July and August are often difficult times to get out into the landscape and get inspiring shots. The trees have turned from vibrant and varied to mono green blocks starting to feel the summer heat as the sun is burning and drying them and that is even more true this year. In the past I have relied on visiting coastlines - Dorset and Cornwall in particular but some of my favourite spots have been out of action due to simple common sense. I am not prepared to get caught up in Durdle Door mayhem for more photos. It’s the summer holidays, and I have just been away to North Devon (this was a good year to vow not to fly) for some surfing with Charlotte and a friend.

On one of the afternoons when we finished surfing early I persuaded them that a trip to an amazing rock was in order. A glorious cliff walk leading to Blackchurch Rock. They agreed / obliged and I was able to scope out the scene with a camera. I have visited before but in fierce conditions when it was barely safe to walk over the striated rocks. This time I was able to find a good viewpoint with good leading lines which I can return to in the future for dawn / dusk / sidelit photography.

Not great conditions for photography but perfect for a walk and location scout.

The point of view is almost exactly West-East which means during the week or two around the Spring or Autumn equinox, the sun should / could rise almost perfectly through the rock. Failing that a summer shoot late in the day with sidelight from the North East or a winter shoot with sidelight from the South would also work. The other factor to consider is that it needs to be shot with the tide off high, ideally on a falling tide for safety and ideally about 3 hrs off high to get some water in the striations. Other than that, it is simply a question of turning up and clicking the shutter…