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.