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The ferry port of Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey, just off the North Wales coast, isn't usually considered as a local beauty spot.
But even amongst the decaying relics of its industrial past there's loveliness to be found if you're willing to adjust your mindset.
This, for example, is the landward end of the Holyhead breakwater, a huge undertaking in its day that dominates the harbour.
Falling slowly into disrepair, the breakwater, although still quite functional, is a visual wonderland of cracked concrete and rusting steel which I love to photograph.
The mood of an image like this can be greatly influenced by the weather and lighting conditions in which it's taken.
This photo, taken on a sunny evening with no clouds, has quite an upbeat mood, in which the rust and decay of the steel railing in the foreground are lent an air of colourful optimism that goes somewhat against their actual state and gives the image a conflict that adds an air of slight unreality in the viewer's mind.
Imagine how this same scene would look under leaden grey skies, maybe even in monochrome.
The mood would be completely downbeat, without the conflict of prettiness versus decay seen in this image.
Maybe I'll come back when the weather's not so nice and give it a try.
Filename - holyhead breakwater 01.jpg
Camera - Canon 6D
Lens - 24-105mm zoom @ 24mm
Exposure - 1/50 sec @ f16, ISO200
Location - Porth Dafarch, Anglesey, North Wales
This image - 800x533px JPEG
Conversion - Adobe Lightroom
Comments - Polarising filter used to enhance colours
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