The sun she shine, the day she bright
January in Plymouth is often bleak and sunless. Never is the local aphorism 'if you can see the hills, it's going to rain; if you can't see the hills it's raining' more apt. But we do get spells when the sun shines and the softer winter light illuminates the city. Never more so than where the land meets the sea as Plymouth foreshore meets Plymouth sound and the Hamoaze section of the Tamar estuary leading to Devonport dockyard.
I've had a couple of days recently when I've been able to get down to the front and take advantage. Here's some results:
The Cremyll (Cornwall) passenger ferry on it's way across the Hamoaze to Plymouth. And, yes, the sea really was that blue. By January the plankton has largely disappeared as the sea gets colder and, on bright sunny days, the light penetrates deeply to turn it almost tropical in intensity. 40-150mm f4 Pro +1.4 x teleconverter at 210mm for this shot..
Firestone Bay on the west end of the Sound. 12-40 f2.8 Pro. A very popular all year round swimming spot. As demonstrated by the bathers on the steps leading down to the sea.
No set of images of Plymouth could exclude Smeaton's Tower, the red and white lighthouse rescued from The Eddystone rocks and re-erected in honour of the architect responsible for it's original building in 1759. This shot was taken from close to the sea with the 12-40mm.
Close up, against the deep blue of the winter sky, it's certainly impressive. 40-150mm for this shot.
Round the corner from Plymouth Hoe is the Barbican and Sutton Harbour. I wanted to show three landmarks of the outer harbour wall in this shot. From front to back the Mayflower steps, the Barbican 'Prawn', and the National Marine Aquarium are prominent.
Endlessly photogenic, this area is capable of yielding innumerable shots over time. I'll no doubt highlight a good number in the future but, in the meantime, here's a closer view of the 'Prawn' shining in the winter sun.
Just south of the Dockyard is the old Royal Navy victualling centre, the Royal William Yard. This has now been turned into a complex of shops, offices and residential flats within the impressive old buildings. Again, an area much photographed, but always worth another shot. This is a shot of the buildings round the small harbour. Once occupied by warships and lighters, it's now the province of pleasure boats - some of which seem to be worth more than my house!
9mm Panasonic Leica for this shot - and on this occasion very little chromatic aberation.
The three lenses used on my Em1 Mkii all fit in my small camera bag and the excellent IBIS allows me to handhold even the 40-150 + telecoverter. Even with Pro level gear the weight savings over my previous Canon APS-C gear are significant. I may end up a little footsore from the walking but at 73 I can stll enjoy my photography!
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