Winter Seascape – Near Waddell Beach. Pacific Ocean Coastline, California. December 20, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell
A mininalist evening seascape photographed from high bluffs above the Pacific Ocean near Waddell Beach, California.
After photographing beautiful sunset clouds at Waddell Beach I packed up and started south on my drive back home. From Waddell the road rises to pass along the edge of a high bluff with an open view to the west and over the Pacific. I often stop here to photograph shorebirds as they pass right along the edge of the cliff. Although I didn’t have a plan to stop on this evening, I almost intuitively pulled off the road at the first stop and saw this very quiet and still image of the post-sunset Pacific Ocean minimalist seascape – the large swell was coming slowly straight towards the shoreline and everything from the water to the clouds had taken on blue tones in the subdued evening light.
This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
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Thank you for placing this beautiful image for us to see….. i am originally from California and i do not live there now but miss so much images just like this…. i was homesick and looking for something to help me fell better and ran across this beautiful picture, i feel somewhat better now. Thanks
Thanks for writing, and I’m glad that the photo brings back pleasant memories of California!
Dan
Dave:
Thanks for posting your comment and for you complimentary words – I appreciate it!
I have a bit of a project photographing “minimalist seascapes” that goes back a few years. I usually look for interesting atmospheric conditions – reflections on the water, mist or clouds or fog, light coming though clouds, interesting but limited colors, etc. It is interesting to me how sometimes these photographs can seem quite easy to make, but at other times they are tremendously difficult. I don’t have a complete handle on what makes it go one way or the other yet, though I do know that most of them that work for me create a sense of space and depth and somehow combine some fairly clear and concrete components with some very diffuse and atmospheric components.
When I shot this one I almost figured that it might be a matter of getting the right exposure and then doing one shot – but as I worked I ended up making perhaps 20 exposures or so in order to get one that seems just right to me.
Have a great holiday!
Dan
Dan… beautifully minimalist image. Is amazing how for an image so simple I could spend so much time admiring it. Wonderful! Happy holidays!