The wild and beautiful seascapes that fringe the South West Coast Path as it weaves around Devon and Dorset provide Fiona Walsh with a constant flow of compositions
‘Any opportunity I get, I’ll head to the coast – it makes me feel alive and invigorated,’ says professional photographer Fiona Walsh, who lives on the Somerset-Devon border. ‘Of all the seasons I love summer best, because I can stay out longer and not get so cold. My husband and I can make it to the coast after he finishes work to watch the sun set at 10pm.’ She finds the ‘golden hour’ just before and just after sunset very special, with its warm light and dramatic shadows that fall across the velvety blue ocean. Fiona has been a professional photographer for 15 years, taking images of gardens and landscapes here and abroad. She moved from Cambridgeshire to the West Country to be closer to the sea, and one of her joys is to look up a coastal walk – often in Devon – then pick up her Nikon Z6ii camera and go exploring. ‘There’s a lot of stopping involved as I keep seeing potential images. My favourite visual mix is golden sand, turquoise water and rugged green cliffs, which provide three main focal points to make a satisfying composition. I also have a drone to capture shots from a bird’s eye perspective.’ At lunch time she will sit down with a flask of tea and sandwiches, relishing the simple pleasure of a picnic as she surveys the coastal scene.
