This shot was taken after sunset using the last light of the day. It was blowing a gale and the sea raging. I've never seen such large waves. The wind was gusting right into my back unsteadying me as I set my tripod up as close as I dare to the cliff edge. The wide angle lens gives the impression that it is at a comfortable distance but in actual fact the three hundred foot drop to certain death was just a couple of feet away and the wind was doing its level best to push me over.

I had to keep a firm grip of the tripod and huddle round the camera to protect it from the gusts during the thirty second exposure which has turned the raging sea into an ethereal mist which combined with the soft light has given this image a surreal quality.

Back in the day when I took this photograph I was under the impression that every landscape image needed foreground interest. It is beneficial to an image but the key word here is 'interest' which in hindsight sadly this image is lacking. The scrappy heather is well past its best and I would have been better off cropping in a bit tighter. But then its not always easy to see clearly what should be done when clinging on for dear life.

Date: 10/08/2010

Location: Landsend, Cornwall