light beginning to fade I head off to the next location. On the way I drive through a valley where the mist is still lingering but burning off fast. A light frost seems to cover the fields and the sheep are out grazing happily. I can see a composition in my head but I need to work fast. The best viewpoint involves hiking up a hill so I can look down into the valley, but time is against me and the mist is fading quickly. I can see the sun slowly creeping along the valley floor and warming it. The sheep graze away oblivious to the beautiful conditions right in front of them and all the while I am running up and down in a mad panic trying to find the best position for the best composition. Fearing I might scare the sheep away if I make too much noise or move too aggressively, I decide not to fight through the hedge that separates me from them. I frame the shot as best I can and take a few images. After a quick look at the results I feel there must be a better composition somewhere but its too late and the mist has all but disappeared now. Vibrant blue now dominates the sky with only a few patches of lingering cloud as the sun begins to rise higher above the horizon. Time to move on.

Feeling exhilarated by the improved weather conditions and having a few images in the bag, I begin heading to the abandoned village. After looking on google maps I can see that it seems to be in a valley but there are no roads leading to it, so I find a layby as close as I can and dress appropriately before starting what I thought would be a short walk! Turns out it was slightly further than I had anticipated. It had better be worth it! On the way I spot something out of the corner of my eye, slightly obscured by some bushes and about 50 metres away from me. It looks like a deer. Brilliant! I start to get into a position to try and capture a photo of it. Strange....its not moved. Maybe its keeping an eye on me? I move even closer and it still doesn't move. Is it real? Am I seeing things? I decide to be bold and head straight for it. As I get up close I can see its fake and has a target on it. I take a look around and see similar animals hidden in trees and ditches. I've wondered into a shooting range! I swiftly pick up the pace and head out of the area.

Eventually I find the abandoned village.....or what's left of it. A few stone walls overgrown in moss and the remains of some tracks leading in and out of the area. Nothing stood out to me or inspired me to take any photos. After wondering around for about ten minutes I decide to start the long walk back to the car.

My day came to an end at this point and I headed back home to see how my images had turned out. Although I didn't make it to the end of the day or didn't get chance to try and capture the sunset, I didn't feel disheartened or that I had failed my challenge. I made the most of the day as best that I could. Part of enjoying photography is taking chances and simply getting out there. You will never achieve all of your goals all of the time but if you can say that you tried then nobody can ask any more of you. I learnt a few lessons on this trip which I will take forward with me on my next adventure.

#Photography #Adventure #Dawn #Dusk #Sunrise