Gateway

Shoreham-by-Sea has one of those harbour mouths that creates a perfect leading line—the long breakwater extending out into the English Channel, with a lighthouse at the end standing like a sentinel. I'd been wanting to photograph this location during the softer light of blue hour, and this September evening delivered exactly what I'd hoped for.

As the sun set behind me, the sky transformed into these delicate pastel shades—soft pinks, purples, and blues that reflected beautifully in the calm water. I set up for a 25-second exposure to smooth the water around the breakwater, creating that silky, mirror-like surface. The lighthouse at the end of the harbour wall adds a perfect focal point, that gateway between the sheltered harbour and the open sea.

What I love about this composition is the sense of journey it conveys—the breakwater acts as a pathway leading your eye out toward the horizon, toward possibilities and adventures beyond. Shoreham Harbour has been guiding vessels to safety for centuries, and this view encapsulates that role perfectly. The calm water and gentle colours create a mood that's both peaceful and slightly wistful.

When you look at this photograph, I want you to feel that sense of contemplative wonder that comes from standing at the threshold between land and sea, watching the day transition into evening along the Sussex coastline.