Last year I spent a couple of months in Senegal where I experienced some beautiful sunsets. I spent the majority of the time in the capital city of Dakar, but also traveled to Lompoul in the north of the country and Zinguinchor in the southern region. Along with capturing a lot of travel and street photography style shots I also captured some stunning sunsets especially at Yoff beach close to the Airport in Dakar. Click through the slide show below to view some sunsets from Senegal:

Sunsets of Senegal by Geraint Rowland Photography.

A fishermen and his pelicans at sunset in Senegal, West Africa.

A photo shoot takes place at sunset on Ngor island in Senegal.

A boy rides his BMX bike along Yoff beach in Dakar at sunset.

Two dogs playing in the ocean at sunset in Lompoul in Senegal.

Taking sunset photos by Geraint Rowland

A beautiful sunset silhouette image taken on one of the many beaches on the Dakar peninsula in Senegal.

Senegal, like the rest of West Africa I have visited is fantastic for photography. With so many people around there is always something interesting and or unusual to capture. Whilst I was in Dakar they were celebrating the Tabaski Festival. Tabaski is based on Islamic beliefs and culminates with each family sacrificing a sheep and then eating it. There are sheep everywhere in Dakar, tied up on the roadsides, being washed in the Ocean or being sold at markets. Here is a previous blog I wrote on the fascinating beach area of Yoff in Dakar.

In Lompoul in the north there are beautiful remote beaches, interesting fishing towns and a small desert with orange sand dunes where you can camp and take camel rides. To the south lies Ziguinchor, the second largest city of Senegal lying at the mouth of the Casamance river and largely separated from the rest of the country by The Gambia.

Throughout the country I witnessed some beautiful sunsets. Sunsets always seem to be amongst my most liked photos. I think there is something instantly enjoyable about an image of the setting sun, it is something that everyone can relate to. I especially like sunset images that contain an additional element, be it a person or an animal. My favourite sunset image I capture in Senegal was of a fisherman feeding his two pet Pelicans at Yoff beach. I love the composition, the lighting and the added comic nature of these peculiar birds. Whilst in Senegal was travelling without a tripod so had to rely on taking hand held shots or creating abstract images when I ran out of light. Here is a blog I wrote with some tips about taking sunset photos.

More of my travel photography from Senegal can be found on my website, my Instagram, and my Flickr account. If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

I am a big fan of this kind of abstract artwork, both in paintings and photography itself. I think I first saw the technique being used by Surf photographer Morgan Maasen. So, how do you make abstract style photographs? Producing these abstract photographs is fairly easy, you simply take a photo of the ocean with a long exposure (up to a second or more depending on the light) whilst moving the camera from left to right (or right to left depending on you preference). It's often a good way to create interesting and often beautiful shots at an often bland location. In addition it is a technique which doesn't require a tripod, which I often can not be bothered to carry about with me. Meaning you can still have fun, and produce some nice images while others may be carrying out long exposures with a tripod. The end result being a painterly type of image often more similar to a painting, or piece of art than that of a photograph.

An abstract water photo at sunset by Geraint Rowland Photography.

The same technique can be used for trees, for example in a forest or jungle. The trick is to move the camera in the same direction as the main lines within the frame. For example, with the Ocean or Sea you go from left to right, following the horizon and the swell lines. In a forest or woodland you would move the camera vertically from bottom to top, or top to bottom. Click through the slideshow below for more examples of abstract ocean photography. These photos were taken in Peru, England, Spain and West Africa.

Abstract Ocean Art, Lima, Peru.

Abstract Ocean Art Photography by Geraint Rowland.

Lima Lines, abstract photography.

Abstract art by Geraint Rowland Photography.

Abstract surf art at Chicama in Peru.

Abstract ocean photography in Barcelona, Spain.

How to take abstract photography by Geraint Rowland.

I was involved in an 'Emerging Artists Exhibition' in Lima in 2013 in which I exhibited and sold several large abstract ocean art pieces which were printed on to canvas. They were 1 metre by 1 metre in size and looked excellent hung on the wall. More examples of my abstract ocean and surf art can be found here on my website.

My abstract photography can now be bought on Etsy via LindaWisdomPhotoCo. The Red Lima sunset above for example can be purchased here. My blog on taking abstract ocean images can be read in Spanish here. More of my abstract photography can be found on my website, my Instagram, my Twitter and my Flickr account. If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.