JD-0151
Pacific Moonset, Sonoma Coast, California
© 2003 Jerry Dodrill

The crying of the coyotes woke me in the night. It was cold and dark out, except for the moon. Was this the day? I got up, started a pot of coffee and put a log in the stove. I stared out the window at the moon as I drank the warm brew. It was getting light in the East. The sun was rising, so I followed the moon out to the coast and then began driving North. I sped along, trying to get to Shell Beach before the moon set. I made it. I grabbed my gear and started running along the sea cliffs, looking for the right spot. My cup of coffee was working now. Up the trail I went. Here? No, a little farther. On I ran until I was almost out of time. As I set up my tripod, I counted thirteen seconds between waves. I needed a fifteen second exposure to soften the waves and idealize the craggy rocks. The Earth's shadow was strong this day. The air was clear and bone chilling. Just as the moon started disappearing into a fog bank, I began making exposures. The ocean had never seemed so beautiful. I live for these moments.