Cornwall, 2025 - iPhone Diaries #1

If you’ve read my last blog post, you’ll notice a theme. I promise not all my posts will revolve around Cornwall, but my decision to start a blog happened to coincide with this trip so I was inspired to document it!

This past year has been pretty chaotic so I was looking forward to a mental reset. Even while I was at university I always felt this calm energy in Cornwall. Life seems to move slower in the south-west, but in a way that makes you clearer-minded and more productive. We spent 7 days in a beautiful cottage in Saint Agnes which turned out to be a great centre point for our travels.

Despite it being a holiday, I decided to set a little challenge for myself; I wanted to create a space in which I could reconnect with my creative hobbies, one of which being photography. Since August last year, I’ve been working full-time as a property photographer - something I’ve wanted to do since sixth form. Whilst it’s a dream job in many ways, I don’t always have the time or energy to pursue photography outside of work, so this was an opportunity for me to do just that with no strings attached (and no clients to impress).

The thought of carrying around a full set of camera kit and editing the photos felt quite overwhelming, so I decided to take a more minimal approach and use my phone. I planned to share at least one image from each place we visited, but I struggled to feel inspired on some days. Instead, I have a mish-mash of images, some that I’m proud of and others I would approach differently next time.

20th September

The first couple of days were a stay-at-home-in-pyjamas-and-do-nothing kind of vibe. It rained the entire weekend, but there was a break in the weather on Saturday so we travelled down to Chapel Porth beach (a new one for me) and caught the late afternoon light. I loved how the hills framed each other, and how the sun, diffused by the clouds, seemed to create a false-mist across the scene.

That same evening, we continued north along the coastline and stumbled across Wheal Coates, an old mining heritage site. The ruins were far away, creating a vast sense of perspective. There was a model-like quality to the buildings, as if they would stay the same size even as you moved closer, and the landscape felt extremely quiet despite the crashing waves.

21st September

If I’m struggling for inspiration, I often try to look for reflections in my surroundings. As a property photographer, we can get creative with mirrors and windows, but you can also do this with water. Here, the sky was perfectly reflected in the shallows at Perranporth beach. While the blue sky gives it a brighter feel, the dark clouds create a natural vignette around the photo – this is probably my favourite image from the trip.

The last time I was here, I ticked off one of my bucket list goals and galloped a horse along Perranporth beach. I did this with Reen Manor Riding Stables, and part of the experience was hacking through the dunes. This landscape is vast and beautiful, but also hard to photograph – the terrain is covered by a layer of marram grass which seems to blur the contours of the land. Cutting through the terrain were these winding sand pathways.

22nd September

On the Monday we drove up to Tintagel, an English Heritage site known for its association with the legend of King Arthur. You can see some of the castle ruins along the top edge of this cliff. This was by far one of the most spectacular landscapes we visited, but my favourite image was of this waterfall. You can find this by crossing the famous bridge and walking down the steps to the beach. I wish I’d photographed it earlier in the day, but I was pleasantly surprised by my phone’s ability to freeze the water.  

24th September

We paid a mandatory visit to the Ferryboat Inn, an amazing pub situated on Helford Passage. There were more boats moored here than I’ve ever seen - it felt like we were in a Cornish postcard. Close to shore was a bright orange boat which cut through the bright blues of the sky and water. Whilst I love the colour contrast, I feel the final image could have been elevated if I zoomed out slightly or even took it landscape.

25th September

Our last full day in Cornwall was spent in the gorgeous town of St Ives. We caught the train from St Erth which runs along the water’s edge past Hayle and Carbis Bay. A lovely lady sat nearby told us it was the most beautiful train journey in the country - and I believe her! Upon arrival, the tide was relatively low, forming a sandy bridge between Porthminster beach and the harbour. There were a variety of boats here, all exposed to the air.

My experience…

This trip was an opportunity for me to explore photography again as a hobby, rather than a job. It’s so easy for art to become habitual when you work in the creative industry, so it’s important to challenge yourself once in a while and experiment with new ideas. I wouldn’t say I ventured very far with this project, but it did allow me to take a breath and focus on a style of photography that I enjoy. If nothing else, we learned to account for the tide when making plans - something you’d think I’d have learned while living in Cornwall!

I’d love for this to become a series so hopefully I’ll have a new set of photos to share very soon. In the meantime, I’d encourage any photographers who are feeling a bit uninspired to take the pressure off and try this challenge.

Thank you for reading.

Em x