Kieran Russell

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East of Annestown

See this map in the original post

The area to the east of Annestown is a real hidden gem on the Copper Coast with a few features worth making images of. I have written a post here on the west side of this stretch of coast but I felt this side warranted dedicated attention. The key issue here is finding the access point, hopefully the map below will help, just use the controls to zoom out which should help orientate you. 

Essentially you are looking to follow the small stream down to the beach with access via a overgrown path to the west of the stream. Please note you are passing through private farming land to get to it, as usual use your own discretion and respect when crossing. The access to the beach is easy the only issue being climbing the gate to get across the land.

Shot at F8 , 300sec, ISO100

I feel this area is best visited at high or close to high tide and best light is at sunset, almost throughout the year. It has a number of picturesque sea stacks and also an un-usual collapsed cave in the headland. Its only a 100m stretch of beach but there are plent of subjects and angles for you to explore. The beach its self is generally a pebble beach with high banks which can make for good foreground interest in the right spots.

240 sec at F11

The 2 sea stacks that are most commonly photographed , although I haven’t seen many versions of them. In this shot I have 2 versions a square and a panoramic crop giving slight different perspectives as you move along the beach.  It took a few visits as the previous times I couldn’t get a clean foreground due to the sea weed and some rocks , again if you are after this kind of shot high tide is essential.

330 sec at F11

F11 at 240sec, into the setting sun

There is a larger stack at the high tide line which I found difficult to find a compelling composition, having to go very wide to get it in frame which detracted from the background elements. I did include it as a side element in the image on the top of the post as it does have some interesting structure in the lower sections.

The cave is also very unusual as it has some rock formations reminiscent of the Giants Causeway and again it is difficult to capture well, will return to see if I can get some light coming through the entrance illuminating the cave, which should be possible during sunset in the mid winter months and at low tide. 

The beach itself has some interesting cliff faces worth exploring but high tide will reach them so watch your access if you decide to explore to the west.

F11 at 0.4 sec

 

It’s a nice location and it has taken me a quite a few attempts to get what I think are decent images as I haven’t been too lucky with conditions when I visited. 

Thanks to Gerry Kennelly for thie final image of me waiting on the light at the same location. Check out Gerry's work here

Update 2019 : Some additional images I have captured in Early 2019 , it is amazing how featurers change so rapidly on this coast line