Embracing the Elements at Grain Battery Tower

Irida the Shapeshifter at Grain Battery Tower

Yesterday (Wednesday 10th June) I headed out on a photoshoot that I'd been planning for quite some time. It was one of those shoots that had lived in my head for weeks, waiting for the right model, the right conditions, and hopefully a little bit of luck from the weather gods.

The location was somewhere rather special to me. The Isle of Grain, on the Kent coast, feels far more remote than most places in the county. It's a landscape that feels almost forgotten; vast skies, mudflats, sea defences, and remnants of Britain's military past scattered along the shoreline.

It's also somewhere that holds a bit of personal history. I first discovered this area well over a decade ago during a shoot with the very first model I ever worked with. Since then, I've returned several times, but this particular concept had been sitting on my to-do list for years.

The star of the day was Irida, a model I've worked with a couple of times before and someone I knew would be perfect for this location. Her look and ability to create atmosphere in images made her the ideal choice for a shoot amongst the weathered concrete and dramatic coastal scenery.

Of course, there was one thing we couldn't control: the weather.

For the past few weeks we've enjoyed some incredible sunshine, with temperatures pushing beyond 30°C. Then, almost overnight, the weather changed. The last week has brought rain, thunderstorms and unpredictable conditions, leaving me more than a little concerned about how the shoot might unfold.

As it turned out, the day itself was every bit as unpredictable as the forecast suggested.

Heavy rain swept through the area throughout the day, but between the downpours we were treated to glorious sunshine. In fact, despite the rain, I somehow managed to get sunburnt!

We began at one of the old forts while the tide was still in. Between dodging showers and watching dark clouds roll overhead, we managed to create some wonderful images, particularly amongst the tall reeds that surround the fort. The changing light added a moodiness that simply wouldn't have been there on a bright blue-sky day.

As the tide gradually retreated, we made our way along the coastline, stopping at the sea defences and the famous dragon's teeth. These concrete anti-tank obstacles were installed during the Second World War as part of Britain's coastal defences, intended to slow any potential German invasion.

The big question, however, was whether we should attempt the walk out to Grain Battery Tower.

The tower sits isolated in the Thames Estuary and can only be reached at low tide. Even in good weather it's quite a trek across the exposed shoreline. With dark clouds constantly threatening overhead, we had to weigh up whether the journey would be worth it. If the heavens opened while we were out there, it would be a very long walk back soaked to the skin.

After some discussion, we decided to go for it.

Naturally, the weather had other ideas.

As soon as we reached the tower, the rain arrived in force. Our original plan had involved climbing up onto the structure itself, but the conditions made that an easy decision. Access is via a rather rickety old ladder and while climbing up isn't too bad, getting back down can be considerably more challenging. Add heavy rain into the equation and it simply wasn't worth the risk.

The safety of the model always comes first, closely followed by my own.

Instead, we adapted and used the tower itself as a dramatic backdrop. Looking back, it was absolutely the right decision. The dark storm clouds, shifting light and isolated structure created an atmosphere that suited the location perfectly.

One of the biggest lessons from photography is that bad weather isn't always bad weather. It's easy to feel disappointed when the forecast isn't what you hoped for, but sometimes those conditions can give you something far more interesting than clear blue skies ever could.

The dramatic cloud formations, bursts of sunlight and constantly changing mood of the landscape gave this shoot a unique character. Had the weather been perfect, the images may well have been far less memorable.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is embrace the conditions, adapt your plans, and work with whatever nature decides to throw at you.

And despite the rain, the long walk, and the occasional moment of wondering whether we'd made the right decision, I'm incredibly glad we did.

Irida the Shapeshifter