Brittany is my homeland; therefore, you will see many photographs of this part of France in my posts. Moreover, it happens to be the region of France with the longest shoreline, which provides me with plenty of opportunities and locations for seascape photography.

Here is the plage Saint-Michel, with its little island of the same name and its tiny Chapelle on the horizon. The actual chapelle dates from the 19th Century and was renewed in 2003, but experts say the first construction seems to date back to the 13th Century.

At low tide, it is a flat, large sandy beach with small streams that flow down to the sea, and the path to the island is visible. At high tide, the landscape is totally different: There is no sand, just pink sandstone pebbles that roll under your feet, and there's no more access to the island except by boat.

What I like most here is that you just have to walk 20m or so down the short slipway, and you're on the beach. There are no long hikes with all your gear on your back. It's relaxing once in a while.

The photo was taken just before the golden hour began on April 1, 2024. I arrived at about 7 a.m. to be ready to shoot before sunrise because I've discovered with time that it's the light I prefer for seascapes. The sun is still behind the horizon, but it lights the sky with a warmer hue. There's no harsh contrast; you don't need filters to slow down your shutter. And I simply love these transitional moments.

I didn't have to walk very far to find this composition. As I had previously decided to use only my 24-70mm I started looking for elements to support my subject which was in that case, the island. I found this stream which works as a leading line and a foreground and I the row of rocks on the right hand side brings you back to the island. One may argue that I could have got rid of the yellow buoy and the small mounds of sand left by sandworms or other molluscs to have a pristine beach. But they don't bother me, and I would miss the buoy if I cloned it out.