Winter Light

"Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter."

~Ansel Adams



Late last month, I decided to do some coastal photography between Half Moon Bay, and San Francisco. The weather was more mid autumn, than mid winter, but I wasn't complaining because it was allowing me to get in some needed time with my cameras, working with the winter sun. Shadows, bright sunbeams, and lots and lots of light unique to this time of year. I had a really productive day, and was on my way home, when I noticed this roadside memorial, near Half Moon Bay. By chance, traffic was stopped in just the right place for me to see the late afternoon sun, shining filtered through the eucalyptus trees. It was a beautiful golden light, and it was perfectly placed over the white memorial wreath hanging on the chain-link fence. 

I snapped off several pictures, from different distances. On the last shot I took, I saw an orb above the wreath. It was disappointing, because I wanted to be able to properly identify the memorial by including the name, and the orb would make the picture imperfect. But when I got home, and looked back through my photos, I saw something I found rather beautiful and extraordinary... it hadn't been just one orb hovering above the wreath, but rather a pattern of wreaths that made up what looks like a flower! I don't usually post photos of memorials, but this one was so special that I felt like it was to be shared.

I tried to find out online about name on the wreath, Seth Koller. There wasn't much, but apparently he was a much loved young man, of about 16, who was tragically hit by a car, along that stretch of highway, in August of 2009. There was one small article, posted in the Half Moon Bay Review, that gave me a sense of who he was, and I am glad I got a chance to learn a little about him. In the years since his death a creativity scholarship fund has been started in his name, for the students of Half Moon Bay. When I took the photo that day, I was feeling a very calm, and inspired by the light shining over that memorial, I was only stopped there a moment, but I am quite sure I won't forget that moment any time soon. 

A simple white wreath, with the late afternoon winter sun, and a set of orbs floating above it, forming a lovely flower.

It was a moment not to be missed.

Mood: Inspired

~Me :)




Family And Friends Mourn The Death Of Coastside Teen
(Half Moon Bay Review)