Gallery: seeing the English coast in black and white
Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside
Oh, I do like to be beside the sea
John H. Glover-Kind, music hall song
It’s August, so where better place to be than the English seaside? Although truth be told I like our coastal areas much more in the winter months and maybe even more so in spring and autumn.
Nevertheless, this seems a good time of year to share some photos taken in some of my favourite coastal spots. Pulled mostly from my archives, they represent all seasons and locations from Cornwall in the south west to Northumberland in the north east. All have been converted into black and white with Nik Silver Efex, and are shared for Leanne’s Midweek Monochrome challenge.
I’ve added the time of year to the caption so you can see how varied / frustrating / unpredictable our weather can be, and sometimes how glorious too! My feature photo was taken on the North Shore of Holy Island (Lindisfarne) in Northumberland and is an August shot.
Low tide, St Ives Bay, Cornwall
(taken in October)
Surfer, Lyme Regis, Dorset
(taken in October)
Lone walker, Brean Beach, Somerset
(taken from Brean Down in September)
Wave patterns, Brean Beach, Somerset
(again, from Brean Down in September)
Fishermen’s net-drying huts on the Stade in Hastings, Sussex
(taken in April)
The harbour at Whitstable, Kent
(in March)
Young herring gulls, Whitstable, Kent
xx
(another March shot)
Walkers, Whitstable, Kent
(March again)
Sea watchers and gull, Whitstable, Kent
(this one was taken in October)
Another Time by Antony Gormley, Margate, Kent
(taken in October)
The Scallop, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
(taken in October)
Fish shack, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
(also taken in October)
Winter scene, Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside
(taken on New Year’s Eve)
Kelp and walkers, Druridge Bay, Northumberland
(taken on New Year’s Day)
Rock pool, Druridge Bay, Northumberland
(in January)
Winter sunshine, Druridge Bay, Northumberland
(a December shot)
Driftwood, Dunstanburgh, Northumberland
(taken in August)
The lighthouse on Inner Farne, Northumberland
(taken in August)
Postscript: I’ve just learned that Cee is ending her monochrome challenge, CBWC, so I’m editing this post to include a link to her Finale.
54 Comments
Marie
As Paul says – worthy of a gallery display…. I haven’t been to any of these places – often think we will go to Cornwall but I’d need decent weather which means crowds (doesn’t that sound SO old of me!!!). That Fish Shack has certainly plenty on offer!!
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thank you Marie 😊 I know what you mean about Cornwall – when we went to St Ives it was late October and the weather wasn’t the best, but I don’t go to the coast to sit on a beach so I didn’t mind too much!
Klausbernd
Dear Sarah
that are really impressive pictures. The BW gives them an intensity we like.
Thanks and cheers
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you all so much, I’m really pleased you liked the B&W edits 😊
maristravels
Your B & W’s are always very artistic and make me look at things differently. I love the seascapes in particular although he Gormley one I think wins because of the content, the lonely figure looking at the enormous cargo ship passing through. I’m thinking of a title like “Well, we got Brexit done!”
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marie, it’s lovely to hear my B&W edits have that impact 😊 I see what you mean about the Gormley and had to smile, wryly, at your caption!
equinoxio21
Very appropriate B&W. Great shots.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, glad you like them 🙂
grandmisadventures
I love the black and white with the beach pictures- in color of course you see the layers of blue of the water but black and white brings out the interaction of water and land more. 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
That’s a good observation, thank you 🙂 I like the different textures that are more obvious in B&W, like patterns in the waves or sand and in the rocks.
Paul
Hello Sarah,
Well, you know why I’m particularly drawn to this particular post. For the life of me I can’t find a favorite. I look at one image and think, it’s the best and then I scroll down and, no that one is. They are so clear, clean and the composition is flawless. Well done. Worthy of hanging in a gallery
Paul
Sarah Wilkie
Aw Paul, thank you for that lovely comment 😊 I know how much you love monochrome and how good you are at it, so I really appreciate your feedback on these shots!
restlessjo
Wonderfully atmospheric photos, Sarah. Amazing what you can find out, reading comments, isn’t it? Nor did I know that Cee was ending the series.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jo 😊 That’s true, and I do often read at least some of the comments on a post. I actually picked up that news in a post by Brian/Bushboy. How are you? The wedding went well I gather, despite the problem beforehand? Are you back home or still over here?
restlessjo
Home again, Sarah, and just about back to making sense! There’s a wedding post up this morning.
Sarah Wilkie
Just spotted that 🙂 Off to the shops so will check it out later!
Cee Neuner
These are such wonderful photos Sarah. I love the skies over the ocean, because it seems like you can see forever 😀 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Cee ☺️ I love those big skies too!
rkrontheroad
A landscape I usually think of in blue, these b&ws evoke melancholy.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ruth – although if you think the coast is always blue you clearly haven’t visited our English beaches!
Sofia Alves
Wonderful post, Sarah. Perfect locations for black&white, so atmospheric.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Sofia, glad you like these edits 😊
wetanddustyroads
I love the sea – in any season! Your photo of the lone walker in Somerset is beautiful and I also love the winter sunshine in Northumberland – I can almost feel how cold it is, but it’s still beautiful.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 I’m glad you like my lone walker, and yes, the Northumberland beaches are beautiful even in the cold of winter – in fact. especially then!
Monkey's Tale
Gorgeous photos once again Sarah. I really love the wave patterns picture. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you as always Maggie 😊
the eternal traveller
The only place in this gallery we’ve been to is Lyme Regis, which we loved. It was in September and it was very busy but we enjoyed it all the same.
Sarah Wilkie
We enjoyed Lyme too. We went on a day trip for my late October birthday while staying in Dorset and had a wonderful crisp sunny day!
Mike and Kellye Hefner
The lone walker on Brean Beach is delightful, but it may not be the walker that has so much appeal to me in the shot. Rather, I think it is the line of posts (fence?) in the background that makes it so interesting. They’re all wonderful shots, and I loved getting to view them.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Kellye 😀 The posts are part of a groyne or breakwater, heping to slow the movement of sand – rather like the ones you see in the shots of the gulls and the walkers in Whitstable.
Mike and Kellye Hefner
They make an interesting addition to the photo.
Brad M
Just like olde time postcards.
Sarah Wilkie
Really? I agree the B&W may create that impression but I hope the photographic style isn’t too postcardy!
Brad M
Style, no. Very modern. The colors and my imagination take me back to the postcards.
Suzanne
Wonderful black and white images, Sarah. A favourite of mine as the colour doesn’t distract the eye. The harbour at Whitstable, Kent and others in this area are especially good.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Suzanne 😊 We’ve been to Whitstable a couple of times and it never disappoints photographically speaking (or indeed in other respects!)
thehungrytravellers.blog
Great stuff again – and some of course which I recognise. Don’t forget to let us know when you’re going to be In Whitstable again…if we’re in the country, we’ll meet up.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank Phil 🙂 No plans at the moment for another visit to Whitstable but I’ll be sure to let you know if we’re coming your way!
margaret21
These are great images to realise in b/w, Sarah. I especially like the Antony Gormley.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret 🙂 We made a special journey to Margate just to see the Gormley (the Turner was closed for refurbishment at the time) and it didn’t disappoint!
margaret21
Have you seen the Crosby counterparts? Even though similar in conception , I imagine the vibe is quite different (what do I know? I’ve never been to Margate)
Sarah Wilkie
No, although of course I’ve seen photos, and I imagine a similar vibe but multiplied. The Angel of course I know and love, but that’s on a much grander scale and lacks water 🙂
margaret21
It sure does! It makes use of exhaust fumes instead!
Sue
Some grand images, Sarah… now I want to be beside the sea, but alas, it’s been awhile ……
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue, I hope you get back to the sea some day soon 🤗
Sue
Thanks, I might next week if all goes to plan….
Sarah Wilkie
Jersey???
Sue
Indeed…
Anne Sandler
Great black and whites Sarah. My favorite is the waves image. What an amazing pattern. I’d also like some of the smoked fish!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne, I’m very happy you like that one as I enjoy finding semi-abstracts like that 😀
tiffanyarpdaleo
Your photographs are amazing!!! 😍
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Tiffany 😊
Leanne Cole
Great set of seaside images Sarah. I love how your beaches are, they can be so different to the ones here.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Leanne – I think we have a lot of variety in our beaches 🙂