7:30 The alarm sounds for the second or maybe third time. I hit snooze again before finally dragging myself out of bed. A quick glance out the window confirms what I already know: another sunny day. I'm lucky enough to live in Mallorca, where shorts and a T-shirt are the uniform for at least six months of the year.
My camera bag is already packed. Within 30 minutes, I'm out the door and thinking about a location. Last night, I had a dream, an image of one of my favourite photography spots: Alcanada. But instead of the usual sunrise composition, I saw a black and white long exposure in my mind’s eye. That stuck with me.
It’s a 15 minute drive. The sky is a deep, uninterrupted blue, not ideal for landscape photography, but sometimes you work with what you have.
Shot One I start at the small jetty pointing toward the island. A 120 second exposure at f/18, using a 10-stop neutral density filter to smooth out the water and stretch the moment. A few paddle boarders drift through the frame, but with a two minute exposure, they won’t be visible, ghosts on the water.
Shot Two Next, I follow the wall along the beach to a small promontory, a slightly different angle on the lighthouse, with rocks in the foreground. Another long exposure—again 120 seconds with the 10-stop ND filter. The sea turns to mist, the sky to silk. Minimalist, but effective.
Two shots in the bag.
Shot Three Heading back along the footpath behind the beach, I notice a natural frame, a classic “frame within a frame” moment. A tree trunk and branches perfectly outline the view. This one is handheld: 1/200 sec at f/9. Quick, spontaneous, satisfying.
Shot Four Nearly back at the car and already thinking about coffee, I spot a row of rocks just beneath the water’s surface. The angle needs to be low, right at the water’s edge. Slippery footing makes it tricky. After a few slips and wet feet, I find a stable tripod position. One more long exposure, again 120 seconds at f/18 with the 10-stop filter, and I’ve got something that feels right.
Gear packed away, I head for the car. And then finally, a much needed coffee.
10 a.m. Four shots in two hours. Not a bad exchange.