The Needles and Alum Bay – Rising above the rest!

‘The Needles’ is probably one of the most famous landmarks in the UK.

It consists of three rock stacks and a lighthouse; the lighthouse was built in 1859.

How The Needles used to look and why it was aptly named such.

“I do not own copywrite of the postcard or of the scanned image. The postcard and scanned image belong to the owner of ‘Isle of Wight Historic Postcard’s’ http://www.postcards.shalfleet.net/ And is referenced with permission.”

As a photographer, by far the best view is from the sea, with the waves lapping up against the rock stacks.

(TN 005) - i do like this iconic photo of The Needles and Lighthouse only possible from a boat, the contrast of the natural rugged white chalk rocks and the man-made Lighthouse with its famous red and white stripes. — (TN 005) – i do like this iconic photo of The Needles and Lighthouse only possible from a boat, the contrast of the natural rugged white chalk rocks and the man-made Lighthouse with its famous red and white stripes.

The breathtaking three rock stacks rise about 98ft out of the sea. The surrounding seas are part of the Marine Conservation Zone, and the shore areas are areas of Special Scientific Interest.

(TN 001) - The Needles - Another from the archive; this wilder view also captures the New Battery, the stark contrast of the bright white chalky cliffs against the darker choppy seas below.

(TN 002) - The Needles - I looked into archives for this classic shot of The Needles, taken high above The Needles. I like the strong, striking shapes of the chalky cliff against the choppy seas below.

(TN 003) - The Needles - I do like this close-up, iconic photo of The Lighthouse at the Needles, only possible from a boat, with the recognisable red and white stripes around the lonely lighthouse, acting as a landmark and signal for all navigational travel.

(TN 006) - The Needles - This iconic photo of The Needles, excluding the Lighthouse and taken from a different angle, illustrates the fragile structure of the remaining rock and the old battery perched on top of the cliff edge.

(TN 004) - The Needles - I like this shot; very few will get to see the top of the lighthouse in this much detail. Only if you are on a pleasure cruise (as I was with Solent Cruises) can you enjoy the full and true architectural structure of the lighthouse.

I have been on a couple of boat trips now, both getting very close to the Needles. The spectacular photos you can capture make these short journeys very exciting; trips leave from the beach on Alum Bay.

They offer RIB rides and larger pleasure boat trips (Needles Pleasure Cruises), and the other leaves from Cowes (Solent Cruises). “…the striking contrast between the colour and texture of the white chalk rocks against the often choppy, darker seas.”

Alum Bay is famous for its multicoloured sandstone cliffs.

(AB 006) - A strongly texturally contrasting shot, possible only from a boat, illustrating the strong strata and coloured rock/sand beneath. — (AB 006) – A strongly texturally contrasting shot, possible only from a boat, illustrating the strong strata and coloured rock/sand beneath.

When you get off the bus, you are confronted with ‘The Needles – Landmark Attraction‘.

I tend to walk down to the Alum Bay itself via the steep wooden steps, but you can travel down on the famous chair lift if daring enough!

(AB 001) - Alum Bay - - I love the older styling and quality of this image, almost capturing the 80's postcard image style. The rugged chalk cliff l, with its almost bluey/greeny tones, helps lead the eye into the strong bold colours and shaprs created by the chair lift.

(AB 002) - Alum Bay - I love the strong contrast between the manmade chairlift structure and the soft surrounding foliage. The foliage frames the scene in a beautiful, softening way, leading the eye between the tree line. An example of perspective photography.

(AB 003) - Alum Bay - Over the top we go, as your feet leave sold ground, you are left suspended on the air, as you make your way over the edge. . . I like in this shot it looks like the chair lift continues all the way to the horizon and back.

(AB 004) - Alum Bay - I like this slightly more unusual shot, looking straight down from the chair lift, with the pier leading out to sea. I find the composition in this shot pleasing with the triangle shapes created by the chair lift cables against the sea.

(AB 005) - Alum Bay - I like this slightly more unusual shot, with the Chairlift in detail on the lower right-hand side of the image and the flow of individuals walking up and down the pier to the pleasure boats.

(AB 007) - Alum Bay - Very similar to the previous shot and once again only possible from a boat, illustrating the strong strata and coloured rock/sand beneath, but this time with the chair lift structure up on the hill.

Once on the bay, you are surrounded by weathered cliffs of coloured sand, and in the middle of the beach is the jetty where the pleasure boats leave from.

Alum Bay gets extremely busy during the summer months, but from a photographer’s stance, you can get a superb view of the Needles from locations atop the cliffs or from the stony beach.

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