Chasing Light on the South Coast: My Journey with Shimoda - By Edd Allen

When I moved to Eastbourne back in 2014 I had no idea of the adventures that awaited me. I have lived by the South Coast my whole life but had never really explored the local terrain until moving an hour along the coast. I still remember the rolling hills of endless green on one side and sea stretching off into the distance on the other, as we drove towards our new home. I had just started taking photographs a few months before in the city of Brighton and after seeing the countryside that was now surrounding me, I was eager to get out and start exploring.

I would walk an hour to the local forest multiple times a week, without any expectations and a total lack of knowledge when it came to photography. I would wander aimlessly through the woodland, watching how the light interacted with the trees at different times of day and take dozens of photographs along the way. Every time the sunshine squeezed its way through the leaves I would lay my bag down, take out my camera and take photos from every angle possible. Learning from my mistakes and trying to improve with every outing. This turned into an addiction that still has a hold of me today.

As the weeks turned into months and the months into years, I gradually started fine tuning my experience. I became more selective over locations and kept a firm eye on the weather forecast, preferring more favourable conditions. I also began upgrading my gear as its importance became more prominent in my process. A better camera, tripod, filters and a camera bag. All of which only increased my ever growing enjoyment of photography.

Spending so many hours walking along muddy woodland paths or up and over grass covered hills I needed to feel comfortable, otherwise my motivation would soon start to dwindle.  My shoulders would feel sore and my back would ache, which would often lead to outings being cut short. Fortunately I discovered Shimoda and it was a game changer. After filling up my new bag and neatly arranging all of my gear into the different sections, I once again made the trip up to the top of the hills. I immediately noticed the comfort and how the bags design took the weight off my shoulders. After a bit of strap alteration, using the handy size adjustment feature, the bag felt amazing. I had taken this particular route many times before, but this time it felt different. I no longer worried about the weight of all my gear ruining my walk and instead could focus solely on my photography.

I only have a rough plan when I venture out. I aim for a particular area and then see what catches my eye along the way. I like to react to the weather, keeping an eye on the clouds and making a dash for a particular subject if I am nearby. I have always enjoyed the thrill of chasing the light and have sprinted down many pathways and across many hills in an attempt to photograph that brief moment of sunlight. For me there is no better feeling in photography, than waiting for the sun to land on your subject, bringing the whole scene to life. A moment that often lasts for just a few seconds, but when captured can live forever. It’s experiences like this that keep me walking through the landscape.

When the light hits the landscape and taking photographs takes centre stage, I need to be able to access my gear quickly and efficiently. In previous bags I would find myself struggling to take out my camera, swap lenses and more often than not, search for a lens cloth! With my Shimoda Action X bag I can get to my camera gear in seconds. The dividers are sturdy and keep all of my equipment separate and organised, allowing me to select what I need quickly and hassle free. This can make all the difference in the heat of the moment when trying to capture your subject in all its glory. As more often than not, good light will only appear for a brief moment and potentially be gone for the remainder of the day.

I find myself on an endless pursuit of seeking out new compositions to photograph. Whether it’s a lone tree tucked away on the hills or an old rotten groyne leading into the sea at a local beach, the hunt never gets old. Just when I think that I have discovered everything another subject reveals itself in the distance and the journey begins again. There is nothing more rewarding than photographing something new and the weather playing ball. If not it will always stay on my mind until I revisit and finally get the photograph I was hoping for.

For me, photography is the pursuit of moments. Failure is often and success is limited. But every now and again we manage capture one that stays with us forever.

See more of Edd's work on his website. Or check out his Instagram.