"I had no intention of doing any sort of video whatsoever… there was nothing here. Or so I thought."
I didn’t come to King’s Beach to shoot. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the forecast had promised absolutely nothing, and to be honest, I just felt like stretching my legs with Raffy—my 6-year-old Spoodle—and catching the sunrise for myself. But as we walked the shoreline, a wisp of cloud drifted across the horizon. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. I unpacked the camera, not with great expectation, but simply because something in the light told me it might be worth it. That quiet moment of shift from observer to participant was all it took.
I began with a few quiet compositions. The frame felt unbalanced, so I shifted slightly left to pull a rock into the foreground. Just like that, it started to come together. As usual, Raffy wandered into the shot—he has a knack for finding his way into frame no matter how much I try to set up around him. Honestly, I think he believes he's part of the landscape now.
Once the sun starts its climb, everything changes quickly. I switched from shutter priority to manual mode and dialled in the exposure before the light became too harsh. I dropped the ISO to 50 and took two long exposures—one focusing on the foreground rock, the other on the distant headland. It’s always a bit of a dance, trying to beat the sun while staying present in the moment
Normally, I shoot at Petrol Cove when I’m down near Victor Harbor, but this morning, I felt drawn to explore just a little further. I’m glad I did. King’s Beach gave me views that Petrol Cove usually hides, especially that headland which tends to block the light. Here, I was closer to the offshore island, surrounded by strewn rocks and rich textures in the cliffs. I could tell there were compositions waiting to be uncovered.
ISO100 | f16 | 180mm | ¼ second
One composition stood out - a reflective stretch of sand, textured with ripples and streaked seaweed. I took a few steps back to avoid a distracting clump and set up two quick shots. I adjusted the polarizer to remove the vignette in the corner, keeping the scene clean and true to what I was seeing. Thirty seconds of exposure smoothed the water without losing its personality.
I stood in the sand, camera steady, heart calm. It was one of those moments. You wake early, head out with no plan, and find yourself immersed in something quietly magical. The light, the silence, the salty breeze—it all just makes sense. Raffy was off adventuring in the rocks behind me, and I stood there thinking how lucky I was to witness this. No pressure to produce, no need to impress - just being there was enough.
Sometimes, simplicity is the point. There was a large stretch of open water between me and the distant bluff, but I embraced the emptiness. With a long exposure, the water softened into a pale wash, separating the layers of the image without any distractions. It was simple, minimal, and peaceful. I let go of sharpness in the middle—it didn’t need it. The texture was in the moment, not just the pixels
Just as I thought the best light had passed, a gentle sweep of pink appeared across the sky. I threw on a 3-stop ND filter to extend the shutter time and capture the softness. The water blurred just enough to enhance the mood without losing the feeling of being there. Subtle colour, a bit of movement, and a horizon that glowed just the right amount. It was all I needed.
Before packing up, I couldn’t resist trying something a bit different. I flipped the camera vertical and captured 8 to 10 frames for a panoramic stitch. The light was fading, and the sky was clearing, but it was more about curiosity than necessity. A bit of play before heading home—a reminder that photography is still fun when it’s just for you
7 image panorama ISO100 | f16 | 175mm | 1/3 second
It wasn’t an epic sky or a dramatic swell. But it was honest. The kind of morning that fills you up without asking anything in return. I came out expecting nothing, and in return, I got a quiet sunrise, a few thoughtful compositions, and the company of Raffy trotting happily between rocks. That’s more than enough, it’s a win in my book.
Please look after yourself. Look after your loved ones. Until next time—see ya.
If you wish to follow the adventure and see how I overcome the challenges that hinders us all on location. If you do please visit the full video on my YouTube channel here.