Photographing the Oregon Coast is always an amazing experience, from the rocky, rugged shoreline to the sweeping sandy beaches. It is definitely one of my special places to photograph, as well as a place of relaxation and serenity.

Each time I photograph the coast I strive to convey feeling and emotion with my photographs and on this particular night, I was along the central coastline. We decided to photograph a location that had both rocks along the surfline as well as some open stretches of sand. As the sun was setting, I focused on shooting the waves and the rocks, creating some dynamic images of water motion. After the sun had dipped below the horizon, the sky began to light up with amazing colors. As the landscape darkened a bit, I turned towards more contemplative photography and began searching out new compositions.

I had noticed these ripples in the sand, caused by wave action, as I was photographing the nearby rocks. In the dwindling light, I decided to capture the patterns in the sand reflecting the colors in the sky. I timed my exposures so that the sand was wet, but not covered by any waves. At the very top of the image you can see a wave about to rush in to my frame. The longer shutter speed smoothed out any water movement so that your left with smooth sand ridges and pools of still water in between.