Cape Ortegal and the Indomitable Power of Nature
William Turner, the great painter who tied himself to the masts of ships to observe storms, said that in them he saw ‘the unseen’. This idea, the search for what has never been captured, moves us photographers to confront nature in its purest state. When Squall Herminia hit Cape Ortegal with full power, we couldn't stand to go out with our cameras to capture that unique and unrepeatable moment. We knew it would not be easy, but something inside us pushed us to accept the challenge.
Since the moment we arrived, we realised that this was not going to be an ordinary photo shoot. The atmosphere was simply unbelievable. The gusty wind whipped us around with such intensity that every step became an act of resistance. On the first attempt, we went over the railing to get a better perspective, but a particularly violent gust blew us back. Not only were we in danger, but also our equipment. The ponchos we wore to protect us from the water were wrapped around our faces, and the camera cases acted like sails, making any movement difficult. Everything was against us: the wind, the spray of the waves that reached the lighthouse, the intermittent rain... Nevertheless, we decided to continue.
The sky was a show in itself, constantly changing. In a matter of minutes, it went from a brief ray of sunshine illuminating the scene to an almost nocturnal gloom. The sea, meanwhile, roared with deafening violence. The huge waves were hitting Os Aguillóns with such force that it seemed as if they were trying to break them apart. Among this visual and sound chaos, everything seemed to invite us to leave, to seek the comfort of home in the warmth of a fireplace, but the adrenaline that ran through our veins did not allow us to leave.
There was a moment when, as we watched the raging sea, we could not help but think of the sailors who face storms like this one. The beauty of the natural fury stood in stark contrast to the fear that must be felt by those who depend on the calm of the ocean for their livelihoods. We felt a mixture of emotions: respect, admiration, awe and a deep connection to the place. Cape Ortegal, at that moment, was not just a landscape; it was a testament to the brute force of nature.
Photographing in those conditions is a technical and personal challenge. We decided to forgo the tripod and hold the cameras with our hands to have more control, even if that meant getting wet and exposing ourselves even more to the wind. We knew that to capture the movement of the sea we needed a specific shutter speed, between 0.5 and 1.2 seconds. However, the wind meant that many of the photos came out shaky, and the lenses were constantly getting waterlogged. Nevertheless, we found moments of beauty amidst the chaos. There was one rock in particular that fascinated us; every few minutes, a wave would engulf it, creating a scene of enormous power. We tried for hours to capture that perfect moment, shooting over 800 times, but never succeeded. That fruitless search, however, taught us a lesson: sometimes the value of photography is not in the result but in the process.
By the end of the session, Cape Ortegal had given us more than 1500 images, but only four of them were worthwhile. They were what we call "lucky shots", small treasures found amid the storm. Each of them has a special value, not only for what they show but for what they represent: the struggle against the elements, patience, perseverance and respect for nature.
The Herminia storm taught us a lot, not only about Ortegal but also about ourselves. This place is undoubtedly the breakwater of the Iberian Peninsula, a place where nature unleashes its power. We also learnt that if it were easy to take photographs in these conditions, everyone would do it. These four images are worth far more to us than any spring sunset with clear skies and light winds. There is a special beauty in the untamed, in that which cannot be tamed.
With these images and this story, we want to give you a simple but profound message: we are small in the face of nature's immensity. It gives us everything we need to live, but it can also take it away in an instant. It reminds us of our place in the world and invites us to admire, respect and learn from it.
Cape Ortegal, during the storm Herminia taught us a lesson we will never forget and showed us her most imposing face.
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