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
WORDS Caroline Wheater PHOTOGRAPHS Fiona Walsh
‘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.
Lynmouth Devon – Photo creditFiona Walsh Landscapes
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.
Saunton Sands – Photo credit Fiona Walsh
Often, Fiona doesn’t have to go very far before she finds a spot that ticks all the boxes. Many of her North Devon walks deliver incredible sea views – epic Baggy Point at Croyde; the route between Lee Bay near Ilfracombe to Morte Point in neighbouring Woolacombe; the dramatic Valley of the Rocks which runs parallel to the Exmoor coastline, half a mile west of Lynton. Somewhere else she can’t get enough of is Saunton Sands: ‘I love the feeling I get when the tide is out, and at Saunton it goes out a really long way. On a busy summer’s day it doesn’t matter how many people are there, you can keep walking and always find space. The vastness of the beach makes me feel so alive, so free.’
The wellbeing aspect of the coast is what makes Fiona want to photograph it, so she can inspire others to get out more and see it. ‘To know that our world is beautiful is a kind of antidote to the news,’ she says.
Bantham toward Burgh Island. Photo credit Fiona Walsh Landscapes
FIND FIONA WALSH
Fiona sells prints of her landscape photography, with prices starting at £7 for a 7 x 5-inch print; larger sizes are also available. Browse her work at fionawalshlandscapes.com.
For Fiona’s latest projects and imagery, follow her on social media. Find her on Instagram @fionawalshlandscapes; on Facebook @fionawalshlandscapes and on Twitter at @FWphotography.
Weston Mouth Devon – Photo credit Fiona Walsh Landscapes
