THE WATER ETCHES A MAP
Religiously photographing the same stretch of coastline over years of observation taught me how the force of the water painstakingly carves away at the rocks. I documented fierce splashes on massive cliffs, until eventually one surpassed all others. Each booming arc of white water left another line mapping its path on the one-hundred-foot rocky plinth. Nestled in the one “safe” spot, I too left my own imprint of awe and reverence.
THE SURPRISE BACKFLIP
The first time I sat down to shoot here I picked the wrong spot. Little did I know that the force of white water would flip me over twice within inches of the opposite edge. My camera was destroyed, but the final frame was worth it. Editing the photos later revealed infinite unique shapes in the water, parachutes bursting in midair and fist-sized drops hurtling toward me. New methods keep me safer, but the pull of the water compels me to return despite the danger.
NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE OCEAN
After a terrifying near miss, I studied how to “read” water. There is no room for error when I’m precariously perched on a hundred-foot cliff. Splashes generated by thirty-foot waves crest the edge with the power of a fire hose. Every time one approaches, I’m filled with awe and hope that this won’t be “the one” that takes me with it. But there is no other way to capture the water forcefully carving the rocks. So, I take a deep breath, brace myself, hold the trigger tightly, and wait for the unmistakable roar below.