Canon Beach is an iconic location for landscape photographers. During the winter months, there are fewer vacationers on the beach, and with the timing of the tides, you can be assured that there will be no trace of human footprints in the sand. Since the beach is quite gradual in nature, as the surf rolls in and out, you can be treated to a foreground of ripples in the sand. These ripples, in turn, can reflect the colors of the sunset.
Most people at this beach shoot the iconic Haystack Rock. However, I decided to concentrate on the stacks just south of that iconic rock, the sea stacks called the Needles. Since they grouped up as three stacks, my eye was drawn more to them than the large rock. And the blue surf against the black backlit sea stacks during the warmth of sunset completed the composition I was looking for.
I wanted the surf to have a bit of texture but not be too distracting, so I decided on a long exposure of 2 seconds. I also knew that I was going to crop the image down from 2x3 to 4x5, which I find to be more pleasing to the eye. With the high-resolution sensors in today's cameras, I know it would be easily accomplished. I also did not want too much compression, so this image was made at 86mm to maintain the scene's depth.
The last thing was the foreground. So I waded into the cold Pacific surf, waiting for the perfect time for the waves to hit their crest on the beach. This also softened the abstract reflections of the sea stacks, helping them stand out against the sky and the surf.
While this area is wonderful to capture at all times of the year, I find the late winter weather conditions to be the best for capturing an image you want to put in your portfolio. I hope you enjoy this image!
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Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor