Early Summer on the Pacific Northwest Coast often feels more like winter, with clouds, wind, and rain, not on this early July day. Light winds, no clouds, and warm temperatures graced the few days we wandered along the central Oregon coast.
Science tells us there are early risers and late risers. I am firmly in the early riser camp, and it has been my whole life. I am frequently awake while the sun is well below the horizon. I used my early wake routine to be on the beach when the sun was well below the horizon and the low tide had left the sand swept clean of all trace of human activity.
As the sun rose above the horizon, I was the only person on this stretch of beach. Taking my time to observe what the tide had left behind, I came across this large barnacle-encrusted rock among the freshly cleaned sand.
This picture says a lot about my photographic life. I thrive on being the only person there when I photograph. Sure, this beach is not exactly uninhabited. But at 6 a.m., not too many people have been up for an hour walking aimlessly in curved lines, checking out some object that catches my gaze.
This rock has been battered by countless waves and storms, yet life clings to the rock. Sand covers the rock, gets washed away, and comes again in a never-ending cycle, summer to winter. Eventually, the rock will dissolve into the sand; life will move on and find a different rock to cling to. Isn’t that the eventual fate of all of us? Until that day arrives, I’ll continue to seek out new views. The world is filled with ever-changing scenes, and I’ll just catch a few while I can.
