SWAMP DWELLER

CORNWALL, UK, 2023

The Helford River is a spectacular flooded river valley. While its importance as a trade site waned after the medieval period, the river gained a certain notoriety as "Stealford" due to its association with pirates. Helford's strategic location also played a role in World War II, serving as a departure point for American soldiers heading to Omaha Beach for D-Day in June 1944. 

​When I ventured here in 2023, it was different. It's now an oasis for birdlife. My mission was to encapsulate the river and its birds. To make an image that screamed, 'This is the Helford'. 

But on my many visits to the Helford in search of this moment, it became clear that this film was harder to make than expected. The weather often wasn't on our side, or the birds didn't show.

On the final day, I'd refined my plan and was all set to film. Despite almost cancelling the trip due to a sudden rainstorm, we persevered and waited for the frantic rain to pass. 

Once it had cleared, the light was perfect. It's always darkest before the dawn, and my patience was rewarded once I noticed a Little Egret perched on a fallen tree beside the river. I knew this was the moment I had envisioned. The light, the subject, and the context all aligned. It's these moments you wait for during the struggle and the storms. We could then go home and have a warm bath. 

"IT'S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN.

–JACOB J. WATSON-HOWLAND

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