This image from the golden hour captures a special moment of success. After taking a dozen photos, I knew this one was a winner. This location is one of my favorites, and as the tide receded, it provided some fantastic reflections. Capturing an image like this relies on both luck and hard work.

I live just a short walk from here and typically carry about 15 pounds of camera gear—one camera body, one lens, and a tripod—on my shoulder as I make my way down the street. This is a medium format image, and the lenses I use contain a lot of glass, which adds to their weight. One essential feature for shooting on the coast is the three-inch spikes on the bottom of my Series 3 Gitzo tripod. Keeping everything steady when the sand is wet and the water is moving can be quite challenging, and I’ve ruined a number of images due to tripod movement caused by the waves.

For this shot, I used a shutter speed of 1/6 second in the fading light, aiming for sharp and contrasty bubbles from the tide against the vibrant colors. The sky cooperated beautifully, showcasing smooth tones with only a few clouds, which allowed me to focus on the water and the beachfront homes. This was an enjoyable image to capture, requiring very little post-processing.