When you’re shooting outdoors, evocative photography is all about being in the right place at the right time. One essential factor relates to time of day, which helps explain why photographers love the so-called “golden hour.” Also called the “magic hour,” this roughly refers to the first hour of light after sunrise, and the last hour of light before sunset, when the sun produces a soft, diffused light which is much more flattering than the harsh midday sun.
Sometimes, however, being in the right place at the right time is just a matter of luck. Several years ago, partner Carol and I traveled to all four corners of Washington state to photograph historic courthouses. The courthouse in Shelton, the county seat of Mason County, had made the list, so we booked a reservation at a B&B close to town. The following morning, after dutifully waking up well before sunrise, I made the short drive into Shelton, which is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating because the projected forecast of “partly cloudy” instead was “morning fog.” But after patiently waiting for the clouds to burn off, I eventually got my shots and headed back to the B&B. It was just minutes later, on the outskirts of Shelton, that my attention was unexpectedly drawn to what seemed to be the remnants of an old marina – though what really caught my eye was a mysterious bank of low-hanging white fog. Whether the haze was retreating or about to envelope the marina, I know not because I was running late and couldn’t dilly-dally. But the end result of my unplanned stop was the featured image which, rightly or wrongly, is called “Old Marina.”
So have you got any plans to visit Astoria, Oregon, in the very near future? If so, you might want to visit Lightbox Photographic Gallery, which from April 13 through June 1 will be featuring 40 images by 40 Pacific Northwest photographers, including one from yours truly. I bring this up because my successful submission was none other than “Old Marina.”
We have a nice selection of custom-framed black-and-white landscape prints at our gallery on Bainbridge Island, as well as an excellent assortment of matted prints, metal prints, canvas prints, and fine art acrylic prints. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, please feel free to stop by! For gallery hours, please consult our Contact page.
Ciao for now,
Andrew (“Andy”) Bergh