Terns at Oceano Dunes.

Date: July 10, 2006
Place: Grover Beach, CA at Oceano Dunes
Modus operandi: Thinking about Edward Weston
Weather: California gorgeous
Time: 9:03 am
Gear: Canon 5D, 24-105mm at 105mm, ISO 400, 1/2000, f/8
Medium: RAW original processed in Aperture
Me: Thrilled at this bit of serendipity
My age: 54

It is impossible for any photographer to visit Oceano Dunes, here in central coastal California, without thinking about Edward Weston and the generation of early American photographers who did such land breaking work here. So I was walking on the beach with the intention of clambering up the dunes to absorb some of Weston’s spirit. Parking by that little restaurant, I was walking down the path to the beach when this blast of noise and commotion caught my eye. It was literally a second’s work to crank the lens to its longest setting followed by a stab at the button. Thank God for automation! The image reports 1/2000 at f/8, but I can assure you I had nothing to do with that!

And if you wonder about that broad aspect ratio, well, I can seldom go to any beach without Boudin’s paintings dancing in my head.

I never thought there were decisive moments to be had on the beach …. and you can still smell the sea in this one.