Plans are of little importance.

 I started this day with a completely different intention. The shot I walked away with, which made me the happiest at the end of the day, is not what I had set out to achieve. This is the problem with planes; they seldom work out as planned. The day started simply enough. It was a cloudless, blue sky day. Conditions that do not inspire me much. But I decided I would challenge myself and head to the beach. Another location that does not fill me with inspiration. I thought I would go to a simple location and shoot some simple images. Minimalism is what I had in mind. I would shoot some long exposures of the ocean waves rolling over that flat sand. Straightforward, easy shots. That was the plan. The first couple of images were per the plan. A single rock in the waves, a slow shutter speed to smooth out the water. It was pretty and straightforward. A couple more shots like this, and my day was underway. I was happy enough. Then I noticed the tidal pools in and among a rock outcropping. This is where all my planning went sideways.

 There was so much going on in these pools. Simplicity was instantly a thing of the past. I dove in, no pun intended, to the pools and surrounding rocks. It was a melee with the tide and the waves. I was struggling to capture an image of Sea Annenomie as the waves battered me, soaked my shoes, pants, and camera. Every time I thought I had a focus on my subject, the waves would obscure the scene and wash away part, if not all, of my composition. My calm, simple day was now a battle against the Pacific Ocean. I was scurrying over the rock like all the crabs around me. It was as I was standing on the beach waiting out the waves to try another frontal assault on the ocean that I noticed the seaweed at my feet. The sand that had settled in the wavy patterns of the leaves and the smooth surface of the bulbous part of the plant (called the gas bladder) was a very interesting contrast. This was further emphasized by the harsh noonday sun glinting off the surface of the leaves, making the contrast enjoyable as well.

Suddenly, I was happy for my cloudless blue sky day. The bright specular highlights and deep shadows in the recesses of the leaves, the detailed pattern in the leaves and the sand, and the contrasting smoothness of the bulbs—there was contrast and contradiction in the image. It was a far cry from the simple images I had planned for this day. But if I'm honest, my plans had gone out the window long ago. I was hooked. The frantic nature was what I was trying to photograph now, and this chaotic jumble at my feet seemed to sum it all up nicely. 

I set out for simple minimalism and came home with a beautiful jumble.