FRANCE, AUDIERNE: This scene is essentially an inconspicuous city beach, easy to reach, easy to photograph. But the constellation of the rocks allows for a clean composition so why not make the effort and set up the tripod.
FRANCE, PLOUGONVELIN: Pointe Saint-Mathieu should not be difficult to photograph, as it clearly is a sunset location and the site only allows for one composition. Nevertheless, one better reserves several evenings, entirely due to the totally unpredictable weather...
FRANCE, CAP FREHEL: Restrictions on moving around are imposed in many of the famous sites of Brittany, mainly for reasons of protecting vegetation. Cap Frehel belongs to the few exceptions, with the only limit for finding optimal composition represented by the 100 metres deep abyss on the right handside.
FRANCE, POINTE DU RAZ: Like at Cap Frehel, it is allowed to move around relatively freely at this famous promontory at the very end of Finistère. But the composition choices remain limited, as the photo really only works from the left side of the rocky massif.
FRANCE, ÎLE-TUDY: The little Perdrix lighthouse is photogenic enough under any conditions but especially before the storm, when the sky gets darker than the sea.
FRANCE, SAINTE-ANNE LA PALUD: Finistère is not all just high cliffs and lethal abysses underneath. But the open beaches can be as inhospitable and menacing as the steepest rocks...
FRANCE, SAINTE-ANNE LA PALUD: ...which in any event continue just where the beach ends.
FRANCE, SAINTE-ANNE LA PALUD: And the closer one gets to Duarnenez, the more the landscapes resembles some inhospitable moon of Neptune, even with a relatively short shutter time.
FRANCE, CROISIC: And on the other side of the Croisic peninsula, one is definitely back in civilization, with the ocean appearing to have lost all its violent potential.
France, Croisic: Especially when calming down the waves by a longer exposure, the wild coasts of Western Brittany feel very distant...
LOAS, LUANG PRABANG: The Kuang Si Falls are famous for their turquoise water and good bathing opportunities. No sign of any of that on an afternoon after a massive tropical storm...
FRANCE, SAINT-GUIREC: Brittany has more to offer than just Finistère and the lighthouse of Men Ruz belongs to the classics. Here, several compositions exist but the photo really seems to work best straight from the water level. Of course, the lower one descends, the more slippery the stones...
France, Camaret-sur-Mer: Camaret is just a base to stay overnight when touring the nearby phantastic photography spots. But still, under good conditions even the nondescript lighthouse in the village harbour can offer a good photo opportunity.
France, DamGAN: Assuming that one will encounter fewer lighthouses in the more quiet region of Morbihan would be a mistake. Navigational facilities predating electricity are present and easy to photograph.
FRANCE, PLOUGRESCANT: One of the locations with so many possible compositions. The closer to the water level the better for the perspective and the more dangerous for the gear.
FRANCE, PLOUGRESCANT: When staying higher on the rocks, one can just enjoy a pleasant autumn moment before the next rain shower arrives...
FRANCE, PORSPODER: When the wind becomes strong enough to generate this type of waves over the legendary lighthouse Le Four, it gets also too strong to even just stand upright, let alone to use the tripod. One can only lie on the ground, press the camera against the ground as well and hope not to be swept into the ocean...
FRANCE, QUIBERON: The waves arrive with such force here that descending to the water level is prohibited and anyway only possible by low tide. A bit of planning is therefore required - to combine the low tide with sunrise. And a lot of luck - to catch a rare moment when it is not raining like mad.
FRANCE, CROZON: Pointe de Pen-Hir is an evening location and with a decent sunset perhaps the most spectacular one in the entire Brittany. But weather usually destroys all photographic hopes here, this rather flat sunset being by far the best moment witnessed during several visits...
FRANCE, CROZON: With Pointe de Pen-Hir can visible on the horizon, Pointe de Dinan is not much less spectacular and deserves photographic attention. But the vantage point is so windy that the photo session usually turns into pure survival trip. Keeping the tripod upright should be the highest ambition.
FRANCE, BELLE-ÎlLE-EN-MER: One of the sites where even a mobile phone can get a perfectly decent photo. But getting on location is difficult and it must not be raining. Which it is, always.
ITALY, TORRE SARACENA: The scenic spots along the coast of Puglia, like this one of Torre Sant'Andrea, are visually not dissimilar to the sceneries in Belle-Île-en-Mer. Of course, the obstacle to photography here is not the incessant rain but the urge to put on the swimming trunks and jump into the water.
ITALY, CASTELLAMMARE DI STABIA: Looking back towards Naples from the Sorrento peninsula, Vesuvius at dawn looks totally peaceful, resembling actually mount Fuji...
JAPAN, KAWAGUCHI: Mount Fuji may not always be visible, early morning apparently offer the best chances for an unobstructed view. The temperature by the lakes can drop very low before sunrise, warm clothe are therefore the most important piece of equipment for this shot.
SPAIN, SAN SEBASTIAN: The metal elements actually being modern art, this is a very easy location at the end of the city's seaside promenade. One still needs to get up early to capture the morning light but there is plenty of cafes in the area to ease the pain...
FRANCE, KERANGOFF: The lighthouse of Petit Minou is a great object for a photo from all angles. But the violent waves and permanent storms make the site a really scary place. One needs to be extremely careful, especially when waiting for the low tide and going for a shot underneath the bridge leading to the lighthouse.
SPAIN, NAVES: The straightforward shot of the arch is only the beginning of a superbly photogenic, even if at time scary, walk around Playa de la Huelga.
THAILAND, KOH SAMUI: The tropical paradise no longer exists, Koh Samui is dirty and equipped with all the infrastructure for mass tourism. Turning the camera inland would nowadays only make sense for a photojournalist, ocean shots are all there is left from landscape photography.
THAILAND, KOH SAMUI: On the other hand, one can photograph even during the night and with a cocktail next to the tripod.
SPAIN, CASTANERAS: The Asturian coast with all its famous and less know scenic spots - this photo was taken from Playa del Silencio - requires a dedicated photographic trip. Skipping half of these beautiful sceneries for lack of time is just criminal...
SPAIN, CASTANERAS: ...not having the chance to wait for low tide at this amazing place, Playa de la Gueirua, really hurt.
SCOTLAND, LOCH LOMOND: Loch Lomond offers a rather mild and inviting environment and yet, to the uninitiated tourists on their way towards the north, it can give the first impressions of what is awaiting them in the Highlands...
SPAIN, MEIRENGOS: The As Catedrais beach belongs to the tougher ones to photograph. Accessible only two hours before and after the low tide and therefore always full of people. With weather being a lottery in Galicia, waiting for good light not possible and extensive post-processing necessary to eliminate the crowds, a photograph from this location is bound to be a compromise...
FRANCE, QUIBERON: Many places in France boast the predicate "côte sauvage" but nowhere gets it as wild as on the narrow peninsula at the tip of which sits Quiberon.
FRANCE, QUIBERON: Even during a peaceful autumn day, one understands that this is not a place for an innocent summer swim...
FRANCE, QUIBERON: One also needs to pay attention to the wind which permanently threatens to capsize the tripod and let the whole equipment disappear in the abyss.
FRANCE, QUIBERON: No wonder that whoever was naive enough to attempt to live on the rocks left long time ago...
FRANCE, CHINON: Not having any of the ocean's majesty, rivers can be positively spooky, making one think about how it would feel to drown in the muddy waters and be eaten by the creatures living down there. An early morning by the Loire really amplifies this impression, especially as the tripod slowly sinks into the sludge...
FRANCE, BEAUGENCY: Nobody says of course that rivers cannot be very powerful, just like the very same Loire only one day later...
THAILAND, KOH SAMUI: Once again, when pointing the camera towards the ocean, the sceneries of Koh Samui can look fine even with the remnants of past human activity.
LAOS, LUANG PRABANG: The spectacular sunsets over Mekong gave rise to a whole industry where countless boats with tourists cruise the river every evening until the sun disappears. When photographing this scenery, one cannot resist creating a postcard of romanticised colonial times.
