On the cliffs above me, other photographers were making photos of a bridge and the sunset. This is the view I settled on.

Martin Banks
November 10th, 2020

It's been stormy here in Southern California for the past few days. We live in what is referred to as a coastal desert, so it usually doesn't rain here much, especially this time of year.
There is a spot, high on a cliff, next to the beach, where photographers usually gather at sunset. The perch looks along a bridge, leading off to the beach and ending at a cove in the distance. The ocean is off to the right and balances the image nicely. That view from above ticks all the boxes for great composition. It's no wonder why there seems to always be at least one photographer at that spot. Not today though. It was cold and very windy. Maybe that kept them away. I don't know.
I took my usual route to the beach and then back up the cliffs to decide on a vantage point to photograph the sunset. About halfway up the cliffs is a trail that can't be seen unless you know where to look. Of course, that is the trail I took. To stand on the beach, or on top of the cliffs, seems too easy. It certainly lacks in variety and creativity.
I found a nook and settled in for the next hour to watch the sunset and click the camera shutter. As I mentioned, it was windy, and the wind meant sand blowing right into the lens and all over my other gear. So I managed the wind and the sand and stuck it out until the sun had fully set. The image above was made in the first ten minutes of me being there. None of the other photos popped like they sometimes do as the sun hits the horizon. That's okay. I had fun scrambling around and working in my little hiding spot.
I climbed back up the cliffs and popped up to see two photographers who had been photographing the bridge packing up their tripods. It's a great spot, and I hope they got the iconic photo they were after. The photo I made isn't iconic. It is a nice photo that is different, and that's what I am after. Is it a great photo? Probably not, but it is what I created, with the help of nature and our reliably spinning planet. Creating something different is what it is all about for me.

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If you missed it last week, this is the image you helped select for the free print giveaway. The order is in at the print shop, and now I am waiting for them to ship and UPS to deliver the finished product. As soon as the print arrives, I'll post the opening of the contest. If you are a subscriber to this newsletter, you are already entered for the drawing. Good Luck!