For week 50 of the Dogwood photography challenge, I was tasked to take a symmetrical landscape photo. It took me some time to consider this as it’s not quite as easy as it reads. If in doubt though, head to Southwold (and as a bonus this time of year parking is easy with fewer tourists around)! I find the underside of the pier so much more interesting than what’s above it. The engineering involved in holding up a structure that is totally open to all the elements is astounding. Being constantly battered by the relentless wind and the sea the pier shows signs of decay and rust, yet it still stands so solidly, thankfully! In this photo, I love how the strong colours of the mossy green and orange rust of this imposing structure juxtapose the bleakness of both the sea and the sky, and the slightly mystical feel of the tide slowly slipping away.
I visit Southwold time and time again, as a photographer there is so much it has to offer, and I always come away with a landscape photograph in some format. I, like many photographers, have taken plenty of photos of Southwold pier and it can sometimes be difficult to gain a different perspective on it. This challenge has made me dig a little deeper and expose a grittier side to Southwold we aren’t quite so used to seeing.
