“Just around the corner, just out of sight, wonders present themselves, but you have to have the courage to look beyond what appear as barriers, always anticipating something wonderful.” – Ed Lehming

That was the feeling the day I made this photo. This stretch of beach was just beyond an outcropping of rock. The tide was on its way in, and every second wave raised the water level. But I just had to see what lay beyond, so I carefully timed my passage and stepped around the corner to find this scene.

I’m not saying to throw caution to the wind. Nature can be very unforgiving and I’ve found myself in a few “interesting” situations. I always try to stay cognisant of my surroundings but photography can be almost hypnotic as I fall “into the moment”, totally engrossed in what I am witnessing. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful vista, I also kept an eye open behind me, to make sure I still had safe passage back the way I came. As you may see from the photo, while lovely, it would be an unpleasant climb out or a knee deep walk through the surf in my only pair of shoes. I only lingered a while, capturing this scene, and then ducking back around to the main beach.

What really stood out to me is the strong contrast between the bright stone and the dark, looming clouds over the ocean. It’s one of those moments when elements come together to make a photo memorable. I enjoy reviewing these images, because details emerge that were not consciously noticeable. For instance, I just finished talking about the rising tide. The evidence of the effects of the tide shoes in the image; you can clearly see the surf line on the beach and it had come in quite far just prior to me making this shot.

I was just talking with a fellow artist this past weekend about this subconscious sense of a good image, or painting. At a different level, I often “see” a scene as something special as I compose my shots. I’m rarely aware of just “what” makes it special, in the moment, I simply sense it. That “what” does not always materialize immediately, but the more time I spend with these images the more I begin to be able to extract it and become more aware of the elements that come together to make it happen. I’ve even had images that sat for years before I revisited them, and with fresh eyes, am able to draw those elements out, because they were always there, just not obvious at first.

I’d encourage my fellow photographers, travellers, dreamers, and adventurers to step beyond and consider not just the scene presented but why it resonates so strongly. I find it makes for stronger and longer lasting memories.

iPhone 14 Pro Max back triple camera 14mm
1/6897 sec, f/2.2, ISO 50