Adam Burton Photography

Giants Causeway

Giants Causeway, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Ref: BB031334
Gallery: Ireland

Rarely if ever has a single photograph caused me such distress!  The Giants Causeway was top on my list of locations on my Northern Ireland trip, but unfortunately the weather was to do its utmost to hinder me from photographing it that week.  After a few missed opportunities due to rain, this evening was looking like my last opportunity.  I made my way down to the famous hexagonal basalt columns but was dismayed to see that the wind was blowing ferociously directly towards me, soaking the entire rocks with sea spray and crashing waves.  The conditions made photography almost impossible, but with a beautiful evening sky materialising I simply knew I had to make the most of it. 

After waiting for what seemed an eternity for a group of lads to move out of my composition, I set up my camera, which immediately and completely became covered with sea spray.  I cleaned it and then attempted to focus before it was covered again.  Another clean.  I inserted the necessary graduated filter, which was instantly covered.  Another clean.  A wave crashed on the shore, splashing up all over the front of the camera - another clean.  By now, my patience was severely being tested, but with sunset just moments away I had to keep trying. 

I managed to capture several ‘clean’ shots amongst many more smeared, blotchy efforts, but now the sky was turning pink this was the opportune moment.  I cleaned my optics once again, and clicked the shutter.  Or at least I think it was the shutter button?  Somewhere, somebody may have secretly replaced my shutter button with a ‘rain’ button as in that instant, all at once the heavens opened with such ferocity that it completely destroyed my chances of taking any more photographs.  I still have the image on file, ruined beyond recovery with blotches of rain spots backed by a beautiful pink evening sky.  It still pains me to think of the image I could have captured on that evening.