Point Buchon Trail

Cloudy skies brought mostly flat light on this day—light that was well within the camera's ability to record the full range from light to dark. In fact, the result was rather on the dull side. Contrast was increased for the print file, and the sea and flowers sparkle vividly, with good color and no glare. In this case, dreary light delivered a photo that pops.

When I made this photograph, a passing hiker commented that perhaps the weather was not ideal for photography. For a commercial travel poster, perhaps he was correct. We should not forget, though, that the many variations in weather are part of our experience and are therefore legitimate and natural subjects. The sky adds considerable interest to this photograph, certainly more than a blank expanse of blue would provide. It also serves to enhance the mood and impact of the surf and sea.

As photographers, we should not fall into the trap of preconceived notions of what the world should look like. Such notions are often predictable stereotypes, resulting in—at best—pretty pictures, but not necessarily interesting pictures.