A Photographer's Guide to Ogmore-by-Sea

Introduction

A classic dramatic Ogmore sunset. Taken at Black Rocks.

Ogmore-by-Sea has a rugged and varied coast which is very popular with fishermen, due in part to the rocky headlands that jut out into the Bristol Channel, but surprisingly, seemingly less so with photographers.

My love for this stretch of coast began long before my interest in photography, with many childhood Summer afternoons spent losing footballs to the waves and crunching sandy picnics. However, it wasn't until I looked at the beach through a viewfinder and actively sought picturesque details and views that I truly began to see the raw beauty that had been before me for so many years and to a great extent had been taken for granted. I have been hooked on the area visually ever since.

Some topographic and geological features of particular interest

• Wide fine grained sand beaches
• Exposed bedrock strata, some teeming with marine fossils
• Large boulders strewn amongst the intertidal zone
• Pebble storm beaches
• Shingle bays
• Rocky headlands

Special Photographic Features

For the purpose of this guide I will take Ogmore Beach to include the main bay directly adjacent to the mouth of the River Ogmore and the handful of smaller bays that run along the coast for about three quaters of a mile directly below the village of Ogmore-by-Sea. The guide is divided into four mini guides for the four main bays, which are marked on the map and ariel photograph below.

1. The main beach (at higher tides appears to be three or four bays, but at low tide is one clear sweep of sand)
2. Bwlch Gwyn (White Bay)
3. Bwlch y Gro (Gravel Bay)
4. Black Rocks

1 The Main Beach

Situated directly below the car park and with the mouth of the River Ogmore on the Western end seperating Ogmore from Treath y Afon across the river.

The main draw of this area of Ogmore for me is the river mouth itself. At sunset, particularly from late Winter to early Summer it is possible to compose a picture so that the Sun appears to be sinking into the middle of the river itself.

Other features of interest are the wide fine sand beach which when fully exposed at low tide must be around a hundred meters wide from shore to sea and some interesting outcrops of rock along the side of the river.

Whilst the main beach has alot to offer especially at low tide when all of that wet sand acts as a mirror doubling the light available to create with I would implore you to explore the full stretch of coast before setting up in one spot. Personally I have found the most inspiring and interesting views can be found amongst the smaller bays further away from the river mouth. A convenient footpath runs from the bottom left (Southern) corner of the car park along the coast above the smaller bays and rocky headlands that seperate them and it is well worth a stroll.

Sunset at the mouth of the Ogmore River

2 Bwlch Gwyn

This small bay is the first around a rocky headland from the main beach and as with all of the smaller bays is accessed by walking along a path found at the bottom left of the car park. Follow the path until you reach a row of bungalows just the other side of a dry stone wall and turn right down a concrete ramp to the bay.This bay has an awful lot to offer the photographer, but the opportunities are heavily reliant on the tide.

At high tide waves roll up against the pebble beach and create a pleasing s shaped curve as they break. To the South East end interesting rock formations sprout up from the pebbles and can provide a very interesting foreground or a main focal point.

Bwlch Gwyn at high tide

At low tide the bay is transformed. A sand beach is exposed which actually links to the main beach around the headland and more interesting rock formations are exposed at the point where the sand gives way to the pebble storm beach at about the half tide mark.

Bwlch Gwyn at low tide

3 Bwlch y Gro

Gro is Welsh for gravel and that is a good description of this small beach. It is backed by small cliffs and is accessed by jumping down these stepped low cliffs. I have never found a satisfying composition here at high tide, but I dare say others could. For me though this bay is at it's best near low tide when the many large boulders poking up through the gravel are amongst the break water.

Another interesting feature of this cove is the exposed limstone bed to the South East corner which looks particularly eyecatching during sunset at low tide when the warm evening light reflects of the wet surace.

In my experience the headland to the North West of the bay is very popular with fishermen so if you intend to shoot towards the Sun as it sets expect some small figures in your pictures as can be seen in the photo below.

Bwlch y Gro sunset at low tide

4 Black Rocks

The final bay in my little guide and the last bay of this short stretch of coast; Black Rocks is currently my favourite spot to photograph at Sunset.

When you approach along the coastal path it seems as though there is no easy way down to the shingle bay, but carry on past it and just as you come to a warning sign saying the lower coastal path is not safe past this point turn right towards the sea and you should see a little slope down to the bed rock which at this point is a few metres above the sea level. Walk down this slope onto the rock and turn right walking down the dipping rock strata and it will take you down into the bay itself.

As with Bwlch y Gro I find this location is best at mid to low tide when the shingle and adjacent limestone rock beds are exposed. At the water's edge the bedrock seems to have been thrust up trough the shingle and at low tide with the waves washing around the rock there is always a good composition to be found. As with Bwlch y Gro I find mid to low tide to be the most fruitful conditions with receeding tide leaving intricate swirls in the shingle and the glistening bedrock disappearing into the Bristol Channel. At very low tide a pebble beach is exposed in the North Western corner of the bay. It is also possible to take some interesting pictures of the bay from above if you set up on top of the rocky cliffs at the back of the bay.

Outcropping bed rock at Black Rocks

Further notes

I have only adressed the four bays that I see as the most interesting along this coast, but there is interest all the way along the sea front.

The rocky headlands themselves providing some striking angular formations next to rounded polished rock. There are many small rock pools and fossils nestled amongst the rock.

Also there are other very small coves some easily accessable others only after a tricky descent of steep rock that I have not mentioned, so I would urge you to walk the full length of the coast before deciding on a location to photograph and don't just stick to those I have mentioned.

Night Photography

I've taken many night time photographs at Ogmore by Sea and while it's true that there's alot of light pollution in the sky to the North, above Porthcawl, I see this as an opportunity rather than a hinderence.

Facing South there is little artificial light in the sky, but it is a view that I find uninspiring. I am sure there must be good photos to be had though.

Nightfall at Bwlch Gwyn

Special Equipment

• Tripod essential for long exposures and helpful for carefully composing your pictures in any event.
• Filters: You may wish to use a polarizing filter to cut down reflections on wet rocks or increase contrast in the sky. I often use a three stop neutral density filter to prolong exposures in brighter light and record movement in the waves. Graduate neutral density filters are essential at sunset to balance the brightness of the sky and land or water.
• Torch very useful if you plan to be at the beach untill after sunset as some of the rocky parts of the coast can be very uneven under foot.
• Lens cloth very handy especially on more blustery days when sea spray can be a real nuisance.

Best Time of Day and Year

As you can probably tell if you have read this far I have only really photographed here at sunset so can say little about sunrise or daytime, but it's a location full of promise at sunset. As it faces mainly South West during the Summer the Sun provides more sidelighting to the coast as it is further South in the sky.

Tidal Information

As with all of the coast along the Bristol channel Ogmore is under the influence of the second highest tidal range in the world, some twelve metres of varience. As I've mentioned my favourite tidal condition in which to photograph the area is a receeding tide around half way out or lower, but there are opportunities at all tide levels.

I check the coastal/tidal observations on the BBC weather website (www.bbc.co.uk/weather) before any visit so I know what to expect. Just look at the tide tables for Porthcawl which is the nearest place information is given for.

Wind Information

This entire stercth of coast is rather exposed in three directions; North, South and West and is most often subject to sometimes strong South Westerlys blowing in off the Atlantic. At higher tides moderate gusts of wind can send sea spray a long way so take a lens cloth and if possible position your body between the camera and the sea during exposures, to sheild the lens from the worst of it.

Getting There

1.	Head west on Exit 35	0.1 mi
2.	At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto A473 heading to Bridgend/Pen-y-bont/Porthcawl Go through 2 roundabouts	3.0 mi
3.	At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto A48/By Pass Rd Go through 1 roundabout	0.7 mi
4.	At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto B4265/Ewenny Rd Continue to follow B4265	0.9 mi
5.	Turn right at B4524/Ogmore Rd Continue to follow B4524

6. As you reach the crest of the hill overlooking the river mouth and just after a cattle grid turn right down a steep road into the car park above the main beach.

Nearby Photographic Opportunites

Dunraven Bay Southerndown is another great spot for photographers, especially those hooked on coastal landscapes, like myself. See Rob Hudson's guide here fro more information. http://knol.google.com/k/rob-hudson/a-photographers-guide-to-dunraven-bay/cd5mu2qxlvy6/2#view

Ogmore castle is a 12th century ruin about half a mile upriver from the Ogmore River mouth.