Up next in our series of photo journals for our Sea & Sky campaign, we take a trip to Norfolk with film photographer and self-confessed hotel obsessive Robyn Davis. Taking our new Camber suitcases along for the ride, here she reports back on what she got up to on the north Norfolk coast.
"What do I think of when I hear the words Sea & Sky? Adventure! From salty sea air to sand in my toes, finding a new stretch of sea and sky to explore is the best feeling.
Exploring Norfolk
"I’ve explored the Norfolk coast a handful of times before, and every time I go I discover a new spot or hidden beach. It feels a little more secret than some of the South coast spots, and relatively untouched. The beaches are big and I love spending lazy afternoons hiding from the wind in the sand dunes.
British beaches
"The British coast is so beautiful, and so varied. Sometimes I’m guilty of overlooking it in favour of more exotic beaches but for me, you can’t beat the wholesomeness of sitting on a UK beach eating fish & chips. The coast here isn’t polished or perfect, but it’s real, charming and packed full of nostalgia for so many people.
Shooting on film
"I started playing with film photography a few years ago, and I always joke that it’s a very expensive hobby to get into. There’s no guarantee when snapping away on film, and you don’t have the luxury – like digital - of deleting and retaking. You’ve got one shot and you hold your breath until it comes back from the developers!
"As much as I argue otherwise, I’m a perfectionist when it comes to editing, so when I shoot on digital I end up spending hours tweaking and playing with the photo. With film, there’s zero editing process for me, so I can embrace the realness and spontaneity of a shot. It’s really freeing. I sometimes get messages from people saying that a particular film photo of mine made them feel something about a destination, which is the biggest compliment.
Little black book
"We started off in Brancaster Beach (when the tide is out, this beach is SO big – perfect for picnics with friends), before snaking our way along the coast to Holkham Beach. Before you walk down the long boardwalk to the beach, stop off at The Lookout, a small but chic café with coffee, delicious cakes and a place to sit and watch over the nature reserve.
After a few hours spent hiding from the wind in the sand dunes (bring a picnic, a flask of coffee and a good book, youcan easily spend a lazy afternoon here), we continued east along the coast to Wells-Next-The-Sea beach. Make sure you stop in the harbour for fish & chips (we love French’s – it’s family owned and has been around for 90 years so they know a thing or two about fish & chips!), try to spot the locals crabbing and then head along the boardwalk to the sea. This beach has the best-looking beach huts I’ve ever seen so I always pack a film camera to snap away.
If you’re keen to make your Norfolk stay an overnight trip, book a night at Settle in one of their boutique cabins.
Practical pieces
"I travel around a lot, so I need to know my luggage will stand the test of time – the four wheels need to keep up me racing to the airport gate and the zips should be able to handle me diving in and out of my case looking for camera equipment or that jumper! Oh, and I need it to stand out on the baggage carousel (the dreamy Camber colours do just that!) because I’m terrible at spotting my own suitcase…
"The Camber cases are such a dream. They have a subtle texture to them, so when they catch the light right, you get hints of a sandy beach. I’ve always been a fan of how easy Antler cases glide, and the Camber cases lived up to that. On my shoot they navigated sea soaked piers and sandy boardwalks without a single complaint…
Follow Robyn's travels here and see the full Sea & Sky campaign here.
Read other posts in the Sea & Sky series, starting with this fashion photographer, who takes us to Balearic beaches.