I was on a big winter photography trip hunting Sea Stacks on the Southern Oregon Coast. I was hiking and exploring the Samual H Boardman State Scenic Corridor.
This area has many incredibly rugged coastal scenes with tons of sea stacks, and it was exactly what I was looking for. While exploring a came to the end of one trail and found I had discovered Secret Beach, I knew right away this would be my sunset spot, and started working compositions.
I must admit I took a lot of time to nitpick this composition. Once I was satisfied, I left the camera and set up my backcountry chair to wait for light. As the sun started to set, the colors were coming alive. Some of the Sea Stacks were going to go silhouette, but I noticed some would get side lighting from the sun.
Things were now happening fast, and I started paying attention to the waves and the detail I was capturing. My shutter speed was just a bit too long at ISO 50, so I bumped it up to ISO 125, which was enough to capture the right amount of movement without losing shape.
I nailed a couple of sun stars as the sun dropped behind one of the stacks. Now, the waves were picking up an amazing glow from the sun and timing the waves so that one would come in and crash over one as it receded.
I felt I had put the shot in the bank, but I could not take the time to review it. I just had to keep on shooting as the light started to fade. I shot right through Afterglow, but the best shots all come just after the sun star shots.
This is the shot I chose as the winner of the night. It captures everything I was feeling while standing looking over this amazing beach. It now hangs in both of my galleries and every time I look at it, I am reminded of the unforgettable night I had at Secret Beach.
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Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor