the heel press

Sometimes as a photographer, what you hope for and what you are given in a landscape are two completely different things.  I find it best to not hope, as in, not create expectations when I head out to shoot.  I actually try not to previsualize too early, I think it handicaps my ability to see what is actually there if I am busy looking for what I want to find instead.  Such was the case with Silver Point this evening.  I was actually there shooting on a bit of an assignment, and mainly there for the late afternoon light.  Of course I stuck around for sunset, waiting to see if something would happen.  By something of course, I meant the big storm clouds, unbelievable fiery light, a spectacular light show to end the day.  This is what I got.  A soft, muted wrapping up of the day's time.  Beautiful without a doubt, but not what I wanted to try and expect.  But as I said, I try not to bring too strong of expectations on trips like this, I want to walk down onto the beach with open eyes, eager to see what the conditions will be, and ready to try and find a stirring image.  I think this is part of what keeps folk away from the beach during foul weather (I hear we are supposed to have a major windstorm there this weekend by the way (100 mph winds possibly! :-) )), these expectations that a day at the beach should be bright and blue and sunny, that sunsets should have spectacular cloud formations.  And so on.

But none of that is why I like this shot.  I like this photo because of the soft approach to an evening at the beach.  It is calm and peaceful and quiet, both visually and in mood.    Much like the Larrabee photo I just posted.  

Then again maybe I am just in the mood for this shot because I have not been to the coast in at least a month now...  There is always Sunday though... ;-)