Well, as some of my followers may know, I am not a big sunset or “pretty” image photographer. Don’t get me wrong, I love nature and all the beauty that surrounds us, but I much prefer to enjoy that without a lens in front of my eye, and leave my camera for capturing people and moments. So, why am I talking about sunsets and pretty photos? The long answer is that I travelled to California to photograph my friend Ang and her family on their big trip to Disneyland. She had been battling cancer and this was her chance to escape it all for awhile and spend some quality time with her family. Unfortunately, she fell ill and ended up being unable to make the trip. So here I was in California, solo, with a lot on my mind and a ton of free time….what to do? I did as I believe everyone should do while in California, I hit the coast and drove Highways 1 and 101. While on my adventure, I stopped to take in a sunset, and I decided to bring my gear down to the beach (well I did bring it all the way to California, so why not?). As stated before, I usually like to take in the sunset…just sit, gaze, listen, smell, think…just be. I really don’t think a photo can capture that experience, so why lose it standing behind a camera? Well, all that said, I got a bit emotional and felt compelled to photograph this sunset. So I did, and here it is. The next day I learned that this evening, this sunset, was Ang’s last evening and last sunset. It probably doesn’t change the fact that they are just photos of a sunset for most, but it changed everything about them for me. These photos are now meaningful moments–Ang’s moments. If anything, I hope these photos will allow you to take a second to stop, gaze, breathe, think, remember, and smile. My heart goes out to all of Ang’s friends and family.
by Jenn
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