Seixal Beach

Black volcanic sand, cliffs behind, the Atlantic in front. The contrast between the dark sand and turquoise water reads strongly even in flat light.

Works for families because kids actually want to play here. The sand is unusual, the waves are gentle on calmer days.

Cliffs come down into the water almost vertically, roughly 200 metres of rock standing behind the sand. A small waterfall drops off the rock face at the far end of the beach. Because the bay is enclosed, light bounces off the cliff faces and fills the shadows on its own. Portraits hold texture here without any direct sun on them.

Before about nine in the morning the sun has not cleared the ridge yet. What gets through comes in flat and even with no hard shadows, which is the easiest light on the island to work with. By mid-morning it fills up, and by afternoon the light turns and the beach becomes a different place, warmer and more contrasty, better for golden hour than for portraits at noon.

Anything strong reads hard against black sand and grey-green cliffs. Red, deep blue, white. Pale beige disappears into the rock. If you are choosing clothes for a session at Seixal, choose the bolder thing.

About fifty minutes from Funchal, over the mountains to the north coast. Parking is at the beach itself and there is no walk. Bring shoes you can get wet, and expect the north coast to be cooler and windier than the forecast for Funchal suggests.

Four of the seven family sessions published on this site happened here, including Jason's and Cindy's four days apart in August. Couples take it for the black sand against the cliffs, as Noah and Laura did in July and Edin and Arita did in September, staying for the half hour after sunset.