Those dunes again

One from earlier this year, up on the dunes on Portstewart Strand.  This came out very poorly on the negative - very low contrast, so I didn't have high hopes for it.  From memory it was that sort of day - heavily overcast, flat light.  But after a bit of experimentation with a test strip I was pleasantly surprised by how it rendered on my new Foma 133 paper.

Portstewart Dune grass, on Foma 133 paper

I'm kind of missing the dunes now - last time I was there was early March.  Yesterday I got a nice letter in from Boris saying as of the end of July I no longer need to stay at home.  Thanks Boris me old mate!  Well, to tell the truth, I have been stretching my legs a little already...yesterday Missy and I ventured out to Ballintoy Harbour - she wanted to see the 'secret beach'.  Secret Beach no more, though - it was busy!  But then it was mid-afternoon on a quite glorious day.  I took the 'Blad and even persuaded my glamorous assistant to carry the tripod for me (!) but there was no chance of using it.  But I did cajole Missy into letting me take a few shots of her, so the day wasn't completely lost, photographically-speaking.  As we were heading back to the car she leant on a big rock and as I was framing the shot I was suddenly aware of something going on in the sea behind her.  Something quite amazing, actually...a whole school of porpoises or dolphins travelling West...there must have been about 30 of them.  The ones in the front were having a great time - several were leaping clean out of the water, turning somersaults.  It was quite a show and went on for about half an hour as they made their way through Ballintoy towards Portrush.  I've seen the odd one or sometimes two around the seas here before, but never so many as yesterday - and never seeing them leaping out.  It ended up being quite a memorable father-daughter day.