A Sentinel at Sunset

A groyne standing upright by the seashore near Youghal.

The wooden post in this photograph is part of Youghal’s coastal defence system called groynes. They are structures built perpendicular to the shore to prevent beach erosion by trapping sand moved by longshore drift. These timber groynes at Youghal are regularly maintained and replaced as part of ongoing coastal management efforts by Cork County Council. The long exposure technique used in this photograph typically requires exposure times of 30 seconds to several minutes, using neutral density filters to reduce the amount of light entering the camera, which creates the smooth, ethereal water effect by averaging out the motion of waves over time.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length39mm
ISO100
Shutter speed13s

Sun setting on the Youghal groynes

The sun set on an absolutely clear sky on Thursday night in Youghal. I was there with Blarney Photography Club, and as you may have guessed from the photo, I was wearing wellies.

We had fun photographing the outgoing tide, and when the sun eventually slid towards the horizon the reflected colour in the sea got that bit more yellower and warmer. The groynes (or groins, depending on where you come from) make for a great subject.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length43mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/1250s

The Groynes of Youghal

The groynes on Youghal Beach reach out of a misty sea in this long exposure shot under overcast skies today. Capel Island can be seen in the background.

It’s November but it’s so mild. Lovely day for a walk on the beach!


Apertureƒ/10
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length90mm
ISO100
Shutter speed15s