February - Grey skies to clear blue skies

Month two of 2021 and month 2 of the #12in12photochallenge comes to an end, and I must admit I’m not too sad to see the end of February. Here on the Isle of Wight is has been unusually grey for nearly the whole month. For somewhere known as the Sunshine Isle with more hours of Sunshine than anywhere else in the U.K. that is rather unusual.

Between the grey skies and the continuing lockdown photography has been difficult this month, both in terms of practicality and motivation. However I have been out with the camera a few times and added some more images to my collection for the project.

The month ended on a brighter note, Both in terms of the weather and the upcoming gradual easing of lockdown. We had a beautiful few days over this last weekend and spring has definitely felt in the air. I’m really looking forward to revisiting the 12 locations over the next months to see how different they are in Spring versus Winter.

So how have I got on this month:

Havenstreet Shrine

Another very local spot, although actually quite difficult to get to currently. The rain we had in January and early February meant that the fields in the local area had turned to real quagmires, and we even had to have the fire brigade rescue someone who got stuck in the mud in one field. However despite this I managed to pick my way up to the Havenstreet War Memorial which sits on a small hill between Havenstreet and Binstead. It was a foggy morning and the moon had risen above the fog casting beautiful moonlight over the landscape. I am really pleased with the shot I managed to capture.

Havenstreet Shrine under moonlight

Bembridge Beach

February also marked the 2 year anniversary of my photography journey which started in 2019 when I headed to the local beach at Bembridge with my Camera and took my first landscape photos. https://www.cjclandscapephotos.com/blog/2-year-anniversary-and-a-return-to-bembridge It’s therefore a very special location to me, but also one I have struggled to get an image I am happy with from. I included it in this challenge specifically for this reason to see if I can finally get a shot I am happy with from the location.

So how did I get on this time… better, but still not quite right. Maybe next time.

Bembridge Lifeboat Station from Bembridge Beach

Compton Bay

Compton is a long sweeping bay at the western end of the Island with a wonderful backdrop of Tennyson Down working towards the Needles. I visited after work one evening towards the end of the month (Its so nice to have some lighter evenings coming back). However it was a really grey day and I just couldn’t get into the right mood to enjoy the photography and therefore came away with images I wasn’t happy with. Later in the week the skies were clear and we had a nearly full moon. I therefore headed back to Compton early in the morning to capture the bay under beautiful moonlight. I think this is my favourite image I have captured in February.

Compton Bay under moonlight

Binnel Bay - Disaster Strikes

Okay, so disaster might be a slightly strong word. However my trip to Binnel bay hit a significant issue.

So for background, Binnel bay is one of the most remote spots on the Islands coastline. Its the furthest spot from a car park or road you can get to on the coast. Its also part of the Niton undercliff, the whole area was formed by a landslip many many years ago. Its like our own mini Quiraing.

The issue is that occasionally the land slips again, and therefore on my way to Binnel Bay I was met with this…

Denied… The path to Binnel Bay

The Isle of Wight council are very good at publishing the current state of footpaths and I should have looked on the website before heading out, turns out this one has been closed for some time and is currently not anticipated to be able to be reopened. There is another route to the bay from Ventnor, so I will try again as it is a location I have not been too before so I really want to include it in the project. The winter shot from this location will have to wait until December.

Headon Warren

Headon Warren sits at the Western end of the Island and has beautiful views of the Iconic Needles and over Poole Bay to the Purbecks. Before I moved to the Island I lived in Poole and when I first came over I used to visit Headon Warren and look back to where I still considered home at the time. Now its fair to say I am much more at home on the Island.

Headon Warren is a really interesting spot for photography, you have an obvious subject in the form of the Needles, however I find it really hard to get a composition I am happy with. There are lots of paths running through the headland that make nice leading lines but I am yet to find one that leads in the right direction! In late summer the headland is covered in Heather so I am hoping by then I might have found a composition I am happy with. In the meantime I think I’ve managed to tick off another one I thought might work, but doesn’t quite in my view.

Headon Warren and the Needles. Lots of good leading lines on the headland, but not necessarily leading the right way!

Brook Down/ Five Barrows

Brook Down rises above the Village of Brook in West Wight. It has wonderful views across to Compton Bay and also to Lymington and the New Forest from the Northen Side. On top of the down is Five Barrows a Bronze Age round barrow burial site.

I headed up to the top of the down from Brook for sunset, but also with a shot of the full moon rising in mind. I have been up Brook down a few times and really like the view over Compton Farm from just below the top of the down. On this occasion I decided to head up to the five barrows site right on the top of the down, and was… slightly underwhelmed. Its just a bare site with the barrows, interesting to look round for their historical significance, but rather uninteresting to photograph. The side of the down has lovely Rowan bushes which bloom in late summer / autumn and have wonderful berries so I think this might feature more as a summer / autumn location.

The best I could manage at Five Barrows. The view over Compton Farm will be my focus on the next trip up here.

However the view behind with the full moon rising over Limerstone Down was pretty special.

Yarmouth Harbour

My final stop of the month, and the final of my 12 locations is Yarmouth harbour. Yarmouth is a wonderful little town / large village on the western end of the Island. Its one of the three ferry ports on the Island and links to Lymington. Its a really popular spot and in the Summer the harbour is rammed with visiting yachts and the moorings outside the harbour are full too. I chose this location for that reason, I though it would be interesting to see it in each of the four seasons as it gets busier through to summer. I have chosen the view from Norton Spit looking back towards the town across the marina, its an interesting spot with lots of composition opportunities so I look forward to visiting again soon.

Yarmouth Harbour at Blue Hour

So 11 of my 12 locations photographed, and 1 that has defeated me so far. I’m really looking forward to getting back round the different locations as we go through Spring and the easing of lockdown restrictions. I have a few ideas for shots at these locations through spring so fingers crossed I can mange to capture them, in particular Bluebells in Firestone Copse, Sea Thrift on the cliffs at Binnel Bay and Compton and the return of the Steam Train at Ashey Station.