The gorgeous coastal region of California is a veritable paradise for the landscape photographer. When the conditions are right in the winter, one can experience stunning sunsets and the worst of the weather.
I live about an hour away from Santa Cruz and, like most photographers in the area, have experienced the vagaries of the coastal weather. One moment things might look bright and sunny, and the next moment you might find yourself enveloped in thick fog making it impossible even to see the ocean.
I find photographing seascapes therapeutic, and I often head out to the Santa Cruz coast without first bothering to check the weather forecast because regardless of whether I get a good picture or not, the drive through the hills and on the coastal road is by itself quite enjoyable and relaxing.
This was one of those trips where I didn't bother to check the weather beforehand, and upon reaching Wilder Ranch State Park, where I had hoped to photograph a sunset scene, I found myself in the middle of thick fog, ruining any hopes of seeing a colorful sunset. Nonetheless, I took the short hike from the parking lot to the 4-mile beach, curious to see what the scene looked like, and I'm glad I did.
Visibility was poor, as expected, but this created a moody atmosphere that I had never experienced at this location before. The waves were mild and had just enough in them to reach some of the bigger rocks in the middle of this beach. I decided to use these rocks and the motion of the receding waves as the foreground interest to capture the foggy coastal scene. Later on, during post-processing, I opted for a black-and-white treatment since there wasn't much color in the scene.
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Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor