I wasn’t sure what to expect as I headed to the beach at Westward Ho! The scene that I had witnessed using the local webcam was looking favourable with large spring tides; however, the weather had forecast cloud. I’m glad I went; as on my arrival it was clear that there was some real potential for a vivid display in the sky. A clear band of sky was visible below the clouds, which improved the chance of some good light happening.
Making the most of the high tides
With the high tides, I knew that I wanted to get a good seascape photograph of the iconic walkway towards the headland of the beach. Once I had set everything up and was ready to go, and it was instantly clear that the energy of the sea combined with the southerly winds was going to keep a constant supply of sea spray heading my way. Trying to keep my Lee Filter clear of it was a nightmare between shots. Despite the sea spray, I managed to get a few shots that I was happy with.
I really like this photo, especially how the dropping sunlight is reflected off the path and the boulders that grace the beach, while the dramatic cloud balances the composition.