Feather and Fragments

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The tide line is full to overflowing with splashes of color and jumbles of shells and pebbles, yet it is interesting to me how often I come across balanced, monochromatic still lifes, such as this one.
Also of growing interest is the effect the early morning light has on the opacity of the items that I photograph. Here, the light is hitting the bit of down feather just perfectly to give the illusion of transparency. Now that fall is coming, the sun is lower and rising later, so I may have a chance to work with this a bit more.

In the Bright Morning Light

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When I was a child, I tried collecting jingle shells (the yellow shell in this photograph). I thought that a whole jar full would have been really lovely. The problem is that in a child’s bucket, these fragile shells crumble immediately, so my jar never was filled.
I am still enchanted by these delicate shells. Their appearance on the tide line seems impossible when one considers the fury of the sea. This one greeted my morning just a few weeks ago.