cape cod: the island peninsula

grass mohawk


A week on the Cape this summer allowed me to explore the sandy dunes and colorful sunsets. Despite numerous shark sightings off the coast of Chatham, we did not see any, though we hoped desperately for a Great White to roar up out of the water and snack on a seal. Here's a selection of photos from the trip; be sure to check out the link at the bottom to see the full album, which includes some photos from previous posts -- the silhouettes and macro photos.





gulls at rest


goodbye, sun

See the full album here.

silhouettes

sunrise and moonset on cadillac


I've been exploring silhouettes as a way to make my photographs more interesting, whether taken at sunset and sunrise, or at other points in the day when the harsh lighting makes for difficult exposure. The goal is to produce a scene that goes beyond the typical sunrise and sunset photographs with their vivid pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows.

For the most part, people form the silhouettes, dark and faceless outlines that invite the viewer to create their own narratives or to insert themselves into the frame. I am particularly drawn to the lone figures in these images. I wonder whether they choose their solitude, and I wonder about the peace they find in this time by themselves.

Whether alone or with companions, these people always exude a feeling of awe, of deference to a higher power from which great beauty emerges. As powerful as any one of us may be, and as powerful we may be as a collective, the passing of each day and the rising and setting of the sun, the introduction and withdrawal of light -- those are things we can only watch and not control.


end of the day



solitude



sunset at ellis landing

tidal flats macro

scallop shell in sand

I'm dedicating some time this week to macro photography. Being on the bay side of Cape Cod gives me the opportunity to explore the tidal flats at low tide, which has led to this series of photographs of the various creatures, dead and alive, scrambling about. I captured these images with my recently acquired toy, the Canon Powershot D10, a bulky, yet reliable, waterproof compact point-and-shoot camera.


One of the most fascinating things about observing marine life is realizing the interdependence between all of these organisms: Empty shells become homes into which growing hermit crabs can climb. Horseshoe crabs carry with them snails, barnacles, chiton, slipper shells, seaweed. Gulls drop mussels onto rocks before swooping down to retrieve the scattered flesh. Plovers and other shore birds stab at the sand with their sharp beaks in search of insects and small crustaceans.


upside down crab

Whether symbiotic or not, these relationships form but a portion of the delicate balance that allows all lifeforms to coexist on this Earth. To remove one piece of this complex web of life would inevitably lead to the removal of many other pieces from this web. To watch these organisms live their lives humbles me greatly, especially at a time when concerns about our stewardship of our environment demand our attention and right action.

It makes me realize how little know and understand about the world that surrounds us, and that for all the decisions we make with seeming knowledge and prudence, we actually act in ignorance and with self-serving intentions. The Earth is not for us to waste, yet current practices point in no direction other than that of destruction.

See more photos here.

bugs

These are kind of gross but cool at the same time. I have no idea what kind of insect that is with the big stinger(?) on the back. As for the spider, your guess is as good as mine what species it is. What I do know is that I would not want to meet either of these guys in a dark alley...