32 31 August 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
KITLIST
▲CHURCHOpeCove(‘Ope’beinga localwordforan
openingdowntothewater)is a small,secludedcove
ontheeasternsideof theIsleof Portlandandis often
missedbyphotographersastheywhizzonbytoits
morefamousneighbour,PortlandBillLighthouse.
Beforeyoureachthecove,makesurethatyouvisit
theruinsof St.AndrewsChurch,Portland’sfirstparish
church.Situatedin a smallwoodedvalley,thechurch
haslonglainderelictandallthatremainsnoware
overgrownwalls,anarchandseveraltombstones.
It’saninterestinglocationparticularlywithblack&
whiteinfraredtechniques,butpossiblyevenmore
dramaticwitha seafretswirlingaroundthecliffs.You
canalsoaccessthecoveviaPortlandMuseum,
throughanarch,whichis partof thecrumbling
remainsof the15thcenturyRufusCastle,andin its
daywouldhavecommandedspectacularviewsover
thecoveanditsapproaches.
ChurchOpeCovehasa smallcommunityof beach
hutsnestledat thebackof thecoveandthenforthe
mostpartit is pebbleheaven.Thecovewasonce
coveredin sandbutdebrisfromquarryingthevaluable
Portlandstonehasbeendumpedintothecoveand
overtheyearstheactionof thetideshasroundedand
shapedthestones.Thisis a greatlocationforshooting
longexposuresof wavesaroundthepebblesbutalsoa
superbspotforcreativepebblestackingandcrashing
waves.Oneof theadvantageshereis thatit is very
shelteredfromtheprevailingwindssoyoucangetbig
waveswithoutthewindwhistlingaroundyourears.Filters
ChurchOpeCovedoesn’t
needanyspecialist
photographicequipmentbut
a sturdytripodandsome
filtersfromtheLEEFilters
‘Stopper’rangewillbevery
usefulforcapturinglong
exposuresofwavesswirling
aroundtherocks.ThissecludedcoveontheIsl
ofPortlandinDorsetis ofte
overlookedasa photographi
location, but JeremyWalker
thinks it’sa hiddengem
Above:Pebblestack
NikonD810,24-70mm,1/1250secatf/4,ISO 64Jeremy Walker
Award-winning professional photographer
Jeremy Walker has been shooting
landscapes, architecture and people for
more than 25 years. See his work at
http://www.jeremywalker.co.uk© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 066/18
LOCATION GUIDE
Church Ope
Cove
▲
Assortment
of lenses
At low tide more rocks
are uncovered and this
allows for ample macro
and close-up imagery to be
achieved, so a macro lens
may come in useful. This
area isn’t a long lens
location, so a 16-35mm
or 24-70mm (full frame)
will be ideal.