lifeguard tower

In composition, a photographer often works with negative space; the space that surrounds an object in an image. In this composition, although the volleyball net looms large in the scene, because of the nature of the net and slender poles, it is somewhat transparent. Perhaps your eye went there first, for  a moment. Eventually, the empty beach chair draws you in, with it’s dark tonality. You realize that it’s at the heart of the ‘story’! Did the figure in the background get up from the chair for his run? Is he headed for the lifeguard tower which the line of the horizon and his direction draw you to discover, almost out of frame on the far left? Notice the heavy texture in the sand compared to the smoothness of the clouds and sky. I particularly like the chaos in this disarray of elements, and I arranged everything with intention. There’s a lot going on here. Where did your eyes begin their journey…and then what happened? Let me know!

Animals leave behind transitory signs of their daily activities in the form of tracks or footprints. A few years ago I came across these made by what I believe was a curios Seagull exploring his territory and was probably drawn to the discarded Flip Flop as I was. I was at the beach that day creating another image to post on the Daily Photo Game. This image was made not knowing how or for what I would use it, capturing it I moved on. At the time I remember being stuck by the obvious difference between what man leaves behind, marking his presence on the environment, and the low impact and ephemeral quality of animals. Happily that day I too left only my footprints in the sand to mark my quest. Note: No birds were harmed in making this image.