It was my better half's 40th birthday this year, so I treated her to a week on a desert island in the Indian Ocean. After a gruelling eighteen months, we were both feeling a bit burned-out and in need of a proper holiday. Not the usual manic adventure, rather a genuine lounge on the beach doing f*ck all kind of break. Neither of us had been to the Maldives before, and weren't quite sure what to expect. I'd read about their precarious situation a few times, and figured I wanted to visit them before they disappeared into the sea.

The Maldives is an archipelago in the Indian ocean, made up of about 1,200 tiny coral islands. The highest point on the islands is only 1.5m above sea level, which means that much of it could soon vanish beneath the turquoise water if global warming continues. Our island was in the far South and as such was quite remote. This made it rather idyllic, with crystal clear turquoise water as far as the eyes could see, and no more than half a dozen people sharing the beach with you at any given time.

The whole relaxation thing doesn't come easily to us, so this place was perfect. There was very little to do except swim, paddle-board and snorkel, with a bit of kayaking thrown in for good measure. They really know how to do customer service in the Maldives too, waiting on you hand and foot. No need to worry about where your next pinã colada is coming from when you're tracking a sting ray through the surf.

Photography-wise, there's not a great deal to take pictures of in this part of the World; just a lot of sea, sand and the odd palm tree. But what there is is beyond beautiful, especially the sunsets.

These photographs were taken with my Sony A7R IV, Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM and the gorgeous Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. Of course, shots like these need a circular polariser to really make them pop; I'm currently using Kase Wolverine magnetic filters.

Equipment used

Camera

Sony A7R IV

Lenses

Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM

 

Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM

Filters

Kase Wolverine Magnetic

About the photographer

I'm Alex Nichol. I'm an amateur photographer from the North of England. For me, photography is a way to share what I love most about the world. That includes everything, from family and friends, to wild animals and breathtaking places... or maybe just how the sun twinkles on a weed in my back garden. It's all fair game.

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