Last Friday was a day to relax at our beach hut at St Anne’s near Blackpool. A pretty, old world town with a real Victorian pier and miles of sand. It was a real chill out day for me, making the hut a place to read, reflect & eat, and exploring some scenic views with the camera.

I am becoming familiar with my mix of zoom lenses, from ultra wide to medium telephoto on my Pentax K3. I first set up on a tripod around the pier. Some long exposure shots didn’t work out, even with filters, as it was midday sun. Under the pier was a more interesting composition and was a more deserted location.

Under the pier

In the afternoon I walked south away from the seaside centre, between the sand dunes and the marshland and sea. It felt wild within a few minutes, a haven for birds, and the scene invited wide angle pictures to emphasise the vast horizon.

marshland and sea

On the opposite side of the track wild flowers decorated the dunes. An friendly Irish man walking past told me this was the only place on the costal stretch where poppies grew. A polarising filter was needed to highlight the rich colours of the flora. I soon lost track of time as I wandered.

Poppies in the dunes

Later in the day, before closing up the hut, I walked out across the sand to an older ruined pier. A few tourists like me were wandering around, but I waited until the only really good light of the day came through. Sunbeams on the far out sea contrasting nicely with the dramatic structure of the pier.

Dramatic old pier

Not the best of weather that day, but a good experience of discovering a bit of the character of this part of the coast and feeling at one with creation around me.

Pentax K3