My last month in Cornwall

Sorry, another post about Cornwall. This one has been slightly rushed as I’ve been busy planning for Christmas, but I’ve done my best to explain my thoughts and inspiration behind the photos.

As the title suggests, I took these just before I moved back to Suffolk in June, 2024 - it’s hard to believe this was almost a year and a half ago! I didn’t plan on posting this as I wasn’t very happy with the results, but I was struggling for blog inspiration and thought it would be interesting to reflect on what I could have done differently. Some of the photos have been sat on a hard drive since 2024, so I finished editing them over the last couple of weeks and collated some of my favourites.

I didn’t set any intentions with this project, my only goal was to visit some new locations during my last month in Cornwall and take photos along the way. I wanted to spend time with myself and my camera, without the pressures of assignments or deadlines. I didn’t manage to tick every place off my list, but now I have an excuse to go back.

Enys Gardens

 

I’m not sure why it took me three years to come here seeing as it was about ten minutes from our campus, but I’m glad I saw it in the springtime. These are thought to be the oldest gardens in Cornwall, with various ancient buildings and a 19th century mansion house which was lived in by the Enys family.

27th May, 2024

I believe this was taken in the gardens just behind Enys House, but I can’t remember exactly. I noticed these trees with naturally orange leaves (I want to guess a Japanese Maple - please correct me if I’m wrong) which seemed to frame the pathway. This photo was quite overexposed so I struggled to bring down the highlights in editing – I lost a lot of depth and texture in the top half of the image as a result. I would underexpose it next time to retain more detail in the scene, particularly in the trees.

Flushing

 

This is a place I would see almost every day when I lived in Falmouth. It is a small village on the opposite side of the river to Falmouth Harbour, just a few miles east of Penryn. There’s not much to do here, but it does have a popular, yet small, beach. The village is full of quaint cottages and stone buildings, giving it a very Cornish feel.

2nd June, 2024

On my way to the beach, I passed this old gate which created a window through to the river. I loved the contrast of the rustic, overgrown wall against the bright blue harbour, and the gate provides an almost mystical charm. If I were to return, I would zoom in tighter on the gate to capture more of the view, or perhaps take it from less of a distance.

Once I’d reached Flushing beach on the east side of the village, there was an incredible view of the river. From this point, I could see all the way to St Anthony Head (you can just about make out St Anthony Lighthouse in the distance here), and in the other direction was Falmouth Harbour. I’m not sure this photo would have been as effective on a sunny day – the low, hazy light creates a sharp contrast, offsetting the boats against the land behind. I always struggle to photograph seascapes but I was really pleased with the outcome of this photo, both technically and compositionally.

Trelissick Gardens

 

I cheated slightly with this one as I have been here before - Trelissick Gardens have to be in my top 5, if not top 3 locations to visit in Cornwall. It is a National Trust house and garden estate just south of Truro, with various coastal and woodland walks. You can either drive here or get the ferry up the River Fal (I would highly recommend this in spring/summer), and it has something for everyone, including its own art gallery.

5th June, 2024

I’ve tried and failed (in my opinion) to capture the real beauty of Trelissick, but I had to include one photo as it was a highlight of my last month. If you walk south towards the beach, you come across this breathtaking view of Channals Creek. From up here, you can appreciate the vastness of the estuary. I tried to utilise natural framing by incorporating the tree and the curve of the hillside, but I think more of the water deserves to be shown. However, I love the warmth and vibrancy of the image, especially with the natural cloudy sky.

Church Cove

 

I’d heard of Church Cove many times before but never found the time to visit – it is a beach on the Lizard peninsula, just south of Porthleven and a few miles north of Lizard Point. Having been to both of these places, I thought it made sense to try somewhere in the middle! It is owned by the National Trust so you can park for free as a member, and the southwest coast path is easily accessed for picturesque coastal walks.  

7th June, 2024

We timed our visit with low tide so there was plenty of beach to explore. There was a winding stream with crystal clear water dividing the beach, eventually trailing off into the sea - besides the obvious leading line, I felt drawn to the textures and shapes in the rocks. I could have played around with the height of the camera to get a stronger sense of perspective, but overall it was worth getting my feet wet for this angle.

Looking inland, the terrain was almost space-like. It had this incredible slate surface with perfectly rounded rocks all over (excuse my lack of geological vocabulary). The cold greys are offset against the warm cliff edge, creating this sharp shift in the landscape. I like the fact it is uninterrupted by people or animals as the main focus becomes the landscape itself. I also think the rule of thirds assists this photo, as much as it was unintentional.

Godrevy

 

This is a well-known tourist destination in Cornwall, and I thought it would be criminal to not go at least once before leaving. Godrevy itself encompasses grasslands, heathlands, cliffs and coves along a northern stretch of the coastline. It is known for the lighthouse which can be seen from Godrevy Point. Like most other places in Cornwall, it is owned by the National Trust, making it easy to access with plenty of parking.

11th June, 2024

I used the first carpark adjacent to St Gothian Sands, not realising there was one further up the coastline. This actually worked out as I had an excuse to walk up the southwest coast path and take in the ocean views. I was lucky to grab this shot of the walkway before people came round the bend – this helps capture the quiet, rural charm of the landscape. I like the overall simplicity of the image and would love to return during each season to photograph the natural changes.

Walking up the coast path, you’re surrounded by wildlife-rich meadows and heathland. As I approached Godrevy Beach, I spotted this house which looked straight out of a painting – bright white, it stands out against the summer colours and provides subtle evidence of human life in an otherwise natural landscape. I love the arrangement of textures within the photo, especially against the plain, almost cloudless sky. Looking back, I would attempt to get all of the wildflowers in focus using a higher aperture.

It wouldn’t be a trip to Godrevy without a shot of the lighthouse. I wouldn’t say there’s anything special about this photo, other than the fact I waited for a seagull to fly past. However, I felt it was important to capture the entire island, rather than zooming in on the lighthouse or centring it within the image. A wide shot allows you to appreciate the feeling of isolation, particularly with a bird flying overhead! Overall, it is one of my favourites from the trips, even if it is more simplistic.

I’m so glad I finally made the time to go through these photos and I’m excited to plan even more photography trips in the New Year! I was extremely fortunate to have the time/freedom to explore Cornwall before moving home, but I know there’s so much more to see and my photography has evolved so much since 2024 – I can’t wait to tick more destinations off my list in the southwest and other parts of the UK. 

On the topic of 2026, my next post will be uploaded in January rather than two Sundays from now, as I’ll be taking some time off work over the Christmas break. From January, I’ll be posting once a month instead of every two weeks, as I’m expecting my full-time job to get much busier! Hopefully this means I’ll have more to discuss in each post.

Thank you so much for reading, and have a lovely Christmas.

Em x