Sailors’ Delight

Greatest Hits #2877

It was a classic winter day at Ocean Beach. The surf was firing all day, with double overhead forerunners showing up early afternoon and triple overhead forecasted before sundown. There were only two brave souls out by late afternoon. After shooting for almost the entire day, I was about ready to call it quits as the afternoon light was mainly overcast. But from what I could tell, there seemed to be a small sliver of brightness on the horizon indicating the sun may be able to poke through and create a fiery sunset. It was very difficult to tell whether it was just a different type of cloud causing the clear skies or was it actually clear. 

My photographer friends named this game “nuclear or dud?”: when the cloud cover fills 90% of the sky but unclear whether the horizon is blocked or not. Was it going to be dud?

I decided to stay for sunset and see what happens. As the sun got closer and closer to the bottom of the cloud layer, it become more certain the horizon was clear. Within a minute of the sun descending under the cloud layer, the drab clouds ignited an intense shade of orange. 

The swell was stacked to the horizon and the set of the day came through right at the moment of peak color. Wow. I threw my arms up in glory. It continued to burn pink and purple into the night.  

If I were to name my subject of my photography, it’s color. I’m after the most vibrant colors in nature. In all the years I’ve lived here, I still have not seen a sunset that matched that night’s lurid colors, coupled with the perfect peeling waves. It was one of the most magical moments I’ve ever experienced, and it was right in front of my house. 

Moments like this are another reminder that there’s no place like home. 

December 12, 2013 | Behind The Shot