The beach is one of my happy places. I love the sound of the waves crashing, the smell of salty air and the sand between my toes. It’s so relaxing for me, just to sit and watch and listen. We prefer to go to quieter beaches and enjoy time with family. We don’t eat out, rarely leave the house except for the beach and of course the grocery store!
Our vacations have changed dynamics over the years. We started as a young family joining my husband’s family for a few days of the week. We continued this tradition for several years until our children became involved with sports & camps over the summer. When they became adults we started beach vacations again and enjoyed lots of sun & fun on the beach along with late night game nights. Now we’ve shifted again to early mornings with grandchildren and enjoying their delight in sand & ocean.
I bring my camera, of course, on our vacations but sometimes never touch it. And that’s ok. I’d rather cherish the memories made with family. This year was no different, though I did carve out a little time for photography.
I love sunrise the most on the beach, though the wake up call can be early! Luckily my cousin is also a sunrise lover so we try to witness a few during the week. There’s something so peaceful and beautiful about sitting on the beach watching the sun cross the horizon. It’s so still and lovely.
We didn’t have any “epic” sunrises, but in my book they are all beautiful.
And just after the sun rises when the light is still soft.
Sometimes I take time to experiment too. Years ago when I first saw an intentional camera movement (ICM) image I was bewildered. Why would you take an image that wasn’t in focus? I didn’t understand or appreciate the beauty. Now, I love to experiment with this technique especially at the beach under the right conditions. Below are two ICM images, the first at sunrise and the second near sunset. They are calming and soothing to my soul.
Photograph what brings you Joy!
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