December 2022 and I had the chance to head out early to the Costa Brava for a couple of days of sunrise photography.

It is Christmas and New Year and I am just looking back on the past few years and seeing what images I was able to capture around this time of year. Normally we have those days off from work, and a chance to get out and focus on something different. For this short blog, I have picked Christmas 2022, in the few days before flying to the UK for New Year. Two days specifically are featured:

Cala Morisca - a beautiful secluded beach midway between Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar
Cala dels Frares - the spectacular rock formations right beside Lloret de Mar, yet extremely challenging for photography!

Cala Morisca - Saturday, 22nd December 2022

A 06:15am departure from home and an hour’s drive to the parking spot. One of the things I enjoy with Cala Morisca is the walk down to the beach in the dark. Head-torch on, and a windy track heads down towards the beach before a set of steep steps brings you out directly onto the sand. It’s only about 900m, but the 10 minute walk already sets the mood for the morning. Right from the parking spot, the location is very peaceful. The sound of the wind in the trees, and eventually the sound of the waves on the shore and the rocks already transports you away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Arriving on the beach pre-sunrise increases the use of the senses, taking in every sound. The blue hour light and the reflection from the moon flicker off the sea. What a wonderful feeling.

Cala Morisca itself is quite narrow and only really presents a few obvious compositions. The rock formations on either side of the cala for framing, rocks in the sea to provide foreground interest and leading lines, and the sea, horizon and sky to provide the background. The key? … a good sky!

And oh yes, I was luck that day with the sky!

Starting with the fiery red reflections and moving on to the yellow sun rays piercing through gaps in the clouds. Moving around the Cala to optimise the composition with the angle of the sun. Using the neutral density filters to smooth out the sea and capture movement in the clouds … what a morning.

What do you think? …

Cala dels Frares - Tuesday 27th December 2022

Again an early 06:30am start and the drive to Lloret de Mar.

Follow the path heading East beneath the castle and through the short rock tunnel to Cala dels Frares.

The difference today is parking in the town of Lloret de Mar. A town with a party reputation, and obviously much more developed than the quiet urbanisation around Cala Morisca. However … once through the short rock tunnel, it is pure Costa Brava!

The Cala itself is only about 250-300m wide, and once down the short steps it is a rocky beach surrounded by the coastal cliffs that wind around the coast. From the Lloret end there are compositions facing East to catch the early sunrise, and then further around, the angles shift to more South East.

But the key interest here is clearly the rock stacks, the “Frares”.

I have been to this location several times, and for photography it is tricky! How to find a clean composition, without distractions, messy edges, and overlapping objects. Not easy.

The rocky beach itself presents opportunities for an interesting foreground if you can pick out a good cluster of well posiitoned rocks, and the light can reflect wonderfully of the wet surfaces. No, the challenge really is the “Frares”. Great shapes offering a wonderful mid-ground but not easy to organise them in isolation. And yet again, the sky can make or break the image. On this day … not a single cloud!

I truly enjoy the challenge on this beach, and when there are completely clear skies like on this day, you always have the option for some star burst effect off the edges of the rock stacks.

Even though the main coastal path works its way around above and behind you, it does still feel quite secluded on the beach itself, and usually for the sunrise you will have the place to yourself. Another great destination, with easy access, some challenging photo opportunities. One to make you work a little!

Give it a try!