Friday, January 29, 2010

Walking in the reflective surf


In the late afternoon sun
Delray Beach, FL, December 2009
About this photo: Thematic Photographic...blah, blah..."water in any form"...blah, blah...have fun with it by going here!
I think I need to move somewhere closer to a large, preferably oceanic body of water. I live less than an hour's drive from two Great Lakes, but somehow, the lack of major waves and eye-stinging salt takes away from the epic feel of the place when you stand in that incredible spot where land gives way to water. There's a feeling you get when waves wash over your ankles that's unique to a big beach on a big ocean. My life doesn't fit this now, but I hope someday it will.

The realities of life, however, didn't stop me from spending some much-needed creative time in the surf on this, the last day of the year. The light was terrible - muddy overcast that got brighter and darker almost by the second thanks to the unpredictable and fast-moving cloud cover - but given how rarely I get here, I didn't want to let that stop me. So I wandered into the crashing waves and started shooting.

It didn't take long for me to get lost in the moment, focused intently on the fast moving forms, talking myself through each set as I dialed in different settings and fired away. While I came away from the experience with pictures, it's the memory of what it felt like to be completely in that moment that I wish I could hold onto. I don't know how to replicate it here, now that I'm back in a cold climate filled with the often-conflicting pressures of everyday life.

But I'll certainly try. Because as I wildly followed the waves through my lens and felt the power of this place through every nerve ending I had, I realized this was the first time I had felt remotely like myself in months. I didn't want it to end.

Your turn: Finding peace. Repeating the feat later on. Please discuss.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Photography gives us that gift of sucking the marrow out of a moment, even if it's not an ideal moment.

I know that effect has overflowed just a little bit into my life, but it's just not the same as being alone with your camera.

I'm glad you felt a connection with yourself again...

banana bread recipe said...

This is a nice photo! walking is the best to do.

wedding favor said...

yeah i agree with you. This photo is well taken.

carmilevy said...

Thanks, banana bread and wedding favor, if these are indeed your respective names. It's so nice to know comment spam is alive and well.

Anyone else noticing an increase in this idiotic activity lately?

Cloudia said...

I got lost in your photo!



ShAloha, Friend


Comfort Spiral

Pearl said...

pretty picture.

amazing how easy it is to get swept away without truly resting even for 10 minutes complete down time.

that's a gorgeous picture.

what do you think of http://www.quackwatch.com/
are they as legit as they seem?

kenju said...

I love this one, Carmi. It is a compelling abstract as well as a good portrait of the surf in the moonlight.

theMuddledMarketPlace said...

fab shot.....

what's with photographers wanting to move to the water? But it does seem to be the case...

being In The Moment is, i belive, a skill we can learn/ be taught
maybe though
after being asked what we're paying good money for/ spending time on...
maybe telling people that we're learning how to Be in our moments isn't quite as special as it felt...when you were in the water

but i think it is
i think it's worth exploring

Tracie Nall said...

banana bread recipe and wedding favor...for the love! These "people" (read that spammers) need some help!

Great picture. Being able to find peace at will is a great skill to have. One that I haven't really figured out yet. photography is a good place to start though.

Nishant said...

it's just not the same as being alone with your camera.

Work from home India

Mojo said...

Wow. I can't believe how far behind I've gotten on everything this week. I owe it a bone-crunching deadline at work. I've actually had entries every day, just never the time to link them up.

There's nothing, nothing, that compares to the perspective you get from the ocean. A mountain comes close, but not even the Himalayas or the Alps match the ocean for enormity.

I know it's one of my favorite places... and photographic subjects.

And yes, it does have a way of bring us back to the things that are important.

PS: I've noticed a rise in the spam comment level lately, but not on my blog so much as others.