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Portencross
It's funny how some places draw you back more than once. I have a handful of places which have this effect on me. The most recent addition to this hallowed list is a tiny little place called Portencross, which for some reason is fascinating me at the moment. I discovered it by accident a few weeks ago.
I had taken a drive to a place called Seamill, on the west coast of Scotland, and went back there over a couple of weekends. I then found out through one of my peers that Portencross existed - and it was only a couple of miles along the road from Seamill. He had shown me images he had taken there, including some of the pier which just out to the water above the wild rocks. I knew I wanted to go there.
Portencross didn't disappoint me, either. There is a castle there, wich is in the process of being restored - but the scaffolding surrounding it removes any photogenic quality the building has.
But just along from this is the little cove with the rocks and the pier. And this is very photogenic indeed. So much so that over the last few weekends, I have gone back several times and captured the places at different times of the day, right through to dusk.
Surounding the pier, there are rocks and large boulders on either side, their roughness in marked contrast to the smoothness of the pier structure itself.
And the little cove provides a nice lead-in to the pier, particularly from a low viewpoint amongst the boulders. And this particular setting is perfect for long exposure images, the water crashing around the rocks taking on an ethereal, misty appearance.
Following the line of the pier, the eye is taken out across the water to the Isle of Arran directly ahead, with the island of Little Cumbrae off to the right. Depending on the weather, this view out across the water can be stunning, particularly at sunset and with an interesting sky and good cloud detail.
I've been to Portencross numerous times over the last couple of weeks and I have no doubt that I will be there several times more in the weeks to come, trying different shots and phtographic styles.
I've also had the pleasure of meeting two good photographers and fellow Flickerites at Portencross over the last few days - Peter Ribbeck and Jonathan Irvine, both with excellent portfolios on Flickr which are well worth viewing. I like the camaraderie that exists when fellow 'togs are at the same location. Portencross is a place definitely worth visiting.
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