Finding Patience on the Coast: Clearing Storms at Pea Island
A few years ago, I wrote about how it pays to be patient in landscape photography. This was one of those days.
Our drive down to Hatteras Island had been rainy and grey, offering no real hope of a beautiful sunset. It always amazes me how quickly a moment can turn from one emotion to the next. I had been feeling disappointed by the weather when, in what seemed like just a flash, the sky lit up in a brilliant display of hope, beauty, and inspiration.
We pulled off at the first turnout we reached for Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, and I ran into the marsh as fast as I could. I had my Sony 100-400mm lens with me to get a little more reach across the water. It was a beautiful sunset show that lasted just a few moments, but every single second was worthwhile.
Field Notes: Behind the Lens at Pea Island
If you want to pull off to watch or photograph the sunset over the salt marshes, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge has several wide dirt turnouts right along Highway 12, just south of the Oregon Inlet. There is easy parking in these pull-offs not far from the water's edge, giving you immediate access to the soundside trails.
When you're tracking fast-changing light right after a heavy rain, a telephoto lens like a 100-400mm is an incredible tool for coastal landscapes. Instead of trying to capture the entire wide scene, manual mode lets you zoom in to isolate the deep colors reflecting on distant water or tightly frame the texture of the clearing clouds behind the marsh grass.
Most of our daily photography is fragmented. We snap a photo here and there, treating each frame as an isolated event. But the real magic happens when you learn to see the bigger picture. If you love shooting along the coast and want to spend a week out on the beach with me, I'd love to invite you to join us around the table at The Saltwater Retreat Women’s Photography Workshop. It’s a small, all-inclusive photography getaway on Hatteras Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Can't make it to the beach this fall? We can still work together online. I offer 1-on-1 virtual mentoring sessions where we can dive deep into your unique creative vision, look over your portfolio, and find your visual style from anywhere. You can check out all the details and book a virtual session here.
