Hamilton's Gap

What makes this spot is the contrast. The beach is black iron sand, so wet sand and dark rock sit against pale surf and sky for strong tonal separation. Rock formations stand right out on the open beach near the waterline, and they make obvious foreground anchors. Time a lower tide and you can work the surf as it drains back around their bases. A slow shutter pulls those receding waves into clean streaks and keeps the rocks sharp and grounded. The name comes from a stream that cuts through the dune ridge to reach the Tasman, breaking an otherwise unbroken wall of tall dunes and cliffs. Those dunes are some of the highest in the region and give you scale and a backdrop when you turn inland. The coast faces west, so on a clear evening the sun drops straight into the sea behind the rocks, and the exposed Tasman skies often build dramatic cloud. Watch the tide and the surf closely here, since both move fast and the water is powerful. Access is on foot across the stream from the car park, and there is little out here beyond basic facilities, which is part of the appeal. (Āwhitu, Auckland, New Zealand)