Porth Cwyfan, Anglesey, Wales.At the end of a narrow track, on the western coast of Anglesey in Wales, stands a small medieval church. St Cwyfan's Church in Llangwyfan dates from the 12th Century and is dedicated to Saint Kevin. There are many ancient churches on Anglesey, so why is this so different? Well, because it stands in the sea. . . . . .
St Cwyfan's Church was originally built at the end of a peninsula between 2 small coastal bays. Over the years the coastline eroded cutting off the peninsula as the two bays became one isolating the church on its very own island, Cribinau. Other bits of history include graves falling into the sea and an English speaking priest being sent to serve the Welsh speaking congregation. Didn’t go down too well by all accounts. The church enjoys excellent views of the Llŷn Peninsula on mainland Wales, so combined with it being known as the "Little Church in the Sea" (or Eglwys bach y môr in Welsh) it’s a perfect place to spend some time with Max and my camera. I set off just after midnight aiming to get to Anglesey a few hours before sunrise. Whilst my primary objective was Porth Cwyfan, I wanted to visit a few other locations first beginning with a sunrise visit to Traeth Porth Wen Beach. Parking is a bit of a walk away from the beach so Max and I got ourselves out of the van a good hour before sunrise so we could find the best viewpoint. I walked along the coast to find a spot looking down on the brickworks so the rising sun would shine directly from my right. Max and I found a spot just on the top of the cliff and settled in while the skies started to turn orange just before sunrise.
Pre sunrise glows
It was yet another atmospheric sunrise with waves on the rocks and local sea birds providing the tinnitus busting soundtrack. Sometimes what you plan for actually happens, and right on queue the rising sun burst the horizon and lit the brickworks up a gorgeous warm orange. Rather nice!
Sunrise at Porth Wen Brickworks
Image grabbed, it was time to head back to the van and head over to the opposite coast for a slap up breakfast and a wander along the beach at Traeth Mawr. Another case of parking and having to walk across high sand dunes to get to the beach, but fuelled by breakfast and a hot drink we trudged through the soft sands to find a fairly empty beach and some great views across to the Llyn Peninsula. What is it about sand dunes? Two steps forward one backwards. Who needs to go to the gym, just walk across some dunes!
The angel of Traeth Mawr
For my first image of this location, I dropped in my Big Stopper filter to get a 4 minute exposure. This was an equipment practice for later that afternoon as I had already planned out what I wanted from the Little Church in the Sea and it involved super long exposures, streaking clouds and mercury smooth seas. What I didn’t expect was for the moving clouds to create what looks like an angel across the bay. Or is it a devil? You decide!
“I was left with no choice but to run”
Max was ready for a swim by now, so whilst he jumped in and out of the sea chasing his tennis ball and frolicked with a ‘pack of pugs’, I grabbed a few more images. The pack of pugs turned out to be slightly more menacing than anticipated and we made a hasty retreat.
Incoming tide ripples
Llŷn Peninsula
My plan for the church had the tide at its highest just around noon, and the weather was looking absolutely perfect with blue skies, fluffy white clouds and medium to strong winds to make those clouds move. It was time to head back to Mr T and get myself down to Porth Cwyfan for my final location of the day. What I had forgotten was how long it took me to trudge through the sand dunes, and how wrong I was to assume skirting around them and following the riverbed out would be quicker. It wasn’t! And those pugs were there again terrorising every other dog on the beach. We got back to the van around a half past eleven and set about driving over to the church, which was just a few miles away. I have been here before and at the last visit I parked at the end of a narrow track that left me next to the beach, but this time I wanted to park next to the Anglesey race circuit as the road in looked better. However as I arrived I realised there was a fair old walk along a winding track from the circuit car park. I was starting to panic now as I really wanted to be there for the highest part of the tide to ensure the church was entirely cut off in my images. I was left with no choice but to run, and run we did. I must add at this point that Max has never quite grasped why humans run, and if they are doing so something must be very wrong. Well, maybe that just relates to me! Full bag of equipment, camera bag, tripod and a black Labrador jumping up at you does not make good progress. I got more exercise than I bargained for today. Max had fun and I managed to get to the bay right on high tide.
Getting set up at high tide
I initially found a spot low down on the beach near the water line, which was quite a challenge as I was standing on a bed of spongy seaweed. Not best for long exposures but I gave it a go. After a few minutes I realised the bed of seaweed was alive with little black jumping bugs which were now making their way up my trousers and were taking a liking to Max too.
The Little Church in the Sea
Getting to a location in good time is what gives you the opportunity to find the right composition and being a little rushed I was not happy with this initial image or the bugs on my pants. When taking pictures of a subject that stands in front of a level horizon such as the sea, you have to think about how and if the object breaks the horizon. If you have a single key focal point and don’t let it cut the horizon you risk your image becoming one of two halves with your eye drawn to the horizontal line cutting right across the picture. This is less of a concern when taking portrait shots but can be a major issue when taking in landscape orientation. This was not a problem here as no matter how low I went down the beach or high I could get the horizon cut through the church. What I was not happy about here was the mountains of the Llŷn Peninsula in the distance. In this initial image they seem to disappear behind the church on the left with very little evidence off them to the right. This left the image a little unbalanced. Not to mention the tripod standing on a bed of seaweed was allowing the wind to create small vibrations which were softening the image. Or was that the bugs? I moved myself further to the right and higher up on a bug free grassy bank near the edge of the circuit. This effectively closed the gap between the church island and the coastline to the left of the composition as well as bringing more of the distant mountains on the horizon to the right of the church. I allowed a small overlap between the two shorelines to create a flow between foreground and midground. The composition looked better, so I grabbed a 25 second test image.
Getting the balance right
Happy with the composition and my tripod on more solid ground, I could go for the big five-minute exposure to capture streaking clouds and the movement of the tide. I dropped in a polariser to try and remove some of the light reflections and bring out the far mountains, along with my Lee Super Stopper NDF filter. Five minutes perched on the side of a grassy bank in strong winds with a fidgeting Labrador can feel like a lifetime. Its like comparing waiting for a train on the platform with trying to get out the house to catch said train. The former takes forever but the latter always catches me out. Most of the time I set a timer on my phone and walk away from the camera, hands in pockets scuffing my boots kicking stones. I have a habit of getting impatient or clumsy and have been known to knock the camera waving my arms around or trying to look at the timer on the infinitely small screen on the top of the camera body. But with Max curled up next to me, I must stay put and make sure he doesn’t do his old trick of leaning against one of the tripod legs. It was worth it though.
Five magical minutes of midday sun at Porth Cwyfan
The clouds streaked by above me, the high tide was creating lots of lines across the bay, my polariser was helping remove the haze between me and the Llŷn Peninsula, and just at the allotted time, the sun glinted off the silver handrail on the steps to the church.
I think there is only one more composition I would like down at Porth Cwyfan and that is high tide after a big storm.
I may go back this winter.
Keywords:
Anglesey,
beach,
Church,
Landscape Photography,
Long Exposure,
Porth Cwyfan,
UK Coastline,
Wales
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