Beach Life (working title)

Ed Sutton · 11 Jan 2017

Right, this is my new 'big' project.

“Of all the British coastline, this is hardly the prettiest or the most unspoilt: its sands are not the most golden, and there are no rock pools or hidden coves. Neither is it the most dramatic: no pounding surf, no rugged cliffs.” So wrote Jean Sprackland about what is promoted as The Sefton Coast in Strands. I was born and brought up in Southport, the not quite brash enough, not quite genteel, enough seaside resort in what us old timers still think of as Lancashire. Although we moved ten miles out of town when I was nine I still retain a strong connection to the town, and it was where I took a lot of my early photos in the late 1970s. The beach and the tourist attractions in winter being my favourite subjects. When I returned to photography in 2010 it wasn't long before I was back at the beach with my camera.

Gradually I realised there was more to photograph than the sand, sea and sky and that in winter there are still plenty of people using the beach for a variety of activities. Not just dog walkers, there are still people collecting the coal which washes up after a big wind and tide just as we used to do when I was small child. But now there are metal detectorists and kite surfers, unheard of in the 1960s. Ginger McCain and red Rum are no longer with us, but there are others who continue to ride horses along the shore.

I could write quite an essay about the beach, rapidly shrinking as salt marsh encroaches on the formerly extensive sands. If this project gets as far as a book I probably will write that essay. Anyway, the photos are about the beach itself, but more about the people who use it and the things they get up to, primarily during the winter months when the holiday makers aren't around, but there are Lifeguards and rangers who appear during the spring and smmer who ought to be included. The idea has been rattling around in my head since I saw two blokes metal detecting near the pier (they were OK with me taking photos just so long as I didn't show their faces!) and it got stronger when I spent quite some time photographing the kite surfing community.

It was all quite random though. Now I hope to pull things together, having got a better idea of what I want to do. Which is to document the many activities that take place on the beach. There is quite a list. The big change is that I've started to ask people to 'pose' for portraits. Not something I'm used to doing.

I'll kick off this post with some pics from my existing files, and follow up with my attempts at portraiture.

This is what the beach looked like circa 1978.

Where I got the germ of an idea.

Some of my many kite surfing pictures to give an idea of how I want to show people doing what they do, as well as the people.

AB1B9TufBrU89U2f6WvQd2BHvrs8HB3V7SzzOEppBDUQNAH31fGt1_jKpeVV1JvJuSaGeUZ9Afy82vrqw3rVmu5vMkDGNUCwWRP2=w900-h900-no

Wider views of people in the beachscape such as bait diggers.

And details of the beach and how it's changing through the encroaching saltmarsh and the shifting sand dunes

Next post some people pics.

Ed Sutton · 11 Jan 2017

My first 'portraits' were all taken on the fly while talking to people.

XjUj-LaBfPDvhm3Q1iTYV08okXMKlfptIX3D1zCfOa3M0GZw5vhOxZU3RZQ8ZTrRO-OEe5pO7IpWXLL0o_8yRiAf3HZNIhP9dz2JNQ=w900-h900-no

I want to make the portraits more formal, but still environmental to show where they are and what they are doing. These are two I've taken which are along the right lines since deciding to develop this project.

As always, thoughts and comments appreciated.

susiejb · 11 Jan 2017

Love this idea ...why didn't I think of it

Favourites so far are the lone beach detectorist, the red windsurfing sail, and the switch grass.
My Hands project failed because I was too nervous to ask people if I could take a photo, it looks as if you're doing well.

Good luck. I'll put it on a watch.

Ed Sutton · 11 Jan 2017

Thanks Susie. I've never been confident talking to strangers ( I envy a friend of mine who gets people's life stories and phone numbers within a few minutes of meeting them!), but I'm finding it easier to ask people to pose for a portrait the more I do. Most people are happy to oblige when I explain what I'm doing. You ought to restart your hands project, it was going well.

Ed Sutton · 14 Jan 2017

I managed to get to the beach after lunch today and once more met interesting people who were kind enough to let me photograph them. When I say 'beach' I include the saltmarsh area because it was beach when I was a kid! It continues to get easier to ask people for a portrait. I must get some new cards printed to give to them, the e-mail address on my current ones is no more.

This time I did my best to remember the lessons I've learned the hard way. Namely to leave space around the figure, and (something I learned a long time ago but occasionally forget) don't have the horizon run through their eye level

I've been trying to find a birdwatcher to photograph on the beach for ages and today I met one, loaded up with all the gear to get across in the picture what he's up to.

Later, on the sandy beach, I got the chance to try a group portrait of coastguards attending to the scene of a washed up dead pilot whale. A bit gruesome, and because I made them stand down wind of the corpse I rushed things a bit before they couldn't stand the smell! By this time the light was fading, and tomorrow's forecast is for rain all day, so that'll be my lot for this weekend.

susiejb · 15 Jan 2017

Crumbs a lot happens on your beach Dave, it's looking good, I just had a skip back to the beginning and noticed that you mentioned showing people doing what they do, are you going to include 'action' shots as well as posed portraits.

Ed Sutton · 15 Jan 2017

susiejb said:
Crumbs a lot happens on your beach Dave, it's looking good, I just had a skip back to the beginning and noticed that you mentioned showing people doing what they do, are you going to include 'action' shots as well as posed portraits.

It's surprising what goes on by the sea. A lot more than sunbathing! Yes I'll be including short documentary sequences. Such as these of a couple of guys shrimping the hard way. And catching nothing on this occasion.

6NpMv_Xs3p5KG0pRClRLn5m_sUaHuCepraQ-SLT3qY08uCVSf_HAuuIPdmiAGbT6f6evMet832BCTBCl22TAYzJ7MZnsA0mbSWZ1Bi9a8zFw6oJ32HQSfU-gPj6NVBbqY9RRmL-6e9xfHdbag-PLrObo02XZZ8KubdhoEx7MqVdK8GQD9-m1Qj0x76kU3xHSrEeDQ2O0i0mMoD8XSTtCgYT5qevSOkzNA7vilkl50xqAIFyU7gGDrndz9yXVy-wnrspVN5p_Bn5O4tvRwvPLqYSteCgKSkg-vmz-eq-gcXynnpTpV7THCGKuehKD-VVLDrKjedOvRRxHAAxHXIkzwPZrrXQgu_EADFxgnNvEGsQwEbG9cUEdRmI0wTfNkyp2GpPQkwiMCr3i_nbBuY2vza6I2fWbSOu4XElmWmniDlGs8U1irRqzc9Y5PzkbNZOD5VmZnWpeM_shwX9_GVsqFtKkqU6soPezbNyoy1tZluS1VlpAJcxvwqQh3a2ndgVqAvX_XT5fwZYjXiRZw81lE3cgZ4Rj5YcFhNPMwgVG2C9FZ627I761xa__7CLRxUAKSJVA1ZYVyAvVlwEAi0zj3CDW5zG-KWgVYxXg-8z3B7Ordu2CNz2pVQ=w900-h650-no

5JxUT8XPgl-QcgYh2g5pPIW_PrFlRczQ2HoLITtQR5YRJZvxo80QGpv6MPgZ-HGRQm4ejyGhD1Q6dEQj8Jmq3EarakYDDSf0-BieAEtf4CKoXReOqkGfGZ3sS5HZpyDknRoszm1X5cIKSJXhcUGiuyG-5CVKiM_hfwc1ROkN15zzleyJqD0a7lMvfWPi4XWh-wGQf5HBdMdrIyWXyWoJrZiwcpO-ScXpEpNDO17zz1vYKA238qlO9WJVvTSmsZjsBVkr1FLf_2Irw7QvU2cuBhtj5hVbY8nPQzmiFBmIak_XAoiQGkKTRxrE3hUc1enJFNmWhG5MYrpUootLs3YvGrHoisb-4FmFjXaUA5WsLCwBOkkB6VEjVFDOHFGZLdjWNM3-JuyVOFNzSZwlOev4gstXH3WDjWMoZRR8nNppJanbj8nny3vaZM9OU9HgESXGsCMmunRAO-dnjE_w4J5Z02JxPWDy_G_Zdil-GojMZVUu7kFtBS547l9d-cOH1AwNGjlvP3_9GgiB27BnGnh89Ct9QHh2bcTWG02cg6EBfV6X3L-p9KGqXUFclMEwK6ohjKvdlW00JHmvEcJdQ-fE4MoHoNvCh-TZLm1P1LFnNKylEewE2qdvVw=w900-h650-no

9rfhHvFXgoQ_f2QQWvuRjrhL3nK9XUBB9C7Yb6tVpp4x_kfW6o2_DoR3jvXLghgVhJ6IlnFsrM2sZW0Gm-7o_7rusoXT-Z2HR1Du9eQefKtIOEGv1bNEyU7BghpmK5jl7j90ue1VME23g9cHHp3oOdYSiAN9rH6Wmh1cvzeGA1XP5BkCjTvhjRp_KcWpHSO7AvM9ocwx2zHN9ThkQ7JC_veBSAXCWvt0SAn5emkJnnXSKP72bb24W3s0QMGCUMTFtF4oKkaUlyp948k4JNxPRWcSgSym8jFWwaxWQPOsGKKlr1MmbYHUEbScMkseYCEjOPptQoFF3uY88WpRBPXDLpT1RB5WtqF8rxcELxisWydyYl8kNZ-Al6LgLzHI4iumk9OY6eEldAbTgWrn1lHSaUIIkXYwW4mrOQo3QMIP3E4Br7RYqyxe4aIeK3QREPW8zAFj-Fo0inTMt-JT_X41-y7tT5uQqgx8IRHq6K5Nqv9wT2HNQtki3JgXNCKFGG-zqsI_2tmbEAo8VZNfxnIo17PPhUENTBlFRj4tyou2w6lUrkZn21TSYaJPQda3GStGTs4jSziZzVfW9TZqIaNMAo9yOW1bwb512fXdqWFxT2SJcEG1MZitXA=w900-h650-no

susiejb · 15 Jan 2017

I like those ....you've made me think I should look a bit more into what goes on down here on the beaches.

Ed Sutton · 15 Jan 2017

I can't imagine that the beach up here is unique, I'm sure there'll be more goes on round your coastline than you imagine. Not that I find anything interesting to photograph every time I get to the beach. Some days there'll just be dog walkers. But like a lot of things, perseverance pays off.

One time I met a group of people training for a cross channel charity kayak event. Unfortunately, as often seems to happen to me because I get there late in the day a lot of times, they were getting ready to pack up. As you can see, I alradyt have quite a few photos I've taken over the last few years.

NMWI0hDZRQ6b3ZvFIfUhIcU5U-fPYvkY7NMWLCXomjPLmzMBynRpd9A2fkf20Dsa0o1H__zS0vxHu7tXrIlODCwMeO90Y26nLySqHgNqyvlPUDFFNgyEcC1Wk2oW7HynfKGtbQZD13ZH84NgHrZFsdWnMXCFzmhC-s_Mz4_6BYJh2aKALMZ3GyHemXq3TMXoSUkZxQwfwnzP109YhCrWVrDW1hRnRTJAIOETRNT6hjz4GtN_6ZOFNIlyPf4jFodoJ_rzXdhUTqK7-xqO47n3YgVk_OpECVvzFmq1IjNF08QEk4tWV-CZL9m14doHJ2OSJxnr1FaDJgTYAw0uNVFwSJFRyVjaLytybJRndRcopqre2EuKvinB6mlf_9feZWdvrujtO4OmEv7z-3Wn38vwOk-XB4AiTgGG65AJZdIRjuEIkP-zC-GvsuczPX4m-9XmSL503rk4W10xBtDkRWWOIm-liN_gfSq-hq5MWi4d0fPXNNb12PUE3xZ27kiZl8VqUrTxjdSrCAYF9XSHVE6cYpcVjZnaZ0FlsEgKj0vjD92YHCMhYpVNdaxaByKxNdzoV_fwr8lxe4Zjn0q0QUvSsqBR-BEVA_763z29A-KVDclP0GXsA0B0=w390-h520-no

qDTmzf8jaHUvIxTqm5-SafhqGYTyEm_8jioQ42cM_x81d3sL074RotU4Id_HmgAA3dtrnXgzPOcvW5fb-kPpMl8Xc8lx9xYQz27o_BA6A5yfA7REmQXMue-3IXe-5lVAD7v5tuqRg7IsVr8_o_AyoEeF9nMO0nFCQ3Hxn4KfLKMx_LYxLfKuvsaEwgJLyb_gAgYTCC7OedwZmj-oh8-6IAKaoJp2ZyQgjhvBTD1RvjUttxe3ZAYnFohrCHR5FLdqHdKyad2U6M3TYMucBtYGNxMLqCYV-8J1JHfRukZry3LatbyDWZxp7p_VofVXop01pHQG7rtXma-LqMkmzDfAF5MbcHPzkV4ITJq6WOArpk0qyKpLkdg52C9yjd_U4Xm615L3DGSEOZieP6GwTeY-aGY75x72gb2IHm15lU4vSpD0hF7U8KEqiHaCVkX46NG2ZkfqC8wwiLWOaF8m2zU4yajICkzjEV2UyIJEVKkeULzjSmmV3FQw4zYm6XRhKc8sFM3AXe0nHICDfWo8_E3oZHTLpx9S27ymUVcoRWSj9KNJxMBZigO1EUOy9qA9aZ1uB4kbKm-zbm4ko5P3fFgp2IVUoqn-_bSk2gCM5EYc4X_La01NxtX7=w781-h520-no

Ed Sutton · 21 Jan 2017

These two probably won't make the final cut, but they're the best I managed yesterday. The photographer's pose made me chuckle and the guy standing looking at the sea gives an idea of the emptiness and open space. He walked straight out to the sea, stood there for ten minutes and walked straight back. I've seen a lot of people do that over the years.

Ed Sutton · 22 Jan 2017

Today was very gloomy, which actually suits me as harsh winter sun can be too contrasty. Things went reasonably well too. Long story short I've been wanting to photograph lugworm digging for a long time but never seem to come across anyone doing it. This afternoon I spied someone a long, long way out on the sand and managed to discern that he was digging bait. It took me over ten minutes to reach the bloke, and the sea was still out of sight! I got a couple of documentary type pictures and a 'portrait' which should work OK in the project. The walk out was worth it.

Ed Sutton · 29 Jan 2017

I've managed to get to the beach a couple of times this week and met interesting people again. The couple I met midweek were beachcombing, looking for driftwood to clean, varnish and put on their wall. I didn't make as good a job of their portrait as I would have liked. But the dog came out well!

Today was a challenge. How on earth do you photograph someone with seven, count them, crazy hounds? :LOL:

I'm still learning how to take posed photographs of people. It's slow progress, but I'm getting a better idea of what I need to do.

HopefulM · 29 Jan 2017

I really like your project, you've got some really interesting images and I'm going to enjoy seeing how it develops

Ed Sutton · 29 Jan 2017

Thanks Maria. I'm planning on keeping it going at least up to Easter (and then recommence in September) as my main interest is what people get up to at the seaside out of season.

juggler · 30 Jan 2017

Fascinating, I think you've hit on a real gem of a project here. I look forward to seeing how it develops.

edit: just about everyone in Britain has spent time on a cold & muddy beach - I think loads of folk will identify with it.

Ed Sutton · 30 Jan 2017

juggler said:
Fascinating, I think you've hit on a real gem of a project here. I look forward to seeing how it develops.

edit: just about everyone in Britain has spent time on a cold & muddy beach - I think loads of folk will identify with it.

Thanks Simon.

The British seaside has been photographed a lot over the years, mostly in summer by the likes of Bert Hardy, Tony Ray-Jones, Martin Parr and many more. When it's photographed during the winter it's usually the boarded up attractions as if it's deserted and run down. (I do my share of that too!) However, I hope this project will provide an alternative view. That of the people, mostly local, who use the beach all year round. Mostly it's an excuse for me to visit the to watch the sky and the light change and to talk to interesting people.

Ed Sutton · 5 Feb 2017

As time goes by it'll get more difficult to stumble on new subjects for this project. At least when I go to a poultry show I know there'll be people and poultry to photograph. But randomly going to the beach it's a lottery! This week has been a bit of a mixture. I managed to sneak a trip in on Friday afternoon, but it was cold and windy and there weren't many other idiots about. It was an almost wasted journey, but I got some ideas for photographing the sea which might become a project at some time. Saturday the weather improved, in as much as it was sunny and not so cool. I didn't make the best of my opportunities though. This photography thing is more about having the right attitude than having the right gear. Some days I'm in the right frame of mind and can make the pictures I see or envisage, other days I let them pass. particularly when it's photographing strangers.

Kite flyers are tricky to photograph in action. Having the kite in the frame helps tell the story of what they're doing, but it's not easy. I made a bit of an effort but will have to do better at some point. Asking them for a formal picture means them having to stop flying their kite, which is OK if it's a preplanned shoot, but I wouldn't take kindly to stopping doing something I was enjoying just so some goon with a camera could take my photo!

My second missed opportunity was when a group of the kite flyer's friends came along. He was one of some 500 bikers stopping at Pontins over the dunes. After the kite 'attacked' one of them two more helped relaunch it. I would have liked a shot of them all, which I was going to ask about, but half of them wandered off. Strike while the iron's hot!

Another of the activities I want to record is bike riding. I've noticed quite a few bikes with fat tyres being used on the beach. So far they've been too far away or passed in and out of view too quickly. The best shot I've managed so far was taken yesterday by the sea wall. Something else I'd like to include in some portraits to show the variety of landscape along this stretch of the coast.

After this spate of 'almosts' I got a little luckier today. I arrived way too early for my liking to find a chap preparing to launch his boat. I've known that people launch fishing boats at this point, there's a boat club in the town which keeps it's tractors in a compound behind the beach, but I've never been around when boats were being launched or retrieved in the past. It turned out the bloke was waiting for a couple of friends to arrive with another boat so they could launch together. The tide was well out and ebbing so it was a long way to the water, which meant that I missed out on photographing that. I did manage to pose the three of them beside one of the boats. I'm still not much good at this lark. I should take more shots. Two out of the three frames were messed up - one by a blinking angler, the other by my shaky hands. Thankfully the third, which I actually took as an afterthought, was OK(ish). I'm still not confident about directing people too much. Partly because I don't want pictures to look too posed. It's something I need to work on. Along with my shaky hands!

Another wobbly shot. Damn.

w6WbjOEZ_MCpytduFZ1NJ3UWJ-TqbX5f5_lfMLacHpQz7-b_euJ845DinSLWsZVC7fXxMn61FS8Ojvo1lkOEbuq2ZJUR5XP9-aOL0OBLslwkRvDAC0L1kYD9hbXDYu0rcbDY5AT3jmAc5Hzv8uWmKLpIIhKFeEwHfyh4Kz3p1wqdlzTDYinsp4z-s-FFKnsUzpyGgio5NV33zCszniQFAkLzrbcbeyKoRrM5UyfnXHmUSNe9xxaT2rX-KGYhXxlrwU0fh8qG4vltAlVnsLwbY2_KMQab36frGXH52DBzv9CAH3zZ_T53CsTuhsV7ktEjQzc_5EV2tBUmrTRpG4AGtWn9HPS6F-YVrwfuKAaMv-cT_R9a6n2PgtNwz9UeKeJdiDex7LI-oyYSIEboSrHoXfnghzPtmN1Z27oIwM6ZBIFdrSK5gVwaUaKdnSU2Q02VCJ_PaB7ZXSRsLxa7KAC6EEUNhJLyj02Fvk1Bf5OOhHzZhjv6uWcdgiB4tpAFL_vNa02yWma9yH3wZdOyhk83ChI2NsxFqts0Ud-NDR3g78Y9Cr7SqRt3xaguWSS9Pz6HCAMnqF1czYDdIMaVsnatyjOVJndgse4CVsYGZGVAGNnZsKHui8fxYg=w900-h601-no

After that I went looking elsewhere but there was noting happening and I went home to get some work done. I got the urge to return and see if anything else was going on, and to hang around for the boats coming back. The tide would be well in by dusk so I wouldn't have too far to walk. The retrieval was pretty quickly done, and although I've launched and retrieved a few boats in my time so had an idea what to expect, these guys had it off pat. Why only the one boat being retrieved? The other had engine trouble and had to pull in down the coast to be picked up from there. With only a 4-horse auxiliary I image he was glad the sea was calm.

juggler · 6 Feb 2017

Fab, nice to see more!

I struggle with kites too. I present this only as a suggestion that you may not need to include the kite itself to tell the story:

Ed Sutton · 6 Feb 2017

Thanks Simon. I take your point. It was a similar dilemma with the kite boarders, although the boards usually got in the frame.

I have a few I took of a kite flyer a few weeks back which don't include the kite, and I guess presenting one or two of them along with a picture showing a kite would make it clear what's going on.

Ed Sutton · 12 Feb 2017

That evil thing called work has kept me away from the beach until today. And today was so bitter cold not many other fools were about either! Once again I didn't spot a couple of blokes riding fat tyre bikes until they'd gone past me... In fact it was so cold with the north east wind that I'd given up and was on my way home (the road runs along the coast) when I noticed something in the water. Pulling over for a closer look I saw it was the Southport Lifeboat. This lifeboat is unusual in that it isn't run by the RNLI but an independent charity, although the RNLI have lifeguards along the beach. I managed to make it in time to where the lifeboat pulls out. They'd been out training and once on firm ground they stopped to deal with a problem with the tractor. So I didn't think it was a good time to ask for more formal photos and made do with a few snaps for now. I tried to get local landmarks into a couple of pictures. Even on the worst days at the beach there seems to be something to photograph.

49wNRMgPdlorTEcC8wuPWs3iWUk7xP6I-jbqRuwFjz1DpGzScCHD7VqcPN40nHBHY3i6-zpRdCJTN71pG_xTkQc9RDzuYcV8WXXJacSJmDswa2X7l-z49OPkIRTB5Y9bwvNDOMPk3tJG3S0j3XLzESzfmZKk-k39w2RoLueWARVESXYnClHQhDovYoMR5nK972g1BX57CWARYShjeREtf93DiZA8rD0x_YwJ5vn_stktkqHl0b3ibruh42QodWeDm3R962hotpFiapk5xi6MmoxnsAD1d2LyuktfpmBZgW03N90Ii6fXupjGsgIdiFj1oUng941Wg3jGMSEQxJaKKQS2-zUf-Td8CxvNCOmYbGaTW6DcN9C8qVWmEVsMOp5YjecxGxDVH89OGPTa-5f_02YO9X_Hui8u576BeaTfjHOWmm3GJ4eR16IUGzfhObwmZb3hMbD_yMl_SLGdYVHmsAR6GmndIfw3pIlbafVbFvdLDYEADUEX5U4NyTX6XtFnyPjlbGudrAiXerFdoBXR237lu73ea9D5fl4GggccvLy0m7M7plOvezJgv1O7YUuJIY_d3tIuJS2wbMbEOyn_nv4-n-sKIhr9h9ky7acDrfJKq11KZu5UMQ=w900-h601-no

m5MoX8bIVkozXhMpkMUu7HZIX4gy__B3ylVfLQRrZtvs7AqUEwRl4ln9HMfk2SdcpDFODZu7umJ3Ms_gNWtnMmbWF50y9nhMrmOZRK7afvvVGCa94_SL2Dg7N1OO5PAsFUAe_3urz9Vx5YhRBLSr0dv9GSA_Rz2cUdA0xCIodHRZaJ4dN712-Z1K4r-I_LlnIVBRnjNIbIzL-L2Y2_fyXAhzE0HzMY37xUt7AkW40r9uz_gyDaLWQA0cZylTST0iTKIU5ifVIMWbuPehdiNknjH3TSCxtMcOuV_ULUrU8fCzCbf1tG1r6JVrL300hgtb9f4TQYMsvyAnswQ2d70pz25ZvDt4Rwpvkd2Ev-DdnnfAkTViHk6jwRYauVl4GQKlwFlUlCq2ILqxR_I-5ESD5i-VB43mr60GS-7ZKldQRfvNWLEiAVbdRToF0r08DOec50hCqEpGtKGHXwUnreTx_Odgkm0YJ4GTsbcvd0AQEMvXCxYd7Dr23RZDhISXS5VS2W3bEJk2J6CK3usokHV1vX3W0rOYnyWQv6aHPZntJpnHIaTYFsuzdfANHj4twG7OAyFsS25JwbKg8N-aHNM9zGKL0NqC_8EHhsDnobwKpyRbWrL5NW8OJg=w900-h601-no

Y3i_GeQbaYDO1xYR50TC-Wzy_R2jDTeRQGH7-2vGFgpTqS5YZY0NihHf5y5rwT5u96SqMgeGI6rYHxfkOo2JR7h4mrJYABcNYU6qI7QaHuT6RyK5DFXjGGYaN59gYZgMPNoyJ7oiH9rtF2r7YYxLa_uryR3gDk9ahnwwehPCRJJbxdJARAcHeh8ILDiDh529aHRuq3Ix6GdBDDg0iJRvWW1KobR1tVEp-cTik_1so9f6D88nInkIIUYriov202S8o8nht2fuSXKZpONeA0m3Gp8EAdE8ER9gD155IHF8cY5y5HHgWRLWxXhuA2yBJ4aB4rOLfiUUcn9bH8X5rpHajMCFxw1wkq765Aorrdk0fJ7VWafcOmOwmziw_o0CWUOJzzQJAPyDD-dmPPHNSdj7bFHMH_gyO8-MeJyvafI3tlVAZBalBMCZnjl87y4WBWnhHMCckj8FeN3uM3rvFAvI4OeMYR8BQlxNfR77Ezz7yCqj6UfP2iWmfp8_sk8M_Xmzesm_UjWKZf4osL5wML-zihvn77t2bhppItawJgoDp0D6i2V--U0ccr9MKatAe85ja_0z9Wgx9vc75ZVZ9K-7t_PFMggEmk5M0IYZ3jbXuI8zjjbpgzGTMA=w900-h601-no

TSms2iXIeMTuwgQwS_HaOwlO4q70WH462Hx0qRMrMsh0sNSQQKWwG2Bg83FBU6FaErrpN91DG5OY950u9RkcvlWWllswO4SoCDA8PIHwrWtRGK_U5y5T-vt4KTy7QECClQCzavdVwCbKpj9mv6WBD5AFWwTFRs9ISY1UbA4K3fWc8PsvWYtt7A2HqdyG088rMYfjJIWSBRbDJDEEfQno-8MWvCA7lTBk4WCBxgfGyyW5ZLlWsrHz7tJjnim4OQ8_m6-tL6oN1OuMrKRTxKAzeQSRr2kdObOH7Sp8LPzlRiivyra3vp-CCbrIhPpxt5XO9iLz8UAq5SBVhWLhUCyopqmP-MSNqgaXnrGAjfSmdjQnBY2f0_GtSloBEd9uoiYsTFl6C3gdYpasw7pslWg_FIzfiefhf1ixYuSSY8SeQ-2kXX68kquBzn5_W8T2q2ri675thls1XP0oPjAHHYnPrUDeC9Rao0wz48vMwvMWKgQIR3jkEj2gswa2tII_PndUwwFIa0S-v6ZSDIwgy5GyvykqAn-FD5yYxtayotVzF6XZt3EtF_GGi3ylesI93C3uWaIVqBpzjwsYCWjCqGB2vWSIzgFv8cYLBTnT6Wjvr0nArEc4S-kzmg=w517-h773-no

pZdzubcnmFKhv93jnfL9KtHv-LuwfPf1m5IeFhPJGCurWT5pRe1GWTtZinSKeItSoHg69NA-R3S_b3pxA5OH1_ZXzEukXDlssmdnZpkB_rCLZgjHminmIe50dSebowNBfOwCVd4RKoW8dLWxq4gpaIU-JhFPvTas7p1Si924P9Oshrhp0OZAVypQRv8QgnkfYYmQLlicaqCXX2mvObtZFKQoUaGH0Cr32xDj0iH29an2v95_p-aTfYMBBOldMpqEKHnPQ9sm4Hg_0BQc3BLJo-LrWjL2EIrcaOPs4IxHgnFIkpYPdNO5MliZQCjzJfUqsVwRcRI9yaluHLE0KFkhAxuCQu7NkyC09eryqdbrmuKa-fbUZgzElmc10FmC6Enjsr5o6AyzZiLKSJmBsbMU4YMDfhqwRwR8X2cCoQeLkYTVIl2CjODjAqZERd5Pt5OEijtiW72UjG1UXFf9sdH2JJVF8KaMQEHK5ojcQAvwyjINDqukfI6uyyO6ZDcIbF99A2WZ7PXJ1Nb6Pq0F_TKG1sltxo5tGszM2DF8EB5zBxm5_A9En8LyyzjoR0vWOg_UfYqkQDWFlZw1RDRpvxmu5XuBwE0A6kK1LVS4BjvHux1GsUEC2eLTag=w517-h773-no

bl24-F4KXaYk82qpCiT3dy-WHgUjjlLmrlSdKSvKfCtxS6fG-71gdxQI_i9qricwgAqeMvo7CIyd2wu5cJP-vGbVKj976PuHI3kmORJkUCBXgCfzWmojlE0hE6tG-nzzbJb3edJSp6f2zEI8opSp8ex6Ox86NxOJqzTh2L0cOjQCGucIyK_rP2ytwj32kglf2yWGRAsuHuCnZoURfmzJjXkCV8RnuYl8Nmdlr-OnkMKfLiiQBC5MkGONjubRCykFRJIbniM2C_wpriI9Q_Q5wNKlIbKrO2KqAGSCZlw7O8VrKtVRjoi1qlN24tXAcB-vdpOIfKwv_aBZGEC9tX0IwFD3DCDgYf1hf73VxkM9Mp50DmY2AFSAylJ2iZb6ZOo5JcbFKOJBkAOzOI5GWIgSzTQx60GtKTffDxItXttGZq15xMGRpXlg6lKns2-pYiZm98JFIbzUpGqmNSG-N6_3qE81ACbkpySx99tNDUv8hjmvJG0z5Un_n3-OITnnRYmYctgZ7XkpzeGNtmG-GJiwlW2Yd7yr-5nufqezdIoHDaFXv5WhbnQSNzcEPykrB4WjbXz-muQoy0Muw6bzy96zu6MuMwBld5Kg8coQIumiYV2w7kVRDmr-rg=w900-h601-no

Ed Sutton · 14 Feb 2017

This project is becoming a bit of an obsession. Whenever I get a few spare hours, or even when I can manage to get to the beach for last knockings, I seem to be doing so. This afternoon turned very dreary, not great for photography in most people's books but I like it at the beach when the misty haze merges the sand, sea and sky. You also tend to find it's other loonies who are likely to be there doing whatever it is they do.

Way out on the wet sand someone was picking coal. When I was a kid in the '60s, I was told the coal we used to collect had been washed off ships. I now know there is a coal seam out in the Irish Sea and that's the true source. Conditions haven't been good for the coal pickers recently, which is probably why the one I saw today was a long way out. I've got a few photos of coal pickers in my archive, including one of a chap and his electric bike adapted with coal-carrying panniers. This chap was doing it the hard way, on foot with carrier bags.

3GaNWgTOil7KXQYw6y-dekhpxJs8pXN1D2rwZhTxzViF6_GYGeJ07-X8Vf9e5mQDfQ2XloTsg7wwmd5oLcoyr0qn_yzNUWCLMgvajULQL13CkZbXj9T8prb2V-dJD1okI-vSdQI4mi5Kia82h23nQ5_kQWlE_ZgyZichLQtXbniFCNIfWdUNVSi2LcGOxq1zPfm-h12eK3iCYNo2OGC3sili2OmzKpUof5F87r9U4xpwuwFir5nfyPm4nO8RVmIfJ29xJ5hR6TUVEPzzzjzuTrlWO3mQT4kV6dp_yUHjVD4kFSdNR7e7lhAcuFu2aI2hWpnfiYdn1KvtAarYA1NpW-sffe2NU9Lf6D3bUR-wAc9LhAkizBMgp5MQ7kS8iztBXxvAGNxqGD0NJskSlcadHhqmse6kBRw15rWByoncS-bAMb-RcC4XfGJVwY_MAut-9njUXCiMdtLhG7GKhmiYIfjPp1r-GkSXvgstpIVvpRI_DxpZ6oKUC9C9o-Z7B7YT0uwxWBFQ_ye-vvDmSlnx2olKi3fpzs8R_2D8YgoNNPIN7CycMLapCnfwJc7tl2RDYRETawDDerGieg8bC-Rjj61rbeDsB5TzNrj-dG8zn37JjGlW8wvb5w=w900-h601-no

A little more interesting was the metal detectorist. The area around the pier is popular for detecting, for obvious reasons. I think it is done more in hope than expectation, although he told me that in summer it can be profitable along the sand by the sea wall where the holiday makers are likely to drop their cash. While I was chatting to him and taking a few photos he found 10p!

I like trying to make short 'narrative' series of events like this.

bHGIOqWvksb6ivgJ957HdloVMNx9CGiVcyHmYnj-O4b0OkF_GuTfyAJJ_VV3rLQOnEmclHcynCa5AbItQ4LbaJZyKvK3mHhgxi1dj0mj_3VlI4a3Hpv9iEjfuxNu7BYdUr3863hKmzwXAyrLSGkTHetRBp_5JerJ7LQbjZCt9qwgN-3I3JPho6l--Tg5GbGQTEcIo27E8G4oHg_zIzIoy7x4PpYRlhZ--8Q11zFrHZtv9TfHAnN9xIG6vTskhiBu2K4eYz1Bm7KnGqVb-hXMlg7Z8X7HjVrpxyzDBBknprxkgf2xMqSMNWmtibdp7XSee1lB2TmVcTtphQw0zaHWdz2nfCKbDMC5xRVBRHehYgT9hAIzFCX1ImF4kTp6lPlW5m-5wkbr3N2C3HbOHfbSp7FYGUFq-JoB1_YT6zkr1CancD7lImoxUgVOBuQXH1p9v82pgsXKLewnTLHEMuOVuA6AL5pTPnUANaOoBdzW4FqOJiB0DAVIxf71D0GrOfJPxYuMxFGDcEtWN7PmURChxiM6aTBK8HpuRu4UC-So0UNydBJv7JVKOEdb03c4q-sv-RNVaHoMHcfK7DnnhLiAAsjQKwxReRdpp8fg07Y0WR5G9C0-hqv4Xw=w900-h601-no

uqahdFzBtSANOiqFGX-bvMELfR5QrYqJbWSAso4xBYefV3klMpsx_mt47w60aLpxIXsv-0NulceugIfrM4Q91-UrZQtYEBID3QxslHFqO5QmCzInOjO856t08Y0mwn8cZ0FbZbIpRgvI-PPnHb0VjaRcOOcrK375N9UBQopXdm6gQMtljtkT6o1WK1wzBKeFACG12cAszTcri42MAbObCtliaAdy-WDtsC3cS_oPMeY8fMFZ8EQ5cwigayplDE2BKEFEhJbi72IUZ1EqyjYCxsD7kWbLnALbum2rgsKZmGaN6TrE73xNnyChM2jlcp1V4eU-RaDIE65Hvo-0WARjH9Y6U90xxp-u3VnNK81R604XK4FDDuC4jBktYwhHKZ2koiSSjNKaGnJ1j0h8FAnAIBhOfYrHOJgnXbgVbFHbIVVOV1-fhu1OrX2wCFNUvh7KmEbHUuIXr0vmx73NakErT_ffJGZ0vbBiw536cEqPVw8_IIIZiOx1UCG1pqw1cFJmkHYbIo8w6H9oPeKzL2eoWtHoq6XTv6qwoAZlOxrBq1VbLwzF0-iBfbk6gpGO-pI7sFsh_V_wKxC_vYbJqZlPpOFgOhUr6vvkn-obwBCdD5M1dFuUOeIQBA=w900-h601-no

Cmjq7k7NdphQDvhDDTszVsbZ-XPe6HhOZUAPIMVRFS4zgI5kldTXPQxU8per5cUPuuCCCTNuM0DPAmZaqPVusPU2-6C_Hu6ZX5IdumaFVr830I475uVmv-wWvnVZooHQ1UNE7nc4_rikjJJKPxDnz-mb7CdAAPqXdDlfY-RxiVLj2XHEEOr5stWbuw06wXGF1UPiV3UlIzoce8vekyMpxNtkfKXvpzJYObKlwsIFbbYTBLhNI1HggWUDnysut79kOaYUa2-QuntyL2Gp0Nul94_sfNiXBA6QoFlmf-svf6alsn1txAnSL0N1qHiUGnCKfKHVCxJrRyqwtf8jYVdcGTuSq-89kY3S9WAFFEIbKp0OdM7_3awtIJT6UitP0SljqxNZY9oysWZhrPRdXd-h8pJNRRIi09r3i7q_CklmTa8c3gUBZ6mSLHx1zNVEuryI7FH4RC6R1HzMml3FkaAmI2z_jXJdUCtFHq3l-mTlz6Spul4e9GqLy8G2o5u-1rQt5bR37rFEKAsqNitDeE_ojCKNT05u-v9da1WGsBV5je_UrxEKsHcGAdd-xECX_ixE16MgX4iUBqi_8mgJGTGYrHx7EUSKaZIqpmFHGbSYneDP4BfnV1mqsw=w900-h601-no

5uSCxx3zhzWHlKWBAzpmU1YqVB2wgRU89XNSKum5sT2xvt_AVdc9KtHIJInjIC3x1ph11aBA8SsBvWzNyimCJ4jHdR9AxmXosNRJ9sJ8e7i2iLBTLYtMcEN2KLvyU7OQqlvNjtB4aN_ZLtLfS7aLKZ0GkMI000oeoILz6KF4pWHApjll4eCWf-iTlUBLfHobe2y1p_dwbqMLtO4NSsqmutqIORnGPAM1zsbQ_A4RlgZ2Fm5ISnP8SkJhTpXd-PIIv0w14fHL4xPV0K5R2PNQXPbiYvzWSzjIELifD0ikqzHDi3bTca1CzerV1s__EDwo1DBDthVMZ6DqGyVo6ytMZN8YG-8uQicjMInAYoauX439w3rK7ydbiQT7e6BUhvMGEC9QrYJSEu-F9wgFv2aJIS01rTNqYPkqx09fI79sq4o9TYKLE833eUKMPVDouLYX7eQdGUYJrX-nU92elZIacmX8PU8-RifNbbwFNa7rhvQeJRBgFUn6g8BYmfygCQ0cZjWPlMAdtjLYdp4-EKBw-gwc6AbSXBUAph-6phAT7k_4jF6i9PYoMFz48zLABy4b9voogZCzd3dTzZ_MuuLX9evSon5VPjID_znfbFXoGLS-LVdaOHdvwA=w900-h601-no

uYyzRalvIatbSMtyKMGVYnVJf-jb0wSGtPVVXSNOzs308xCeYwfqux9vrqcSBXppbQMmHhiCRipRrTJYFvZMcrd0fr75gHKUPEDhwBUcBpweZK9KIxD2CnU3rKPj4pY91c3N2qzbUmTuZvYUVtCBWY_S6QFu5-je2nflRNhlNDsbxJ9oT_kDWrZqtHU4aO4vc5G-L_Vdo6OoTDDQYYCrlDbmGvTx0Nx-NmrCg42jzvaZJDWK66_M6lyRX8RgyHVQakxn8m09tbh6jh0qRWhYQWy718w8pP9GTSOhlayskGDzCYpobWm_UOEeUT3N540IWhP-MhPsuwV3uVRFLvpoXNgA_X7JrMh801r5dYaWJDirK2fN3sIdcKTl1bLDMqtMlcYDNUHepIVgGzlUCznG8w53a9Bo9EwkANFq4IlrjhwiqAN_geUIM7rb_b1RPWjFoSJd_lcEihdakut4nypmkNy8_V-yy2KkAsDv1xHqmJlw905J_RxQQ5J6bQWnQtujC8SuKWOEsyD7dkgXHmvFzPzZZGm9-_FoQHtpPR9OUPeUvkJk6ZtWsIeS9EUYzyuxK-9c8431ogpfDCfJo1w9gz-FEUWa6TOhLl_Bi5hHApFIKt9rFXQgig=w900-h601-no

And a portrait.

G5lemdwKLEvzpeb_ljRrb24DfjHmY14Htk6xB895dgCScW3Xf3WrMX4TlTULlbgVB4NLwqT9V6Z5puBENADWvjdFjvVndiS17WgnhsYbkMUgJR5OQ-oJsgd7sRyzki6wx77kBP53t8KwFa2I__sS432obpVg_S8zFchCO12Uw1PP59630nR6K531NEQJxSAkO9yXoUa8FZOKDOQeLPHoAVUM4XdRa3uUYlAUrlBStqXirZvRptD5wWrRclUomSVtcGx_yCeN62BWmQUIqyi0gd2kUwC-ts7f9__fxNtk43T8DMW46LYpLp_5S3Fk4zosWp0oD0_PrPjsrtH_NJ0Nd_G38wsAgm546iCi8UG_SfpYYZ4rXVGEK39uD3ZxDFHcvRnCcMnC_WybC2hO1Qrdz4vuBLxjGxr5rIDoU3iFRagnhHvfqMjJKTI-gB_stGdGAObCnvtcGE0yx_Ugw_9Iu__Xs4H4IDvzD_jvaWYOwUBNIqKt874NXio6to7Qm0bHOygogFjsr4ISwMG_4ZhQiaQdpOUxZrbXJkGAs-cYBb-JjOoAX4GeZmSBRPEia-yfph5IR5dRIa3ArTcGwrzKq_LG6hnetccX9NZ68Y4wTDXCFR7p3hBn7A=w619-h773-no

Foxbat Flyer · 14 Feb 2017

Really enjoying watching your documentary develop Dave. A interesting collection that is coming along very well.

Please keep it going,

Chris

Ed Sutton · 14 Feb 2017

Thanks Chris. I might keep it going after Easter and look at the people who work on the beach during the summer - ice cream sellers, the donkey rides people, etc. The more I think about it the more activities I realise take place there.

Foxbat Flyer · 15 Feb 2017

I think the addition of photographs and background of the summer beach workers will make a great addition to your project. It will become a great archive of Southport beach in our time - go for it!

Chris

juggler · 15 Feb 2017

Ed Sutton said:
This project is becoming a bit of an obsession. Whenever I get a few spare hours, or even when I can manage to get to the beach for last knockings, I seem to be doing so. This afternoon turned very dreary, not great for photography in most people's books but I like it at the beach when the misty haze merges the sand, sea and sky. You also tend to find it's other loonies who are likely to be there doing whatever it is they do.

Way out on the wet sand someone was picking coal. When I was a kid in the '60s, I was told the coal we used to collect had been washed off ships. I now know there is a coal seam out in the Irish Sea and that's the true source. Conditions haven't been good for the coal pickers recently, which is probably why the one I saw today was a long way out. I've got a few photos of coal pickers in my archive, including one of a chap and his electric bike adapted with coal-carrying panniers. This chap was doing it the hard way, on foot with carrier bags.

A little more interesting was the metal detectorist. The area around the pier is popular for detecting, for obvious reasons. I think it is done more in hope than expectation, although he told me that in summer it can be profitable along the sand by the sea wall where the holiday makers are likely to drop their cash. While I was chatting to him and taking a few photos he found 10p!

I like trying to make short 'narrative' series of events like this.

And a portrait.

Still enjoying this series - the coal collector and first pic of the detectorist are masterful.

Ed Sutton · 15 Feb 2017

juggler said:
Still enjoying this series - the coal collector and first pic of the detectorist are masterful.

Thanks. :blushes:

It's strange how things work out sometimes. I've been habitually taking a zoom with me that goes to at least 200mm, but yesterday I took my 100mm macro lens with me. If I'd had the ability to zoom in more I probably would have done and I doubt coal picker picture would have had the same sense of scale to it.

Ed Sutton · 18 Feb 2017

When Saturday comes I seem to head for the beach no matter what these days. This morning I had some work to do and a job to drop off in town in the morning. I drove the coastal route and had timed it so I missed a couple of opportunities I could see as I drove along. A bloke was driving his quad bike on to his trailer as I passed, and on my way back the horse boxes in the second pull in had gone. I thought I'd chance a look at the farthest stretch of beach but was dispirited to see very few cars parked. In the past I'd have turned round and gone home for a brew, but this must be an obsession because I went for a bit of a wander anyway.

The good bit was I met a chap playing with his self-assembled radio controlled buggy who was happy to be photographed. The bad bit was Mr Technically-Incompetent ballsed up the exposures and the sky got burned out beyond recovery. It annoys me to see it when people try to recover a blown sky and end up with it grey. Technically recovered as in the red disappears in Lightroom, but it looks crap. I stopped the highlight slider before reaching that stage.Although unlikely to make the final cut I can't decide whether I like the one with the dog in it or not. The other frame is a crop, which I don't like doing except for format or to straighten horizons. Although I hadn't intended to I went back after lunch and a bit more work and ended up spending a couple of hours chatting to, and photographing, a kite flyer. Hopefully one of the three hundred frames might be OK...

hmxsIK7bKoaZXxhs5R4ggJqXah1HWRpa9B18b5kmONzWr8YYIlf0nQjWr3i2BneK2BfdnxhwGe-Q5kuii4WVxaJEMqzd7GxM840shCnLKPs2vXVif205zkAaMdSMI9RA25wbL1o0hv4ZsFaQJtKylBjFuxgJ0_P17ZZcVrijvp8lV0tD9MWRgSMaj4izZKZ3c5cM2SzSC568g8-eMd_1yoIzb9THbfXdBSTxwLK7VbboSyRbXbx4IDCa4T5JZgCVU0OEAhZPdfYwR_agvq64sH01NZmv8boScufUQqPz2IQ_elIewFUcy_XoceeEp2KqmeOwvaBNq_yWIEkteFG7NKvk4HtPFdD2fEFwM7F90pPGYcDZ3IxcBfpb2Q7Aj_85nUhszhYP7-OrwUAjWZqql-2yKDZJFDEOWHaTaDWBKsaBvnaE9GYxh1UshgV3xUj63xDXtGqvzt6TTxjgR2aVXSonTUfZTR_gQ58PENd_PR5R305Ecx9HxTzfgncJn9JxHrPcOmONAX1SmaGekD2l1z2ldnx0bhoia2PPGUZVgmDYw0cCKkcq5VOIqhM-NYh56s8zwJvJBQ56onPqVHmwHLDPsKykMVq-d5FntdMJ1B9hIedpc3u2uA=w500-h773-no

v4xNgny_HsYZUPwdeWJvHKbLmTthdXDBVF0b0PiYCMhvdNSs9M46_tZyzXUwAskICKwxoui-nRNiH0xg0saAJH8RWBbm9Uuk5_aC9NyaADWJFc6saAzetZPKb2DS-2nuxVcdaTwOaTuiHtc-o2mytHu04PdbVFBx2wohgWPRyPmlf8LXOrjrOdbkhazv_wDpsWrrYos_E19X2_cfHRukfsPZI4oLRvLmh7M42bckyr4GIHGPGnWOr0FH3rWuaWup9HefdgfRAAQknnm4IuPDzsLh-499cR9FKUncSNkcXmLVYOlGjpVnJsqQLOEwd-j_Go87OXQ7APK_D0ehD8G8Zr3XjK_oJPWMlX2ehF2DasQkVVapuhYtjwvAhXBcR3lPe1Ly-k6ZKlyc22EVZSGBZNsxMcbTN1t4M_OBZEMSJ8Uo4dy0uFNvLjNkw66-mkZDRJIrD2oJORHfSzRW8HQ9M6FKgXmkbPXlTbsqZmlj1Z-0NLG02NMIt3J_TkWo1QwiOEtQiwZBl6Uo_P2O-9-i7NksOw05C2W1aBZDNWSPub9BgBEAlgDU0ctOZ69WjJEqI2gtmI3xa9EkZ04h1PHAXXL0sYfWCwdq0tFoA9oWNXC8Zyt0hL2bvg=w500-h773-no

Ed Sutton · 19 Feb 2017

Ed Sutton said:
Hopefully one of the three hundred frames might be OK...

That was about the size of it.

The light and the sky didn't help matters, the sun only shining briefly. Mostly it was my incompetence to blame. Another cocked up attempt at a portrait - a horizontal crop from a vertical frame. At least with 24mp to start with it's still a reasonable size file but I really should take more care, and more frames, when trying to do the portraits. It's just that whatever I photograph anything static I tend to take just a couple of frames, often just one. Possibly a hangover from film days, or more likely because I'm lazy and can't be bothered sorting through lots of very similar shots or the computer. I very rarely 'machine gun' either because it never gets me any better pictures. Yet I see lots of people doing it, even when they're photographing birds on twigs.

b2GSxfXP_gRS9vgkHmkksuoLhjwS6oV3QhoA4jMYQgzlpG0VnIxJy7Hy-AsDminVIAhItdhoqF9Fi2cNtGipc6a0puIw9R6tRMeVSmBqpMCnIMmqjC4pCQ_gf0udzzk3sew1ES_5OufBwTTqziEAVq9K-QuMCoSvA5jFXTTSqAAT-kQupLJj_H-VQuIgZZsYbGXZNdhI6pFUbUNv2H2uryIlVu2FExOy4EJgoQ-bTzDOgZ2bVntYCIvrhzzG68DPr_YYxwAHKK9sybak7eJHYs0CagbP7Nzq5wNBK-ESdeoBTtr5U3JtEZfLckUOZXH-z4vX6i2nA47tO6Yy0Xq6Mn-AGaY6v911G5ngu9ikBFwMR7vWBde3HEKtA_FmYnkZkH_EOB_7bj_C4YsV4yiNll-aBMKEp2MD1fiXSKnQPqVFbDHcaA7NGdQ8Mg6eV049PazJR_lHM9hj0IszJhSppOeTtREyNVbDwZ2fM2uU2P-fxMK4nARXlIE76IiFX1sKa3eaVOkpHxd-PiO1CLkVslVNz0EskssRZ1V30S6nWKfrj5dMvVDNKpgHmZ0pbE7xXca9tY0il5fkXXr9KTTOHU0WPSM1bIeJfOlLI3Y5YvL6XRDwE8Ui_hhw__7je8zA1g2DV0yoWayOX3_KUmhBVQPJGTnFFkeJdXP4jCt3pC8=w900-h601-no

I like to try and capture movement if I can. There's something dance-like to this frame.

yn1JNgs8oIHub7JVlpWW3M3X9TdsmSZO2Agi6_FOBR5ycHELscaZE3u3JO8YEl_tIZ6vXhWIAXypwyJWFPxaKC_yb-f5nb2PU5Z9TTpK22UUMXUWEJQVC9-yax4Lv1uyzaLxrWWNIA1NK5W3Nvm90n8AMEZ5tJys4x_CPRjYP7TORkRg2ADbyVqnBZI3wE9qG8fdj4HvefzQY31vBCtbxvaGv6_5mI0h3rbgML46wzRw1H9B8TOI9x7_VdHnjy7OyfQZU2Iqz8lA2vYYNuKRfnsu5ALNnr9D6mGn7fI2BuAl3UTsZg4eUZYd7rZuZcV4wFHTNq8qKhztLu_SbL6wXXEvDt5PZ0OWpiPdkZ24nAR4UA_id-lR4VBXMIEjzaCz69k7kOnYHGYfPdhFmW9JzBtCgJIQxqa3Fc89ZSHe0sTrGJlcToVikum3RoHuLwy0_2MJbPqSVjJ3PXjDzMLUeNREU1hGF0ohuCAcxlmyfo9NeGWoOx6mSI5wUyU2Nv1QY5bETvTXlu08GDoRoBdLYDI5N-dhEcRyQHI3bILikIvKFFBG3XImMD9IhZGfjizCsiqAoU-yrBPEjEN42HkauHSFdCmPiH_65CN38GL-QBGSogIzSMTRlZmG5Y4YXDSig-ueKy2A9n1NkJUn_pgc7-ohAQVcISQNWQARTIXwB1c=w900-h601-no

An attempt at a pretty picture...

RlvwDdWlpnFGcnCo3BpFUaE2ZLEMcZaKXBs33reSjOBi8AyvDcjZ4GLjKLeMVDlAuSVguN4FXA4G27rmDcifOpo8Yf2GT4MyJriVucrXT0nlGIaXC8eY0gg9oTMwZZVG8DADz8Ci1cvjT_lAo2rl2lbUbebCIOPTCjSbZk2vleZT1EcRSMg1gBTZFkTqOzEy9w0InFMYTSZBZbvOTsP47sdftbH6H73SXe2HUwGgVDvVHPpS-TXvHYBrkdhrs3v4tyopiOcvnxqZrCplM2YqBabJPQRgHqBvYJuIJhV2gDulynsgwPfeBsRSjlOsvpbCbxokQ0XeU2oxuS7-09Pmk5ZPWN0pXMFPfEnQDLCwgMKED2rjGWVBjx9rpYL36ff8JN934TW8045-gh75VbFgnj9OdleCeo0EjcW_9aP9MLXRLXzuYhN81riVtz7C6IbESS7YTD63zaCu3yklD2s0hfDSS-SAtdq49dmplyF3YToGgpUoozKNi9DFNvG42-ABcHNlFvLiZXzcUvX6ypoZL18PxCddGmuVSxgiow1FWIm2iPMin9NalkXF83DjTTALuNGJLSJIiyx4C2oVIZgzqolHEQOVsVYUhOgcys35UnyhIKDVq1twa_oxo5eE6XLWeokRJgXj-yW6IQKrNnKacK2Gl3T0R4ycPUGL3hShjU0=w900-h601-no

The failed portrait.

xjr1JCG1vxOgD7F9FPrnaO0DKjSgypfREWP_meYt53bLCiFsQj0UCiJq3bUtafK0NzP-Jle3bkmJfCbhOycDkyhAFD7md3iLIjijgo3W8lLjZO6xoAjp_Zb7073BSQzkiL-6yrdj3fffg4GrAexV7HtHuJ3EWWHAI6YN38UcSjcKSs7LmCR1wY4ORr6Ue1hzI0thXywfMiJkXg0KN3NSmovLMD3Z3BJq6YHdbY9BZDvyfAX0t3Mt-juaoWsM_Cfb3lQo5W1lWrDCT242hx-onpEghwaN8zOY-lql-IdPWIfdtLdTn9INdM4rPhKYwXSO2n_MU51h4Vqwk8WDAeUd0GA6EBsw9R60-s6xaFeG221EVCefYOXEQIbZGkuJYUyCT8kwoFZSyPNG-xZOjenws-X4Xr84bqvPynIMb8Uj7tO3zzeOYue38SQakduQHA8jeSbmyKluohg2ey9gOCNOtgNpJNJe5qyhXh47XwLYb-TWeaABl8PS29TSAV9_aF6xvorsOoDe-HzuTFWLmIKQvmNwtatVYENdEfl29tWOiiRIcqChr7_79l_kO95hNU7bZMmYykygyPtLekfnxlw4Ik89HBOBd6gAm9vDCCfVmj3ue9av2mHS6_E7k5Lz-h311eC0-HZkvvMPfLliYJjMoxgmFrX5umxF5O6XkUBm_9g=w900-h720-no

When the sun did eventually shine for fifteen minutes another guy with a camera showed up right in the centre of what I was trying to photograph - which wasn't a problem apart from his bright yellow wellies. Then he came and stood between me and the kite flyer to get some shots of the kites lit by the sun. When the sun went in again he buggered off. Pleasant enough chap and I'm not moaning, we're all different. It just made me realise that the kites, although in my pictures, aren't really their subject. A few more photos here - https://goo.gl/photos/1VA9aSpKsxEZf9iA7

yPu6_GekfMPjMMJYjpWwSCLKi-NtMjSWZSIiY9BB0oMRpZH8zTFxIxj3a6QkZoTP9nzSSDq9HcfGGc-Azh9vntjBElIND5pJsaq2q4KGg2QUw4mg7Mkbqg_2Z55h8oam_hR5vOwhhouyQ0SD2SR3-boIyR6vPZXRJPBiRSTsUV_VhcAas9HatXS-yBO9Ld7-gYk2ihQKt0ELZPSMPwrls5jyLoVbgzFKqStOTYhcBWmaJ6sI1gtF0jFVoc0NSk4VILhqrgBT7TXOyjp2yKLMScl5mvalsaopcM_PwDlbh4E5Otr3TiFcWfzRK2l535f3xxiU4rfCCoJuaryNRirPvjV2RnGm-r7FbC9TjsUWS86EOfGVdYYqKId4XP5fx3thwzyGezx3CyHfmlXapgvO3E_ljZ4gluEGKhQvtreO_6hr6Q9-si3TtQGouO0jDKAJwnIX_AF68v2Xo0QDAN6lErpHyyqRH5YAyYNVl5nCOgJeLOCQRh06Sen2FJlemfyHZRzbMPf36q30sSrUaj7C3eVtPSlF0WQNJX9WYoD0ux4Co09T76qlfth34XjsxTjL0_fvpQMTMt0zZX_Do1ReuuoU7ks6y7jRNL3YBZt-StF3NAWs9RS8eA=w900-h601-no

Ed Sutton · 24 Feb 2017

I didn't have much time to spare today, and worse still I had to get back for five. A pity because there was a chap pumping lugworm, there were professional shrimpers out and someone else was setting either nets or lines for (hopefully) cod further along the beach. Then again if I'd continued making the same mess of my photos as the ones I did get it would have been a bigger waste of time...

A worm pump is basically a great big syringe that sucks up sand, and worms. It's a lot less tiring and faster than using a spade. Unfortunately I didn't get any decent shots. But this sequence gives an idea of how it works.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dszZ97AMwk0Mh42bjgU4-1vGsa5FqQuuEIKgdBtyS13CN_DQP7mmUTOOZf7EW7FIi6b5xsNw-pRFoknVLR67_eEWRQxMPJ41k_pHTZ4j3MPbCfzc0tLcPP8gFa03wnSi2kFSKQe5xNvipglM5h_V5RJDu3yytBb3ISaN6Hj_0YUY95y8avoWvFlRNYIme-vuYKo73Od0TsQn8imHzMoikDQZgbpW4dPQoVrfarmvlbcApXEfOEs3PFCNQlRW_AiKDd5go3szdVymyDyEGb1JI6CX7LvdLfG97wVYl9SFsQ4n4tiJrCCIHhQmXWfW8o7wFfOxtYvvHMYi1pPgcSDTKOpBRPJuUobRlp8rgcMaU1Fw78PrLf9W19XSTrV_48Xgc32Cyu2QerZembIQGEXs5O61H80GH6qDJS9QbWihfsFnkN86EnSrWKYdIURQTEc3-NXDIxKdzNDJN1TTOjJ-pFP8DRE7-h3miL0TEnAMUK86Bl6J-BYgfvfke2T5RFACzGHzlGwAn47zfbQ9UmCkTqAZI0EuIuUGIvDldBy0dlcVpDyj_IysYmGWFtvRZZ_LtmO8URpxrP-dYKfZ6jM5OjRoOKvG2t4fe8Deo9H8e-KSPAMiJd6SAIw=w1200-h597-no

Southport is (or was) noted for its shrimps, potted in butter. When I was a kid it was a common sight to see the tractors heading along one of the roads and out across the sand. (I'm not old enough to remember the horse drawn carts! These days it's not so common. Some time in the last forty years a compound was made for them which is usually kept secure. Recently the gates got broken down which allowed for a bit of exploration. After photographing some of the tractors and other modified vehicles I indulged my love for making grids.

As the grid illustrates, there is a variety of machines, but the basic idea is to drag nets behind them.

0gY0v0EwV-V4RDMyBGqaCLBdh0hfRCZyU6ljCUOGpAPCFTwPiZ8s8H9tuSy0j65U1XpWYqrf6j6zJxtGm8gT0zk8A7LO58xnRwHkKaR6OLSlcVlUGVQ45KPOZMtTthjpd2ICIaC_tT10cXbvrmZ9d9JV8yCTdS0hCHDNHy-M_mTXP3E7AArV__zkVk-8KEsVwybUlMDWHApgAIuvBRWPAWC1CIQeXPKXABII_Qnqlo8eRQ588M6RA-15aV7dYhJwKjqiD7KIvhp0K5CF_pWP5gq0xdAuf4fwVRvDe7-LhXKguIVE8J5YReYSrCUFau7NvTdAWZihbOe5FFBjGAScOyECq-UJgsDuZw2s83h8XXjD7MTQ7hgH8RWbMuw8ylVqfzQpXXkgvLuZqUi7FbQ7QtgheSJuTvcigIXVqZuYbXdk54BiB6S2k12DB97mFx2k_pJNWR8zNYpSB0VRE8OCi2RML4AvkA_e8sbxtD8ncTXutKV78alP81rb2BGAsHhkrPSvE2epmGks-Ybzvo9Cszo8dnKGABGVTr1CXbo5kp35SKYZsjh3zdL4bvIWkrkbdLbwFn8HioL_5kIuSR7wzTLvQN8iDVnBizVoq2_kJ5xgF5CTdBinAQ=w900-h601-no

As I didn't want to disturb the gulls and waders today I didn't get close to the water, but these pictures give a bit of an idea of how the shrimpers operate. It's just a pity that the shots aren't quite as crisp as they could be. The weather forecast is a bit rubbish for tomorrow so I might have a trawl through my archives and sort out my existing beach pictures to see what can get put in the project folder.

8hVF0kZ-AOzzITx0gt92y8HI7cUBA94BLU5BEDm1ILNz4DD4lb9dZbM8dVPk5pLKS1WccPGpM938ODQLtwXhHRnCSknYmGgVrkd8qygLV-AGSBL_LC28oTa9s0lWK9YgGDxVM8CAG2USnLppucP2RRpfSbUqpD9dzuaS1wX4n_kmZ-74aeMPiQw81wecwHLadvxrC79uoaxumhf2Ezkjy36mYJ3G1eyH02WhZSDsJ3RBjUrRM_edPeAe4SYFAotsYb2SGKrZn08NDpNbjhRJEy_Jp8-CV2aVqzgBd4Cqk6YwucuoKvxTX6k1SVEYVvkOZaoHrXDkQPv2y1Vdb2XBldyde0tl5aCMSDDda6fVsw86AVG_JSpKnDZNu0ykqJfvLHG33MXw0CLVTFMT4pwK0mSS85IYYTX9y247Kakd49qD4zZ_50ftzjzRKUnDMUwDL_HF5FijXPII9FPLVy_ci0V7GOnZCj3YJY2dHF8SrOxTN00ePcgZ-sEc_aWVR3B6aShbJHQ256yiyOycH04zKm4LCOi_KgWNWbggM838_yi_mRvVQQAfD73u2v4koOKeO9ylmytryGhEjtNSJu2I6GELg5oPmxo3YUhj0HAAEcWNS_Mw-MSeUw=w900-h601-no

mmMFVJOvf1qo0C4s-ZpObL_78-fBttXM5_Qtx_Qtw7m9XYS7PRJ2eOn3ZP3FdA4_cPRIWgJPeLUBMh88iN_2AxjBsM9MTPzbB9WL3SohK77Fh2UTfvUbs8Oye03Edp0uH6M9yzS_ATJij9HoeRs9gW3urP0QEMtw2Evt9romISGavE-tt2V-BiwSluOPTr1fA-MydL49V2qiqFLcUxsmZB9rjMaNIpHSglyuGyIfHV0FiCHfDZ0wzfsoeB9vpJ5L1HLd9XHmQ7L7Fdfa80bnLIkbP4MW69mD8FBkhoEDKeWZbDY3sdaWQX0qw2YtwJXZYQ6gi1QsmVoE5MSDkA7X_2IJRyHhed074HhiO5Yomt4wbQvHy_9zeAsb5cS2iYkozEHUXgyhIhc_LzxzAoe8JFz0yBRNS4MmArObNUj8P-M8xrjxUrnlrSIf1vgeMmzsMPLSp5oS_8BjX4as2GZ4OijSpwpFmgfcg5RUsOzSa1FVBW68SdM0pJ55aIVTpSZ7DiDjOOw2YvlkwhbXiF6yhcjXcMYHiahHDPF3szTdU76pbp8LGqqhWokmdz5vfDKWXOtqP49UpRE6Io5TJ0g0h1w4rsqv2DeFTvqOg8bFce6FjMRmgqIVNw=w900-h601-no

0WbP3O5ZUSvASiHoP4qFoGuykRxmPxj0hFQA5phkoVpiqKS44UjLsxjrXSAxV74d5ssL9wXTsvvkmAe_poHOzC-mB_gTACSla5YLNq5zcKVtSGaHX1CU6KVyniy6fYa4n3-ytlJBybIRzN9AxcnRSPhyEJBNMFTTB0hIJ-2JMFyboZ-nPgOmafr7YyrMnPBVItnlh9R56flNPzgmxAMgANysxz8bhPri5y-Wg6883gclWDaC4EDYr9LjMIA0VcrrFre1V7dMDK4tfz2DAdJFSBfdRp2BqiVmulR13NKcuffiyEYo5YKTjQnZ1dgD2LEK19HAImFAr1VJEmTaefWizqRJxlrq4TVB5y8Gp8gEFUX75rD3JS8-NOR64DiKa2H0m-YW-xDbZlt3gRG_csg4uMfyWGmDD7RkoA6kgr0knE2Bj0kQ8Gn7t2BREmGnu1br8GLX0w5Ow514vAjC0LeLXXzsP1F98VN1IiNiF6nDkgRBlptG1iELaCDt0I9ol2rM8HCoMj_QI_MMHl4Fy3-if2hwOB3S_EfAgX7AFY0sk0Jo2pMMMjMn1CV_zvnnN8q3dHi1qVLcYLdxyIYFe4AdaOJElDvZw2ulWcHft-xdiE66YF7jrT4wUA=w900-h601-no

L-SSsJnvYg5tamo9_d-C8rHsKSMjSlgK--iQxxws3gcVVVb4uylttRQnyaDHcHfEnvsXxf8Zf_XCAk9XJHIR-Fcr8BQh61WQRW73zg6TjXWBFBELrrIVfdVpAMsG18-MgG2RBaKvBM04pq2eNtU0fEhIzv40I5aMXilHxEyWm4el1_PVHr06FemttilNX11U6rPSiabgFJfNgSgg42mgqD8IujsekS5eJqNOdMUAAbKOtxrBTmuFNohzTyaUAzoqwKBt5viRNGbinRILMaj_ESR3nF_T3F-_yeEK5TQNaxfrStcbFaI2pIc4GWi1rjcbAxcD8qFves0Q-nBo4mZqh5BNggoFfnbb_VXuubzlP2YOdocTBAPsgt5MS7_JjOXlD7gXKUY0bQbcG5r0fmsKS8PMohBD32QRzWjpef4ycdcfBhBU8ypYoApXPzYH07WIoiiiremXVemGz2XM2MoXQEOSTXgkO-Vwgw4QWVw0ixg_jtS9dri50ho8dISt5de3QyCAZf5tZODqCoXvvBIIK3MpbjhiRE_arKpxrsxSzJw5aHOOi1wTc6ponNtf44rRXKGr4KYrbnVXM_wonTmpyqW4F8xYWPGPik92eJlaYqBPJ5xsa1oy9g=w900-h601-no

Ed Sutton · 25 Feb 2017

The archive trawl proved one thing. I need to organise it.... Some photos I know I took couldn't be found, although they won't have been deleted. I did find one I didn't remember taking. But why there weren't more of the subject I don't know.

UfIi8Djc0AlSg9muUHDtHQbBAo2cLU3rSWJsqJZzCIk52TksNJRxGtUZzdyEAd08sEKUTLp_UCQfQNzr439KuITzftV7EDwl-3RI2GIYGvCnXfJS1CDxiTCWG6UK7UhJuTj2kHnX2hKMpC1GrXLoQyvjdoaZYhhWzqk0HG9_Mg2VqOmcptOsESU7tuWUS7cfwkpwd-OV59FF0N-jL8V_h7KI3Ub1Wbpo7qZmK2XrioWNPbMedOAk5DG8p9D1GjlqCsStKJtODySo39GLxx6yeNCpqGk6JFeGipqbMpMugEuCzmWvf4IdwNiJbX0gih3UsldZbsFKgGe5IABiZ3Tf1J2e0DJWBiNIS44lXkYXdRcHXlQB_F5YnCITpi4GfZvwS-gB3tmUwmxMupyYIZWaQzpnHA87I3KkIbj1WLs4rbb9O3XeZM4b4Aaj9klsjwLCTbqPmtI1gxtrBW-YRB1sCTGxFZttOTwSzOm1oa0Rrp2-47Fccc4yft6jEnTyahEixOaIkI6761zQT_L2VuRGp5f3ZpoOZs4xtpNA2WoCdIuOfkU4DPy2Z8rPC5t5Y79ZCCBQAgScVKiWVD5G0HrSopBMJt4pQHeoxCMcWRSziZrDy1w6VWmGyg=w500-h773-no

This one of the same subject from another day. I arrived as they were wrapping up.

Something similar of kitesurfers.

Ed Sutton · 26 Feb 2017

I got out early this morning, but wasn't feeling too good and cut my visit to the beach short before it things had woken up. I'm going to have to arrange a trap for these cyclists so I can get a decent picture.

X09lkMf4EApFvIrS5fY4E2Y3PL1_9ZpF-MDccF3NT_UOvYUJiw2LTgikhs4Qlst4hJvvbi5XScAynDiIVxJgLUyfoLQRztu_KZaEyszswm0woG3Sig_BggLhnAhZ34yNo0-F5AWT1U6GtAbCl725qfcTrRJ2ejcMnGdJET6Tuf2X53iwREzLn580vVVeWNgRSUEcXAfy1HVoB1BWQ9cgSXdFXKWlNPOfAIGH2YFWlb6DLLYUrVgwTFus19e6TiIj5ijX6m-cuGtF3JukSrYNqE9u_XgzBEApOL3wdg-snIPuHjSOcZynawVA5i3bvrz5o7rUqmzhd2eY47s-TvJCTfKm9Th5-Z6MvG-WdS9gVcxtP3J36scX7meEmVKWbz5UlaMpTZNBmeX8uRQca-je5Zs2O8QATuAknLgg2tcJgkpRcb8pqu2WC3s8qsOHEU-6t4hnQJJgCrCVSyZaWIq5eMnPDDpFlMXap1NoGLNYferMJFrX33iJanmSNfRbTO5HCqVc0a2xlLzoFS4CgM04T-FqId3UkyhaOudmpWQ0a-v3UEbvRrqRcuwIB38K53L3Nlwuj2I1XF5AwXLfrRpIR3lUZtXE_nF43igmR06pvGvF5YygSUll2Q=w900-h601-no

Around two I felt perkier and the sun looked like it might come out so I went out again. Unfortunately Storm Ewan had crossed the Irish sea and the sand was 'running' when I arrived at the beach. Only a few hardy fools were out and about battling the wind. I shot some video footage of the sand which I have yet to review. It'll probably be as rubbish as my efforts with video usually are.

Another week gone with next to nothing to show for my visits.

kT8vAOCjuaw3RBl6NCX8ivdBA6H5Xyie8VFC-tE-6rwHj2DhI6Jq0JLphsyXJzZ96g2rYndiBWP_Io2H8YUSZAmg-W1euAoE0v97yD0e2G1xg1o39xiLEKmu7DsWKcPtwNBsR4lsXFX_cD-ArGKznaB5Xiw5IeDiQCuL4BToAC0cVLGVUD-mrk_IoKOfCAsUCbHT1i9j-55sY4HQgwqu1d1s14Bd2CGEUlN4Gk-qFHF1-RoXSpwQNnr9m22bdNho0T-4Xk90WpeJ91ZT7DU7Uxzhkx1w9ndGc5WB_vBebfnO6TEGMX2Ccblz_WRP08LPwNDXkWzKu_YaZhvOjl4AZ1Kl8WpS6-Mc6WQFF4069U4J1iuLJ0LMwtL-g5D8IwK4vgwjAL8FPkQ3yDx5TfBuloYhj_arLVBvA1HJS0vLjFT6EHvS3UWFNVYtDM-n6M8S1OA09N2mEVeDILHdcc9FrQ4bKIfREg94xIl54p_QvcJtJUpVg_tNvUE8aseL1ANbQNco7PMMPfkslWsl-Da9r2JYWyIvbhaGARRlyQzB6be8EtbirQYhwkwGB2pQTyXTHfCG-w1y1nckk8w0ogJdtCSCytWTgnniJxDbnz60xeJaWjsyn6oW2A=w900-h601-no

i2wEkdv9HjmFF-e-J_Nt6Z5pZxF7dsqU88UcL9D9iICeUbmWzhZWO9hGcfLfrpPZ_-c3Oxt4RVgz6mqhc1Kn1aI7sQiPX1oIDcwkuxW4WRmbjIMAms1n9baFM_h6vDPXhSBu29GrVajXtIPSDD482HnrPIb_2q-RU1vo6li6sdcIQzYIPA-GulhS3JJdJYxKUkuKO18dniGEksoX8P-BkVXAqX2NR3GcMvqcRNWjxzVuPbc1YgF4o8jZmW6WgyjDEQAZe0x2uQujnMw5y5qR1zcsPhri6BnHohHYJ0dFQh89oR3CJCQ0kTQzSgeVqOqtC38spSa3R2veRsQpDzS2X6GlcRU25g5E0RrUGZUQtH2j8DAGLgPRN3gzMx87BBIK2JT-LLWM79Eh3B1UEl4L7I_cUXzWto4fKnsFPGGvIELMYyJVjLeomc1rOnwXSoxQaasfpxsnr3IcidMwMwEKFRI6RisPkGOdN43WSz5LxBlWdiRvJyf8IhJ4HL5pMyxWClh8uzcxUAWoZkD6rzDwncJKzRBSILIrT2JdnasPL-bjPqhblXNtFTGioTe0ZrbMkdARw_0k-Kkl2mQRiUPKPf4T3UfZFu7iXgXcI50D-INpErPsHpHRZA=w900-h601-no

HopefulM · 26 Feb 2017

Your 'attempt at a pretty picture' is beautiful - I love everything about it!

Foxbat Flyer · 26 Feb 2017

A really good documentary, the variety of subjects is great - I especially like the kite series.

Keep up the good work,

Chris

Ed Sutton · 26 Feb 2017

HopefulM said:
Your 'attempt at a pretty picture' is beautiful - I love everything about it!

Thanks. I guess like a lot of people I see the faults in my pictures more than the strengths.

Foxbat Flyer said:
A really good documentary, the variety of subjects is great - I especially like the kite series.

Keep up the good work,

Chris

Thanks. I hope people find it half as enjoyable to look at as I do to photograph.

Ed Sutton · 1 Mar 2017

I was in two minds about bothering or not today, but when the sun made its first appearance of the week I grabbed a camera not really expecting there to be anything much happening on a midweek late afternoon. As it was there was a young (compared to me!) guy metal detecting. Once again I learned a bit more about the process. The special spade is for digging in wet ground/sand so the water drains out as it's lifted, making the job easier, and there are small hand-held detectors for pinpointing small objects.

G473uvvY1tl945qzHmUBJSXKn-bIa5mUD4l5HQrtQrHkalpZxGCQ-nU-th9S0ZTtphDdhwvE3ztg79ezSt3TN34zw-dePk-nbvosvG2iLsGuJ2Jo01wBK-saJkAaWBdcdJNUdb3jtUNmoW5HSiNsGxnrF0QyWOr574YQb9TvudvuTcsUwyu758UIL-2LCeHDLqIuEubq2VopZ7egDWemAsnDE73pWnMLk5e2Xl0R2k8lwoGyHBHaTzUv3UzK9Mawi2_rWxNz6PO612cRyDpXAb-s6LkgXTg2EI054FCCat8P8WRkHAm0SG8VmLd-s68FRolPGP4LjeHPjfYfcr2pYXJ5nQ5VZ3D4-2R4o_ZSIanRf6c6XGg33roNJMHy4_m0TWekphnZhqzZ3rm8s5iOrubflSOyOfR9xLFgB-WDGC-Q_IKMs-8Kn12Pl2hUK4Fkfxp0GUDK3xJHNZsp6Q1A4gKUiTJq-iK582OV2h-JsRhv08iEZHJViWCFEfZRsb1bp4voQdn6K1_utmt-sLkwkeOyaZ0r8wS7-hPmAy8N9EErSefuLxqS6i5Bj_LWU4UJ7jK2e6n0BpMcGgBCnSejZ5OllLyYYEGM4-XngUB1YK6GqQIHIS4qkQ=w900-h601-no

8FfX6hsV3zGd514gcnUdIB_ifEDVVRJgtMh4h8klCtsUsQREnvr1gkxrEPAhu6lJJGT5qR1sYcBKro2DMvD3pdRl1rxzAVxG6KhS_GpRw7KM8ADOCB_FGcPAAQOmdy_OKfp4-mvwg0T01Xjo64dx6ylRXWqiWPcrg1AC57DQ1H2_6PsO5cFOgFSqi6LWcOnVSl2T1tERVU6lWNQvnYjKxTlAPsXQjDoGbHHBZCAPe2OdvQyk3ddOZ7WUKpLCR_xGE70YwAFiYZmWRiX6i3lyXyzYxxOAnH8cq1hnT9PrFNnLAOu4FG4qtVlgtbF598clhAfTHIR5A0eG1eqlwZ2FL_85k5DWKHVX1jaJjt-j5sXFVKZKKDo_SPUHJPA3mqp3DQJR1rmJW2tiyqdW8ecFYTaEB_GtyJcaxWDQ_YlTtCu5RiX0CBOGL4abw9WwijKEBqgppGls0Sez5hJw4yTCECrKNykGyqQfW6IN3DoVqZ6tRkhRcaLKH4OaNre_VUgiQBl6TqAgGgciQwJdOMYvyPKHA0jh1D8C_j17U1nFWcPACqRcAzleXfVHdCbdQIty36iR1uSCYPdjv98ZyeRxWkpnggcJ9l4XVvrj4SJ5yGT5WW9K8qQTWw=w619-h773-no

It's a pity the only long lens I had with me was the zoom on my compact or this scene might have been more useful. I like using compact cameras, but they always end up infuriating me with their limitations. The focus is actually on the turbines despite me placing the focus point on the person. This was another visit I had to cut short because of a prior commitment just as a sunset looked on the cards and a few more people were turning up. It would be nice to have a week or two to concentrate on this project without the distraction of paying work!

X3RjlNo_-7AYNB8MNV4VsphYzHXoqcg_fKdpZsKkjcD3VeLk6SXwuIfeOQ8SJIdCftN9KcUAwzxiajk2B9YG84klVaWhlYWzRho1xP11HfWj0h9CQJ2N_lw7n9A3jEHEJDlmSNOAGsmqkjJcaVtzhddWWa-JtUf9_QZRzRWgBPJNYftx3pwQ6hI1c4Q_QtU5y9L4ykNTc_ix_Pc5EyrFnSmElcYwIf5_0ZHS4W-qcuk-0n3-hQSgyaqXzTZWy6esW0qDYNHNg5yZFBRXP1r_Ugdrff_0qCy6Q_og5h33X-V65OqbGuMPT6536nS5ohZDrQVCGC_gzcboMid77g_mQDxmTVtwRQNqSfO8T6zUXnWuuVuo-MMQ1eOegMo50VFUl7exH7bjTLqWBKEBGxws7Ler21e9OpYGYW3IbQtUNhvhE6cY1rDVDFMdIwE3mmlQol7yx6gZsYwgP4YNJSsVz27c3ui0wLOWfKy88wIwgB5AOqiwuc9mi7yDqRPyMaX5BIFlTXej2ExK5bdXsOU6LQgeePfmZNDK2tRioY8xaQ6toTSWdRQtMQTnlaejC53_RzycyRfTAHvnbt4cWiWJltZvuhWQBUXHIHTTXL2krah1SDGCMMOA6w=w900-h600-no

susiejb · 1 Mar 2017

Hi there, I've just had a major catch up on your thread and thoroughly enjoyed it, what a great selection of photos and activities, there's so much diverse action goes on down there and you've captured it very well. I really like your commentary too, an excellent idea, it's good to read your thoughts along with the photos. Well done for heading down there in all weathers, keep up the good work

Ed Sutton · 2 Mar 2017

susiejb said:
Hi there, I've just had a major catch up on your thread and thoroughly enjoyed it, what a great selection of photos and activities, there's so much diverse action goes on down there and you've captured it very well. I really like your commentary too, an excellent idea, it's good to read your thoughts along with the photos. Well done for heading down there in all weathers, keep up the good work

Thanks Susie. I must admit I like writing about stuff as much as I like taking photographs. However, I think I might have to ease up and restrict myself to weekends for this project because I'm as daft as the kite-surfers who had taken the day off because the wind was right for the first time since Christmas Eve. I knocked off work because the sun was shining. It must be longer than I thought since I last had a chance to meet up with the kite-surfing crew because one of them has two kids now!

As I walked down to the sea, it was a high tide, I was just too late to find out what was going on with this (military?) kayak. There's always a surprise or two.

OJLb-jsCXxal4-HBnOTXOAOB8Diy5buo99IFsdZA0-KJnQLJ5THdNp-gAuQMzy4jOdkLJyknO5-dBzQde0aAJ7R2Aw7P-YNDpaGmlT9ZLDPPPKSQSlD3ZRBcuUv9t3O_r26-NgmqDrL47EE9CnyvYZzGaaGTz5TrjXILWrLK0rYTnMtGpORo2jJbdC1gzVAulxaNzT_xdPdxPmkkavmeIYRWgdl4MvitURE0T7O6EXZeBAeqkyB95n2g8TCbfO6lFgym96vAY6X6h8FM6GBsHWOeOwfMF-y6CyEKG55Vw6994mf5TQH0dE4jN_bBSY2vY4YQEdw6jNGH0odBkXSYmT4ZQCY6HaQ_ioXJPBLJnj7AfjAeEpoUmqCyor80wzbe2z1YSZfaocHDjM7yQjyFZ8eGX7a0BX7B_y4jvfR89_HIR08GjsnXfT3G9GAFlnChGnmFoGlfRZyNnhSn6w33b8UJAJF3Gb17WQnFq2-AQvQFfPXtflqh7FP8G0TEhwpweA7lTL0DhrbLPnHuafT7Fo24EGyDxlH3WwzB2ZPtR00xVYTH7AVjHQ-Ukv8_7uuhwzCsEhU7z0GKLRYO2GO-OqCKw9lhbzeXDY8sZmrQvurpMtbQ_DdMPg=w900-h601-no

I consider myself a shy sort as a rule, but when I have a camera in my hand I feel less inhibited. I've seen a few people taking photos of the kite-surfers over the years now and they always use long lenses and photograph the action and rarely interact with the people. I started out using a long lens, but used to take a second body with me with a wider lens. Although I'm shy I'm also nosey, so that plus a camera means I'll ask people what they are doing. I think the second kite-surfer I approached turned out to be someone I knew, another is the son of someone else I know. This helped get me accepted, as it were, and I soon found that using the wider lens to photograph people up close and their gear was more interesting than taking another few hundred action shots. The kites form all sorts of patterns which can make pictures. I still took action shots and uploaded them to the web for the kite-surfers to 'steal'. It's that giving something back thing which doesn't always appear to be how all photographers operate.

Anyway, I hadn't expected there to be kite-surfing action today and was ill equipped for action shots. All I did really was take similar pictures to those I'd taken in the past. But that isn't always a bad thing. Every now and then you get one that's an improvement. I also took a couple of 'portraits'.

nE4rCsOG3mRJl4fMwO77j_gPdr2N9PlgyatIn-UW6hrewtluzX_Cq5AgROhRm4sd1_COBR2PFPeyZuhGlvSUmipwN9yIINKFyNZsLqHldWwZ1ikrMqgBATkg9bMAp_UYyD-0c97r6dGTySYM4ekcdfZ6Rr2x2jDH5fX--hhWxfj_oXOtOe1Vl4ci-Az5Ks1HKsaBkUgywr5WRhPSfdBKvkz4vIx31k33oC82jToImAPMVUZiOxBW_xnVUl27tPjJr3wfCHuNo196Aqsu7ZiucheGsKpLtC49WKj8vn-XMVV6lQsO5gTu1ZIr2et50UeiiAjZ9IYzJ2NMaHFzFggkDJgtGh3PpQ43N5D6cboHGR_H7iUBUzO_mIOOEmqYFOQE1re04DhmXwdTBdR_c3jy68YAPQhzO1XuAhFlffMuV9NBdlsOhtswPThgovcsuo50mmR3xE0RcpYDxYri2kDpqtvwAT2X8zzidgkxTJ8ItcsUuwf1W0ZfDfIO7ldQ2jgxwCmGbQPOJ9x8t8d09Gjnhfdz4jDzEGYmLGlY-N5mwmGU7Yt_Zkj9bJJITlsm3awpKhFunCXxcG37phCK0E3_WiT94UvLQhhQ6UmQKLikcJfwc48Tvei_4A=w900-h601-no

iI0qXBpABl--OaoxT5cX0RCJli1NJ7qKjWNLeMQ5kjf-Ij6qBXFrV9Z0BQIhkH7jyBCq3tzmh42qMGp66f3lSokWYh6mcnJRLcWnjoHfoGAHpbS5qg-uc75PFBHkAooL9S4TULQiU5AYzHoLM2V9w9evFTUn_a_dmjJdj8aipe8T2lWXiHQ4jn1J6CDadYb9WloDH8FCY3XhTtaqJR_9AnacuPke7Ml1yu3WM-oRHwoC8oHImi2sotdtlgiwHGNFV9-sl9w_bRyj4bAndwwITb0f58nX0LAIW8dDAwHSW-go80ZDYWK4I9N_wD4pw3r2TVP2NKn1RPoO-BTJ3A8ivjVstepxc0G9Z8zPhzMCS2ZngjmJCLmlODORsV85uMbhGmZ9ChikJQXpsMGBaF3Vnaqsj_EEAJRlXgLlL0AEV4sqLBQChy1Jk77umcKtxASQe9OYqG5pj-EQwETAEkMx7LI1_U3Dw7DsfspND1jTnHvJTeXext_hc76mbX_e4d-DtRBUM7b7-Cu8uw4a4-KWM5Ha20ZUUSwEyzcjFiMVVYfwpVjqN2rgMkfHBedny409Cgx1u4u9o6yyHcKMSrPEBE2G3FB4pGWQvqO592FPmw1v1zXBJcBt3A=w900-h601-no

UEPb9-CJ5XauNofnsqLuK87-Lpv3CgLwZ9va4IO9dKx-s0vS5H833MN-CwRroSIWbQZaDRtuz0GDSK_cwEz1Dd_PIUIWbFh8v7YD239yPiVgq-YsZ9FFnb3eclfhvFO_GboEfFdpSNMd3Mbf62hYLz7tvMu3HmcYUxdELIIx7swxPK9CJ0O47hjV6GTg46HzkE0V6P1kDgm6BI5yQh7yT_CN-S8o2UHXVSbjQNBBFr6JpJJiWGCRiqA3qyd4Uv7D7XQ4wIOUeGWbGsFyOGv20Go5xXoqkcTkXsgoQIggZRSEr-wbaWyWcK-if3N8raeY6XQG1r_UVk2jIfuQ5KJCNJ1k0hxztkfreHYx_RhzN8BpV_CZ9dQsxVFQbgOFApnUNWDzIsKvJsnVSgIhA0aShfU04HQQO6k9UxEfYUH-xkp7fruhsYSR19rPlhQtMGoGqzuJw6PsbB6RNelgmWVt-LG5EiwMKi4rn68rEFRwDLh_GXEBIyVTXjR1WROhgVTZLyFgWEoEJLxcvxw0DZat9JaDKInTVreE2v933qxQXg-uSKBQrjeiT0n51sOSJY_gNqSGUEH9ASZ3GJjIywxlVS2IyMrEqWZnoDsGbNttlaQ3e5Y5Z8tlVQ=w900-h601-no

ktFyl-vL0C9Um5oL1PChaYSZGgnq05NSQmf5Zgrj8lqP84jdu6YfMwMkT2Gd9UyGpXbkGjRnJ4Jd6gpHXDygOHaKhpkKXg1b7zTeDOB9ubNESOMplZwpgciKHfdxJ0IRhQN7f80mJCTd_aRANfbA6Y-GAfAJ-HSWABiyG__1AJDgHfVhVG09Nt5EoR5O6JQAlQsYI_vdrnq7o123274BGv10iiak-KxJMQ01vSaggD2zTL68oS8T2jumiZQ86rjv4eYw24IYULxYzMV62C7-fWSynDeBmxwTw1DWtkIkI5t13HxwqtIHKq4_l5F0N0ENmQvHvBoXE-9kw-anfmhqxdWskh2QBls3vjfM_5pCuKZvgRXkufOmFQjbaZ2IujGM8CB3qBhKL8B6cXpjdyKX6jWm8wriuj1ZqcVveNKiRVFDL8WXiLP7HfUmklFE-9o0yDikX4vRkC7gLtgG7mT42WpSIY5yzael0-atS3fVjpHx44V0DALouRNlAXYRqNJO0V8__u8_CyygPBE5Bgxd2fvkGhk-U8LNC8mqg66qBd_0BS0XAw_0wXWYm9ClPGMV_hoIhMN4i3_uTE_OC_veoYiefrcEXllDIJpUHX6L8ykTaqWqIVZ8oQ=w900-h601-no

It was pretty windy, so when taking a break the kite-surfers were pinning their kites down with sand.

2GQRUwCycKfx70GGwCb1pY7jp6miYQmPOQliKyKf7_TfIkP0T_9qCKVCzo59b6F7JGsuk5_5XS5ytumImS8tIy0dniU2__q5ck76NgmOASRqjQpkCd3Egol8hzbHc2VX95aAWiM5JIQt2DpZPCzQjL86OIvXWdYdsIRhawLKzuv0InTMrChFDd-cvc42qV1guAFxCw6H0eGhnxCeWzxYz2UiYkIJIpOSK4wyF7jzHCo-khdAUAzGftRcMX6i_6PYXNb8RMq-8xOROgMCB9pDy6WLbeBXbQLUGwB1dzhknbvHphH1Ev__Nrcy2mxMBfjTxIL8vV1w9XNV4TufO0AffvJpD9Jlrgp3PNaj_wUCSzQIAoUcYNnb_I0RZ-TSgRJ7uy_ZY6ifieNz2U0SWi0CzCRJpKWhDDM_bCvFqBADl04_hsoBKdbmDPv6amOYJja0YtAia88pQI8PxJGdxOZnbv84bq7ShjCYmF8YBBlD0cbp55lmb4DEDlA3sl67J3eZfFdGNYIwrAPmCrW_lRUKxcsMQjEOLJnapKNqguL5oDQibFCFGTmNXvjq6MKtzm1vK6b53vhcdD6Grh4CC8tKqwywzyaoPxtqelYzlMUTEqxus3nbsPHFJg=w900-h601-no

5zXexTRuJ18Di45BaZNWXilHMKU9xq9M6gdDBXL9AS1lOh3WW-rSJF1wKJZ2J3n0NICrW1-A4WcTdknYfP-qWs-LoCl0qbg8sazq4akQwSIMH3nG4MfiXGz97xOpuTUrlKSea2lOvr8dzyZjqlqcoHSuAPKQaAKYQAlGBO3HPL0jFmQ5mOhlKqWZufgrNf_9kPmqU4iiph5-HZrcLCNjVCO7riU5nCwfBi7tBDHH_Ec0IZB6JzmEy4ORlJeAIf4u_6MhNcwlmrxYWWReniuMQ6oaKSotG2MTHvwSCERlO4yQgJvHjRDDt6Bm1Kfp1LKlfxMJJKC310FAJgk5TrzQOtKrZkVJ-aELEsOcy9leBF8XKmswifYtLAioCYZzY2cQvIl0_9cUJko7ymrLv0vtOW9NE1LFrEYl-4IqEy7dqY5tpQFDKqZGPaRaUZaMBnSvaPERVPjMLL6IAQy5Bic9H4okLKrFwzIPj-d4O8kqPGfi9_YIiXRLiWImf7vDB-LKIyj5_0v2-dNYKDqZvAvextWQDqVamaSnvBXI9WzxPVNeSni5lMnFyoMtJjuWkLZmg5df8XomXvV5fc7BXzRTBt0bGV4u6Fv6TuIGocNjjndGS33PFJkNQQ=w550-h773-no

I also took some ropey video footage. (no sound as it was just wind noise.) They're all quite mad, you know! :LOL:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKx0kLVtd6s&feature=youtu.be

Ed Sutton · 4 Mar 2017

I had planned to get out early today, but overslept.... Although the light was great until three thirtyish I wasted my time walking a long way down the beach, where most people don't go, to see what the view was like from teh high dunes. Pretty good as it turned out, but not for what this project is about. Unless I can make these two fit in.

JoBSmTwn7t8Sc3xSQ665ADqOepbCUwWHEtXQz_jeaQKWjhdrMZGxFrg1vHKqLBAmwbV4EbBmm2AvjWunJYAOGgajjPdyGTNL-cdx1qiYrjoZxdV75lu1QnOOkGe_Wmr8BzU759ikYBhFHPptKBiwSeZ4ArsUJFeptMX0fzKZSaYo2XA_LS9OeihiB7IFTgLqqJ6-GDM7UyzfrCZ68v_CBtbxk9E5JBWw_m1wDdM9DWLfQG6IAqOPzHRrzNdANLELUVF9tUi4F6M2RvZZF2t6mZTM3h-uWuR7YgWnCSMjIRgjvXal71nrH-ozGKPnb9YJTM2iSt2koEtgZT1Wq_CeQMmGRYbHpimZ5B0IqZvmdFQViz8STL4ZOIG3KNHYMO9P4NxpXMax9TZ-D1q1_HMKmS1i7JjojLW-N9t9W6U9xnC7J3lyRf7-bHBx0zABZr74n8BOAo3tfnVQL4HlIrgoWOIMrfBK5yD038DYWOGFCshfxYJp3Ebjk2HHt4eyjVj7kFPEWTsi7_u5Me2gRzNtMd2DM3Z6-An9W95KkidRaiQPx7wlOgK9u1pIlAQhfBj94VdyvsgtLx7SL1UMfVvf9als_sDk-hvmC-5zj5PVzEPDWfL4pDw7aQ=w900-h601-no

Another cyclist in the right place at the wrong time!

1MhPBhAlyK9DLHfGZD-3KH-mqKjJmWtJLc9U4vatOOKdS28l3gVDlWq4N1OvFquMGEpih-uiAKtD5U8mqQaMfXdFr8s--FT4zTgDp6AvYwb6dkAdgRtgr0hd3wD1ALuILkrTK831OucVgsvppV8PS9JiZ1C5o_BiIQaql7qckjRMOh95FjwEfCNvIPjxwD910hC_Arb0cuGnBLWvxyMznd2U2j4kM8ja-PdQAzsi7YLkkSWJZGVrdcSNF-GgiHRmZtpIoxN5fMWmv61Y1gyET3QejcedEN_q5QdhGsXS8JDvE2FoSX1mzQ_BR-rhpPTaDqKt4Ys1f-0JP9xTG076ONksWCluL170K9O3wiUeBxTrYI1BGvSNR4ZEb8daO8LyHvhHUWAZgAWKqWQpjdlAkJzcdepga2S45AocO1YdFz_Py6BEt10_NbBr0Xs6lnvw_FRcHPAsrgGpnjIiK_0-e61JVdYUBGOJC14TXISlqxEXSGCyGMWsWY9smA1eFdW1Z-LBGFrO4qJiT0nDP9UfzlL4btRl_7XK9qii7ymvR5wS0ou7_3ZiI_zTyCJREme5ypx911swcy-KDmiIdxmdtmHpSxrrUB9bPBYvS_Of3Vg1Zhu3L59f9g=w900-h601-no

There were plenty of the usual dog walkers about, and a couple of detectorists up the other end of the beach. By the time I got back near the entrance David the kite flyer and his wife had started flying. The wind was too gusty for them and the rain started. That was about it. With a rubbish forecast for tomorrow I'll be staying home and catching up on work.

My theme today seemed to be lots of space with small figures for some reason. As ever thoughts and comments are appreciated.

RKmUJVRclsnNlkvI-LNsR0o8qv3zC-jH6-sMey5XOUe77hTzHfHy_H6RJPkxaeKyBiqS2rTl0JKlepVJb1ibC5Hh0wB3lql4LLR8hSzJAZHWiBbWRMfaZVRCXDjiQh0xdMBDmYDr1nvA1CkVqNS_pRmbVbrbXamMQAzPU-SMT6M5wsP9ve4rkS8nnwy4LOEvH7SncO3CYLUticxWpsJOqHdhm5YxmXnMoQ9tYje9G9fptqMMEQjFFGxg7A3IBIbJdb0B-tab5ICSe1K0SElQz1-pQ81yuOm9SPx826Q8WukJv_EzvKvRlk62lbauiKucbEaCmtNJ7ZIh925fjl_2qjmqldswD0ER7iMOkuA3UwbL29Qa5EqlOLFV2hx9gF1WYsMMn784KdKqm0zSG9jsKQAk9znWWCSagIt9thGEm7Ou4xZEUKw5Iskg1ghayVjPdQZlnWJcrd4ap4fygs7YvQSuhGc-47KU0nHCQXoLgOnDLxwrMHkgc9l9TvK81cWZJRbFKEpgnfaddGZ6jQpXmgjSjKS_McJQQsDw0nURZExPDRUqk2FbpPlTA-Li-6qZ7FQakCOKCqJYUXkMiI_Q_k-UbTT17UVBEIP0NawLTwGAofdCCiGAQQ=w900-h601-no

ZRBYsTEv5BDp0wPKqBdsfkpea2EUPzhmEHyMsjY7Ztwc-OA9Pl9a3fTtxO8hu5WME8MczewLhav-D7ghshjZVj7zbH6CKaOF2vN6CE8sfKXxJDhnYPD5bTVeVc17d_raoHEOPeGQ9KQlyc3CZzqClXy19wil2Fu8e0rb4bv-OBfsLMOre-WEcr534FO4h9uZmzAljRMWmwNfUE1jNxK6NdyDY-gEfngocgWIDvNKK6k9V6VZD2_CP_6au_1NxkVsFs8Vl4lzhpIL8YhFDJAC8_1L6I4Jq3-1YK6wZSKB8reyupuz9mEoeJ2wj61uVrOJe7_tvrEjZIEBqiehHmDR8yKn3lqGe1fMi38zCIgL5YrbXSdif1Op8EmTLAY43n8YZzJfMvVsIZRYGLRKkY8oXODZcqW0Nv2yDsNujE7ZBuyAuiZ-gmRfy-ca34KJH9hYWgTwpz2ILIyhdrXIzIyVgUDcuxhtwrhUB-I5Bd2rsypIrv8YRiAAA0G-vRgLNc-xIyUeJO8DheTD5o7NKf4H0lASot3dK-gxQ_AYFYhyErPSKxd0sKJC02-KOtgjLVn71rLj-kXyvThd7Ppwfd_5NOdZL8XPRZknlgOxdmmrpo6eI_4T68vx6w=w900-h601-no

LUaIdf3krzL_uFI5CLvmAuKj75MUBRcGjQOPCoLhyzAAYkDwmlGNjs4oLcPIOCWlnGa_RIQhJih1weDKgIaw4It516ly4rEPPvxYFhTgUojSGi5DlddGOWqttb2ZzPsNBBVKJMZdSDQk2rGVsjYrNkMsz66Gx3HePqoQxg_CRRhRMCS_ZR9qLNqNPb8EmdzmyQVGkowIVgOJ3sM9ps2BRG4hTs9chutpUVTraFCzo9VNXbLcwNRNLynKbHr5GXQAVgWILbBFuXUR5qgurtdSNbNBPDEV6akJFMeia68PrJL7Hfh1JrLjvM73Bqihg0mUYTICMBzKKoZtdwdIu2rfrdDAnM4CCcvuCE2qjUq2-Uh7Msa-Ouqxi_aCwjOM61COZu4UjowmFJWhvD5E9D0lduPY5G7-qREu8nMu2MfyPeBftk8v92an584RLyjdwjKyFtrgiUxN46sBJb-mRi_m2VqbaYWOcOHtBzb8oBKElvcGdWIoqlNO1qCBRedKTe8pBVohgYaYKCQVkCkvGPGL1SQxYNJtym_N22bjfkB-cPSJElezeOh8GLmdkMXZ2kRatSUHXf4YiSAg3uifNIAt7dgw0_hFJIOgr0kfgywhrEHgLgXrq-3a1g=w900-h601-no

Foxbat Flyer · 5 Mar 2017

Another good edition of your documentary series Dave.

The first phot gives a good idea of the size of Southport beach. I don't suppose the ice cream van had the best of days, but it's a sign of warmer days ahead - I hope.

Thank you for posting the images and the commentary - I enjoy both.

Chris

Ed Sutton · 5 Mar 2017

Thanks Chris. For some people a trip to the seaside, no matter what the weather, means ice cream!

As forecast it's rained all day, but I've been busy. A link came up on my Twitter feed to Adobe Spark (https://spark.adobe.com/) which looks like a nice easy way to tell stories with pictures, videos and words. It appears to be free to use so I've been having a play.

It's only a quick fifteen minute's messing about to find my way around it but I think it might be a good way to present this project. Feedback would be great. Here's what I've done so far: https://spark.adobe.com/page/cMuV8nhE98kAq/ (this link is likely to go dead if I do any more editing).