From Cala Ratjada took the bus back to Palma. Had one night left in Majorca and would be spending it in the S’Arenal resort.

S’Arenal Resort

This two week vacation to Majorca had been a kind of hybrid trip, much like Tenerife a few years ago. Lots of walking and landscape travel photography and relaxing in the beach resorts. In the future it will be a lot more of the former and lot less of latter. Chose the concrete coast resort of S’Arenal to be close to the airport for the flight home the next day. To avoid less travel anxiety. The hotel was another adult only but even in low season very busy. It was designed for a high turnover of tourists, easy to clean. Looked functional by appearances but could not control the temperature, no water the following morning and no sound insulation. Had enough of these type of places.

S’Arenal Sunset

After checking in made my way down to the seafront and a long walk along the beach, taking in the sights and sound and maybe steal a good sunset photo or two. That was the plan. Like the other Majorcan resorts had visited throughout this trip many places were closed during the low season. But S’Arenal is pretty big so still a lot open. Have found throughout this trip the food has been average at best served in restaurants. Was getting tired of eating in restaurants too. They all seem to have the same selection on offer. Maybe the better restaurants dont need to open during low season. Was missing home cooked food.

For the most part of the afternoon and evening not get my camera out of the bag, nothing was shouting at me to be shot. As sunset occurred things changed. Shooting just the sun set is a little boring. Needed some foreground interest so fell back to the road to shoot some sun shelters on the beach.

Was hand holding with the 70-200mm lens. Was having a problem with both dynamic range and focusing. Not have much time to nail a sunset shot as that ball of light was sinking fast. Cured the dynamic range problem by exposing only for the sky and leaving the beach in silhouette. With the foreground in silhouette could focus at infinity on the sun. There was then many compositional framing problems to overcome. Including those dark shapes not overlapping, not being clipped at the edges. An odd number of objects is stronger than an even number. Getting down low. high so many intersecting lines and layers. A tripod would have helped, having the place to myself and having previously scouted out the location.

After the sun had gone down the final shot included some action in the form of a fisherman casting his rod into the sea and a jet taking holidaymakers home above the Tramuntana and the Palma city skyline. Gives a good sense of location and moment.

S’Arenal Sunrise

Had one more photo walk and shoot in Majorca a morning sunrise along S’Arenal’s concrete coastline. Had an afternoon flight home so could relax.

The first shot captured 3 palm trees in the foreground with the seafront of S’Arenal stretching out in the background. I can only imagine it gets very busy and hot in the peak summer months.

Looks like it is going to be a hot early spring day in S’Arenal. Time to head back to the hotel and check out.

Check out the Majorca travel photography gallery