A Closer Look - Calm Before The Storm

This photo that I took in Santa Monica, California immediately caught my eye for a number of reasons.

A storm was rolling in, but the late afternoon sun was still trying to shine through the clouds. The contrast between the dark clouds and rays of sunshine is always photo-worthy.

Meanwhile, families and other beach visitors were trying to soak in the last bit of nice weather before the rain moved in. The mother in the red hoodie stood out to me as she was capturing a few memories of her boys on the beach. You can see the trail of footprints from the stroller, which I imagine the kids begged their mother to visit the beach; how can you say no to two little kids? (I can also imagine the kids screaming until their mother would finally give in, but I’ll keep them cute in this scenario.) Regardless, shouts of joy and jumping indicated they were happy in the moment, and I’m sure their mother was too.

The reflections of the runner along the water and the seagulls also created a moment worth capturing. Reflections always make me wonder if the person in the reflection has the same personality of the person in real life.

The seagulls were behaving almost like the people were, wanting to get one last touch of the beach before the rain, or were the people behaving like the seagulls?

Above all, the sound of the gentle roar of the ocean made me want to stand on the pier just a little longer. A little longer to watch the clouds play with the sun. A little longer to watch the people on the beach enjoy the soft sand and warm water. Then I felt the first drops of rain, and the exodus from the ocean began.