Almost, but not quite...

A dull, damp, grey day in November, and the best of the action won't be happening until the sun has set. I've been watching the Met Office satellite weather photo for the best part of the day, trying to judge whether that clear patch positioned over France and the English Channel will make it to the Dorset coast by low tide. I am optimistic.

As the waters retreat I start to make photographs, but I am dealing with plumeting light levels - and the light itself is flat and uninspiring - but I persevere. There are one or two moments when the cloud breaks for a few moments directly overhead, giving me hope of some directional light, but the holes are soon filled again. I press on.

By the time I reach Boscombe beach the tide has dropped sufficiently to give the options of some reflection shots. I consider shooting bold silhouettes and converting to mono; adding garish colours in post processing, or simply shooting out of focus images... anything to add a bit of interest to the afternoon's shoot.

I needn't have worried. That clear patch I was talking about earlier had almost made it across from mainland Europe - almost, but not quite - to reveal the remnants of the afterglow. The sun had disappeared below the horizon 14 minutes earlier, and I am struggling with apertures, shutter speeds and ISO settings, but a monopod and a wide angle lens saves the day. I am also deliberately underexposing by 1⅓ stops to maintain the mood, but in the end I manage to get the effect I am after.


12-24mm f/4G AF-S Nikkor. 1/40 second at f/5.6.  - 1.33 EV compensation. ISO 800. Monopod


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