Friend and fellow blogger Andy Hooker has a thought provoking photography website iSighting that I highly recommend visiting. In his most recent post entitled Revisiting, he muses on the advantages of revisiting locations to photograph them. This image from Gold Beach, Oregon is a testament to what can result from patience and determination.
I fell in love with this location back in 2005 when visiting the Oregon Coast for the first time. I came across it early in my stay and visited it every morning and evening for three days. I got some really good shots, but I knew there was a better one to come. Fast forward to last summer, when we spent another ten days on the coast. The weather was quite fickle most of the trip, with fog constantly foiling some planned photography. The first night we stayed in Gold Beach, we had a fabulous dinner at the Tu Tu Tin Lodge on the Rogue River where we were staying (highly recommended). No photography that night, as the beach couldn't even be seen due to the fog. I was determined that the next night was going to be photography-focused, fog or no fog.
I guess the photography gods determined that I had suffered enough and gave me a magical night with great clouds and light. Every shot that I took that night has become a favorite, as it brings back the memories of how beautiful Mother Nature can be. It makes all of the times when the light wasn't good or the fog was too thick worth it.