Tregonning Hill Sunset
During the autumn of 2023, I visited Tregonning Hill overlooking Mounts Bay to photograph the sunset. A towering granite landform overlooking the sea in West Cornwall, the hill is home to ancient burial mounds and an Iron Age hillfort and exudes an ethereal atmosphere. I had already been there in summer, but had decided to make a return trip later in the year when the conditions naturally aligned for me to capture everything I was hoping for. Waiting a few months, I was able to photograph the sun as it set in a more southerly position, as well as the famous Tregonning monument and fairytale St Michael’s Mount beyond, all in the same frame.
What I particularly like about this shot is the dusky haze that diffuses the light as the sun dips below the clouds. Softening the power of the mid-autumn sun, it allowed me to photograph the monument itself and capture its time-worn details, so it’s not just silhouetted against the horizon. As well as that, the soft palette, almost pastel in parts, contrasted with the rugged nature of the landscapes and the distant sea beyond, really adds to the storybook feel of the location. The height really gives it a sense of place and affords beautiful views, while the left-aligned clouds help to frame the shot and lend even more drama. It’s a scene that seems to tread the line between myth and reality, antiquity and the present day.
During the autumn of 2023, I visited Tregonning Hill overlooking Mounts Bay to photograph the sunset. A towering granite landform overlooking the sea in West Cornwall, the hill is home to ancient burial mounds and an Iron Age hillfort and exudes an ethereal atmosphere. I had already been there in summer, but had decided to make a return trip later in the year when the conditions naturally aligned for me to capture everything I was hoping for. Waiting a few months, I was able to photograph the sun as it set in a more southerly position, as well as the famous Tregonning monument and fairytale St Michael’s Mount beyond, all in the same frame.
What I particularly like about this shot is the dusky haze that diffuses the light as the sun dips below the clouds. Softening the power of the mid-autumn sun, it allowed me to photograph the monument itself and capture its time-worn details, so it’s not just silhouetted against the horizon. As well as that, the soft palette, almost pastel in parts, contrasted with the rugged nature of the landscapes and the distant sea beyond, really adds to the storybook feel of the location. The height really gives it a sense of place and affords beautiful views, while the left-aligned clouds help to frame the shot and lend even more drama. It’s a scene that seems to tread the line between myth and reality, antiquity and the present day.
During the autumn of 2023, I visited Tregonning Hill overlooking Mounts Bay to photograph the sunset. A towering granite landform overlooking the sea in West Cornwall, the hill is home to ancient burial mounds and an Iron Age hillfort and exudes an ethereal atmosphere. I had already been there in summer, but had decided to make a return trip later in the year when the conditions naturally aligned for me to capture everything I was hoping for. Waiting a few months, I was able to photograph the sun as it set in a more southerly position, as well as the famous Tregonning monument and fairytale St Michael’s Mount beyond, all in the same frame.
What I particularly like about this shot is the dusky haze that diffuses the light as the sun dips below the clouds. Softening the power of the mid-autumn sun, it allowed me to photograph the monument itself and capture its time-worn details, so it’s not just silhouetted against the horizon. As well as that, the soft palette, almost pastel in parts, contrasted with the rugged nature of the landscapes and the distant sea beyond, really adds to the storybook feel of the location. The height really gives it a sense of place and affords beautiful views, while the left-aligned clouds help to frame the shot and lend even more drama. It’s a scene that seems to tread the line between myth and reality, antiquity and the present day.