Golden Light Over Blackrock

There is something rather special about returning to a familiar place before sunrise. Blackrock, near Sudbrook and Portskewett, has become one of those locations for me, a place where the Severn Estuary, the old lighthouse, Charston Rock and the First Severn Bridge can all come together beneath a changing sky.

On this particular morning, the eastern horizon was covered by a thick bank of cloud. For a brief moment the rising sun managed to peek through, offering just a hint of what might have been, before disappearing completely behind the cloud.

It would have been easy to think that the best of the light had gone.

But sunrise photography has a habit of rewarding patience.

About ten minutes later, as the sun climbed higher, an intense burst of light suddenly found a gap in the clouds. Almost instantly the whole landscape changed. The estuary began to glow, the exposed rocks caught the warm light and everything seemed to turn gold.

I had my DJI Mini 5 Pro with me, and from above the scene looked even more dramatic. I recorded aerial footage across the estuary, taking in Charston Rock, Blackrock Lighthouse and the distant First Severn Bridge, all illuminated by that beautiful burst of golden sunlight.

Mornings like this are also often as much about the people you meet as the photographs you take.

I got chatting to Harry, a friendly amateur photographer who had also come out to capture the sunrise, along with a lady who shared exactly the same thoughts as me about these early starts. There is something wonderful about being outside while most people are still asleep, watching the day begin.

Those left behind in warm beds may well think we are slightly crazy getting up at such an hour — but they are missing something rather epic.

A young couple who had been camping at Blackrock also joined us. The girl was wrapped tightly in a blanket against the morning chill while her partner walked their dog, which had somehow managed to find what must surely have been a record-breaking stick.

Before long, everyone was watching the drone as it climbed above the estuary, fascinated by the view being captured from the air.

And when the light finally broke through the clouds, it all came together.

The photographs from the morning preserved a lovely memory from Blackrock, dramatic skies, golden light, friendly company and one of those brief moments when the landscape seems to transform completely.

Definitely worth getting out of bed for.