On the return from my road trip to Devon and Dorset made the decision to stop off in Brighton east Sussex for a few days. The plan once again was to stay in a seafront hotel and get in some sunrise and sunset photography with the Brighton Piers as the main focal point. It was also prime time for the starling murmuration’s.

Return to Brighton

My connection to Brighton spans years, from the days of my youth to my time as a student in the 90s, even a childhood memory of the west pier open with lots of people. The city holds a trove of fond memories for me. Despite this deep familiarity, I’ve only once aimed my lens at the haunting beauty of the West Pier’s ruins—a stark, compelling subject that I’ve long seen others capture in stunning sunset silhouettes. Aware of its fragility to nature’s whims, I felt compelled to photograph it before time and tides could claim more of its storied structure.

Although the vibrant urban life is a draw for many, the throngs of people have often discouraged me, as a landscape photographer who prefers the quiet communion of nature having visited the nearby south downs from Devils Dyke to Falmer. Yet, the promise of a peaceful sunrise and the enchanting dance of the starlings beckoned me to return. The pull of such photographic potential outweighs the distance from my Hastings home, drawing me back to Brighton’s iconic shoreline.

Brighton Sunset

Arriving in Brighton, I didn’t waste any time. I headed straight out to seize the sunset, knowing well that such light might not present itself again. The West Pier, standing as a hauntingly beautiful skeleton against the vibrant evening sky, was a sight to behold. The circling seagulls added life to the scene, contrasting with the stillness of the ruin. Without my tripod, I relied on handholding to capture the moment—a challenging but worthwhile endeavour.

As the day faded into blue hour, I turned to the bustling atmosphere of the Palace Pier. With my 70-200mm lens, I captured the hypnotic dance of the starlings, their murmuration’s framing the pier and its glittering lights. The energy here, with the fairground in full swing, was a stark departure from the serene decay of the West Pier.

Brighton West Pier Sunrise

Choosing a Brighton hotel on the seafront paid off for capturing the West Pier. With a reasonable sunrise time in February, the plan was simple: shoot early, then enjoy the deserved reward of an English breakfast.

My goal was to create a distinct image that hadn’t saturated social media—capturing both piers with the sunrise poetically aligned in the background. Composition was key; it was crucial to maintain separation between the West and East Piers for visual clarity.

I found that a 1/4 second exposure at 60mm allowed for a delicate balance where the sea’s motion was implied but not lost. The longer exposures of around 30 seconds smoothed the sea into a tranquil mirror, reflecting the dawn’s hues on the water-soaked sand.

As any photographer knows, time is a luxury at sunrise, and while I would have preferred more of it to explore the myriad potential shots, the experience underscored a familiar truth: mastery of a location comes from repeated visits, each one offering new lessons and opportunities.

Brighton Palace Pier Murmurations

After a day indoors, an evening stroll along the Brighton seafront was in order, with the goal of photographing the well-known starling murmuration’s around the Palace Pier. I had photographed the starling murmuration’s at Eastbourne Pier a few times for the first time this year but those at Brighton’s Palace Pier were larger.

The challenge wasn’t just the photography itself, but also managing to find a spot amid the bustling crowd. The murmuration’s are quite a spectacle, drawing locals and tourists alike, especially on a mild February evening.

Equipped with a 70-200mm lens, I set the shutter speed to 1/500 sec to capture the swift motion of the birds, with the ISO automatically adjusting around 1000. The pier, with its distinctive helter-skelter, anchored the scene as the birds danced in the sky, their formations sprawling against the vibrant sunset.

As the light faded into the blue hour, I continued shooting, aiming to keep the murmuration’s well-framed within the vast sky. In such a dynamic setting, it’s better to shoot wider and then refine the composition during post-processing. It’s these fleeting natural displays, set against the human-made pier, that create a captivating juxtaposition unique to Brighton. I would have preferred a tighter formation but not happen that evening.

Brighton Red Dawn

The next morning on Brighton’s seafront began with a promising glance out the hotel window — a break in the eastern horizon. Moments later, I was on the beach, setting up my tripod, ready to welcome the day.

The starlings’ early flight was brief, prompting a quick switch to my custom shutter priority settings to catch their fleeting dance. Despite the dim conditions and a resulting ISO of 10000, post-processing tools like Lightroom’s denoise feature helped salvage the high ISO shot.

I aimed for a delicate balance, positioning the piers to create separation in the frame, with a zoom of 175mm to compress the scene. The small aperture of F/16 ensured sharpness throughout the image.

As dawn unfolded, the sky transformed into a fiery canvas I’d never witnessed. The receding tide mirrored the sunrise’s vibrance on the wet sand. Adjusting my composition to include the overlapping piers, I made the most of the breath-taking, albeit fleeting, light show.

Time constraints and condensation on the lens added to the morning’s frantic pace. A long exposure could have smoothed the sea’s dark expanse, while a time-blend might have introduced a dynamic touch with the seagulls. But sometimes, the spectacle of nature doesn’t wait, and quick decisions have to be made.

After an intense hour of photography and a return to a cooked breakfast, the weather closed in once more. Most only saw the ensuing grey and rain that morning — a stark contrast to the earlier display. This is the capricious charm of Brighton: a brief interlude of drama at dawn before the day settles into its usual rhythm.

Murmuration’s and Memories: Brighton’s Piers in Focus

My photographic venture at Brighton Pier culminated with a collection of images that exceeded my expectations, capturing the ephemeral grace of the murmuration’s and the solemn beauty of the pier ruins.

Yet, as I delve into post-processing, I recognize opportunities where patience and perspective could have elevated the shots. These images are a testament to the unpredictable nature of photography, where sometimes the raw emotion of the scene surpasses technical perfection. It’s a reminder that while the captured moment holds its own charm, the pursuit of an ever better composition is an ongoing journey, not just a destination.

Check out the East Sussex Landscape Photography gallery