In telling their story, I start by getting down on their level looking for the background setting that stage for our star. I then think about that background. At times, I might want a soft blur to the water like you see above. Other times, I might want everything crystal clear like you see below. It’s all a matter of shutter speed. Always shooting in Aperture Priority makin the change is as simple as opening up or closing down the aperture. Lying there in the wet sand, one grows a great appreciation for the keeper of the tides.

The light was really moody when we hit the beach. In front of massive angry clouds, we watched the birds on Bolivar Beach waking up. As the clouds rumbled and far off lightning sparked, I picked the spot where I wanted to shoot. When I placed the Z 9 / 800AFS mounted to the panning plate on the sand, there were no birds in sight. I saw the surface I wanted, but it was empty. I laid there in the sand waiting, the surf slowly working its way up the beach to kiss me. Then slowly they came by, kinda like a Field of Dreams. Piping Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Laughing Gull, Willet, Semipalmated Sandpiper ventured by but didn’t stay. Finally one took the small area as its own and I was in business. A Sanderling claimed the small patch of beach as its own and started to forage. An hour and stiff neck later I had the images I wanted for the morning. It was the perfect spot to reflect.