Lush forests, harsh cliffsides, a bright blue ocean. These are components of a great photo but an even more fantastic view. To add to this, the red-roofed Heceta Head Lighthouse adds a nice focal point to this scene.

It's so interesting trying to capture the perfect light along the coastline. It's not easy to balance the dark greens with the bright, sunny sky. Light reflects off the water differently in each shot, and the sky changes so quickly that the light is constantly changing. This makes for a fun challenge, and it is so rewarding when you get that perfect shot when the light is just right in each layer of the photo.

The next major challenge in a scene like this is that the surface of the water is constantly changing, and there is no pattern to judge when and where the waves will be. It takes patience and a lot of guesswork. It is a never-ending waiting game because the next wave could always be in a slightly nicer place or maybe slightly bigger, hitting the rocks a little harder with a slightly bigger spray.

While it may not look like a complex scene, the number of components involved in creating an image like this should not be underestimated.