Grey Skies, Good Photographs | DMƒ-stop Journal

We went through to Mossel Bay for the day to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday. We parked at The Point and walked around for a while, even though the weather was not particularly inviting. The sky was dark, the wind was up and it felt like one of those days where you could easily decide there was not much worth photographing.

The paved promenade at The Point in Mossel Bay with a large metal dolphin sculpture, the ocean and dark storm clouds — The Point under the kind of sky that normally makes you think twice about a walk.

Then the sky filled with birds

Near the rocks there was a spot where people were feeding the doves. Every so often the whole group would lift off together, circle overhead and settle again. It only lasted a few seconds each time, but against the heavy sky it looked far more dramatic than I expected, so I stayed with the camera and waited for another burst.

A dense group of grey doves gathered together on a rounded mound beneath a pale overcast sky — The reason the whole flock was hanging around in the first place.

Dozens of doves silhouetted in flight across a dark cloudy sky — The grey sky gave the flock far more shape and contrast than a clear day would have.

A smaller group of doves flying through an open patch of grey sky — A quieter frame from the same few minutes.

Down toward the zipline

We carried on toward the Mossel Bay zipline and spent some time around the rocks below it. The sea was rough and the waves were breaking hard against the coastline. By that point the weather that had seemed disappointing when we arrived was actually giving the whole place its mood.

The Mossel Bay Zipline entrance sign above a wooden coastal structure beneath dark clouds — We carried on toward the zipline to see what the sea was doing against the rocks.

A narrow concrete walkway crossing rocky tidal pools toward a lighthouse on the cliff at The Point in Mossel Bay — The path below the lighthouse led us straight into the weather.

The Mossel Bay zipline platform extending above jagged coastal rocks with the ocean beyond — The zipline platform above the rocks, with the rough sea beyond it.

A rough grey ocean breaking over dark jagged rocks beneath a heavy stormy sky — A rough sea under heavy cloud.

Dark seawater flowing between orange-brown coastal rocks beneath a moody overcast sky — The coast had that cold, almost monochrome look for most of the afternoon.

Two people standing on a concrete ledge as a large wave crashes against the rocks at The Point in Mossel Bay — The waves were hitting the rocks hard enough to make standing there feel worthwhile.

A large green-grey wave exploding into white spray between jagged rocks beneath dark coastal clouds — The weather that looked disappointing from the car gave the photographs most of their mood.

It was not a complicated outing and nothing particularly big happened. We spent the day with family, walked around The Point, watched the birds and stood near the rocks for a while. But I came home genuinely happy with the photographs. Sometimes a place does not need perfect light or perfect weather — it just needs you to keep looking long enough for something interesting to happen.

Then the sky filled with birds

Down toward the zipline

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