Kieran Russell

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Ballydowane - Revisited (Ballydwan Bay)

My first article from Ballydowane was 4 years ago and I have visited many times since. It remains one of my favorite places and probably the place I will go to if a quick escape to the coastline is required. Many of the images are similar to previous attempts but refined over the years. The area is a constantly changing canvas with the constant shifting of sand and features which can make each visit fresh.

With repeat visits the challenge to find new or improved compositions has become increasing difficult, but if I’m in the mood sometimes that’s just what I need. Sometimes the conditions can help make that undertaking easier, for instance like the images below, from stormy conditions to dead calm, all can give such a different experience on this beach.

The image below is an example of constant refining of a composition, I always liked the layers visible between these sea stacks but not the dominance of the closest one. A bit of elevation helped with that problem along with some late evening light.

The image below was an unusual one as a small temporary pool formed above the high water line in a depression in the rocks which allowed the sea water to seep in, it presented a rare opportunity to capture a reflection, albeit risky with the camera basically in the water.

Some of the previous posts featuring Ballydowane are linked below.

  1. Original Post from Ballydowane, including location and shooting recommendations here

  2. Astro photography on the Copper coast here

  3. A stunning night of Lightning shot from this location here

I think I’ll continue the theme of revisiting locations I have previously posted articles on in the next post, this lockdown has certainly helped with the process of clearing out the hard drives!

Keep safe.