Van Damme Beach approach

Of the photographs I've taken in the past couple of years, one of my favourites is the shot I took in February 2015 of Van Damme Beach in northern California with the morning fog still clinging to the cliffs and the sunlight streaming through.

I knew there was a good photograph to be made before I found the location I took my 'best' shot, as I left the little town of Little River heading south. On the final right bend out of the town, as the road starts to wind around and down the cliff, you can just see through to the beach and the view I got that morning was stunning.

I pulled the car over as soon as I could and crossed over the road to get a better view and this 'banker' image before I drove a little further on to see if I could find a clearer shot. A few yards down the road, as it hairpins back on itself, there is a small lay-by where you can stop and get an uninterrupted view down to the beach and further along the coast. At this point, looking mostly back at the coast, I also got the full effect of the sun casting shadows towards me through the fog/mist.

All of which is mostly about that photograph I posted six months ago, but today's photograph I still love: both as a memory of that first glimpse of a beautiful vista and the excitement of trying to photograph it well, and for the photo itself. This photo has more of a feel of looking down on a small secluded beach. It's certainly a messier photograph compositionally but that messy frame also pulls you in to the beach, the winding road above it and the ocean to the side.