Sunset on East Beach

A combination of circumstances have precluded me from venturing out for sunsets recently, mainly weather or tide height.

But last Monday the conditions looked favourable as the sunset was due about an hour after low tide and it was a sunny day for most part. I usually aim to go to the beach about half an hour ahead of the expected sunset time, as colours start to appear before the sun dips below the horizon.

Walking out towards the wave line of the now incoming tide, the sand patterns quickly gained my attention so I set up the tripod to look towards the sun and added my reverse grad ND filter to my lens to reduce the brightness of the upper part of the composition.

Q8A0038-2, Sand Patterns at Sunset

To the middle and right of the above photo, you can see a small 'channel' of water that was rippling and, having noticed it myself , I decided to reposition my tripod to have that as the central part of my composition - a decision I was very happy with (see below, please).

Q8A0040-2, Sand Patterns at Sunset (2).

I then wandered a little, searching a little as I sought interesting compositions as the sun gradually sunk lower.

Q8A0052-2

That setting sun started to light up the ripples of the small incoming waves and I tried to capture those lovely moments, though I had to move several times as the incoming tide threatened to give me wet foot through my trainers.

Q8A0061

As the sun dipped closer to the horizon, the colours increased a little but nothing really spectacular.

Q8A0070

Soon after this, the sun duly set and there was no longer colour and no hint of an afterglow so I went home for dinner that had been lovingly prepared for me.