East Mersea

The Christmas period of 2006 will be remembered by many photographers for the grey cloud cover that stubbornly refused to allow light through onto the landscape. There was, however, one brief period when the cloud fragmented to allow a display of sunset colours that amply compensated for the unrelenting greyness of the preceding days.

Mersea Island, the most Easterly populated island in the UK, may not be renowned as a photogenic location, but, standing here at East Mersea, with the gently flowing seawater lapping against the tops of the wellies, the glorious colours spreading across the late afternoon sky, and with the lines of posts so obligingly composed, it was possible for a moment or two to believe that this was the most beautiful place on Earth.

Canon EOS 5D and EF 24-105mm lens.

Exposure of 6 seconds at f/22.