Folly Beach Pier
FOLLY BEACH PIER
Charleston, SC,
Image by Darron Franta @ www.frantaphotography.com
This wonderful location is in the heart of the South Carolina Low Country. Folly Beach Pier is a 24 ft. wide, 1,045 ft. long fishing pier that stretches into the Atlantic Ocean 15 miles south of Charleston in the small tourist community of Folly Beach.
Originally built in the 1930s it has been rebuilt a few times after being damaged by hurricanes and a fire over the years The current pier and tackle shop were built in 1995. The pier, its undercarriage and surf can create wonderful compositions. I would consider this primarily a sunrise location that looks best with colorful clouds.
Photos and location summary by Darron Franta
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). Once you park your car, you will have anywhere from a two to five minute walk to the sand underneath the pier. The toughest part of the hike... if you want to call it that... will be getting the sand off of you and your tripod. However, there is an outdoor spigot shower available for public use at the beach entrance that will come in handy when you are done.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
Sea Level - Elevation
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Folly Beach Pier
This shot is located on the beach in Folly Beach, South Carolina.
From the Charleston peninsula (downtown) take SC-30 W toward James Island/Folly Beach. Stay on SC-30 for 3 miles at which point you will turn left onto State Highway 171. Stay on 171 (Center Street) for 7.2 miles and turn left onto E Arctic Ave. The destination will be immediately on your right.
If you arrive before sunrise you will likely be able to park free of charge in the Folly Beach Pier parking area. Or, you may choose to park in one of the many street spaces that should be available. Any parking spot in this general area will be fine. Once you park, you will find the beach access at rear of the main structure and underneath the pier. Access the beach and walk around until you find the perfect location for your image.
Photography Tips
For the most part, this shot is pretty straight forward.
The morning I visited the pier, the cloud cover was quite thick, and I thought I was going to get skunked on having any type of visible sunrise.
However, due to not having a sunrise that really popped, I spent much of the morning using a slow shutter while focusing on the pier's undercarriage to capture some nice images with perspective.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 15 mm
Exposure – 1 sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Dec 28th
Time – 7:15 am
Best Time of Day to Shoot
In my opinion this is a sunrise shot. The shot faces east as the pier stretches east-south-east into the Atlantic Ocean. So, depending on the time of year you visit, the sun will be rising at some point along the horizon.
Best Time of Year
You can shoot here any time of year. However, my recommendation would be to check The Photographers Ephemeris or a similar app for the position and time of the sunrise. Of course, you will also want to consult any weather apps you routinely use for optimal cloud coverage.
Click here to view the tide charts for Folly Beach.
The above image was taken on Dec 28th.
Lens(es) Needed
This location is primarily an ultra-wide to medium telephoto spot (depending on the composition you are looking for).
The main image below was taken @ ISO 100, f20, 15mm at 1.3 seconds to smooth out the water.
Image #2 was taken with @ ISO 100, f20, 35mm at 20 seconds to create a lighter, more ethereal quality.
Image #3 was taken with @ ISO 100, F11, 30mm at 4 seconds to provide a more realistic view (less ethereal) but to still allow movement in the water
Birds-Eye View
Permits
There are no permits required.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the main shot was due east @ 90°.
Equipment Needed
Other than a sturdy tripod, there is no need for special equipment. Although, a polarized filter was used to allow for a longer exposure time. I do recommend a beefy tripod because if you set up in the surf, the water, as it rushes back into the ocean will vibrate against the tripod and also pull sand away from the legs causing it to move ever so slightly. Thus, if you are shooting a timed exposure you will likely have blurred images if you are not extremely stable.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
This will depend upon the season. This image was taken a few days after Christmas and there were two other photographers at the location on this morning… one shooting landscapes and one shooting portraits of a newly engaged couple. There were a dozen or more other individuals strolling up and down the beach. However, the beach is quite wide and there are endless places to set up. Unless there was a large photo workshop there, I doubt you would be bothered or feel crowded.
Weather
In Charleston, the summers can be very hot and the winters are cold and windy with temperatures varying from 40’s° to 90’s° throughout the year.
The pier is on the beach and depending on the season, the weather can vary. This December morning, it was chilly with a slight breeze. However, I’ve been there in the still of the summer with gorgeous weather and again in the winter when the wind was gusting so powerfully that you felt like you were being sandblasted. There was absolutely no way to capture an image that day.
Cell Service
Cell service at the Folly Beach Pier is strong for all major cell carriers.
Lodging & Camping
There are a multitude of hotels in Folly Beach and Charleston at every price point.
Nearby Restaurants
Com’n this is the South Carolina low country! There are amazing restaurants throughout the entire region, something for every palette and at every price point… cheap eats to fine dining. But, I highly the Southern cuisine. When in Rome!
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review
Big Bad Breakfast
(843) 459-1800
456 Meeting St, Charleston
Swig and Swine
(843) 225-3805
1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston
Husk
(843) 577-250
76 Queen St, Charleston
Area Guides and Workshops
None