Photography Walk - Crammond Island

Crammond beach

I woke up too early, 6am.This was back in March and so it was still dark, and would be for another few hours. I didn’t want to be up that early on Sunday, but I had no other choice than to get up. I stumbled around, threw on yesterday’s outfit, grabbed my camera, filled a flask of coffee and headed out into the darkness. I can’t say I wasn’t afraid because I was. I hate the dark whether its the night or the early morning.

7:13am

I stamped up Comely Bank to the bus stop, my legs and calf aching from the gym session the day before. It was cold as I stood waiting for the 47 . It emerged from the darkness and I hopped on. It was busier than I expected, I wondered if they, like me, were hoping to catch a glimpse of the sunrise on the shore, and that perhaps Crammond Beah would be very busy. I slipped in and out of a sleepy daze as the bus trundled on. I checked my weather app. The bus stopped several times and finally all the passengers got off near a care home. I realised that they must have all been up for the early morning shift. It reminded me of the years after uni where I worked in a care home, and would have to be up and out and there for 7am.

8:11am

I jump off at the wrong stop, it was so dark but iI didn’t mind. Tthere was no sunrise to miss yet. It also meant that i could chuck a left and head down to the river rather than straight to the beach. It was so dark and so cold. There was no one around and I felt exposed, vulnerable, alone - what I do to get a good photo hey?

I walked along the river. I turned my music off so I could hear the rushing river, and the chorus of birds, and anyone that might be creeping up behind me. Finally I came out and saw the island the tide pulled all the way back to the horizon. It was beautiful, striking, dark. The camera told me Id need 3 or 4 seconds but I had no tripod (a mistake I won’t make again!). I paused at a bench and took my flask from my bag, poured a cup of coffee and tried to warm up. A man arrived on an electric bike. A few runners paused at the beginning of the walkway, out of breath and red faced.

8:29

I walked down onto the sand, searching for compostions, and energy, and mist, and things I hadn’t seen before, or trying to see things in a new way, from a new perspetive. I started to get hungry and I was so cold I was starting to feel it in my bones and so I decided to head home.

I wrote something on the way back, almost a poem.

Get up before the sun rises.

Make yourself coffee.

Grab your camera.

Dart outside into the quiet, dark morning.

A car passes by, eerily quiet.

Don't be afraid of the dark.

Wait for the bus as you exhale white mist.

Travel to the outskirts of the city.

Let your fingers freeze.

Walk along the road in the dark and down to the river wondering if anyone else is around.

Arrive at an empty beach,