Waiting for the light

Posted on Tue, 3 January, 2017 by

_ds86362The weather between Christmas and New Year was uninspiring – grey and foggy – except for one day when the sun shone. Son and I headed for the South Coast to re-view Birling Gap.

The tide was going out and together, but mostly independently, we explored the beach, the rock pools, and the rock falls of chalk at the foot of the steep cliffs. It was a very leisurely hour or more, cameras in hand.

The time came to leave, there was less than an hour of daylight left, and we wanted to visit Cuckmere Haven as well. Walking back to the iron staircase up the cliffs I spotted a lone photographer standing in the shallows, camera on tripod, patiently waiting. For the light perhaps? For me, he was the picture; the light was warming up towards sunset, the sea was quiet and gleaming. Possibly the best picture of the afternoon.

When you leave, always take one last look behind you.

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About LensScaper

Hi - I'm a UK-based photographer who started out 45+ years ago as a lover of landscapes, inspired by my love of outdoor pursuits: skiing, walking and climbing. Now retired, I seldom leave home without a camera and I find images in unexpected places and from different genres. I work on the premise that Photography is Art and that creativity is dependent on the cultivation of 'A Seeing Eye'.
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27 Responses to Waiting for the light

  1. Pingback: Waiting for the light — LensScaper | privateclientweb

  2. shoreacres says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 12:20

    Now, there’s a bit of wisdom: “take one last look behind you.” I’ve always enjoyed the fact that the New Year comes in January: the Janus-faced month that’s perfectly designed for looking back and looking forward.

    I really do like this photo. Everything about it seems just right — so right, in fact, that it makes me want to tidy up the loose ends around here and get back outdoors with my camera in hand. I’m certainly looking forward to your out-and-aboutness in 2017. Happy New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

    • LensScaper says:
      Wed, 4 January, 2017 at 08:10

      Thanks so much Linda, and a Happy New Year to you too. I always feel a reluctance to leave a beautiful spot, especially as daylight draws to an end and the light grows warmer. We would have stayed longer, but wanted to visit one more place and by the time we were walking back to the car from that second place it was almost pitch black.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Sue says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 12:35

    Yep, always take that last look behind!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Linda Grashoff says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 15:23

    Good advice, Andy. And it often is rewarding to just sort of twirl in place on your way down a path or sidewalk.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. oneowner says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 18:13

    Good advice, Andy. You may have missed a great shot. I really like this.

    Liked by 1 person

    • LensScaper says:
      Wed, 4 January, 2017 at 08:13

      Thanks Ken. There were a lot of beautiful on the beach that day, but most had set off back for home. He was the lone figure – anyone else in the frame would have been a distraction.

      Like

  6. hmunro says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 18:50

    Something tells me you got an even lovelier shot than that super-patient and dedicated photographer. Nicely done, Andy! And a nice lesson you’ve passed on to your readers, too: “When you leave, always take one last look behind you.”

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Dina says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 19:04

    I join in with the others, this is a good advice, Andy. How nice to be able share your passion for photography with your son. 🙂

    Like

  8. paula graham says:
    Tue, 3 January, 2017 at 21:34

    Excellent bit of advice. Lovely place to be.

    Like

  9. seekraz says:
    Fri, 6 January, 2017 at 04:46

    Yes, an excellent recommendation, Andy…and a very nice photograph, as well….

    Like

  10. Pingback: Cuckmere Haven at dusk | LensScaper

  11. Chillbrook says:
    Wed, 25 January, 2017 at 14:58

    Absolutely, always look behind you. Superb advice Andy. I can’t count the number of times I’ve stood in that man’s shoes. It sometimes pays off, often doesn’t but we photographers are not unlike fisherman sitting on the edge of a river, never knowing when the next bite will come.. 🙂

    Like

    • LensScaper says:
      Thu, 26 January, 2017 at 08:57

      Thanks very much Adrian. Patience is a virtue, or trait, that we need to cultivate as photographers. I’m not good at that, and I absolutely loathed fishing. But when patience pays off there is a great sense of satisfaction.

      Like

      • Chillbrook says:
        Sun, 29 January, 2017 at 17:24

        I too loathed fishing Andy but somehow I’m quite happy fishing for a photograph. I guess a lot of it for me is just being out there in the landscape, enjoying it and pressing the shutter every now and then when things look good. I think my lack of mobility has taught me to be patient. I set myself up where I think I might get a picture and settle in and wait for things to come together. If they don’t, well that’s OK. I’ll have had a good day out anyway. 🙂

        Like

        • LensScaper says:
          Mon, 30 January, 2017 at 11:57

          I think a lot of us could do well to copy your ‘relaxed’ attitude of waiting for the images to come to you. I think the longest I have physically waited for an image to materialise is twenty minutes.

          Like

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