Seagull Sunset.

02Feb2016
I hadn’t been to the ocean in many years. So on a short trip to Los Angeles I determined to visit the coast. After a day in downtown, I escaped to the beach in Santa Monica, arriving just as the sun started to set.
As I walked toward the beach, I noticed a gathering of gulls assembling for the evening near the shore. Contrary to the misnomer flock of seagulls from a forgettable 80s band, gull groups are actually known as colonies. I positioned myself nearby, but not walking too close since I didn’t want to disturb them. From this position, a gull would occasionally fly into my field of view in front of the sunset, a silhouette of carefree flight.
For this shot, I waited until the sun was just at the horizon, half an arc rising above the distant waves. A gull sliced the orange sky, and I took the photo. The orange glow literally colored the entire ocean at this moment, the gull and I bathed in orange light. I lingered until the last light was gone from the sky, enjoying every nuance as the color slowly seeped away to total darkness. Though I live in the mountains, this trip to the ocean reminded me of the spell of the sea, and I promised the whispering waves I would return.