Chasing winter light at Watergate Bay.
Chasing winter light at Watergate Bay
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From - Beach Retreat’s #SecretSeason
November 2025 ”
Photographer Martin Davenport – aka Aquasnaps – spends his free time during #SecretSeason chasing the many hues of winter’s fleeting light to capture moments of connection between people and the sea.
Lone female surfer enjoying the last of the summer evening’s light.
Between thrumming hailstorms and November’s first flurry of snow, shards of sunlight break through gloomy skies to light the waves whipping the sand Watergate Bay. Enough to deter most, but for surf photographer Martin Davenport (@aquasnaps) there’s still that pull to get out there and capture it – his secret reason to be by the sea at this time of year.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s freezing cold, snowing or hailing – I still want to get in,” he says. “There isn’t anything other than getting in the sea that I think about doing.”
“No matter where people have come from – whether they’ve got the weight of the world on their shoulders or got nothing to think about – they feel the same enjoyment being in and around the ocean. It’s hard to describe. It’s just a magical place to be.”
Winter drama
Growing up in a small hamlet just outside Newquay, Martin felt the call of the ocean from an early age. Obsessed by the images in surf magazines, he’s spent the past 14 years capturing the waves and riders at Watergate Bay. But during autumn and winter – Cornwall’s secret season – is when he most loves shooting from the water, drawn by the drama, solitude and shifting light.
Winter waves rolling througth.
“In winter the light’s forever changing. It’s quite magical as it hits the cliffs – especially in the mornings and evenings, when it gives the most atmosphere and changes how the whole scene looks and feels,” he says. “It gives you that moody, more dramatic feeling.”
Watergate Bay is Martin’s home break, where his love of surfing first pulled him behind the lens. “I love Watergate Bay because it’s my local, it’s where I started out, and it’s where I feel most at home in the water,” he says.
Longboarding haven. Paddling into the sunset without a care in the world…
“No matter where people have come from – whether they’ve got the weight of the world on their shoulders or got nothing to think about – they feel the same enjoyment being in and around the ocean. It’s hard to describe. It’s just a magical place to be.”
People and passion
Squeezing every ocean-hour possible around his job as an electrician, Martin has become a familiar face in Newquay’s line-ups. It’s his lifelong connection with the ocean – and the people who share it – that defines his photographic style.
Nature's playground
Preferring natural encounters over staged shoots, his images capture the genuine joy of surfers and their interaction with the ocean. “Shooting the environment and scenery is great on its own,” he says, “but when I go in, I try to create a story about the people and the in-between moments: the stoke on their faces, or the seagulls flying by. It’s something about the people here, and their relationship with the sea that speaks to me.”
It draws you in
Even after travelling halfway around the world, Martin is always lured back to Watergate Bay. “Whichever way you approach Watergate Bay, just getting here is quite special. It’s cut into a steep valley and as you come over the brow of the hill you can stop in the lay-by and watch the waves – it just draws you in and makes you really want to be here.”
“My favourite thing to do here in winter? Get in the sea. I mean, what else was I going to say? Even if you don’t want to get in, you should kick off your shoes and walk along the shoreline. Whatever the weather.
Down The Line…
“No matter where people have come from – whether they’ve got the weight of the world on their shoulders or got nothing to think about – they feel the same enjoyment being in and around the ocean. It’s hard to describe. It’s just a magical place to be.”
Martin also loves the stretch of coast path from the bay to Mawgan Porth which “feels wild and isolated”. Always ready with a camera, Martin loves capturing the fleeting light and changes of winter. “Every day is different. Those shots you take one moment will be completely different a minute later – the expression, the weather or whatever’s going on.”
Sun kissed cliff’s of Watergate Bay
Where better to wander cliff tops and sand and be drawn to the sea this #SecretSeason.
Find your secret reason to be by the sea at Watergate Bay. And read Watergate Bay: Secret Season for more about where to eat, drink, surf, sauna and even skate at Watergate Bay this year.
Space and Place: Martin Davenport and the Art of The Moment
Space and Place: Martin Davenport and the Art of The Moment
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By Jason Lock
12th November 2025 ”
Existing in a surf media landscape is a difficult gig. Instagram has long-held the attention of scrolling fingers and thumbs – with a plethora of aspiring lenspeople on the platform to push the medium. Which makes sense, given your work is likely to be seen by thousands more people than stored up on an SD card, somewhere.
Every so often, a glorious set of images cut through the noise and photographers, who remain consistent, will nab your attention. Martin Davenport’s one of those talented lensmen, and one of the more unsung surf photographer heroes committed to the cause, no matter what the water’s up to. He’s also cut a bit of a niche, within a niche, of creating portraits which carry weight and depth to them. Not an easy task, given the fleeting moments within the second-to-second nature of physically surfing a wave.
And although that wasn’t the route he’d planned for his work, it’s one that he’s comfortable with, given the waves are a singular part of every session’s story – the surfers being the other dynamic half.
We tapped up Martin to talk through his inspirations, what keeps him going and balancing time and style with getting what he needs out of his ocean-time.
Something about a board at 10’o clock that shows commitment to the next section. Not a vertical snap, just releasing for a slotted, re-entry point
Martin
“I grew up in Cornwall, in a small hamlet not far from Newquay. Living so close to the beaches, it was always inevitable I’d be drawn to the sea. Surf photography felt like a natural progression from my early passion for film photography. Seeing all the incredible surf imagery in magazines gave me something to aim for, and inspired me to start finding my own style and path.
“Always used Canon systems, as they’ve just naturally suited the way I shoot. That said, I’ve recently made the big switch to the Sony mirrorless ecosystem, a conscious and well-thought-out decision ahead of an inevitable housing upgrade soon. Prime lenses have also been my go to but I’m currently loving the versatility of a 24-70mm.
“I actually live on the south coast now, but most of my shoots still pull me back to the north. While the south definitely has its charms, the conditions and setups just don’t come together quite as often. You’ll usually find me at Watergate Bay when the tide’s high, or somewhere tucked between the better known spots like Fistral Beach and the quieter, less crowded corners in between. It all depends on what the ocean’s doing that day, of course.
“Never really set out to focus specifically on surf portraits, it’s something I’ve kind of fallen into naturally. When I’m trying to capture a session and tell the full story, the surfers themselves become a big part of that. They’re the reason I spend hours in the ocean trying to capture those moments. It’s always rewarding when an image feels alive, when it evokes emotion and draws you in visually.”
It’s the moments between which all mean something too.
On the UK Surf Scene
“It’s the people and the attitude that make the UK surf scene special. You’ve got surfers heading out in icy winds and short winter days, still smiling and stoked just to be in the water. There’s a real sense of community and shared grit. The coastline might be rough around the edges, but that’s what gives it character. When the conditions finally come together, it feels like you’ve earned it and that makes it all the more rewarding.
“I love those unpredictable days when the light’s constantly changing, when the clouds break just enough to throw a bit of golden light across the lineup. Early mornings or evenings are my favourite, when everything feels calm but alive. I actually enjoy the tougher conditions too, wind, rain, spray, it adds texture and energy to the shots. Living and shooting primarily in Cornwall, you can’t be too choosy.”
Full dance to the biz end.
Tips for the up-and-coming
“There are so many little nuggets of wisdom I could share, but everyone’s different. What works for one person might not work for another. You probably already know the basics: looking after your gear, keeping your port clear of those pesky water droplets, and all the usual tips. So instead, I’ll share the one piece of advice that helps me every single time. Lighting is everything. It can completely transform the mood of an image, turning something ordinary into something special. Learn to read the light, chase it, work with it, and you’ll start to see the ocean in a whole new way.”
Peek-a-boo, Headland Hotel.
Dream mission
“It’s always been a dream of mine to shoot in Hawaii, to experience the North Shore during its winter season and witness those world-class waves in person. But beyond that, I often find myself dreaming about pushing further across the Pacific to Japan. The surf scene there looks incredible. A mix of culture, tradition, and raw coastline that feels both mysterious and untouched. With such an extensive and varied shoreline, there must be hidden corners just waiting to be explored and documented.”
Every now and then, Newquay Bay looks just right.
Favourite shots
“That’s such a hard question to answer. Honestly, I always struggle to pick favourites when it comes to my own work. I’m definitely my own biggest critic. But there are a few shots that stand out to me for different reasons. Some because of the conditions, others because of the story or feeling behind the moment.”
Sam Coad – Towan
“This shot was taken eleven years ago, and it still sticks in my mind. Every time I’m back at this location, it brings back great memories — not just of the people who were there, but of that particular time in my photography journey. It reminds me how far I’ve come and how much those early experiences shaped the way I see and shoot today.”
Wave Pool – Snowdonia
“You’d be right in thinking the water looks far too brown to be the ocean. Maybe you’d guess it’s a tidal river surge? Well, you wouldn’t be far off — but this is actually the world’s first public wave pool, tucked away in the hills of Snowdonia, Wales. I’ve yet to come across another backdrop quite like this one. It’s surreal — mountains, and (almost) perfect mechanical waves rolling through a landscape that feels like it shouldn’t exist.”
Zed Sleds – Pointing
“I’m not sure if it’s the lens flare or the posture and style that stand out to me. There’s something about this frame that feels almost like a Michelangelo painting, maybe it’s just the abstract way I tend to shoot, but it has a sense of movement and form that feels timeless to me.”
Sophie
“On a rare morning off from work, I managed to jump in for an hour as the conditions finally aligned for a perfect shoot. I ended up capturing a lot of this rider — her style was impossible not to watch and admire. This shot, for me, sums up the tranquility of that entire session.”